On this episode of Our American Stories before haunted houses filled October nights Halloween in America was a mess In the early twentieth century it was less about candy and costumes and more about broken fences stolen gates and angry neighbors Communities were desperate for order and their answer came from an unexpected place Schools churches and civic clubs began creating haunted attractions small events meant to channel mischief into something creative Author Lisa Morton whose Trick or Treat A History of Halloween remains a definitive account traces how those first haunted houses grew into the elaborate haunted attractions we [... more]

Wednesday was the third anniversary of the Hamas attack in Gaza Religious liberty continues to fight for its life in courts across America And should Christians send their children to public schools Segment October Anniversary Remembering Oct Breakpoint article on Islam Segment Religious Liberty On Trial University Heights Ohio case St Mary Catholic vs Roy New York Amish case Camp vs Colorado Segment Questions and Comments What are They Teaching Teachers [... more]

Dr Larry Taylor and Dr Barry Corey help parents think biblically and practically about the growing challenges surrounding children's education They discuss the shifting cultural landscape the importance of grounding children in a biblical worldview and the strengths and limitations of public Christian charter homeschool and hybrid education options The conversation also addresses the new federal tax credit scholarship coming in Learn about Age and Stage Get More Episode Resources Do you have a story or comment on how Focus on the Family impacted you or your family Leave a message for Jim Daly If you enjoyed listening to Focus [... more]

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is facing expanding scrutiny with the FBI and U S Attorney's Office joining state and local investigations into matters involving the district while the State Board of Education says it will take whatever actions are authorized if violations of state fiscal requirements are established North Carolina lawmakers are also returning to Raleigh Wednesday to consider relief from high fuel prices including a potential suspension of the state's -cent-per-gallon gas tax Meanwhile the State Board of Elections plans to contact registered voters identified by a federal database as potential noncitizens as officials work to verify their eligibility A new [... more]

A recently unsealed whistleblower lawsuit alleged fraud and misrepresentation involving North Carolina's long-running Medicaid technology overhaul although a federal judge dismissed the case in September for failure to state a claim State Auditor Dave Boliek has separately relaunched an audit of the modernization project Theresa Opeka of Carolina Journal joins the program to break down the allegations and the state's response Meanwhile Caterpillar is planning a billion investment in Sanford to expand production of compact construction equipment Bryce Fiedler of the Carolinas Academic Leadership Network discusses recent turmoil within Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and its impact on students Plus a federal judge [... more]

What happens when believers recognize that their influence doesn't end at the church doors God has placed Christians in neighborhoods workplaces schools and positions of leadership for a purpose But are we fully embracing the opportunities He has given us On this week's episode of The Alex McFarland Show Alex sits down with Scott Thomson lead pastor of River of Life Church in Oroville California and a three-term city council member Drawing from his experience in both ministry and public service Scott shares his passion for church renewal and discusses what it means to faithfully engage the people and needs [... more]

Craig Collins sits in for Dana Zohran Mamdani says socialism will take over national politics Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear backtracks his prior support for men in women's sports Nicki Minaj gets interviewed by Fox News and unapologetically emphasizes her political support for President Trump Abdul El-Sayed attacks the NFL as brutal and not ethical President Trump comments on AI regulation saying he would resolve any problems if or when they occur At a college socialist event the crowd chanted From the river to the sea before AOC took the stage AOC speaks at Cornell and calls for abolishing ICE and [... more]

When teachers understand their role within the biblical framework of redemption the potential is amazing For more resources visit breakpoint org [... more]

A new women's conference seeks to start a new feminist movement A shocking case out of Ohio reveals more dangers that come with the abortion pill Even advocates of public schools are having second thoughts And are prenuptial agreements a good idea Segment Women's Declaration Abortion Pill Dangers Article on women's declaration Declaration Ohio surgeon article Segment Public School Firestorm Fox article on Nikole Hannah-Jones X post on transgender research Segment Prenuptial agreements IFS article on prenuptial agreements Taylor Swift moment [... more]

What do our kids really need from us during the school year As we close our Back to School series we take a step back from grades schedules activities and expectations to talk about something deeper what it means to be present for our children as they navigate the challenges of growing up Our panel reflects on the hopes and prayers they have for their children this school year from developing gratitude and kindness to knowing who they are knowing God and building healthy friendships But they also talk honestly about the difficult moments that come with parenting including stress [... more]

