Category Archives: Crosstalk

A Christ Focused Christmas – 2023

Date: December 22, 2023 Host: Jim Schneider MP3 | Order

Colorful lights, family gatherings, the baking, the presents, the special candy, the programs, and all the music of the season…you can become engulfed in all of these things and more, and still not understand the meaning of what’s being celebrated.

From Paul in Galatians 4 to 1 John 4 and other related Scriptures, it’s our hope that in the busyness of these days you will recognize the fact that at the precise moment in history, Jesus Christ came into this world, born as a baby yet fully God and fully man.

It’s with that thought in mind that Jim opened the phone lines, encouraging listeners to express their Christmas thoughts.  From testimonies of praise to God, favorite Christmas verses or stories, what people were doing to keep the focus on Jesus; all such expressions and more were welcome.  

Merry Christmas from Jim and the Crosstalk team!

News Roundup & Comment

Date: December 21, 2023 Host: Jim Schneider MP3 | Order

Due to a special Christmas edition of Crosstalk tomorrow, Jim moved up the News Round-Up broadcast.  Here’s a selection of stories from the program:

–The Colorado Republican Party is planning to withdraw from the state’s primary election and move to a caucus system if the ruling against having President Trump on the ballot stands.

–The California Lieutenant Governor is calling for former President Trump to be barred from their primary ballot. 

–Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick suggested that the chaos on the border could be grounds to remove President Biden from the state’s 2024 ballot. 

–Senator Marco Rubio posted on “X” that the U.S. has put sanctions on other nations for doing exactly what the Colorado Supreme Court did against President Trump.

–The Satanic Temple now has a display at the Michigan State Capitol.

–A Pennsylvania school attempted to execute damage control after issuing a memo instructing bus drivers to remove Christmas decorations from their vehicles, to stop wearing anything related to the holiday and to avoid playing Christmas music.

–The Israel Defense Forces are reportedly close to completing their ground offensive in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, having significantly dismantled the presence of Hamas battalions in the region.

–The head of a Gaza hospital has admitted to Israeli forces that Hamas used his hospital to advance its military operations since the hospital is a safe place.

–Israeli Defense Forces soldiers in Gaza managed to reach the home of the leader of Hamas, shortly after he fled the scene.

–The IDF reported that suitcases with funds amounting to near 1.3 million U.S. dollars was found in the home of a senior Hamas member.  

–Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official and spokesman for the organization, has said that their leadership is steadfast in its decision to insist on a cease-fire in Gaza before holding negotiations on a new prisoner swap which would see innocent Israeli hostages freed in exchange for convicted terrorists.

–Hamas is currently fighting to keep on ruling Gaza and the opportunity to re-group, re-arm and destroy Israel which is why it’s pleading for a cease-fire.

–The U.S. and its allies have announced a multi-national task force that will address the issue of Houthis repeatedly launching attacks from Yemen against commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

–The Biden administration is obsessed with four post-war scenarios for Gaza: (1) Israel reclaims some measure of control over Gaza.  (2) Hamas remains in power.  (3) The Palestinian Authority, another terror group, takes control over Gaza.  (4) A U.N. peacekeeping force secures the area.

–The steps leading up to the Lincoln Memorial were vandalized with red colored graffiti reading, “Free Gaza.”

Threads of Hope

Date: December 20, 2023 Host: Jim Schneider ​Guest: Alex Kuhlow MP3 | Order

As we look at poverty around the world, some individuals are forced into some very desperate situations just to provide the basic needs of life.  Sometimes prostitution appears to be the only way out.  With that comes exploitation and sex-trafficking.

Fortunately, someone’s engaged in a ministry designed to break that cycle.  That person is Alex Kuhlow.  Alex is the founder & executive director for Threads of Hope, Inc.

While growing up, becoming a missionary was simply not a part of Alex’s vocational plans.  As the son of a plumber, Alex grew up in the affluence of Neenah, Wisconsin, where he eventually became a machinist.  Working long hours, he reasoned that he wanted to retire and live a comfortable life.

