Wake up the heart, wake up the dream There's more to the story than what we have seen
Faith in the fire, hope in the fight, family's rising
Stepping into the light, raising expectations
Lift your eyes, lift your voice, raising expectations
Faith and freedom still have a choice
Here's Pastor Joe and Melba Scorfield with wisdom clearing strong
With Stephanie Thayer and Dr. Craig Thayer helping move the hope along
Dr. Paul Holland run, grit
Standing for truth and grace
This is your life in America today with courage in this place
Hey, raising expectations
Good to better best together
And raising expectations
Faith that carries on forever
Hey ladies and gentlemen, welcome to raising expectations
It's Monday night
We're so glad you're here with us tonight
We've got a tremendous show coming for you
I'm feeling blessed already, just talking about it
You know who we are, we're here each week on the raising expectations hour
You'll find us on bbsradio.com forward slash raising expectations
We're so glad that you're here with us
All of us are born-again believers
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
And then He died on the cross to pay the price for our sins
That was the job He was sent by His Heavenly Father to do just for us
And everyone who puts their faith in Him has those answers of life answered
The questions of life answered, excuse me, you get the answers both sides of it
It's a great thing
But anyway, whatever you're facing in your life
He not only has the answer for you for eternity
But he has the answers plural for you day by day
That's why we get the name, raising expectations
Because that's what He does when you look to Him
So again, it's a great thrill for us to have you with us tonight
Want to introduce very quickly, we're going to watch our time little today on our team
All of you that are feeling each week with us, you know the team
But some of you don't, and I always get to text it, who is that again?
So I want you to know, we're starting the West Coast
And we have there on the West Coast in Lompoc
As in Polk, cowboy
You find Him just above Santa Barbara and Lompoc, California
And that's Dr. Paul Paul
And there he is, and it's good to see you Paul
I'll see you, right
And he's retired pastor, theologian, friend, and you name it Paul does
It bless his lives everywhere
And if we all join together and go all the way to the south part of the East Coast
You'll find two of our very dear friends, and Dr. Craig and Stephanie there
And you'll find them there in Northern Georgia
And they're in Dalton, the metropolis there
And Stephanie's a tremendous Christian lady, mother, writer
She's a businesswoman, she's just done about everything
But her crowning glory is she's taken that guy and her left us, Dr. Craig, there
And she just helped him to become the great man that he is
And we all love him as our brother and president
These guys are great, what a family, such a blessing
And every week you say something special about them
So it's great to have them all together and you'll also find
As we travel back towards Texas
We're going to end up in Texas, which is of course Central America
And right there in McKinney, Texas, just above Dallas
We have one of our favorite pastors there in the world
And that's Ron McKinney
No, Ron Greer in McKinney, I'm just seeing if they're paying attention
Ron, Ron, we did that one week and that was really interesting
But Ron, it's another great guy
He loves the Lord, he's been just about so many things in life
The way he's helped people
Counselor, he promotes men understanding who they are
They walk with Christ and he lives in life just like our other friends
Just shines that Christ is the answer
And he makes it clear that everything he says and does
If you want to raise your expectations
Put your life and commitment in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ
So again, great to have you with us tonight
We've got a very special guest with us tonight
And that is a man who has been called just a moment here
And moved this to the left
The most important person on this team that we have tonight
Is my wife and that's Melba
And she's right there and she's from Texas too
And she's that old cartoon of it
She's the brains of the outfit
So anyway, she's right here with me
And we're excited to be with you this way
And if she go into the program tonight
I can't wait, can you?
I'm ready
We've had so much fun looking at this together
Brad Stein has been called
God's Comedian by the New York Times and many other groups
I'm sure he's absolutely great
The last church I was in
They simply got to have him come in twice
And in the green room waiting
What a wonderful time I had talking with him
Getting to know him and talking about his family and who he is
God just has a special gift that's on this man's life
So if he gets ready to come in here
We've got something going here
We've got friends Kyle Simzer back in the play-no area
He just checked in some of these people all know Brad too
They're excited to have him come in to see us and to be with us
So we're going to start out by letting you know that this man
Is someone who is known for the stuff that he does
And reaching out and
I need to find that page real quick
There it is and taking care of business
He is known for so many things you can look him up
We're going to give you all that information
But most of all we're going to talk tonight and look at
Brad's gut issues
And he's got issues probably
If you don't know him God doesn't he might want to show you if he asks
But he'll show you what they are
It says very clearly when we look at Brad's life
And Stein pulls no punches as he takes on the cancel culture
Political correctness and the upside down logic of modern America
And with a signature blend of righteous, outrageous, and razor sharp
With Stein's challenges to cultural gatekeepers
Defends free speech and dares audiences
To laugh at what we're all thinking
But we're too afraid to say
Recorded live in Nashville again
He's done this with the media company there in Nashville
And he talks about everything in politics
Identifying free speech, race, gender, COVID mandates
American spiritual crisis
All rooted in his deep conviction
As a conservative born-again Christian
So we're in for a great time right?
So we're going to start and we're all going to watch with you
I'm going to ask TJ he's going to bring on
Brad Stein first
It's an idea where you can see him week in a week out
And then Brad will be with us right after that
DJ, I would say
My name is Brad Stein
Well, at least that's the name my parents assigned me
Head birth without asking permission
They were so backwards
They actually believe that they good to make life-changing decisions for me
Instead of allowing me to grow up to be six
And decide for myself if I wanted genitals
We got all the Christian people over and say
Well, I can't believe he said genitals
There are kids here
There are kids here
You know how they got here?
Generals!
That's how it works
So my name is Brad Stein
In 2004 the New Yorker magazine did an article about me
Called me God's comic
That's where I got that moniker
But my personal pronoun
Is your majesty
So if you have the privilege of meeting me after the show
There is a decorum, men, you must remove your hats, women
You must curtsy, do not let me directly in the eyes
Only speak if spoken to
And if any of this protocol is broken
You will be executed
And you can't do anything about it
Because now, identifies a monarch
So there you go
You're trapped
You should notice about me
Just so that you understand the depth of my lived experience
I'm a man
This is going to be shocking for some of younger people
That didn't used to
Bring applause
We didn't used to have to applaud
That a man was a man
Now we do
I am a man and I did it the old fashioned
I was born
Oh yeah, all factory direct parts on this boy, my friends
No aftermarket add-ons for this boy
If you're into classic cars
All the numbers match, baby
I'm a man or a male that works
Man or a male man
If you want to, I don't care
You won't get your letters any quicker
So I am a man
Number two
I am a Christian
Or as the progressives like to call me a
Hey, fuck!
