The Narrative

Does "neutral secularism" exist? Why are some beliefs welcomed in the public square, but Christianity is disqualified? In this final episode of The Narrative before Christmas, Aaron, David, and Mike react to the Cincinnati Enquirer investigative profile that called CCV "relentless" for turning Christian beliefs into public policy. Marketed as an objective report, the article instead exposes a familiar assumption: Christian beliefs are inherently biased and therefore unwelcome in the public square, while non-Christian belief systems are presumed neutral and free to shape law, culture, and power. After the news, Luke Niforatos of Smart Approaches to Marijuana exposes what’s really happening behind the scenes with legalized marijuana. An early Christmas gift to Big Weed, President Trump's executive order hands the marijuana industry a massive $2 billion tax break, turbocharges advertising to kids, and further normalizes a drug that is more potent, more addictive, and more destructive than most Americans realize. The conversation is a glaring reminder that policies shape behavior. Christians cannot afford to sit this one out while the profit-driven drug industry destroys America. More About Luke Niforatos Luke Niforatos serves as the Executive Vice President of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading drug policy experts. Leveraging more than a decade working on drug, addiction and health care issues, Luke drives the strategy behind SAM’s federal, state, and educational initiatives. Luke has testified in state capitols across America. He is a sought-after guest on major media outlets, including ABC, Fox News, NBC, CNBC, CSPAN, Newsmax, and network affiliates, as well as syndicated and local radio shows in markets coast to coast. Luke has been featured in Time Magazine and as a speaker at drug policy events held by The Economist, the United Nations’ Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and hundreds of town halls. Prior to joining SAM, he was the co-founder of a successful healthcare company. Luke attended the University of Denver and has a Master of Arts from Johns Hopkins University. He is currently a J.D. Candidate at the University of Denver – Sturm College of Law. Want to Go Deeper? Early-bird ticket sales are still available for the 2026 Essential Summit!  Believers, ministry leaders, educators, and families will gather on Friday, October 23, to be equipped for faithful influence in a rapidly shifting culture.  From now until December 31, you can lock in $50 off by using the code FIRSTINLINE at checkout. This early-bird rate is the lowest ticket price we will offer. Once December ends, the price increases and will not return. Register today, and we'll see you on October 23 for the third annual Essential Summit! 📢 Talk to Us We want to hear from you! As a valued listener, your feedback is critical for us to keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and helpful. If you have a particular guest, topic, or question you'd like us to cover, let us know! We’ll answer your questions on an “Ask Us Anything” episode later, so send in your questions now. 👉  Leave us a voicemail or text at 614-769-7077. 👉  Email us at [email protected]. To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit CCV.org. ⭐️ How are we doing? If you've found any episode of The Narrative insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It helps us to know what you're enjoying and brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning you're helping equip your neighbors to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you! 🔎 About The Narrative The Narrative breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives and helps you understand the root causes of today’s culture and political controversies. Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.Support the show: https://www.ccv.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Narrative, Aaron, David, and Mike break down the firestorm that erupted in Cleveland after the City Club’s January 16 event, featuring Aaron, became ground zero in a very public showdown. LGBTQ activists penned an open letter to pressure the City Club to cancel or modify the event, drawing a response from Attorney General Dave Yost. The Board met on Wednesday, and the  City Club CEO Dan Moulthrop announced on Thursday that the event would proceed as planned. After the news, stay tuned for the powerhouse keynote from Carl Trueman at the 2025 Essential Summit. Trueman brilliantly uncovers the root of every cultural battle we’re facing by exposing the deeper crisis behind debates on gender, tech, and identity: the fight over what it means to be human. He shows how modern technology—from smartphones to AI—isn’t just changing how we live, but how we see ourselves. Our society has technology that is actively blurring the very boundaries of human nature. And in that confusion, movements like transgenderism and transhumanism gain ground by treating the human body as nothing more than raw material for reinvention. Trueman delivers a gripping roadmap for Christians on how to respond with clarity, conviction, and courage in a culture being reshaped by forces most people don't even notice. More About Carl Trueman Born and raised in England, Carl R. Trueman is a graduate of the Universities of Cambridge (M.A., Classics) and Aberdeen (Ph.D, Church History), and has taught on the faculties of the Universities of Nottingham and Aberdeen. In 2017-18 he was the William E. Simon Visiting Fellow in Religion and Public Life in the James Madison Program at Princeton University.  Since 2018, he has served as a professor at Grove City College in the Calderwood School of Arts and Humanities. Originally a specialist in Reformation and Post-Reformation Protestant thought, more recently his work has focused on identity, critical theory, and the impact of the sexual revolution. He is a Contributing Editor at First Things and a Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington DC. His most recent books are The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Expressive Individualism, Cultural Amnesia, and the Road to Sexual Revolution, (with Bruce Gordon) The Oxford Handbook to Calvin, and To Change All Worlds: Critical Theory from Marx to Marcuse (B and H). His writing has appeared in Deseret Journal, Wall Street Journal, National Review Online, American Mind, Claremont Review of Books, and Public Discourse. He and his wife, Catriona, a proud Gaelic Scot, have two adult sons, a daughter-in-law, and a granddaughter. Want to Go Deeper? This week, ticket sales opened for the 2026 Essential Summit!  