Wretched Radio with Todd Friel - Fortis Institute

Latest Episodes:

Why God’s Fix For Mental Health Is Better Than Simply Being Numb Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

Segment 1 • Many Christians struggle with assurance, but God wants us to be certain. • Sin doesn’t erase salvation—our hope rests in Christ, not in the size of our faith. • True assurance comes from union with Christ, not feelings. Segment 2 • Lack of assurance often pairs with spiritual depression. • Depression doesn’t mean someone isn’t a believer; many Christians quietly carry this weight. • Common roots vary, but biblical clarity brings hope. Segment 3 • New Fortis series by Dr. Greg Gifford exposes the rise of psychiatric control over many believers. • Clifford Beers’ reforms medicalized the mind, blurring distinctions between brain, mind, and soul. • Meds can’t reach the soul; only the gospel addresses the heart’s deepest needs. Segment 4 • Pastors are called to shepherd their flock, but many turn to psychiatrists. • Symptoms may be treated, but deeper, root issues remain untouched by much secular psychiatry. • Dr. Greg Gifford addresses these issues and many others in new series, “Life Without The Numb”. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

How Ray Comfort Preaches The Gospel With Tough Truth And True Grace Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Segment 1 • Ray Comfort preaches with TPUSA on campus, later appears on Fox News. • Ray skillfully pivots every question back to the gospel. • Refuses to get pulled into distractions—stays laser-focused on Christ. Segment 2 • Ray’s tone is winsome yet bold. • Pushback comes when preaching hell, but he still lands the gospel. • Challenge: if you live near a campus, why not go witness too? Segment 3 • Too many pastors treat their people like they’re unintelligent. • Ben Shapiro praises John MacArthur’s depth. • Sin leaves believers unsettled—don’t numb yourself to conviction. Segment 4 • A faithful preacher makes truth reachable but stretching. • Al Mohler warns of America’s cultural dumbing down. • Even in healing debates, the question is clear: do we trust a logical God? ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Fear God, or Just Fear Hell? How To Know Our Conversion Is Real Oct 03, 2025

Show notes

It’s Mailbag Friday! You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. Segment 1 • What do you mean when you say that God desires tear-filled converts instead of fear-filled converts? • Why don’t you use illustrations or personal stories in your preaching? Segment 2 • Should Christians leave bad business reviews if a company wronged them? • Are women as deacons biblically supported? Segment 3 • What should a church member do if they discover their pastor is using AI to write or heavily edit sermons? • Is anointing your home with oil a biblical practice or superstition? Segment 4 • What counts as “secondary issues” in theology? • Why would you attend a Catholic funeral but not a Catholic wedding—what’s the difference? ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried! .

Sermons Put You to Sleep? How To Love Lengthy Preaching Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

Segment 1 • Sermons used to be long and weighty—now they’re shallow. • Why do we tolerate hours of football but squirm after 20 minutes of preaching? • Lloyd-Jones and Packer: urgent, doctrinal preaching isn’t optional—it’s essential. Segment 2 • Why do you go to church—and what do you expect? • Many show up with little thought, fueling shorter and shallower sermons. • Preparation matters: pray, take notes, engage your Bible, fight distractions. Segment 3 • Doctrinal truth without application leaves us wanting. • Head and heart can’t be separated—truth must move affections. • Don’t fall into ditches: emotionalism on one side, cold intellectualism on the other. Segment 4 • Taliban shuts down internet, silencing women and education. • Christianity uniquely dignifies women—seen even in witnesses to the resurrection. • True flourishing for women and children is found only in Christ. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Two Students, Two Distinct Worldviews—and One Eternally Important Question Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

It’s Witness Wednesday! Join Todd at Kennesaw State University as he discusses truth, the afterlife, postmodernism, and the exclusivity of Christ with two college students. Segment 1 • Student Brittany says she makes her own rules and believes in evolution, reincarnation, and positive energy. • Todd walks her through the need for an objective standard of right and wrong. • He introduces God as a loving, just Creator whose laws reveal everyone’s guilt. Segment 2 • Todd shifts to a “cosmic courtroom” illustration, showing Brittany God’s perfect justice. • She admits she’d be guilty under God’s laws but hopes He’d “understand” human mistakes. • Todd explains why Jesus’ death satisfies God’s justice and saves sinners. Segment 3 • Erin studies sociology and blends Christianity with reincarnation-type thinking. • Todd challenges her postmodern thinking—truth isn’t personal, it’s either true or false. • Todd reasons that creation points to a Creator and presses her on who Jesus really is. Segment 4 • Erin shares she was baptized in 2020 but struggles with drifting from God in college. • Todd clarifies the difference between justification and sanctification. • He encourages her to rest in God’s love and let that motivate obedience instead of guilt. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