Try and spell make
Oh, I'm following
Lacey Fages
Hey, parkoury
Carrot
But that's just because they're open-minded
Notice that
Notice the people that treat you in a certain way
And then define themselves differently
It matters
When you learn how people manipulate words to control you
Whoever controls the words controls the people
I'll give you an example
I'll give you an example
This group right here is a great wonderful group of people
It always was called a great crowd
Two and a half years ago
This was called a super spreader
I know
And it is a super spreader
Unless you're spreading while burning down buildings
And looting
Then it's a peaceful protest
And it is a peaceful protest
Unless you're protesting a presidential election
And it's an insurrection
And it is an insurrection
Unless the other direction is happening
BERMA
Then you'recelltr raising your first amendment right
Then you arer exercising your first amendment right
Unless you're exercising your first amendment right
At a school board meeting
Then you're a domestic terrorist
Then you are a domestic terrorist
and coming from the FBI or the CDC or the WEF or the IRS.
Then you're just keeping the world safe for democracy.
Always fear those who give you the same behavior
that they engage in but define themselves
as the virtuous ones.
Laugh while it's legal.
See through the lunacy and call the crazies on their crazy.
That's how freedom reigns.
I'm white.
Woo!
Woo!
Woo!
It wasn't that hard.
It really wasn't.
I just showed up and came out like this.
I just came out fully formed, not quite baked,
not quite got through.
By the way, I'm white, which means I'm beige.
Ever thought about that, there are no white people.
Clouds are white.
Marshmallows are white.
Cute tips are white.
In fact, there are no white people.
In fact, if you ever see a white person run!
The dead lives!
There's no white.
Number four, I am a conservative.
I know, now we're for a comic.
I'm a conservative.
I didn't say Republican.
I said conservative because if you haven't figured out by now, folks,
all of them are corrupt.
All of them.
We've been abandoned by these two.
We've been abandoned.
You an American survivor's going to take a peasant's revolt.
That's all we got left.
It's going to take our actual republic, where you remember
you're the government again.
That's our only shot.
A conservative simply means I want
to conserve the original intent of the Constitution.
I want to conserve history.
I want to conserve wisdom.
I want to conserve looking at what has worked
and what doesn't work and making assessments.
You know what?
I really want to conserve common sense.
I don't want to be told by some oligarch billionaire
that I'm not allowed to eat meat anymore
because it's killing the earth and I have to eat bugs now.
Who are these billionaires that start making the rules
for the rest of us?
Apparently you get so rich.
You think that all I have left to do is to take over the world.
If you guys don't know who I'm referencing,
who knows who I'm talking about?
Bill Gates.
Bill Gates said that we must not eat beef anymore
because the cow's flatulence is destroying the ozone layer
and creating climate change.
You heard me right.
We've got to stop eating meat or the world is going
to be destroyed by cow fucks.
Folks, how fragile does this man think the earth actually is?
Let's think about what the earth has endured
for thousands of years and made it.
It has endured volcano eruptions that have completely scattered
and ruined the ozone and put more CO2 in the atmosphere
than any spray can we can come up with.
It has endured lightning strikes.
It has endured earthquakes.
It has endured pestilence.
It has endured germs and viruses and nuclear explosions.
It has endured man's inhumanity to man and it still survives.
But folks, apparently the earth has met its mass.
If you think it can keep going with cows,
just farting woolly-nilly everywhere we think can go.
And here's the beautiful thing.
They don't want to have cows.
And you know what else they don't want to have?
Fioso fuels, where we can actually create generators
and get rid of this stink.
They don't want us to be able to heat our homes
or to cool our homes or help third world countries
that have to burn dung so they can survive.
No more fossil fuels.
What do they want to replace it with?
Windmills!
You know what?
We tried windmills in the middle ages,
the ganad gave up on them.
You know why?
They suck!
Oh my gosh!
No, we're going to put up windmills.
Forget the fact that a windmills can't,
we're seeing gears can't move unless it's using petroleum products.
Forget the fact that petroleum products
make the windmills blades and makes all of the poles
and actually transports them from here to there.
And actually has to use petroleum products to put it all up
and to take it all down and get rid of it.
Never put greats enough energy to make efforts carbon footprint.
But why worry about facts when we're saving the world?
That's what's going to change the world.
That's going to fix it.
Windmills, then I got an idea.
Where Americans let's use our ingenuity.
Let's invent some miniature windmills
and strap them to the cows butt.
Every time they fart, they spin those stinkin' turbines,
generating our kinds of energy,
canceling out the climate change makes them happy
and I get to have a snake every now and again.
Just throw it out there because I'm a conservative.
I tell you, that message goes out in the way
that most people haven't heard it on run.
Wow, that's incredible.
Every time I see a cow now, I'll think about it.
It would have been a pain, right?
It's time I'm driving down my highway.
So, oh my.
Yeah, and you know, you can Google bread sign and all of this.
These kind of all kinds of things there.
We're going to give out some directions on how to contact them.
Yeah, and to think he's going to be really shy,
I understand, but now I'm wondering, T.J., are you with us?
Yes, hey, Brad.
What a great movie that was.
We just got to be with you.
There's Brad.
Hey, we're so glad you're with us and you've made it.
We just want you to know, we love and appreciate you
and what you do and what you continue.
God uses you in so many ways.
I don't think I've ever seen you with a straight face,
but maybe you could tell us a little about yourself.
Well, I mean, I guess God is, as he's always been stuck having to use us.
We are really all he has.
People act like, you know, you know, he has a lot of options.
He doesn't.
He's trapped with all of these broken vessels here trying to find out.
He's trying to figure out a way to tell his story.
And I just, I was just a comic.
I was a stand-up comic for many years.
I was in nightclubs.
I was a Christian.
So I didn't curse or do sexual jokes and whatnot,
but I was trying to be funny.
It's hard.
It's a hard job.
And I wanted to compete at the highest levels.
I wanted to work in the best clubs.
I wanted to see if I could do this craft honorably
in a way that didn't compromise my faith.