Each year, the momentum grows as believers, ministry leaders, educators, and families gather to equip themselves for faithful influence in a rapidly shifting culture. 2026 promises to be even better! From now until December 31, you can lock in $50 off by using the code FIRSTINLINE at checkout. This early-bird rate is the lowest ticket price we will offer. Once December ends, the price increases and will not return. Register today, and we'll see you on October 23 for the third annual Essential Summit! 📢 Talk to Us We want to hear from you! As a valued listener, your feedback is critical for us to keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and helpful. If you have a particular guest, topic, or question you'd like us to cover, let us know! We’ll answer your questions on an “Ask Us Anything” episode later, so send in your questions now. 👉  Leave us a voicemail or text at 614-769-7077. 👉  Email us at [email protected]. To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit CCV.org. ⭐️ How are we doing? If you've found any episode of The Narrative insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It helps us to know what you're enjoying and brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning you're helping equip your neighbors to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you! 🔎 About The Narrative The Narrative breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives and helps you understand the root causes of today’s culture and political controversies. Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.Support the show: https://www.ccv.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Narrative, Aaron and Mike break down two major stories making headlines: the latest developments in the case of the Toledo doctor who forced abortion pills on his girlfriend, and the new peer-reviewed HHS report that uncovers the truth about pediatric gender dysphoria. After the news, tune in for the powerful and uncompromising message from author and speaker Rosaria Butterfield, recorded live at CCV’s 2025 Essential Summit. Known for her sharp clarity and bold testimony, Rosaria shares her journey from a tenured queer-theory professor and LGBTQ activist to a follower of Christ, and how the Gospel reshaped everything she believed about womanhood, identity, and truth. With striking honesty, Rosaria opens up about the personal cost of her conversion, the pastors who discipled her with patience and Scripture, and why she believes today’s cultural pressures are discipling young women far more aggressively than the Church. She unpacks the roots of modern feminism and gender ideology, their impact on Gen Z, and why she says the Church must recover courage, conviction, and biblical clarity in this moment. If you want a message that challenges, sharpens, and calls believers to contend for the faith with strength and love, you won’t want to miss this episode. More About Rosaria Butterfield Dr. Rosaria Butterfield is a former tenured professor of English and women’s studies at Syracuse University, who came to Christ in what she describes as a “train wreck” conversion. Her journey is chronicled in her memoir, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert. Once an outspoken advocate for feminist philosophy and LGBTQ+ politics, Rosaria was drawn to faith through the hospitality of a local pastor and his wife. After years of conversation and Scripture study, she gave her life to Christ in 1999. Today, Rosaria is married to a Reformed Presbyterian pastor. She is also a mother and grandmother, as well as a speaker and author. Want to See Rosaria Butterfield Live? Dr. Rosaria Butterfield will return to CCV's Essential Summit in 2026! Join Rosaria, along with nationally renowned apologist Frank Turek, for an event that is sure to challenge and equip you to speak out boldly in defense of God's truth. From now until December 31, you can lock in the lowest ticket price available by using the code FIRSTINLINE at checkout. Don’t wait, this is your chance to guarantee the best rate. Register today, and we'll see you on October 23 for the third annual Essential Summit! Learn More about the Minnery Fellowship The Minnery Fellowship provides ongoing educational opportunities for pastors and church leaders to dive into the practical issues facing Christians in culture and develop, with a cohort of their peers, biblical strategies and messages to respond. Get the details and sign up at MinneryFellowship.org. 📢 Talk to Us We want to hear from you! As a valued listener, your feedback is critical for us to keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and helpful. If you have a particular guest, topic, or question you'd like us to cover, let us know! We’ll answer your questions on an “Ask Us Anything” episode later, so send in your questions now. 👉  Leave us a voicemail or text at 614-769-7077. 👉  Email us at [email protected]. To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit CCV.org. ⭐️ How are we doing? If you've found any episode of The Narrative insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It helps us to know what you're enjoying and brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning you're helping equip your neighbors to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you! 🔎 About The Narrative The Narrative breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives and helps you understand the root causes of today’s culture and political controversies. Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.Support the show: https://www.ccv.