Hope That Refuses to bend to ideology or fear anchors this conversation. From cultural decay and double standards to faith lived through action, the discussion centers on freedom, responsibility, and hope grounded in Jesus Christ. Pastor Ken Todd of Harvest Bible Church shares how real compassion protects life, restores order, and brings light into dark places, from local communities to clean-water missions abroad.
Christmas Eve arrives with a hard question: what happens when a culture calls death “dignity,” shrugs at violence as inevitable, and rewrites mercy into the release of repeat offenders, then asks the church to clean up what ideology broke.
The answer is not despair. Hope does not collapse, and truth does not negotiate.
With humor cutting through the fog and a sharp reminder that laughter can keep a nation from surrendering its spine, the conversation turns to Pastor Ken Todd of Harvest Bible Church and the meaning of freedom that is more than politics.
He lays it out plainly: faith is not a slogan, Scripture is not a buffet, and your walk always speaks louder than your talk.
He tells stories from overseas where families hike for filthy water at sunrise, and why his mission builds wells in Ivory Coast so children can live and churches can serve without charging a dime.
Callers press on fear, neighborly love, and the slow creep of collectivism. The thread holds: darkness does not win by being loud; it wins when people go silent. Light still works. Hope still confronts lies.
Accountability still protects the innocent. God, country, family—be a leader, and be a voice for liberty.
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Peter Vazquez:
In a world that changes daily, we have to ask where we are standing. When a society calls death dignity, excuses violence as inevitable, releases repeat offenders as mercy, hides children from their parents, and then leans on faith to clean up the damage, that is not compassion. That is moral decay. But hope does not collapse.
On this Christmas Eve, in my house, we profess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Hope confronts lies. Hope demands accountability. Hope protects the innocent, honors life, and refuses to surrender to ideology.
Humor matters, because if we cannot laugh at ourselves, we surrender to ideology. Without humor, we become miserable people. And surrendering to ideology is exactly what we are seeing across this nation.
Today’s guest is Pastor Ken Todd, Senior Pastor of Harvest Bible Church. Pastor, Christmas has been stripped of meaning in our culture. Many are told it has nothing to do with Christ, family, or new beginnings. How do you see it?
Pastor Ken Todd:
Growing up, Christmas and Thanksgiving were always about two things: presents and pies. The greatest present ever given was Jesus Christ. God wrapped hope, family, and meaning into those traditions. Christmas is about God’s goodness and new beginnings.
Peter Vazquez:
You wear the word freedom boldly across your chest. Why?
Pastor Ken Todd:
Because everywhere I have traveled, people want one thing: freedom. They want what America represents. Not perfection, but freedom. That freedom flows from God’s blessing. Everyone wants what we have.
Peter Vazquez:
Yet we see double standards. Rights that apply to some but not others.
Pastor Ken Todd:
Exactly. If rules only apply to certain people, then they are not rights. Actions speak louder than words. Faith without action is meaningless.
Peter Vazquez:
You and your family also lead clean-water missions overseas.
Pastor Ken Todd:
In places like Ivory Coast, children walk miles each day for water that is unsafe. The same water animals contaminate is used for drinking. Eighty-five percent of children under five die from waterborne disease. Water changes everything. We place wells on church property so they can be maintained and also serve as a witness for living water. We do not charge anyone. Water is for the whole village.
Caller:
Do you face opposition from other religions?
Pastor Ken Todd:
No. Everyone needs water. They are welcome to receive it, but stewardship stays with the church.
Peter Vazquez:
We also see contradictions here at home. Leaders profess faith while promoting abortion, assisted suicide, and policies that sideline parents.
Pastor Ken Todd:
You are known by your actions, not your words. Scripture is not something you pick apart. If I disagree with one part, why trust any of it? God knew us before we were formed. That matters.
Caller:
Jesus commanded us to love one another.
Peter Vazquez:
That used to be normal. We used to knock on doors to help neighbors. Fear replaced love. Collectivist thinking removed personal responsibility.
Pastor Ken Todd:
Faith is relationship, not religion. Religion is rules. Relationship is wanting to please the one who gave everything for you.
Peter Vazquez:
Do you preach to please people or to teach truth?
Pastor Ken Todd:
If I preach to please, I fail. Love requires correction. Darkness cannot overcome light.
Hope is not wishful thinking. Hope anticipates rescue. Like hearing a voice when you are lost. Like a cure when you are dying. Hope in Jesus changes everything.