But it was funny.
And most importantly to me, I wanted it to be smart.
I wanted it to be sophisticated.
I wanted it to say things that mattered to me.
And of course, in comedy especially,
a conservative and Christian point of view is virtually unheard of.
And I just saw over the years when I was doing it that I came out of the Midwest.
I was born in Indiana.
I lived most of my life in California, but my grandparents were farmers and, you know,
blue collar or whatever.
So I just grew up different.
I was like, look, I believe this country is great.
It's not perfect.
I don't worship it.
I worship Christ, but I'm grateful for it.
It's the greatest nation in human history.
It's certainly the most important.
And the most eclectic.
It gets fascinating to me how they talk about America as being a systemically racist.
And it's the most eclectic ethnicity of any culture in history and trying to get along
as an easy, even if you all look the same.
But to try to mix all these different people with different histories in a cohesive way
is difficult.
So I believe that this was a great nation.
And I wanted to defend it.
And I wanted to defend my faith.
I was afraid of the attack on religious liberties.
I was a concerned about the attack on.
Liberty in general.
And I was aware of the and did some research about the Frankfurt School and the cultural
Marxism and how this the West was being destroyed from within.
Theistic driven demonic religion secular religion, which is what progressive is is.
Is it's religion demonic, but powerful.
And I just said, I want to fight against it.
And I'm going to stand for it.
It cost me my career as a in the mainstream.
I'm not going to be on the TV shows.
I didn't care.
I just felt like I got something I got to say.
And it's much more important than laughter.
But the laughter is the flavor it comes in.
So that's all it is.
I'm just I'm doing nothing different than John the Baptist did.
I just maybe make you have a little make a palatable, give you a little spoonful of sugar along with
the indictment on your on your lifestyle and behavior and so forth.
So that's how it all kind of just God began to mold me into a very specific, unique way
of telling a story in this nation.
I'm responsible for this territory.
I was born and raised in the United States and I'm a missionary to America to remind it and to
reimagine what it took to become 250 years in free and trying to be the best we can be and to
never forget that.
And I guess that's kind of how I ended up a regular stand up and then ended up more into
ministry, which is what it's become.
I didn't see that coming, but I will say this.
You wake up on the beach in whale vomit enough times.
You kind of go, well, I guess I should head to Nineveh.
So I was trapped with my Nineveh.
But you know what's funny, you guys, when you take it seriously, and I'm sure most of the people
that go to church on Sunday in America think they're taking it seriously, but I don't think so.
I really don't think they do because we were never called to be a Christian.
We were called to be a disciple and that's a whole different ballgame.
And I'm not a Christian.
It's easy because I don't have to do anything.
Jesus does.
So Christian then cost me a dime.
He lived perfection.
He died in rows and gave me access to the Holy of Holies and allowed me to be seen perfectly through his
blood and the prism of perfection that he created for me.
That was all free.
We all know that.
But he didn't just say, now take it and run rough shot.
Take this unless you're serious because this is going to cost you everything.
Everything.
That's right.
And nobody in America usually goes into their faith like that because it's never cost us
anything.
We were a country built on Christianity, so God blessed us.
And of course that's beginning to waver.
And so he's going to have to retreat from that grace and that favor that he's given us unless we repent and return to him as a foundation for our country and our nation.
So here I am, like I said, a comic and it's just a communication style.
It's not better than anybody else's.
It's not more important than anybody else's.
It's just mine.
This is what I do.
This is what I'm good at.
This is what God drove me to be.
And it's unorthodox and it needs to be.
Yes.
Because if everybody preached the same and had the same acumen and the same rhetoric skills and the same style, you'd only reach a certain amount of people.
You'd be stuck in a cookie cutter of who's interested in what you have to deliver.
But when he brings this eclectic nature of people of all walks of life and ethnicities and styles and ages and competence, you reach everybody.
And so that's why it's important to be aware that everybody has a Nineveh.
A believer has a Nineveh, a very specific territory given to them that they're responsible for.
And mine is to the church.
Is to remind the church that you are not close to as deep as you are asked to become.
And I can prove that not by America.
Go look in Nigeria.
Go look in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Myanmar, and more Turks and Caicos, Maldives, India, North Korea, China, Pakistan, Turkey.
Go look there.
And you'll see what a Christian.
How seriously they take their faith.
That's right.
That's right.
So that's kind of.
That's what I've been called to do.
I don't know.
I'm not sure what else you want from me.
But I wanted to kind of give a context as to why would God use comedy as a means.
And it's like, well, first off, why not?
He uses all kinds of folks.
But secondly, I believe God was telling me that I need my people to renew their minds into being able to accept different packages that I will deliver my message.
And because people, things going to change in America and people going to have to be able to adapt to the unique ways.
And by the way, God doesn't have any parameters.
It's none of our business who or how or what he uses to a commission's mission.
I think sometimes we make a mistake in some sort of false humility that why would God use us.
And like I said, well, because he has no options.
So just get to work and quit acting like you're some special person because you're so humble.
He gave you that gift.
So just go use it and that.
But like I said, that kind of attitude, that kind of personality trait that I have.
It's not, you know, it's not, it's not for everybody.
It's the one he gave me for a very specific season and a very specific place with a very specific message.
One thing jumps out to me.
I'm on a mission and throw it out to everybody.
I know they're thinking about things.
It's just first time I mentioned is always the blessing and I got blessed talking to you before you went out on the platforms.
And you started out with something that showed me God's given you a gift to reach different ages, age groups, different generations.
I watched you when you put a helmet on.
And you had the 16 year old voice down there.
And the way you addressed them, they lit up.
They listened to you and they actually were very deeply thinking contemplating the things that you were saying.
And then you, God used you to finally stitch what they were thinking into the whole adult group of everybody.
So two or three times you're on that one and every time was great.
And then today dealing with straight up, I love what you said about being, you know, it's time to smile.
All we can do sometimes is just smile.
And sometimes we don't say things may be God wants us to.
There's a boldness there.
But I've always felt the love of Christ through everything I've ever heard or watched you do.
My family church groups have been with me. They just really appreciate you there. So that's one thing. Guys, what do you think Ron?
I know you're thinking about stuff there.
Yeah.
I want to start basically. You said you're involved in comedy and clubs beforehand.