One day as he was reading about the rich young ruler, the idea of selling everything, giving it to the poor and following Christ hit Alex hard.  He wondered what his response would be if Christ was giving these instructions to him personally.

As Alex noted, he wasn’t a pilot, a church planter or a Bible translator.  He was just a blue-collar machinist so he didn’t think he had anything to offer the mission field.

But God had other plans…

One day a missionary came to to his church who happened to be a journeyman plumber.  He was sharing with youth that whatever skills and abilities you have, the Lord can use them on the mission field.  After the presentation, Alex asked the missionary what the greatest obstacle was in getting to the mission field.  The missionary told him it was financial debt.  That was the very week Alex and his wife had become financially debt free.  There went that excuse!  

Eventually Alex and his wife found themselves as dorm parents at an academy in the Philippines.  That led to a beach encounter where kids were selling friendship bracelets that would allow them to provide for the basic needs for their family.  One girl in particular stood out and Alex and his wife would renew their friendship with this girl each year.  This led to them discovering how some of these girls disappear via bogus marriages, debt schemes and prostitution.

Alex had an idea.  He decided to buy about $100 dollars worth of bracelets (Enough income for one month for this girl’s family).  He wasn’t sure he’d ever see her, the money or the bracelets again, but much to his surprise, the next time he set foot on that beach, he was presented with 1,200 bracelets!          

Alex took these bracelets, made of colorful, cotton embroidery thread, and brought them to the U.S. that summer.  They were sold at a Bible camp in northern Wisconsin and netted them $1,000.  Remember, this was ten times the amount Alex originally invested!

But wait…the story becomes even more miraculous and worldwide in scope as it lead to the formation of the ministry/non-profit organization known as Threads of Hope.  

Get the remaining details by reviewing this amazing edition of Crosstalk.      

More Information

threadsofhope.com

Fighting a Global Agenda Locally

Date: December 19, 2023 Host: Jim Schneider ​Guest: Tom DeWeese MP3 | Order

California will disallow the sale of new cars powered by gasoline in 2035.  That radical move, along with other environmental policies combined with the state’s sky-high taxes, and it’s no wonder so many are leaving California.  

Looking elsewhere, there was a new bill introduced December 5th in the state of Washington (House Bill 1868) aimed at making gas powered lawn mowers and other lawn equipment illegal, with heavy fines and even jail time for violators.

The push for electric vehicles continues by the federal government despite their deficiencies, especially their cold weather performance.  In addition, they’re slow sellers on new car lots.

So why is all of this going on?  Returning to Crosstalk to answer that question was Tom DeWeese.  Tom is president of American Policy Center.  He is one of the nation’s leading advocates of individual liberty, free enterprise, private property rights, personal privacy, back-to-basics education and American sovereignty and independence and protecting our constitutionally-guaranteed rights.  He is also the grassroots coordinator for CFACT.

As Tom explained, “net-zero” is the target, despite the fact that C02 is not a pollutant.  So much of what exists on our planet needs C02 to survive.  Yet in spite of that, a new study claims humans are contributing to global warming by breathing, and if you’re female and over 30 years old, you’re the biggest culprit!

To place blame on people just for breathing sure sounds like an excuse for lowering the human population does it not?  Tom believes that’s the contention.

What is climate justice?  Is farmland still under threat?  Could your future protein come from bugs?  Some of this may sound crazy but there is hope.  People can take action.  Find out how when you review this edition of Crosstalk.

More Information

americanpolicy.org

Answers to Tough Questions About Christmas

Date: December 18, 2023 Host: Jim Schneider ​Guest: Frank Figueroa Jr. MP3 | Order

There are those who insist that believers in Christ should have nothing to do with Christmas or its observance.  The guest on this edition of Crosstalk, and his fellow workers in ministry, have put together a book to address this important matter.

