The Most Controversial Christian in America

Stu Epperson here and welcome to the truth. Talk with Stu Epperson podcast. What a treat it was and what of food to be able to sit down with one of the most controversial Christians in America.

Jerry Falwell Junior you're about to hear the whole uncensored interview with Jerry Junior that we did recently on the campus of Liberty University in Lynchburg Virginia. Please share this with your friends. Please let everyone know about our Truth Network podcast so you can be encouraged to hear good content and share the good news of Jesus were ever you go today. That's why we're here now, here's the podcast here's the interview we did with the most controversial Christian in America. Jerry follow Junior this is the Truth Network I am sitting next to the most controversial Christian in America. He is Jerry.

Follow Junior I'm actually on the campus of Maxey where am I Jerry.

Follow Junior what am I looking at the tell telework telephone where we are so north and the campuses. The administrative building's million square feet, but the campus for the students are is just south of here, and it's a campus built for 15,500 residents and students and is been kinda quiet since COBIT will have about 1200 come back after spring break and the that we had no cases and it's been everything worked beautifully is always other schools and entities and people were closing down here comes this covert. This pandemic Liberty University, said liberty University says come back come to class what's going on with that tells a little bit about that second class when we did online classes because the governor here said you Could have gatherings more than 10 people. So we went online, which we've been a pioneer in online for since 1976 really and so we were perfectly poised to take it online and had no complaints. Everybody was seamless it was seamless but there were about 1200 students who either had elderly wrecked relatives at home. I didn't have high-speed Internet at home or who were international students had Norris together so we let them come back them on campus. We did social distancing. We didn't take out food.

This is during the worst part of the pandemic and and we got accused by the New York Times and haven't 12 cases on campus. It was a complete lie and were soon on an x-ray can be fun, so all kinds of folks in this is what's fascinating. What I want to listen what whatever you feel about liver University the fall family legacy.

This is awesome to talk to this man and little inside information here. My granddad put your dad on the radio. Decades ago, and so somehow another.

Now don't hold that against him and don't hold that against me, but somehow another arc passive inextricably frosted over the years and it's quite a fascinating legacy and it really is and I arrived in Rose's granddaughters or dad. Dad had his hand in the you know in in in the grid yet is Mike Mike dad's dad who really started that station and he says we you we got to get we can get good preachers on here preachers.

The word of God who are going to castanet invite people to Christ and in this this this preachers going door-to-door like Indians insanity start a church.

Maybe University in God's work and is God's hands on granddad's first name was Harry. It was WBR G 1050 Lynchburg, Virginia.

My dad was still living in harmony get married to 1958. He was born. 33 but he'd I started searching.

56.

So between 56 and 58 actually did that radio program from his home, his parents, mom's home and and as her brother still lives in the houses, said liberty mound, but he he did it just to get up early morning radio show is underway and and I hear he was a pioneer like your like your ancestors were in the most modern technology. In time, as I built this place. TV broadcasting radio back when it was novel native and then taken it to the next level using the most modern technology with online education services to sort of our always been our niche is something that yet. Let my a lot of their purses were involved in all that might my Mike, my granddad Harry Epperson is will Lord my uncle Ralph who was kind of the.

The uncle that got us all really serious about it and probably trained my granddad and then my uncle Arnold unraveled Laura with the Lord and and then my dad might like the irony of it. The only brother who was in radio was uncle Roy. He was a farmer he was like a huge farmer in Southwest Virginia Ararat, Virginia.

Okay, near Mount Airy Northland and but his son, Brent is the current general manager and operator of WBR G now, so the only one that wasn't radio his son is running the station that were all started, you know, and so but my dad is still a mystery in a database do is is a big fan years and we've been a big fan of the preaching the gospel is happening here, but talk about that a me when you were a little guy, senior your dad on the radio.

On the radio senior debt on TV the Jerry think you be sitting in this chair in this beautiful conference room overlooking of me know a beautiful campus in that how all the gods don't hear me tell us to take us back in back backwards and forwards. Absolutely.