So why comedy? What got you into comedy?
Well, I stumbled into it. It's funny. I got to tell you that I don't know about you guys, but sometimes you're almost, you're just busy moving forward all the time.
Right. Is it human? You're just kind of moving to the next phase of what am I doing now? And where am I going now?
What job do I have? And you just always moving forward and life kind of passes you by.
And if you ever stop and kind of really analyze where you've been and what you've done, sometimes it's a little overwhelming.
It's like, wow, I kind of had a pretty interesting life. And I did. I'm a Renaissance man.
Now, it's always basically been performance arts. I just enjoy that. It's something I'm good at.
And it's something that I just was drawn to. Right. So I was interested in acting. My dad was an actor.
I mean, he wasn't a professional. It was community theater. But he sang at a little band and I had different family members that were kind of involved in carnival.
I had them involved in film. So it wasn't crazy that I would think that way, but nevertheless, it's not for everybody. Right.
And I got involved in sleight of hand in magic. I did close up magic tricks. And I got interested in that. And I was working in California, Southern California at restaurants and things, walking up tables and performing magic tricks.
Well, you got to have something to say when you're doing the trick, you know, you're doing the card trick. You don't just stare at him. You're joking with him or however you're doing it dramatically or whatever your style is.
I just had a sense of humor. I just naturally would just kind of funny and did things in a funny way. And over time, I'm like, you know, there's only so much money I can make in this little close up magic world.
I really need a bigger show if I remember going to make any money. And I thought, well, you know, you're kind of funny. What if you kind of had a comedy magic show, you could go into comedy clubs.
Maybe I saw that as a vehicle for revenue. It was all business. It was all just pragmatism. Like, what else can I do my thing that I like but make money and make enough to survive?
So I started basically trying to create a show and getting into comedy clubs. And it was hard. It took a time. But I kind of fell into it because I had this ability to do magic.
So I had something to entertain them with while I was learning to try to be funny in the midst of it. And over time, I just kind of observed the comedians.
And I just felt like, man, that's even more amazing to me because it's one thing to entertain somebody with a juggling or a magic trick or piano. It's all wonderful.
But it's a gimmick, right? You're doing a prop. And I said, but these guys have a mind, a mouth and a mic. It's that they have nowhere to hide, nowhere to go. They're just standing there talking and all this giant group of strangers.
You are molding into an orchestra that you're the conductor and you're causing all of these people to laugh at the same things and find a commonality at the same thing.
And it just was like, man, I wonder if I can do that without the magic tricks. And so I just kind of had this thought. I'm going to say that I can write material and eventually evolve into just straight monology without the magic tricks.
And so I just kind of, suddenly I was a comic. I wasn't a comedy magic. I was a comic. So really, you know, of all the things that I wanted to do in my life, I wanted to be a professional magician. I was.
I wanted to be an actor. Well, I've been in, I don't know, 25 films. And I wrote two books. I've, you know, host a podcast, which is like your own right tonight show or something. I've been to stand up comic. It was never something I had in mind. All the other things I kind of was interested in. Never that was going to be it. And that's the thing I've been doing for over 30 years. So, um, I was going to be a comic.
But I also didn't think I'd be in ministry either. And here I am. So, you know, so that's a long answer to your question. But it was something that just kind of.
Found me, I guess. Okay.
I'm always fascinated with the comedians. I've done a number of things with comedians and.
Oh, it's fascinating to me because, you know, you know, funny things, but your delivery is always sucks. And they, you guys have an, you, you need talent.
Read the audience and doing saying things that some of us can't say.
Or in a way that also that that that connects with people. So I appreciate what you do. And by the way, I kind of followed your YouTube things for a while to.
Oh, no.
But the other thing is, um, and primarily I, you caught my attention because I'm one of those radical conservatives also.
So I guess part of the question is, um, what, what, what do you think is?
What do you think is a driving thing that sort of that light bulb came on that says, you know what? I've got to start focusing on what's important and leave the, the trivial along.
That's not a weird question.
No, I think it's an important question. If you take your life seriously, most people don't.
I'm telling you, there's too many churchgoers in America, not enough believers.
It's just, it just is the way it is. If you really look at the significance of when something happened that God was using in a very powerful word, it's already very small numbers, right? I mean, 12, 12 men.
Built the church launched the church for two, you know, um, 300, you know, warriors, right? Um, two people started, you know, one man, uh, beat Pharaoh.
You know, he doesn't use joint armies. And the reason is because most people can't do this thing.
Listen, I was talking to an atheist, I was debating an atheist on my show and, you know, he said, well, I was a Christian. They always say, you know, I used to be a Christian.
And I stopped and I, and I said to the guy, I said, look, you're never a Christian. No, no, I went to church and I said, I don't, no, no, no, you were performative.
You were a performative, but you weren't a Christian. I know that. For a fact, for the one thing you believe Jesus is God. No, well, then you're not a Christian.
Well, I used to believe it. You couldn't. No, you don't. You can't not. You can't actually believe somebody was God, then suddenly stop believing that's impossible.
Like saying, I don't believe my dad's my dad anymore. And then I said, and, and you know, the Bible says that nobody, no man can pluck you out of my hand. So you're not in his hand.
So the Bible says that you can't, if you're not in his hand, then no man plucked him out. So you were never there. Oh, and by the way, the Bible also says he who endures to the end must be sick.
Well, you didn't do it. They have so brother. You were never a Christian. So why don't you get that out of your system? I am so, I'm just, you know what it is?
I, and I've had this my whole life in. It's a very tricky, challenging, tightrope. And that's this.
I have been filled with righteous indignation. I can't stand lies. I can't stand duplicitousness. I can't stand hypocrisy. I can't stand my faith being mocked and ridiculed or my God being demeaned.
And so I found myself performing comedy and I started working in churches. It's a longer story, but I ended up working with a company that was called Clean Comedians.
And that's all they book. And I said, Oh, another place to make some money. Well, they started booking into churches. And it's like, wait a minute. I grew up in the church.
I never saw a stand up comic in a church in my life. Okay, I'll go to the church. Well, I would start performing and they'd laugh because that's what I do. But then I'm in front of my people and had this sense of, well, I'm going to give them some inspirational thing here and a little something here and there.
