Live Free with Josh Howerton

What if much of what you've been told about America's founding isn't the whole story?

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, Pastor Josh Howerton sits down with historian Tim Barton to examine six of the most common myths surrounding the nation's history. From Christopher Columbus and the Founding Fathers to Christianity's influence on America's founding and the role of believers in public life, this conversation dives into original documents, historical evidence, and firsthand accounts that challenge popular narratives.

Whether you're passionate about history, faith, or understanding the foundations of our culture, this episode will encourage you to think critically, seek truth, and engage the world through a biblical worldview.

In This Episode:

• Was Christopher Columbus really a genocidal colonizer?
• Were the Founding Fathers mostly deists?
• Was America founded as a secular nation?
• Is America's story defined entirely by slavery?
• Did settlers commit genocide against Native Americans?
• Should Christians stay out of politics and public life?

History matters. Truth matters. And as followers of Jesus, how we understand both can shape how we live today.

Stand firm. Think biblically. Live free.

🧢 Want a Live Free hat of your own? Visit LiveFree.shop

📲 Looking to grow deeper in your faith? Check out the Lakepointe App to access our Discipleship Guide, daily Bible reading plan, and more. Text APP to 20411 to download

Do all religions lead to God? Are Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and other faiths really teaching the same thing?

In this episode of LIVE FREE, Pastors Carlos Erazo and Paul Cunningham are joined by renowned Christian apologist Dr. Frank Turek to tackle one of the most important questions a person can ask: What is true?

Together, they explore why so many religions exist, whether all faiths ultimately point to the same destination, and the major differences between Christianity and the world's largest religions. They also address one of the most common objections to Christianity: Does God's judgment in the Bible make Him a moral monster?

From Judaism and Islam to Mormonism, Buddhism, and atheism, this conversation provides a practical framework for understanding what different worldviews teach about God, humanity, salvation, and Jesus.

Most importantly, you'll discover why Christianity stands apart from every other religion—and why the identity of Jesus changes everything.

In This Episode:

Do all religions lead to the same God?

Is God a moral monster in the Old Testament?

Christianity vs. Judaism: What's the difference?

What Islam teaches about Jesus

Buddhism, Hinduism, and atheism in simple terms

Why Christianity is unique among all religions

How to have better conversations with people of other faiths

If you've ever wondered how different religions compare—or how to confidently explain your faith—this episode is for you.

Stand firm. Think biblically. Live free.

💬 This week’s giveaway: Comment HAT

🧢 Want a Live Free hat of your own? Visit LiveFree.shop

📲 Looking to grow deeper in your faith? Check out the Lakepointe App to access our Discipleship Guide, daily Bible reading plan, and more. Text APP to 20411 to download

What happens when Christian conviction collides with cultural pressure?In this bonus episode of Live Free, Pastor Josh Howerton reacts to the MLB Pride Night controversy involving San Francisco Giants players who wrote a Bible verse on their hats instead of participating in Pride messaging. Josh explores what this moment reveals about faith, courage, religious freedom, and the challenge of standing firm without losing compassion.In This Episode:

Why the Giants Pride Night controversy exploded nationally

The meaning behind Genesis 9 and the rainbow in Scripture

The difference between loving people and affirming beliefs

What Romans 1 reveals about truth, culture, and conviction

How Christians can stand for truth with both grace and courage

You can love people deeply without approving of everything they do.You can stand firmly on biblical truth without losing compassion.And in a moment like this, Christians must do both.Stand firm. Think biblically. Live free.

🧢 Want a Live Free hat of your own? Visit LiveFree.shop

📲 Looking to grow deeper in your faith? Check out the Lakepointe App to access our Discipleship Guide, daily Bible reading plan, and more. Text APP to 20411 to download

Can someone be forgiven if they never apologize? What is the unforgivable sin? And did Noah's Flood really happen?

In this episode of LIVE FREE, Pastors Carlos Erazo and Paul Cunningham are joined by New Testament scholar and apologist Dr. Jeremiah Johnston as they explore biblical forgiveness, the danger of bitterness, the true meaning of the unforgivable sin, and whether Noah's Ark and the Flood can be trusted as real history. Drawing from Scripture, archaeology, ancient civilizations, and the teachings of Jesus, they examine the evidence and explain why these topics still matter today.

Most importantly, this episode points us to the heart of the Gospel: while the Flood could not remove sin, Jesus can give us a new heart.

In this episode:

• Can you forgive someone who never apologizes?

• What is the unforgivable sin?

• Did Noah's Flood really happen?

• Did the Bible copy flood stories from other cultures?

• Have researchers found Noah's Ark?

• Why Noah's story ultimately points to Jesus

What if the hardest questions about forgiveness, judgment, and Noah's Ark all point to the same answer—Jesus?

Stand firm. Think biblically. Live free.

💬 This week’s giveaway: Comment JESUS

🧢 Want a Live Free hat of your own? Visit LiveFree.shop

📲 Looking to grow deeper in your faith? Check out the Lakepointe App to access our Discipleship Guide, daily Bible reading plan, and more. Text APP to 20411 to download

Can Christians stand for truth without becoming angry, harsh, or compromising?

In a culture where conversations about identity, sexuality, personal freedom, and truth dominate headlines and social media feeds, many believers find themselves pulled between two extremes: conviction without compassion or compassion without conviction. In this episode, Carlos Erazo and Paul Cunningham tackle some of today's most challenging cultural questions while exploring one of the most misunderstood emotions in the Christian life—anger.

Through Scripture and practical wisdom, they discuss God's design for sexuality, why truth and love must remain together, the difference between righteous and sinful anger, and how followers of Jesus can engage difficult conversations without being controlled by outrage, fear, or cultural pressure. If you've ever wondered how to stand firmly on God's Word while reflecting the grace and character of Christ, this conversation is for you.

In This Episode:

The difference between righteous anger and sinful anger

Why human anger rarely produces God's righteousness

How to respond to controversial cultural issues biblically

God's design for sexuality and identity

Did Jesus affirm same-sex relationships?

How Christians can engage culture without compromising conviction

Practical ways to reflect the character of Christ in difficult conversations

Truth without love becomes harsh. Love without truth becomes compromise. Jesus calls us to both.

Stand firm. Think biblically. Live free.

💬 This week’s giveaway: Comment HAT

🧢 Want a Live Free hat of your own? Visit LiveFree.shop

📲 Looking to grow deeper in your faith? Check out the Lakepointe App to access our Discipleship Guide, daily Bible reading plan, and more. Text APP to 20411 to download