When Worldviews Collide: How to Process A Morally Bankrupt Culture Sep 30, 2025

Show notes

Segment 1 • 1 in 5 U.S. adults now get their news from TikTok. • Kentucky church backs members in checking out LGBT books and not returning them. • A little girl is adopted into an all-male, three-parent household. Segment 2 • Hilary Clinton is still making anti-Christian and anti-white male remarks at 77. • Over 30% of university students believe violence is justified. • The U.K. names its first lesbian archbishop. Segment 3 • Muslim mayor in Michigan tells a Christian he’s not welcome. • Lawmakers propose a total porn ban in Michigan. • Burkina Faso passes a law banning sodomy — sharp cultural contrast. Segment 4 • AI “relationships” are growing but reshape morality and ethics. • Marriage is God’s school of character, shaping us through sacrifice. • Studies show AI use leads to more unethical behavior. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

Why Voddie’s Powerful Preaching Had a Gospel Impact on So Many Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

Segment 1 • Voddie Baucham’s legacy: a gospel preacher who made much of Christ, not himself. • His words at Shepherd’s Conference remind us that preaching must center on Jesus. • The loss of giants like Voddie raises a question: are we valuing our local pastors as we should? Segment 2 • Voddie left strong opinions that challenged us, from Lord’s Supper to worship practices. • His challenges forced believers to weigh Scripture over cultural norms. • Regulative vs. normative worship — his teaching pressed Christians toward biblical clarity. Segment 3 • Above all, Voddie loved proclaiming the gospel. • His appearances on The Biggest Question alongside Ray Comfort and E.Z. captured his heart for evangelism. • His passion was pointing people to Christ, not himself. Segment 4 • Voddie’s teaching on righteousness: Christ’s robe covers us completely. • He emphasized both Christ’s active and passive obedience securing our salvation. • Repentance and faith remain central — essentials we too easily overlook today. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

SHOULD YOU EVANGELIZE ROMAN CATHOLICS OR PARTNER WITH THEM? Sep 26, 2025

Show notes

Segment 1 • Why aren’t all your YouTube videos on Fortis+? • How can I stay informed on global Christian news and pray for the church more specifically? • Should Protestants evangelize Roman Catholics, or partner with them? • What’s the right approach if my pastor preaches something unbiblical? Segment 2 • My parents want to bury me in their family plot, but my husband wants us buried with his. How do I navigate this? Segment 3 • My sons and I are learning how to resolve conflict biblically through “Drive By Marriage”—but what does it actually look like to “take an argument to the cross” ? • I’ve tried everything to make Christian friends, but haven’t had much luck. What do I do? Segment 4 • Someone I know rejects penal substitution - is that heretical? • What’s your take on Pastor Mike Todd’s ministry and theology? ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

HATE SPEECH OR FOOLISH SPEECH? THINKING ABOUT FREE SPEECH FROM A BIBLICAL POV Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

Segment 1 • Todd and Dr. Greg Gifford discussing mental health and transformation at KSU. • Free speech vs. foolish speech—where’s the line? • Jimmy Kimmel suspended—raises questions about consistency in “hate speech” rules. Segment 2 • Campus reactions to the Charlie Kirk assassination. • Free speech protects almost everything short of inciting violence—but misuse of it is rampant. • Where should Christians stand when free speech clashes with biblical wisdom? Segment 3 • Don Lemon labels the Charlie Kirk memorial “Christian Nationalism.” • What actually is Christian Nationalism, and was the memorial an example? • Agreeing on essentials unites us—but should secondary differences divide us? Segment 4 • Todd jokes about being a “fool”—but what kind? • Quick guide: explaining free speech and Christian Nationalism simply. • Ilhan Omar spreads false claims about Charlie Kirk. • Erika Kirk: she doesn’t want the sole decision on the murderer’s death penalty. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

THESE STUDENTS HAVE A BIG PROBLEM – BUT DO THEY WANT TO HEAR THE SOLUTION? Sep 24, 2025

Show notes

It’s Witness Wednesday! In today’s episode, Todd Friel engages in meaningful conversations with several university students. First up is Cole, a pro-lifer who isn’t a believer. Later, Todd speaks with agnostic Moira, discussing God’s existence and Moira's personal experiences with Christianity. Todd continually points the students back to the ultimate hope that we are called to share - the gospel of grace through God’s Son. Segment 1 • Cole intrigued by Christianity but skeptical of its claims. • Todd shifts focus from crusades to Cole’s personal sin problem. • God’s holiness vs. human sinfulness is the real crisis. Segment 2 – Cole (part 2) • Cole wrestles with the Trinity and Jesus’ dual nature. • Todd explains how only God-in-flesh could be a worthy substitute. • Salvation is central—Father sends, Son saves, Spirit convicts. Segment 3 • Agnostic Moira shares what she knows about Easter. • She only believes what she can see, and doesn’t personally see the importance of faith. • Moira has been put off from Christianity by bad personal experiences. Segment 4 • Todd holds Moira to account against God’s commandments. • She admits guilt when confronted with God’s commands. • Todd explains Easter: Jesus’ death and resurrection solves our sin and shame problem. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn’t be more thankful for you if we tried!

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