And there would be a silence because they're listening and they're kind of focused and all in. And in my mind, I'm like, Oh, you're messing up because you're comic you're losing the audience or not laughing.
But they were enthralled. There's something was moving them by these other things I was saying. Then I would move back into the comedy and I told my wife.
I said, you know, I don't know what this means, but I think I'm supposed to be in ministry. It just something would tell me because I said that in the way I knew how to find it was when they laugh, I'm glad because it's fun to bring laughter to folks.
But when they are focused and I know that something is working in them in a spiritual realm, I said, that's who I am.
Amen. And I didn't know how else to frame it. And so I started battling, you know, I can't. I mean, ministry, I don't want to be ministry.
And it just didn't make any sense to me. It's like, just let me be a comic. That's enough. But what I found out was this. There's there's a handful of Christian comics in this world that are very funny.
And then in whatever they do between them and God is their business. I'm not here to judge her that. But here's the deal, guys.
It would have been a lot easier to be funny and leave it there.
Entertain. Yeah. Be funny. Give me my check. Good night, everybody. That's easy. But I was watching my country implode.
I was watching people hate a nation that gave them everything. The ungratefulness, the ungratefulness.
Our homeless people are richer than 90% of humanity. That's true. Homeless. And I just felt like something has to be done.
Something has to be said. And I would do my comedy. And then suddenly I felt like I need to say this thing, this deeper thing about moving to a deeper discipleship or who are you? Are you really a believer? And I'm like, in my mind, I'm like, just don't say it. Just be funny and leave it alone. But I had to. And what I realized was.
I can't not say these things. Amen. Amen. Amen.
Now, when you frame it like that, I battled it. What does that mean, God? I know it just be so much more prudent if I just be funny and leave it there.
But I can't not say these things. And one day I realized, Oh, that's what anointing is. You literally get out of the way of yourself. And God speaks through you. And at first, it's odd. And you're like, this can't be happening to me. This happens to Joshua's and Isaiah's and Moses.
And, you know, Daniel, prophetic, anointing. And I realized, you know, every significant person God used in the Bible came from so many different walks of life, so different. But they all had one thing in common. They were convinced. They were the wrong man for the job.
And I go, Oh, that goes with the territory. When you are wise enough to realize, God, you really don't want to use me because I know me and I don't belong here. And he goes, I know.
I know. I know. Hey, I'm stuck with you. I got no other options. And and be and be. Yeah. I want you so humbled by your acknowledgement and realization that you were so unable to do this on your own.
That you literally get out of the way yourself because you're you're afraid to say anything. It's like, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just getting out of here. He goes perfect. Now, I'll invade and I'll speak. Thank you. That's all I want you to do. So that's kind of what happened was when I would began to work these churches. And I found myself unable to not speak certain things that were hard.
It just suddenly it just kind of dawned on me. That's a prophetic anointing. That's what you've been given some teacher pastor. I was given this for this season to the church. I'm not an evangelist.
I'm a guy that goes to the people think they're in and say, you might want to rethink.
And that's a bit, you know, that's a heavy load. And I and by standing on those principles and standing on certain things about culture from a Christian standpoint and everything, I realized, boy, I've been using this in my comedy for 25 years.
The very thing they shot Charlie over. Yeah. I've been speaking about for 25 years and will not and will not and won't finish. I'm going to continue that and go down swing and.
But I kind of resigned myself to the fact that it could be very likely that you'll be killed. Yes. I mean, that's well. Okay. But welcome to the club. This is how the church was built. So I'm reminded.
I'm reminded of Paul in the X nine where Jesus tells that and I as he says that I it says that.
Oh, let me. I'm sorry. Get in it. I'll show him how much he must suffer. Yeah, for my sake. And, and that was the positive thing to reward for for Paul that he's he's.
I'm going to show him how much he must suffer from my sake. Yeah. And you. And it's, you know, I think it's that's something that doesn't preach well in churches. You're exactly right. Not in America, not in America.
In China, in China, when they go to prison, they say, thank you for allowing me to share in your suffering. They literally say that. See, this is what I mean by the difference between a Christian, which is just a term.
It's just a monitor. The original word Christian was an insult.
Disciples is discipline. And so what we don't understand it oftentimes in American Christianity is the suffering, the pain, the difficulties, the challenges are not punishments.
The refinements. They're designed to and it's kind of like God has to be constantly going. Didn't you know what you were signing up for? Did you think I was kidding?
This is everything you're when I say you're being crucified. It's not a metaphor. When I say you're a slave, it's not a metaphor. When I say you're dead, it's not a metaphor. When I say you're a servant, I don't think you understand what it means to count the cost because you clearly
didn't because you're complaining about the very thing I demanded of you if you're going to join my family.
That's right. I think Craig, did you have a bot? Yeah, it's just because you have the gift of taking the truth and the untruth cultural aggressive truth in an educational way that's entertaining to point the difference.
The difference. Yeah, you know, I do want to say to anyone listening. When people say, you know, I'm a big stickler to words. I love words. I love other used. I love the power of them.
And, you know, one of the things that I think Christians or maybe humans, but I'm just speaking to our people right now, use without really the depth of it is the word gift.
If you're given a gift, which we all have one, we're all gifted in certain things. And we think it's synonymous with a skill.
Well, it's not a gift means somebody just gave you this. You didn't deserve it. You didn't earn it. It's a gift. So how could you brag about it? Or how could you make some sort of claim to it as though you've earned it?
It's a gift. Somebody gave. I didn't earn anything. So when I when people say this, and sometimes they do, you know, and I'm glad that you see what I do and it's helpful. That's what I want to do. But sometimes people, I think, do see people in the performance arts as, I don't know, higher level value because it's you're on stage and maybe you're on TV and it just gives this, this weird aura to you or this.
But it's a charisma to to a person or a sense of, I mean, think of the terms they use, a star, a idol, idol eyes. Well, think of this word, folks. You are an idol. You are like to be worshiped. So, you know, no one of these guys takes it so seriously. But the idea about gift is that, you know, I can say with an understanding. Yeah, I didn't create this. I just can do it. I don't know why.
Okay, that's a gift. I just go. So the only thing you can do is give it back. Yeah, man. That's all you can do. You can, you can sit on it. You can bear it. You can use it. Spend it on yourself.
But if you're using it in the disciplined way that God had intended it, he trusted you with the gift. Assuming you would give it back so that he could utilize it for his glory.