Greta Thunberg slams Ed Sheeran for not having a spine as Ms Rachel goes on a media tour praising Gaza A Woke right Christian pastor posts a video with the title The Right Must Embrace Socialism To Win New York Times and Project writer Nikole Hannah-Jones deliberately sent her daughter to troubled schools as a 'sacrifice' and it backfired spectacularly Vivek Ramaswamy's political odds to win Ohio have hit an all-time low as Socialists are leading in the polls What is behind this Thank you for supporting our sponsors that make The Dana Show possible Alliance Defending Freedomhttps JoinADF com [... more]

When Job asked for the purpose of his suffering he didn't receive an immediate answer Instead Job encountered God Himself Today R C Sproul considers how the Lord brings dignity to our pain Download R C Sproul's teaching series Surprised by Suffering plus the digital study guide with your donation https gift renewingyourmind org Meet Today's Teacher R C Sproul was founder of Ligonier Ministries first minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's Chapel first president of Reformation Bible College and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries Explore all of [... more]

There is a war raging within the Democrat Party in Memphis Progressives are enraged that Mayor Paul Young is not vocally opposing the work of the Memphis Safe Task Force They are also enraged over his lack of opposition to Elon Musk Musk is trying to make Memphis matter by bringing jobs and upgrading dilapidated schools Democrats rage against anyone who wants to stop criminal thugs in Memphis See omnystudio com listener for privacy information [... more]

thu hr Hour Pledge Week Pastor Sanders claims that the public school is the reason we have such a problem with communism claims that public schools are teaching Islam claims all school authority figures are anti Christian Talks bout how the people who do not support Trump are Our enemies Randy talks about a school that was sued for refusing a parents request to remove their child from LGBT assignmentsSee omnystudio com listener for privacy information [... more]

WED HR Pledge week Pastor Sanders is raising funds through his listeners to pay for the radio program Sanders talks about people falling away Psalms claims that public schools promote abortion claims all public schools promote abortion LGBT and transgenderism Wendy Wilson talks about new research into prostate cancer linked to Milk See omnystudio com listener for privacy information [... more]

Families churches and Christian schools have the opportunity to cultivate the kind of convictions that can undergird the religious freedom consensus For more resources visit breakpoint org [... more]

What do you do when your child starts asking questions about faith God the Bible or even whether they believe at all anymore In this episode of Words of Life our Back to School series continues with an honest conversation about helping children and teenagers develop a faith that is truly their own As kids grow older they encounter new ideas difficult experiences outside influences and questions that can challenge the faith they were taught as children For Christian parents those questions can be scary But doubt and questions don't necessarily mean a child is walking away from God In [... more]

HR Pledge Week and Tonight's Message America Schools not allowing God in schools and Pastor Ernie and Joe talk about nurses saying people were being killed in the hospital during CovidSee omnystudio com listener for privacy information [... more]

Tonight's Message America Schools without GodSee omnystudio com listener for privacy information [... more]

North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek is raising new questions about how the North Carolina Education Lottery is taking in far more money than it did two years ago however the share of that money reaching public schools is not keeping pace arguing the system is probably not what you think it is Boliek joins the program to break down his office's audit of the lottery and its findings Meanwhile former Gov Pat McCrory toured a Wake County election facility and encouraged voters to have confidence in the state's election process Plus North Carolina is moving toward an overhaul of [... more]

Matt Slick Live Live Broadcast of is a production of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry CARM Matt answers questions on topics such as The Bible Apologetics Theology World Religions Atheism and other issues You can also email questions to Matt using info carm org Put Radio Show Question in the Subject line Answers will be discussed in a future show Topics Include Matt Discusses The Metaphysics of Dealing With Atheism Discussing a Problem with Roman Catholicism Radio Questions Deliverance Ministries Audio Version of CARM Schools What Does Original Sin Mean What About Babies September [... more]

The National Republican Congressional Committee has added Jennifer Balkcom in North Carolina's th Congressional District to its MAGA Majority program as Republicans look to hold the western North Carolina seat Andrew Pomeranz of Carolina Journal joins the program to discuss California Gov Gavin Newsom's visit to rally North Carolina Democrats where he urged the party to focus on the midterms rather than the presidential race Mitch Kokai of the John Locke Foundation breaks down the U S Supreme Court's decision blocking a lower court ruling that favored Roy Cooper and Democrats in a dispute over broadcast advertising rates Plus North [... more]

