The WallBuilders Show

40 Episodes
Subscribe

By: Tim Barton, David Barton & Rick Green

The WallBuilders Show is a daily journey to examine today's issues from a Biblical, Historical and Constitutional perspective. Featured guests include elected officials, experts, activists, authors, and commentators.

✂️ Turn this podcast into clips
Building on the American Heritage Series: Demystifying the Courts
Today at 10:00 AM

Courts shape our daily lives, but most of us were taught a version of the judiciary that the Constitution never actually designed. We dig into the biggest myths head-on: the idea that federal judges are appointed for life no matter what, that the judiciary is an “independent” branch beyond real restraint, and that only the Supreme Court can decide what’s constitutional. Using the Federalist Papers, founding-era practice, and early historical examples, we lay out a clearer picture of Article III and the checks and balances that are supposed to keep every branch accountable to the people.

From t...


Founders Under Fire
Yesterday at 10:00 AM

The Founding Fathers are quoted constantly and understood rarely, and that gap is where bad history thrives. We dig into the real human cost behind the Declaration’s pledge of “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor” and share standout stories from our new book, Lives, Fortunes, and Sacred Honor. You’ll hear what it meant for John Hart to spend a year on the run after signing, and why Francis Lewis’s family story, including Elizabeth Lewis’s imprisonment and failing health, puts teeth into the word “sacrifice.” We also talk honestly about complexity, including William Whipple’s connection to the slave trade an...


Jefferson’s Rough Draft
Last Wednesday at 10:00 AM

The fastest way to cut through modern noise about the Founding Fathers is to put the original documents back in your hands. We’re celebrating America’s 250th anniversary by talking about a replica of Thomas Jefferson’s handwritten draft of the Declaration of Independence, complete with cursive, scratch-outs, and the drafting trail that shows how carefully the words were chosen. It’s not the same as reading the final text online; it’s a front-row seat to the founding process, and it’s an incredible resource for homeschool families, teachers, legislators, and anyone who wants a stronger grip on American...


Patriotism On The Rise - with Dr. Ben Carson
Last Tuesday at 10:00 AM

A fighter wins under the lights and quotes John 3:16 to a massive audience. Another walks out after reading the Declaration of Independence in the Oval Office. Moments like that don’t just feel cinematic, they reveal something real about the cultural weather in America, and we dig into why it matters. 

We start by reacting to a weekend packed with patriotic imagery in Washington, DC, and what it signals about the return of public confidence in country and in faith. From national anthem performances and historic backdrops to shout outs to the military and Reagan’s Flag Day m...


Why Fatherhood Still Matters - with Bill Federer
Last Monday at 10:00 AM

Father’s Day is usually framed as a light holiday, but the real story is heavier and a lot more revealing. We sit down with historian Bill Federer to trace the origins of Father’s Day from a heartbreaking coal mine disaster that left hundreds of families without fathers, to the grassroots push that spread nationwide through churches and the YMCA. Along the way, we ask a simple question with huge consequences: what happens to a culture when fatherhood becomes optional, mocked, or absent?

We also get practical about why fatherlessness is not just a private family conc...


Lives, Fortunes, And The Culture Shift
06/12/2026

The founders weren’t a tidy, unanimous blob of “great men,” and the more you learn about them, the more gripping the real story gets. We kick off Good News Friday with something we’ve been itching to share: our new book, “Lives, Fortune, Sacred Honors,” a fast-moving set of modern biographies on all 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. Along the way, we talk through the kinds of details most Americans never hear, from personal rivalries and street-level violence to the brutal costs some families paid for liberty. If you’ve ever searched for Declaration of Independence signers, Founding Fathe...


Civics Before Committee Power
06/11/2026

What if we stopped pretending “anyone can lead” means “no one needs to know the basics”? We dig into a listener-driven idea with real constitutional teeth: you cannot add extra requirements to be elected to Congress beyond what the Constitution already lists, but leadership can absolutely decide who gets committee assignments, chairmanships, and real influence. If you want the gavel, prove you understand the country you are governing.

From there, we explore why the U.S. citizenship test keeps coming up in this conversation about civic literacy. Immigrants often learn enough in a short course to pass at high...