Frank Figueroa Jr. is a speaker and presenter for Reasons For Hope, a ministry dedicated to presenting, proclaiming and defending the biblical worldview.  He has a Science Education degree from the University of Hawaii.  He formerly served as pastor in Hawaii and now speaks to numerous youth camps, youth assemblies and private schools.  He’s a contributor to the book, Glad You Asked!  Answers to 12 Tough Questions About Christmas That You Need Answers For.

Is Christmas, as some would say, a pagan holiday?  Frank said that the answer is both yes and no.  He noted that there are some things used from past pagan traditions.  However, the reason we celebrate Christmas is not due to any of those things.  It’s because of the birth of Christ and ultimately so that he would die for our sins.  

He used an example from the book, Glad You Asked.  Imagine if Christians took the month of June, which is currently known as Pride Month, and began calling it Prayer Month, using it as a springboard to witness to the lost, especially those who are pro-pride.  Then, if over time, Pride Month instead became known nationally as Prayer Month, 100 years from now would Christians feel as though we shouldn’t have taken a secular idea and turned it into something that we can use to serve the Lord’s purposes?  No, of course not.

Listen to the discussion as Jim has Frank tackle tough questions that Christians sometimes debate concerning Christmas such as:  

Is having a Christmas tree a violation of Scripture similar to what we see in Jeremiah 10?

Was December 25th the day that Christ was born on?

How important is the virgin birth of Christ?

How historically accurate are the typical nativity scenes?

What do we know about the Star of Bethlehem?

Listeners capped this broadcast with numerous questions of their own.

More Information

rforh.com

News Roundup & Comment

Date: December 15, 2023 Host: Jim Schneider MP3 | Order

Finish the week with Crosstalk and get caught up on news from around the world.  Here’s a sample of what Jim presented to listeners this week:

–At the U.N.’s COP 28 gathering, governments from around the world agreed to a global transition from fossil fuel, greater limits on energy use, and a new fund to compensate governments of poor nations for alleged damages caused by C02 emissions from wealthier nations.

–The U.S. Supreme Court will take up a January 6th defendants appeal of the Department of Justice’s novel use of evidence tampering law to prosecute hundreds of defendants for obstruction of Congress. 

–In October of 2021, Joe Biden called on the Department of Justice to prosecute  people who defy congressional subpoenas.  Now President Biden’s son Hunter skipped out on a deposition before Congress this past Wednesday.   

–Hunter Biden claimed the investigation into his business dealings is a move to undermine his father’s tenure as president.  Jim provided audio from his public statement.

–Jim also provided audio of Republican Congressman Jim Jordan speaking out on Hunter Biden being a “no-show.” 

–The House narrowly approved opening an impeachment probe into President Biden Wednesday, hours after his son Hunter defied a congressional demand to testify on Capitol Hill. 

–A Christian veteran tore down the satanic shrine at the Iowa capitol and beheaded it.

–An after-school Satan club is coming to a Tennessee elementary school.

–Viewers got their first taste of Hallmark’s “woke” holiday programming Saturday with the debut of “Christmas on Cherry Lane.”  Management made it abundantly clear that the “heart of TV” will continue to push the LGBT envelope, despite America’s towering wave of push-back. 

–The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal filed by a Christian therapist against Washington state’s ban on so-called gay conversion therapy.

–The conservative group, One Million Moms, has launched a petition against Target over its decision to stock LGBT-themed Christmas merchandise including gay Santas and “pride” Nutcrackers, months after Target faced backlash for selling products by a designer of satanic apparel.  

–Homosexual lawmakers in Wisconsin want to change the state’s constitution to recognize so-called same-sex marriage.

–A major Texas police department is reportedly considering a proposal that would alter the way police interact with individuals that identify as LGBTQ. 

–President Biden said during a campaign fundraiser that Israel could lose international support for its military campaign against Hamas if it carries out indiscriminate bombing in the Gaza Strip.

–Seconds after a Turkish lawmaker threatened Israel with the wrath of Allah, he collapsed of a heart attack.