In this episode our panel of teachers and parents discuss practical ways parents can support their children's emotional mental and spiritual well-being in the ordinary rhythms of family life The conversation centers on building trust making space for honest conversations creating room for fun and making wise choices around phones and schedules It's a parenting discussion with a strong emphasis on relationship consistency and teamwork Key topics Supporting kids emotionally is different from supporting them academically and both matter Letting kids talk first then listening before trying to solve the problem helps build trust Timing matters when asking questions and [... more]

A devasting flood hit the Nepal-China border leaving many dead Dolly Parton dies and for once all political sides are mourning The Log Cabin Republicans say they won't support transgender ideology anymore in the face of transgender gaslighting about what's happening in America's schools Segment Nepal Flood Dolly Dies More Transgender Fallout Log Cabin Republicans announcement Breakpoint commentary on gaslighting Segment Woke USA Today article Segment More Bad News about Young Men IFS study Virtue online [... more]

Guest host Bobby Bones and The Athletic's CFB Insider Stewart Mandel discuss the mushrooming controversy of former NFL players returning to college football and the long-term impact on the NCAA's viability to enforce its rules if Bill Belichick can improve in his - first year record at North Carolina how the success of Curt Cignetti at Indiana has impacted how schools search for and hire head coaches the outlook for Ohio State Oregon Texas and debates which schools have the best uniforms and helmets Bobby reveals his top list of NFL villains that's sure to raise the ire of Eagles [... more]

tue hr Sanders and Linda talk about celebrities opinions on Christ talks about deporting all the Muslims and how evil they all are prison ministries transgender teachers in schools the left rigging elections Pastor claims Ilham Omar married her brother See omnystudio com listener for privacy information [... more]

In this episode we focus on how parents can support their children academically without making performance feel like identity It covers practical ways to work with teachers understand the real reasons behind struggling grades and encourage independence especially as kids get older It also addresses how AI is changing schoolwork and why those conversations need to start early Key topics Parents often focus on grades and assignments but the deeper goal is helping kids grow without linking worth to performance One major theme is resisting the urge to rescue children from struggle since doing too much can keep them from [... more]

One year after the murder of Iryna Zarutska aboard Charlotte's light rail system the program looks back at the case and its lasting impact on public safety criminal justice policy and transit security in North Carolina Meanwhile Governor Josh Stein says DMV wait times have fallen since summer while new school rankings show only one traditional public high school among North Carolina's top Theresa Opeka of Carolina Journal joins the program to discuss North Carolina joining a regional anti-fraud enforcement partnership with other southeastern states Plus a new report examines whether the expansion of universal school choice is beginning to [... more]

Neuroscientist educator and author Dr Jared Horvath joins Brian Kilmeade to discuss his book The Digital Delusion Horvath exposes how widespread classroom technology laptops and tablets are actively degrading student learning memory retention and critical thinking skills He breaks down the cognitive neuroscience behind why handwriting beats typing why screens destroy spatial memory and why AI in schools triggers the law of least effort in young minds Learn more about your ad choices Visit podcastchoices com adchoices [... more]

For many families it's easy to focus on grades But lasting success is about much more than report cards This week our panel discusses Why every child's academic journey looks different How belonging impacts learning The importance of relationships with teachers and classmates Why employers increasingly value communication and teamwork Helping children through productive struggle Supporting homework without taking over Teaching responsibility and independence Parents don't have to have all the answers Sometimes the greatest gift we can give our children is the confidence to work through challenges while knowing we're there to support them Join us as we continue [... more]

The COVID pandemic highlighted the need for Christians to exercise critical thinking and discernment in the face of deception and lies. Christians must be prepared to question authority and challenge false narratives, even when they come from trusted sources. The Bible teaches that Christians are to be ready to defend their faith and to seek answers, rather than simply asking questions. In the context of the COVID pandemic, Christians were faced with conflicting information and conflicting narratives, and they must be equipped to navigate these complexities and to make informed decisions. The Bible teaches that Christians are to be discerning and to test all things, and that they are to be guided by the truth of Scripture. [... more]