Building on the American Heritage Series - Revival and Reformation
06/10/2026

Revival is one of those words that can feel inspiring and vague at the same time, so we decided to get concrete. We talk about what revival actually looks like when you compare Scripture with American history and we challenge the popular idea that renewal is a quick spiritual adrenaline rush that fixes everything overnight. The Great Awakenings didn’t last a weekend. They lasted decades, and they changed the way everyday people thought, lived, and participated in public life.

We dig into the First Great Awakening and why many historians argue it helped lay the groundwork fo...


Flag Day Decoded - with Bill Federer
06/09/2026

Flag Day isn’t a modern, made-up observance. It reaches back to a wartime decision on June 14, 1777, when the Second Continental Congress chose a national flag in the middle of the American Revolution. We walk through that origin story, why Francis Hopkinson belongs in the center of it, and how the familiar Betsy Ross claim shows what happens when legend outruns documentation. If you care about American history, the founding era, and civic literacy, this timeline changes how you see the symbol flying outside your home, school, or church.

Our friend Bill Federer joins us to lay ou...


America’s 250th And A Courageous Church - with Craig Seibert
06/08/2026

Something is shifting as America heads toward the 250th anniversary, and it is not just more history content online. We feel a real opening for renewal when faith and culture meet in everyday places: churches, city councils, youth groups, family conversations, and local celebrations. From David Barton’s story of speaking on the deck of the USS Midway to Tim Barton’s reminder to unplug from endless social media drama, we keep coming back to one point: there is a lot of reason to celebrate, and a lot we can do right now. 

Constitution coach Craig Seibert joins...


Good News Is Real When Truth Shapes Culture
06/05/2026

Decline is not inevitable, and neither is renewal. We bring you a rapid-fire Good News Friday with stories that cut across health, culture, courts, and American history, all through a biblical, historical, and constitutional perspective that stays practical and grounded in real headlines. 

First up, we react to new data showing smoking among adults has fallen to an all-time low, with youth smoking also down, and we connect that to the simple idea of stewardship: when people choose healthier habits, families and communities feel the ripple effects. We also swap notes on World War II history, including a...


A Rally For Christian Men - with Josh McPherson
06/04/2026

Washington State rarely dominates the headlines, but Pastor Josh McPherson says that silence is part of the problem. Tim Barton sits down with Josh for the conclusion of their conversation about faith and culture, Christian civic engagement, and why a constitutional republic only survives when people of conviction refuse to opt out. Josh makes the case that inalienable rights come from our Creator, yet still have to be politically protected if we want to actually enjoy them in real life, in our families, schools, and communities. 

From there, we get specific. Josh describes Washington as a testing g...


Stronger Men, Stronger Families - with Josh McPherson
06/03/2026

A lot of men feel the pull to be strong, but they’re not sure what strength is for or who it’s meant to serve. We talk with Josh McPherson about a definition of biblical manhood that cuts through the noise: strength that dies to comfort, refuses cowardice, and shows up as protection, provision, leadership, and love. Along the way, we unpack a simple but demanding pledge and why power isn’t the enemy, misuse and abdication are.

We also get practical about Christian fatherhood and leadership training. Josh explains why your family is your “resume,” why minist...


Kill The Dragon Win The Girl - with Josh McPherson
06/02/2026

“Kill the dragon, win the girl” sounds like a movie line until you hear Pastor Josh McPherson explain what it means for your actual life. We’re joined by the lead pastor of Grace City Church for a story that’s equal parts outdoorsy Washington State grit, deep family faith, and the kind of suffering that either breaks you or builds you. Josh walks us through his path from homeschooling and patriotic convictions to real estate, law enforcement, construction, and finally the moment he could no longer ignore a lifelong call to preach and build people, not just projects. 

...


America’s Founding Formula - with Eric Metaxas
06/01/2026

America’s 250th birthday is more than a party date, it’s a stress test for our national memory. We ask a blunt question: what actually made the United States free, stable, and resilient, and why are so many cultural gatekeepers determined to tell the founding as a story of nothing but oppression. From a biblical, historical, and constitutional perspective, we dig into the principle that shaped the Revolution: rights come from God, not government, and the purpose of government is to protect those God-given rights.

Then we’re joined by Eric Metaxas to talk about his new bo...


Faith And Culture Wins From Courts To Campuses
05/29/2026

Silent prayer led to arrests while real violence against pregnancy centers often seemed to fade into the background. We dig into the latest reversal: the Justice Department firing prosecutors connected to FACE Act cases and dropping remaining actions tied to targeting pro-life Americans, plus why these decisions matter for religious liberty, equal justice, and the long-term health of free speech in public life.