That's right. That's one thing I've noticed about your shows is that you always hit them where it hurts. You know, what are you doing? What are you doing? And how is God using you? And to me, that's one of the things that we see in our show is that if people share their testimony, it's true that God will use you as long as you're committing him to do what he wants you to do.
And that's why I admire about whatever program I've seen after I've laughed for 30, 40 minutes, then those last few minutes, you really hit them hard.
You know, with where are you in your Christianity, in your relationship, you know, the body with Christ? And so I appreciate that because not everybody can do that.
Well, everybody can. They just don't, but they don't, not everybody can do it like a comic because that's my own thing. But everybody can and should. You know, people come up to me all the time. And one of the things that they say, you, the most I've heard is like, you know, thank you for speaking the truth or saying the things we all are thinking or being so courageous.
These are words I've heard many, many, many times. Okay. And it's a nice compliment. But I have to say that one of the things that American Christians have a habit of doing is heaping accolades as though that then gives them off the hook.
Unresponsible for their version. So I always answer the same way. Oh, you're so brave. You're so courageous. He can the truth. And I always say, thank you.
Now go forth and do like.
Because anybody, anybody here that inspires others.
The inspiration is to so that the next guy can go do it too. All your inspiration is is to help them. You know, it's the other mistake we made. Like, for example, I think in American Christian culture, we look at the church as the place.
For evangelizing in salvation. And people obviously, most of us probably got saved in church. But the church wasn't created for non believers. It was created for believers to go be inspired.
So they could go out into the into the marketplace and get people saved. That's what it was supposed to be. The churches were the saved go to be refreshed.
Not to get people saved. Why do we bring people get them saved? Because you're not doing it. And it's your job. I'm just the shallowness of America. And I always differentiate American Christianity. And look, I'm one of them.
I haven't reached some superior level. And I've had to have my journey and see my failings and my cowardice and my junk. But listen, like I said, what else can we do? It's like saying, oh, I can't tell an alcoholic not to drink because I used to be an alcoholic.
So I know that I'm actually the exact guy that should be telling you this because I've been there and now I'm not. So let me tell you. So I think that it is the broken Christian. It is the flawed Christian. It is the one that has the courage to be vulnerable in their brokenness and in their failures.
I recognize that you hear. Because one of the beautiful things about the Bible that is so I don't know that all the other religious texts do this. But the Bible, I am so grateful that all the great men or women are usually always exposed in where they failed as well. So if he had just had a bunch of Jesus's, everybody did Jesus would be like, man, I'm not, I give up.
I can't trust. But no, you have the, you know, the great, the guy that wrote three quarters of the New Testament used to murder Christians. And we have the guy that was going to be Jesus's closest companion, you know, denying him right into his face.
And we have people running away from him. And we have David who slayed Goliath. And then he's going out and having sex with a guy's wife and killing them.
I mean, thank God he showed us these things. Yeah. So he could keep it human in real and see. Yeah, guys, see what I got, see what I'm working with.
Amen. Paul, do you have a thought? I think Brad, it's refreshing to you. The time is really flying. So I just want to make a quick comment.
I was watching some of some of the things on YouTube today and some of the places you've been.
It was always interesting to me to see the reactions of the people sitting and listening, some are laughing. You know, they catch the whole thing.
But some, it's like you hit them with a brick and they're very, they get very introspective. And, and I think just one of the things I think about is that in this ministry that God's given to you,
it's like you're giving people permission to really think. And how does it impact their lives? I mean, what difference is it really making?
And when the lights come on, you know, on their heads and they see that, well, wait a minute, he's talking about me.
And I was thinking about the woman at the well and in Colorado, Jesus had with her. And after, after it was all over, she ran into town and said,
Hey, you got it. You got to come here. This guy. He's the funniest guy I've ever heard. What she really said is he told me everything about my life.
And he revealed it. And I think that's one of the wonderful usage of the gift that God has given to you that you are helping all of us look in the mirror and say, Hey, that's me.
That's me.
Well, I hope so. I mean, you know, this is, this is, I mean, again, my call, I think, in what I try to be very focused on is culture. I'm not a, I'm not a political guy.
Sometimes the church will say, Oh, we love this guy, but we can't bring him these two political. I go, I'm not a political at all.
I'm not doing Trump rallies. I'm not doing vote Republican. They're all corrupt. I'm telling you this, the amount of corruption these people are in this nation.
And is mind boggling. I truly don't know if any of them, any of them are men of women of integrity. Maybe there are, but they have to prove themselves and they do it by fruit. You see how they vote. You see how they live. You see what they do.
And I can tell you one thing. If you go in the Senate and you come out a millionaire, you're corrupt. You're ready. That's for sure.
But, you know, the thing is, if you think about culture, and that's what I tried to focus on is to make a cultural commentator from a Christian perspective.
You know, they say, you know, what did they come up with? Shame. Hey, you're fat shaming, right? That's a new thing. You can't fat shame. You can't, it's a crude term, but you can't slut shame.
So what are the things that they're saying you can't do? Shame. Well, what is shame? It's acknowledgement of missing the mark. It's acknowledgement of sin, usually. And so what's the purpose of shame to demean you, to diminish you, to destroy you, or to drive you?
To repentance so you can be free. So the very thing that they strip away that what progressivism strips away is the Holy Spirit's ability to convict you so you can come home.
So they fear the truth because the truth makes people uncomfortable. And I said in one of my shows, the truth is supposed to offend you. That's how you know you don't have it.
In Christianity, it's called conviction in secular world. It's called your conscience. It's designed to make you uncomfortable. So you have to change. You know, when God made Eden, he didn't make a hammock.
We're talking about pre sin, first male, first women, procreate, have a blast. It's all yours. No sin yet. First thing he still said was get to work. You had to work. Ten to the garden. Fix the thing. Do the deal. But this was not some charity welfare thing. We're going to partner on this. So, you know, this is all things that people say.
Conservatives, you know, are heartless. No, it's just that we redefine. No, we define love differently. You define love as to be with license to do as you choose.
And the Christ following conservative sees it as love as a times of discipline and a border creation so that you can get what you're trying to find through your sin, which is peace. But you can't get it over there. And I have the courage and the obligation to tell you that.