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Narrative, we bring you an unforgettable message from Duck Dynasty star, author, and entrepreneur Willie Robertson, recorded live at CCV’s 2025 Essential Summit. With his signature humor and down-to-earth storytelling, Willie shares a powerful testimony of God’s redemption in his own family, how his parents’ marriage was miraculously restored, and how one bold preacher’s decision to walk into a bar changed generations. Willie also opens up about the surprising origins of Duck Dynasty, why the show’s unapologetic faith and family values resonated with millions, and what its success reveals about the hunger in America for something real. But this episode isn’t just laughs and stories. Willie issues a clear call to believers: stop letting the world tell you to keep quiet about your faith. From government and entertainment to the conversations we have with our neighbors, he challenges Christians to step into their mission with courage, compassion, and the hope of the gospel. If you need encouragement and a reminder of what God can do through ordinary people who refuse to stay silent, you won't want to miss this one. More About Willie Robertson Willie Robertson is the CEO of Duck Commander and Buck Commander and star of A&E’s Duck Dynasty. Robertson has expanded his family companies, from a living room operation to a multi-million-dollar enterprise and destination for all things outdoors. Duck Commander is the best-selling duck call brand in the US. It, along with Buck Commander, are popular trademarks on apparel, hunting gear, food items and more. Robertson is executive producer of A&E’s Duck Dynasty and Buck Commander on the Outdoor Channel. He is a New York Times best-selling author of The Duck Commander Family: How Faith, Family and Ducks Built a Dynasty, American Hunter, American Fisherman, and American Entrepreneur. Robertson’s story is a remarkable example of entrepreneurship and dedication built on hard work, faith, and family. 📢 Talk to Us We want to hear from you! As a valued listener, your feedback is critical for us to keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and helpful. If you have a particular guest, topic, or question you'd like us to cover, let us know! We’ll answer your questions on an “Ask Us Anything” episode later, so send in your questions now. 👉  Leave us a voicemail or text at 614-769-7077. 👉  Email us at [email protected]. To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit CCV.org. ⭐️ How are we doing? If you've found any episode of The Narrative insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It helps us to know what you're enjoying and brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning you're helping equip your neighbors to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you! 🔎 About The Narrative The Narrative breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives and helps you understand the root causes of today’s culture and political controversies. Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.Support the show: https://www.ccv.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Take a deep dive into the cultural and spiritual moment facing Ohio, America, and the Church in today's episode of The Narrative. David and Church Ambassador Network (CAN) Executive Director Chris Lightfoot begin with an inside look at the explosive growth of CAN—from 2,200 to over 5,000 churches—and why pastors across Ohio are urgently seeking Christ-centered worldview formation, marriage and family renewal, and a biblically oriented understanding of Christian citizenship. CCV responded by creating the Minnery Fellowship for Cultural Engagement, a continuing education program for pastors and church leaders, and Hope and a Future to offer churches statewide a scalable model to strengthen families in their communities.  David also discussed two pro-life bills that passed out of the Ohio House this week. Following the news, world-renowned author and social critic, Os Guinness, joins the guys to explain the civilizational crossroads America faces as the ideological descendants of the 1776 American Revolution clash with the ideals of the 1789 French Revolution. With the nation’s 250th anniversary approaching in 2026, Guinness argues that it may be “the last, best chance of the last, best hope,” calling Christians to lead a renewal rooted in biblical truth. Listen wherever you get your podcasts! More About Os Guinness Os Guinness is an author and social critic. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of London and his D.Phil in the social sciences from Oriel College, Oxford. Os has written or edited more than thirty books, including The Call, Time for Truth, Unspeakable, A Free People’s Suicide, The Global Public Square, Last Call for Liberty, Carpe Diem Redeemed, and The Magna Carta of Humanity. His latest book is The Great Quest: Invitation to the Examined Life and a Sure Path to Meaning, published in 2022. Os has spoken at many of the world’s major universities and at political and business conferences across the world. He lives with his wife, Jenny, in the Washington, DC area. 📢 Talk to Us We want to hear from you! As a valued listener, your feedback is critical for us to keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and helpful. If you have a particular guest, topic, or question you'd like us to cover, let us know! We’ll answer your questions on an “Ask Us Anything” episode later, so send in your questions now. 👉  Leave us a voicemail or text at 614-769-7077. 👉  Email us at [email protected]. To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit CCV.org. ⭐️ How are we doing? If you've found any episode of The Narrative insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It helps us to know what you're enjoying and brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning you're helping equip your neighbors to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you! 🔎 About The Narrative The Narrative breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives and helps you understand the root causes of today’s culture and political controversies. Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.Support the show: https://www.ccv.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.