From there, we pivot to something constructive: a real alternative to a higher-ed pipeline that feels increasingly hostile to faith and freedom. We talk about the Patriot Academy Institute, a nine-month, live-on-campus leadership training...


Ballot Access And Party Power
05/28/2026

A party label feels like a gate, but it’s often just a sticker. We start with a sharp listener question: why not require a Constitution test before someone can run as a Republican or Democrat for Congress? We break down the difference between what election law controls (ballot access and constitutional qualifications) and what parties can actually do (endorsements, funding, volunteers, and public signals). If you’ve ever wondered why “the party” can’t simply stop a bad candidate, the answer lives in how our system protects access while still leaving room for real accountability through association.

Then w...


Restoring Justice - with Jeremy Dys
05/27/2026

A thousand-page government report is a lot of paper to ignore, especially when it alleges something most Americans instinctively reject: justice that isn’t blind. We start with a hopeful sign of cultural momentum the hosts saw up close a massive homeschool convention packed with families, curriculum, coaching, and the kind of community that makes education feel joyful again. Homeschooling has gone from “fringe and feared” to mainstream and thriving, but we also talk honestly about why it still feels overwhelming for new parents and what helps them cross the starting line.

Then First Liberty Institute attorney Jeremy...


The Unholy Alliance - with Dr. Michael Youssef
05/26/2026

A lot of people sense the ground shifting but can’t quite name what’s happening or what to do about it. We sit down with Dr. Michael Youssef to tackle a hard question head-on: how can secular progressivism and Islamist activism work side by side, and what does that alliance mean for religious liberty, free speech, and constitutional rights in the United States? Dr. Youssef brings decades of research, personal experience, and historical examples that challenge the comforting assumption that “it can’t happen here.” 

We dig into the strategy of leveraging democracy to gain influence while pushi...


Memorial Day Done Right - with Col. Kevin Bouren
05/25/2026

Memorial Day isn’t a slogan, and it isn’t a “happy” holiday. We want it to be a real pause, the kind that remembers names, families, and the price that was paid so the rest of us could live ordinary lives in freedom. That’s why we sit down with Colonel Kevin Bouren, a West Point graduate, career Army officer, and combat commander, to talk about loss, service, and what meaningful remembrance should look like for civilians who want to do more than post online.

Kevin also shares the stunning turn his own military career took during the...


Supreme Court Liability And Border Fixes That Change Daily Life
05/22/2026

A lot of headlines feel like noise until you ask one question: who is actually being held accountable? That’s where we start on Good News Friday. We walk through a US Supreme Court decision that shifts the legal landscape for trucking companies, especially when crashes involve drivers who aren’t properly trained, don’t meet basic standards, or can’t read critical road signs. When liability gets real, incentives change fast, and that can mean fewer tragedies on the highway and clearer options for families seeking justice after negligence. 

Then we dig into a surprising development from the...


Civics Before Congress
05/21/2026

It feels obvious to say lawmakers should know the Constitution before they’re trusted with power, budgets, and national policy. But once we follow that idea all the way down, the real question becomes harder: can we legally require a civics test for Congress without breaking the Constitution itself?

We walk through what the Constitution actually allows for congressional qualifications and why adding requirements by simple legislation runs into a wall. We also wrestle with the unintended consequences of “knowledge tests,” especially the nightmare scenario of political actors gaming the system by controlling the questions. Along the way, w...


Frederick Douglass Against Marxism - with KCarl Smith
05/20/2026

Marxism doesn’t spread mainly through economics, it spreads through a story: nothing is fixed, everything must be remade, and the only way forward is to pit people into oppressor and oppressed. We push back on that story from a biblical, historical, and constitutional perspective, and we get specific about the differences between socialism, Marxism, and communism and why they all move toward coercion and loss of liberty. If you’ve ever wondered why these ideas keep getting rebranded for new generations, we connect the pattern to the way history is no longer taught or tested the way it used...


A Day Of National Prayer
05/19/2026

Thirty thousand people in 90-degree heat, packed onto the National Mall, singing worship songs and praying for America’s future. That’s not a metaphor or a nostalgia reel, it’s what David and Tim Barton witnessed firsthand in Washington, DC, during a major rededication gathering timed to the 250th anniversary of the Second Continental Congress call for a national day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer. We share what it felt like on the ground, from the atmosphere of worship to the very real moments of fatigue, sunburn, and even people passing out in the crowd. 