I don't know. I mean, I don't think it's that complicated, guys. I'm just doing what I think Christians were supposed to be all along. And I'm still on the journey. But I think the worst.
I think the thing that's most telling is that just to speak as though we should have spoken all along is revolutionary.
Or is it we just have been dropping the ball for 200 years? I don't know, man. But I know I'm responsible for for me for whatever time God has left for me. So I'm going out swinging.
Amen. Amen. I love it.
Yeah. Stephanie, anybody have a thoughts?
Yeah, you know, we, we often talk about the Great Commission and I think we take it very loosely in the American church. And I always talk about it's just being one step ahead of someone else. Right. It's not actually that you have all the answers for you've lived a perfect
life for all of these expectations because reality is we're all sinners. We're all broken. And I had a personal experience about two weeks ago.
And I was, I was really shocked because I did not want to have a hard conversation. And I had prayer warrior friends that were encouraging me and I was like, you need to do this. And you need to do that.
I'm like, absolutely not. And the Lord queued it up perfectly. I thought, okay, here I go. And I was talking to someone that is completely unchurched, not a believer at all. And I just said, I'm going to say some wild things about what I think is going on in this scenario.
And that person responded, Oh, yeah, I've heard about this and started asking questions. And I sat there dumbfounded. I think part of it for me was obedience, what I'm of what the Lord was asking. But another part of it was, why is it so easy to have a conversation with someone that is completely
unenriched and they were so open to the conversation where I were to have a similar conversation with someone who had been church their whole life. They would push heavy, heavy back on me, mostly about things that make their denomination comfortable, not biblical things.
And I thought, you know, am I living in the boldness that the Lord wants me to? I can go around and be loving to people, but we are, we are called to be bold. And we're called to say things that sometimes have a rub. And so I love your comedy has fun and truth, but then there's some really heavy hitting things too. And I think it does cause us to pause. And we need that because we need, what do they say, the double edged sword, right? We need that. And if we're not doing that, we need to do that.
So we talk about a lot of the progressivism is all love, all love, no truth. But what are we missing if we're not giving them truth? That's actually not loving someone. Right? And so it's how to figure out how to do it with the gifts that we have. And so I love to see how you have done it. I'm not going to delivery. Like it's a gift to be able to do comedy.
But it's a beautiful way that you've interwoven these truths that we need to hear. So thank you for doing it and figuring it out.
Well, just keep me in your prayers because it's not easy and it is not painless. I mean, they're, you know, and it's very possible that it'll get worse. You know, as we go on, like I said, we've already seen the progressism made very clear that violence is appropriate from their persistence.
That we've never kind of been in a position like that. That's anarchy. That's not liberty anymore. And it's, but it's real. Now it's not hyperbole. They're killing us now.
And we haven't even, they haven't got started. So if, you know, when we have government officials that are, you know, using law to imprison us and everything, you know, it's just a matter of time before you end up as so many Christians have pain simply for having the most dangerous thing you can have.
And that's the truth. And so I don't know, you know, I like I said, I appreciate that people like what I do. I do it for that reason. I'm grateful if it inspires somebody or, or they're, they made to think what a wonderful thing to think that you help somebody.
I don't know, overcome some idea or break through into a, into their complacency and to move into a new, I mean, that's what I mean. That was more important to me than making you laugh.
And so the laughter is more about dropping, helping to drop the presuppositional filters and grids that we put up to keep us from receiving pure truth. Once the grids are down, they have to receive it.
It doesn't mean they'll accept it or that they'll like it, but they have to hear it now because you tricked them into listening in a way that they aren't used to doing that. So, anyways, you know, like I said, I'm just me doing my thing just like you guys are doing yours and it's equally important to buy all the very clear.
It's all equal.
Amen.
Amen.
There's the message for somebody using the church on getting the church fired up like Ron has that banner bread going a lot and he's right on his, his life and his mystery.
So,
I'm going to say I've had the experience of not being invited back to a lot of churches in the last.
I know what you speak. Yeah. On top of the that the tax and death threats and leads escorts all sorts of things. So I can, I can relate. You sound like my kind of guy.
I'm, you know, I'm tracking with you because it's one of those ongoing things and I'm like you. I work with churches.
But at the same time, I'm very, very impatient with.
There's some churches I do not work with. I'll just be honest with you.
They invite they ask and I don't primary because I can't bite my tongue when it comes to certain when it comes to sin when it becomes it comes to me the opportunity when it comes to fluff and I can't do it.
Just my background.
But, but one of the things that that I that I've held for years and it's still do is when studying Hebrews chapter two in particular when it talks about Jesus, who is a founder of salvation right and it's perfected through suffering.
And he goes on and Paul and number of number of places right if Christ suffered in order for the salvation to be known to men.
And then he says you follow me. That's right.
It's like we have this concept on ahead that somehow I don't have to suffer because I love Jesus.
And then I'm going to say that if he suffered and even died, why do you assume that you shouldn't? And why do you why do you turn away from anything that may hit of suffering.
I'm going the best way I know of identifying with my Lord is to suffer the face he suffered.
If I if everybody likes you in the world and a crooked lost wicked world, that's something seriously wrong.
Well, I will say this. If everybody likes you, you're not saying anything worth listening to.
Because if you are speaking truth, in other words, if you stand for anything, I mean stand for it.
Unapologetically, somebody's going to hate you because once you stand on a, you draw a line, there's going to be people that disagree and that's going to cause contention.
So if the, you know, what I don't want is a church that bases their choices as who speaks or how they run their services because they want it safe.
They want it comfortable. That's where I know this is not effective.
If you're basing your decisions on is somebody going to be offended.
It happened to me. I had a guy wanted to bring me into a church and he's like, man, we love you.
But there's a couple guys that are like, you know, they're liberals and afraid they might offend them.
And so we're not going to do it. So a couple people out of what they think could be the majority would enjoy.
They made their decision based on that. And I said, well, let me tell you something, brother.
If your pastor is building his sermons and delivering his messages based on making sure no one is offended, I can guarantee you one thing.
He's not preaching the gospel because the gospel is defined as offensive.
That's right.
So now that doesn't mean you can't be an idiot and be, you know, be offensive because you're, you're jackassers.
I'm about it. I'm not saying that we don't have to be prudent and, and, and listen, but as long as you're speaking truth, all bets are off, brother.