The country's biggest teachers' union is pushing to get diversity, equity, and inclusion ideology into artificial intelligence models before they are used in schools, sparking backlash from education advocacy groups. Meanwhile, President Trump's administration is developing new technology to counter drone attacks and a federal appeals court has blocked construction of a new ballroom at the White House, citing a need for congressional approval. Additionally, a Christian pastor discusses the importance of supporting President Trump and the dangers of the Democrat Party's policies, while also sharing the gospel and encouraging listeners to accept Jesus Christ as their savior. [... more]

As the new school year begins, parents can help their kids thrive by praying for them, bringing stability and calm, and reminding them of their identity in Christ. Experts share their experiences and advice on how to prepare spiritually for the challenges of school. [... more]

North Carolina's 11th congressional district is set to choose a new Republican candidate after Congressman Chuck Edwards dropped out of the race due to a House Ethics Committee report. The district's executive committee will meet Monday to select a replacement nominee. Meanwhile, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction marked the first anniversary of Superintendent Mo Green's five-year strategic plan, launching a public dashboard and pointing to four record results as evidence of progress. The plan aims to make North Carolina's public education system the best in the nation by 2030. In other news, the North Carolina General Assembly has taken action on two pieces of legislation, House Bill 958 and House Bill 834, dealing with elections across the state. The bills have undergone significant changes, with some provisions being moved from one bill to the other. Dr. Andy Jackson from the John Locke Foundation joins the Carolina Journal News Hour to discuss the latest developments. Additionally, new data from the 2025 North Carolina High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey shows that North Carolina has returned to and exceeded pre-pandemic levels across nearly all reported measures, with encouraging percentage drops in student safety, risk behaviors, and mental health. [... more]

Todd Starns discusses various topics including the rise of Islam and socialism, public schools, education, the election in Tennessee, and the controversy surrounding the WNBA and transgender players. He also talks about Vice President J.D. Vance's chicken coop and the concerns surrounding it. Additionally, he discusses the importance of protecting women and girls in sports and the need for common sense to intersect with reality. [... more]

Western North Carolina continues to recover from Hurricane Helene, with federal grants aimed at rebuilding infrastructure and strengthening the workforce. Meanwhile, Duke Energy has joined the Trump administration's ratepayer protection pledge, promising to support measures preventing households and small businesses from paying for power plants and grid infrastructure changes. The North Carolina General Assembly is also debating election laws, with a pair of rewritten bills passed by the Senate that would shorten early voting for primary elections and add performance audits for election systems. Additionally, a state representative is raising concerns about professional standards in public schools, specifically regarding a transgender music teacher at an elementary school. [... more]

A discussion about Dr. Fauci's alleged involvement in a deep friendship with CNN's Jake Tapper and his obsession with celebrity status, as well as the ongoing conflict with Iran and the potential risks of AI control. The conversation also touches on the controversy surrounding the Mayor of New York City, Zoran Mamdami, and his alleged ties to socialism and communism. Additionally, the topic of Caitlin Collins and Dylan Mulvaney's controversy with President Trump is discussed. [... more]

A state audit flags financial control failures in the town of Zebulon, North Carolina, with issues including excessive travel expenses and unsupported payments to consultants. Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Ted Budd testifies in favor of additional disaster relief funding for Western North Carolina, citing delays and inefficiencies in the federal recovery process. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction issues guidance on managing screen time on school-issued devices, recommending a focus on purpose and structure rather than strict time limits. [... more]

The Tate brothers face 59 charges from seven accusers of crimes that are alleged to have happened from 2010 to 2017 in the United Kingdom, including for rape, sex trafficking, and child and extreme pornography. The Democratic Socialist Party's ideology is compared to communism, with some arguing it's a good idea while others see it as a path to disaster. Identity theft is a growing concern, with LifeLock offering protection. The presidential election in 2026 and 2028 is discussed, with some arguing the Democratic Party is becoming more anti-Israel. Darlene Graham, the sister of Lindsey Graham, is running for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina. Caitlin Clark breaks a record in the WNBA, but seems unimpressed by the achievement. [... more]

A new analysis from Carolina Journal shows that elite private schools across North Carolina take little opportunity scholarship dollars, while predominantly lower-cost religious schools receive the largest share of funds. The state budget also expands sports betting and prediction markets, with a 5% increase on gross wagering revenue taxes and a 6% tax on net trading in prediction markets. A federal lawsuit is filed against the Gaston County School Board over a teacher's social media post after Charlie Kirk's assassination, raising questions about First Amendment rights and public vs. private conduct. [... more]