We also di...


How Church History Fuels Pro-Life Courage Today - with Seth Gruber
05/18/2026

A pastor leads his church out of the sanctuary, marches them to a city wall where unwanted infants are left to die, and starts ripping the bricks down with his bare hands. That forgotten story becomes a mirror for modern America and it is one reason I wanted you to hear Tim Barton’s conversation with pro-life advocate and filmmaker Seth Gruber.

We talk about The Last Stand event in Denver and the premiere of Seth’s new film, also called The Last Stand, along with the broader work of White Rose Resistance. Seth makes the case that...


Polls Are Moving And Courts Are Noticing It
05/15/2026

The headlines can make it feel like nothing good is happening, then you zoom in and realize the wins are piling up where it counts: elections, courts, policy, and real-world help for families. We walk through fresh midterm signals, including CNN’s own data analysis showing movement among Black voters that could decide razor-thin races in key districts. The bigger point is simple and practical: tight elections turn on tiny shifts, and optimism is never a reason to sit out, it’s a reason to work harder.

From there, we get specific on policy and culture. The laun...


Article VII And The Declaration Link
05/14/2026

If you’ve ever wondered why the Constitution sometimes feels “blank” on the biggest moral questions of the day, we make the case that you’re reading it without its foundation. We start with a listener’s question about Article VII and trace the paper trail the Constitution leaves on purpose: it dates itself from the twelfth year of American independence, pointing straight back to the Declaration of Independence and its claims about natural rights, the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God, and government’s duty to protect liberty. 

From there we zoom out to the practical c...


Can Tolerance Become A Trojan Horse For Tyranny - with Bill Federer
05/13/2026

America has had it so good for so long that we can start to assume freedom is automatic. It isn’t. From Wichita, Kansas at a Liberty Pastors event, we talk about why the 250th anniversary should feel less like a victory lap and more like a wake-up call for Christians who care about religious liberty, civic engagement, and the future of a constitutional republic.

Rick Green sits down face-to-face with historian Bill Federer to connect hard headlines to hard history. We dig into the real-world cost of Christian persecution overseas, including a chilling account from the UK...


Is Honest Money A Moral Issue - with Kevin Freeman
05/12/2026

History gets rewritten the same way money gets devalued: slowly, then all at once. From a hallway conversation in Boston to a deep dive on gold and inflation, we follow the thread that connects cultural narratives, civic education, and what families can actually afford when the dollar keeps losing purchasing power. We also talk about why verifying claims is often embarrassingly easy, yet still ignored, and why that’s one reason we keep telling the “honest story” of America.

Then we sit down with Kevin Freeman, host of Economic War Room and author of Pirate Money, to tackle...


The Man Book Mindset - with Nick Freitas
05/11/2026

Masculinity is getting blamed for everything and then repackaged into something ugly, and a lot of young men feel stuck between shame and swagger. We sit down with Nick Freitas, a combat veteran, former legislator, and one of the clearest voices on culture, to talk about The Man Book and the bigger question behind it: what does God say a man is for?

We get concrete fast. Nick explains why “share your toys” can accidentally teach coercion instead of generosity, and how small parenting habits shape a child’s view of private property, responsibility, and authority. We also t...


What Israel’s Nuclear Secrecy Reveals About Alliance And Deterrence
05/08/2026

Demanding that Israel reveal its nuclear defenses in the middle of a regional war sounds like “oversight” until you ask the obvious question: who benefits from making an ally’s deterrence easier to map and target? We walk through why that request is so dangerous, what it signals about the political climate around antisemitism, and the little-known US policy dating back to 1969 that helps keep sensitive allied capabilities out of public view. 

Then we shift from foreign policy to life at home with newly released Department of Justice records describing anti-Christian bias under the Biden administration. We talk th...


How National Prayer Proclamations Shaped American Life
05/07/2026

National Day of Prayer can feel like a modern flashpoint, but the deeper story is older and far more bipartisan than most people realize. We walk through the historical evidence that public prayer has been woven into American life from the start, including moments like Columbus’ prayers of thanksgiving, prayer observances tied to Jamestown and Plymouth, and a remarkable scene from September 6, 1774, when the First Continental Congress opens with prayer and Scripture for nearly two hours. If you’ve ever wondered whether faith belongs in America’s public square, that timeline changes the whole frame.