God’s Story: From the Beginning to the Promised Return

Date: December 14, 2023 Host: Jim Schneider ​Guest: Becki Dudley MP3 | Order

Becki Dudley is a children’s author who has written titles such as When You See a Rainbow, When You see a Cloud, and When You a Star, Noah’s Ark for Kids and more. She’s written and recently released God’s Story: From the Beginning to the Promised Return.

Becki is a mother as well as a grandmother of seven.  She communicated that because of the things we’re seeing that are happening in the world, the most important thing we can do is to teach children the truth that’s given to us in God’s word.

The result is God’s Story, a collection of 125 illustrated stories from the Bible that takes a child from Genesis to Revelation.  Her hope in writing this was to connect the dots of the “big picture” for children, to reinforce that these were real people and that they’re not fiction or fairy tales.  In other words, God’s word is real history and children can learn from it.

During the two year process of writing the book she used the scarlet thread of redemption as a general outline beginning with the Garden of Eden and culminating on the Cross.  She definitely wanted to include those stories that foreshadowed Christ’s ultimate sacrifice and what that means.    

The book is illustrated with wonderful pictures by Bill Looney.  Becki feels his pictures themselves tell stories and help to bring those in the book to life.

As the broadcast moves along you’ll hear why this isn’t just a “feel good” book, why there’s an emphasis on the holiness of God, what the “thread of hope” sections are all about, the colorful maps that allow you to compare the land in Bible times to the land today, some key points from Christ’s ministry, and much more including calls from listeners! 

More InformationSpecial Offer: This beautiful 10×10 full-color book, God’s Story, recently came out from the publisher at a retail price of $24.99.  This month our VCY Bookstore is featuring it as a book of the month and in a special arrangement with the publisher the bookstore is offering it at 40% off, for just $14.99 plus any applicable tax and/or shipping.  This is only available at this price through December 31, 2023. It’s available right now at vcy.com or by calling 1-888-722-4829 or for those in Southeast Wisconsin by visiting at 10707 W. Capitol Drive in Milwaukee. (Open 10am-6pm Central)

Being a Witness This Christmas Season

Date: December 13, 2023 Host: Jim Schneider ​Guest: John Sorensen MP3 | Order

Many of you are perhaps burdened concerning the eternal state of unsaved family members and friends.  The good news is that the Christmas season provides many unique opportunities to cross paths with some of these individuals and share the hope of Christ with them.

If you believe that doing so will “rock the boat” and that you must remain silent in order to “keep the peace” at Christmas, you may not be aware that there is a way to share Christ with grace, love and effectiveness and that’s what this broadcast is all about.   

Appearing on Crosstalk to share his experiences was John Sorensen.  John is president & CEO of Evangelism Explosion International, a ministry that trains people how to share their faith in Christ and how to bring people from unbelief to belief.  He’s the daily speaker on Share Life Today.

There are some “dos” and “don’ts” to this process and John began with the “dos” as he noted that since it’s actually easier to witness to strangers, you could go to a coffee shop and try to start a conversation with someone and begin to bring Jesus into the conversation.  If you’re willing to spend some time you can go to the sharelife.today website and check out their online training program that can be a big help with such encounters/conversations.

One lie that John addressed is the idea that you have to become friends first before you can share Christ.  It’s actually the opposite and the more you get to know someone the harder it becomes to share with them.

John encouraged listeners to put an urgency and a seriousness into the effort, be genuine and let love prevail.  Too many of the conversations we have today don’t have love at the heart of them.  In the end, he believes you can talk about incredibly difficult things as long as the person that’s listening to you knows that the reason that you’re sharing is out of immense love for them. 

On the “don’t” side of things, John pointed out that you can’t argue anyone into the kingdom of God.  Instead listen, ask good questions, and do everything in your power not to argue.

There’s so much more to take in from this broadcast including John’s recommendation to ask for private time when dealing with certain family members, how to approach those you might meet on a plane, the essential Grace/Man/God/Christ/Faith elements of a gospel discussion, as well as questions and input from listeners. 

More Information

sharelife.today

evangelismexplosion.org