That's, that's what truth is for is to pierce and to change into hone.
So, you know, like I said, it's, I'm just along for the ride.
I like to think of what you said about prayer and such and what you said about taking away and disarming the basic presuppositions those people have against this set or the other.
So they can actually hear what you're saying and feel like I'm, I'm safe at all prayer AC DC prayer.
You say, you know, first John one nine, Jesus is at the right hand of the father and he's watching me.
I want to get discouraged or disgusted or this bad or the other.
The prayer that gets to heaven actually starts in heaven.
He's watching. He's listening to us. Like you said, Reddy's. He's watching us.
He's watching us when we're suffering. He's watching us what we're going through and we're upset about things.
He's there and it's like, like God said, so how's, how's your doing down there?
Yeah, not so good today. You know, he's really discouraged or this or he's bothered or he can't figure something out and he's frustrated.
And he said, well, I've sent him down a thimble full of prayer of strength.
Well, me just need to send him down a thimble full. And, and then the prayer that I finally, he skits to me through the Holy Spirit who I'm listening to, who you take walls down out of people's lives that way and all of a sudden they hear.
And they send that prayer back to heaven.
And so the closer they get to what you're saying and what you're doing, the closer they can walk with the Lord.
And the next time he sends the prayer down, he says, well, how's he doing today? He says, he doesn't know, but he's sure praying and sure listening.
Send him down a couple of barrels full of faith and help us. He really get going this day.
And it's such a different. So there's times where you don't even want to say, how are you feeling to some of these people?
We just want to say, how are you facing?
How's it going? And they then hear what you're saying in a different perspective.
And I think God has given you a gift. It's just, it's incredible that way.
It means an awful lot to us that you would take the time out of your schedule to be with us on our show.
We come to the end of our time together pretty much.
But we want you to know that our prayer for you is that God will continue to grow you and strengthen you, bless your family.
They must be incredible warriors for Christ with you.
And meet you at the deepest points of your needs on a daily basis.
Just getting to be places that he's going to place your changed lives, but also understanding logistics and how that will work.
And to meet your needs, too, for your family and other things.
We've got some things in the mill and I'll get back to you that have to do for some real conservative Christian people running for office that we're looking at.
Like we said, for November, it's all coming to planning time.
Yeah, I'm getting a lot. I've never seen so many oddly enough GOP fundraisers calling me and people bringing me in a conservative group.
I've never seen anything like it. And I've been saying this for 25 years, these things about what's happening and about freedom and speaking liberties in God and so on and so forth.
And nobody paid attention. They'll be a handful. Like you, Joe, heck you had me in, I don't know, 15 years ago or something.
So there was a handful that understood what I was up to. But most in, and now in the last few years, I've had more fans, so to speak, people that said,
who have you been all my life? You're amazing. It's like, well, thank you, but I've been doing this for 25 years.
And I needed you 25 years ago, not where we are now.
So it's like I was prescient. I was ahead of the game. I knew what God had for me.
What I didn't know is that sometimes you got to wait for the rest of the world to catch up and see what's at stake.
Because suddenly it's costing them something. So they hear what people are saying that are drawing these conclusions and they go, man, maybe this guy was onto something.
So I'm grateful for that. It is, I am seeing more interest in me partnering in ministries that are warriors than any time in my life.
So that makes me feel good that I wasn't crazy that I was onto something.
You were on, and those seeds are growing. They're growing into great trees.
We hope they're all the greatest for us. You're going to ever see the seeds you planted all this time.
Tell everyone how we can best hear you or what you have said and get old of you or understand how to get to you.
Yeah, just go to breadsign.com. If you want to book me, you can just say, just go to contact breadsign.com.
Like I said, I do everything now. I do marriage conferences. I do men's events.
I do apologetic things. I do comedy. I do church services. Just everything turned into this giant ministry that I just simply didn't see come.
And I do it with humor. I do it with entertainment. That's just the flavor God gave me to get delivered.
And I work with as many people in any ministry. I can't have all sizes. I'm not trying to ever hinder somebody because of finances or whatever.
I try to make it work for everybody because ministry is about going where people ask you to go and God will help you get there.
So, breadsign.com, keep me in your prayers. I can use it. And for my podcast, breadsign has issues. It's growing too.
So, who knows what the future will be or how much time he's going to leave me.
But my job is to do some damage for the kingdom while the getting is good. So, I'm on my way. And it would love your prayers.
Amen. Well, we should be praying for you. Each and every one of us. And we'll be back in touch with you. Paul, it's good to see your brother.
Good to see you.
Now, the far East coast in the late midnight hours as they're coming there.
Thank you.
We're doing well. Good to see you guys. All right. And Ron saw his blessing brother. Good to see you.
Yeah, go text. There you go.
Right. God bless you and your family. And we'll be back to touch you with some things coming up for it.
Wonderful. Hey, I'm good. He's meeting all you guys. Thank you. Thank you.
It's the gentleman. Thanks for tuning in tonight. Yeah. Oh, sorry. Go ahead.
I just said, keep up the great work.
Amen. Amen. That's it. Sorry. I missed you on that. Ladies and gentlemen, thanks for tuning in to your show, Raising expectations.
And I know the things you've heard tonight will help you go.
No, it's the coming now. God bless you, Brad. God bless you. What you're doing. No, it's the coming in. Really appreciate that.
You're in our prayer. So look to the West to remember the sunsets that we're out there praying for when it rises. We're listening you up again.
So God bless and keep you. We'll see you next week. Raising expectations from good to better to best together with him.
See you next week. Same time. God bless and keep you.
Yeah, boys. Bless you.
I feel.
And the voices gathered here.
Stephanie there.
And Dr. Craig there.
Dr. Paul Hall and Ron Greer.
Keep raising expectations in your home and in your heart.
Keep raising expectations.
Let faith become the stars.
A family free of faith and future for wisdom. Courage, truth and grace.
We go from good to better to best together with a brighter old to clear.
Keep raising expectations in your home and in your heart.
Keep raising expectations.
Let faith become the stars.
A family free of faith and future for wisdom. Courage, truth and grace.
We go from good to better to best together with a brighter old to face.
Raising expectations.
Rise with faith today.
Raising expectations.
Hope is on the way.
Raising expectations.
We'll see you on the way.