We also trace...


What Freedom Costs When Government Sets Prices - with Bob McEwen
05/06/2026

Gas prices spike and the first instinct is to blame “greedy oil companies,” but that explanation falls apart once you follow the math of a global commodities market. We sit down with former Congressman Bob McEwen to untangle a listener’s question: if America has so much oil, why do Americans still feel the pain at the pump? The answer runs straight through supply and demand, worldwide buyers, disruptions in major producers, and the reality that prices are signals, not slogans.

From there, we take on the loaded term “price gouging” with a simple example that hits home: what...


God’s Hand Runs Through America’s History - with Cynthia Scott
05/05/2026

America’s 250th anniversary is forcing a blunt question: are we willing to tell the real story of the nation’s founding, or only the version that fits today’s politics? We dig into why we see the “hand of Providence” as more than a slogan, walking through moments from early exploration to the Pilgrims, the awakenings, and the ideas that shaped the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. If you’ve ever wondered why so many leaders spoke openly about God’s guidance in public life, we lay out the historical logic and the original-source mindset behind that claim. 


No Limbs No Limits - with Nick Vujicic
05/04/2026

A kid attempts suicide at 10. He grows up with no arms and no legs. Then he spends his life crossing the globe telling people there is still hope. That’s why we brought back our friend Nick Vujicic, and why his new documentary film, No Limbs No Limits, matters far beyond a moving success story.

We talk with Nick about what the film reveals that most people have never seen: home footage, family voices, the pain behind the platform, and the faith that carried him through depression, anxiety, and despair. He explains the release plan, the September 25, 2026 pr...


Military Training Reforms And Culture Wins That Matter
05/01/2026

The stories that shape a nation rarely feel dramatic while they’re happening, but the small shifts add up fast. We’re bringing a stack of Good News Friday headlines that hit the real pressure points of American life: how leaders are trained, how justice is applied, how families are honored, how teens are protected, and how schools can keep standards in the AI era.

First, we dig into a major move inside military education and leadership development. Instead of sending top fellowship candidates into elite universities that often reject American civic principles, the military is redirecting part...


Letters Or Emails What Lawmakers Actually Notice
04/30/2026

A flood of emails used to look like “the people are rising up.” Now it might just be a script, a bot, or an AI tool spinning up thousands of messages that feel personal but aren’t. We dig into the question every frustrated citizen is asking: what actually gets a congressman or senator to pay attention today, and what’s the smartest way to use your limited time and energy?

We walk through the real-world hierarchy of influence, from handwritten letters and phone calls to showing up in person at district offices and town hall meetings. Along th...


Faith Vs Marxism - with Kirk Cameron
04/29/2026

The weirdest part of our political moment isn’t the headlines, it’s how comfortable some people have become saying out loud that violence is acceptable if it stops the “wrong” side. We talk through the latest assassination attempt news, the reactions that followed, and why this isn’t just a fight about policy but a clash of worldviews that shapes how people justify hatred.

From a biblical perspective, we argue the world is broken by sin and healed by a Savior. From a Marxist lens, life becomes oppressor versus oppressed, and once you label your opponent “evil,” almos...


Restoring Faith Family And Freedom In A Fractured Culture - with Tim Goeglein
04/28/2026

Politics can be loud enough that we forget what’s actually at stake. We sit down with Tim Goeglein, longtime Focus on the Family leader and former George W. Bush White House aide, to get clear about the foundations that make a free society possible: faith, family, and freedom. If you care about religious liberty, parental rights, and a culture where truth still means something, this conversation puts the spotlight where it belongs.

We talk honestly about the sobering trends shaping American life, including record-low marriage rates and fertility rates, and why so many young adults feel un...


Rise Of The Statesman - with Josh McPherson
04/27/2026

A lot of men feel it but can’t quite name it: the country is shifting fast, leadership feels thin, and doing nothing is starting to look like a decision. We sit down with Pastor Josh McPherson from Washington State to talk about FreedomCon 2026 and why he calls it “Rise Of The Statesman” a rallying point for Christian men who want to lead with strength, clarity, and responsibility.

We get into the surprising momentum he’s seeing, the problem of isolation, and why brotherhood matters when the culture gets loud. Josh also shares the wild story behind the loca...