I knew something big was going to happen because I travel with my dad from a very early age site, guys probably since five years 06 is also a started traveling with them all the time and I would cry if I didn't get to go with them. I wanted to be with him. I won't be at home and so we went. Later we went.

I can wear yellow loader we travel in World War II DC three without students going from city auditorium city auditorium spreading the word about the new college here. We like the movie, almost famous. Thus, how to correct ever lets it make snow moving rock band traveling around is very similar is would be in the city auditorium. Next night Led Zeppelin would be different places and 70. It was just the way I grew up, and we I would be doing charge of selling records and books in the back and at a very young age in California. Member seven or so and I had so so many records and looks at money stuck my socks. Money stuck in my search in my pockets. I kept pulling it out all over units that this is how I grew up so but always it was so successful in the early days that I saw sense of destiny and I just I just need to sit even though we went to God's tough years after that one became a lawyer would barely survive financially for 20 years that I just always knew there were some special bots plus while in the that this this work because online vision. I love you talk to people out there about your dad used to say I stay here and say it not allow little guy needs a worker to play Division I football were to play Notre Dame organ amino money would sit make these audacious claims and back then it was just a small campus and there's barely a dormant look at what's happened is he came from a family of very successful business people in 1931. Some family tragedies resulted in him, not going into the family business, isolating, born and Eli's father died when these 15 seven still going to the family business. He became a camera Christian and went to Bible college, but he took that business entrepreneurial spirit into his church in the first 15 years it grew from nothing to wear thousands of members and the national television program, and that sort of is what gave him the confidence and the vision that something huge could happen here. And so the reason he was confident through all those tough years and reason. I was is because we have seen what happened so miraculously in the first 10, 15 years now, years later, in this modern era.

In 2020, and you may hear this program in 2021 2020 weekly we put our weekly. The hits brother following play. The big shows no unrepeatable as best of so who knows when you'll hear this, but tell what was going on now mean how many students online, all the world of the size and scope the acreage you guys Lynchburg. By the way, you may, you may not like liberty and you may hear bad things about liberty from news outlets out there that are disparaging the school, but if you go to Lynchburg, Virginia.

People are hiring a grad to me.

There's a whole there's a great positive find that you guys here. My first, and then she rents a lady clothing store a few days ago and she talked about how when she ran a local restaurant. They hired 90% liberty students because of the work ethic because they don't feel entitled to she so whenever she didn't hire liberty student.

The student the kids from other schools would be the first ones want to get off early and went make you thought they were worth more money and set that's what we hear from employers in the local hospital from everywhere.

Everywhere students work is that they think they want to serve, improve themselves they don't feel entitled, and leads us were proud of that us.

That's the kind of students who've been able to attract in this the ones we always want to know what about a Christian university. What about a Christian worldview. What's at stake. I guess it has ever worked everything to do with how a young person thinks where they get educated, all right, well, you know, I think the state of higher education is the reason why liberty has exploded in the last 15 years it's it we would turn the corner just before my dad died in 2007, so he got to see Hobby lobby donated this building wearing right now on, he sought turn the corner but he didn't live long enough to see go from zero endowment to 2 billion. Now unrestricted were number member, the number like number 15 the country as far as unrestricted endowment sawing only ones ahead of us are the Harvard DLs Ascent Stanfords in those goals. But that is because higher education so I want is what correctness is so it's it's it's indoctrination camps and in some and it turned out that they don't make the students the first priority. They make their their research their careers. There they they they put the best professors are often Sweden research and some, but if we have our best professors in the classroom and we keep prices low with caps in the lowest 25% of all private schools, tuition online and residents and we were up over hundred and respect after the $2 billion endowment we built since he dad. We spent 1.6 billion on campus and we were up to hundred 8000 students issued online 15,500 resident and the hundred and eight online is our previous record was 98,020 14 services exploding big numbers were to come back after a quick break and I will talk more to the most controversial Christian in America and I think you are that with a badge of honor attract all kinds of heat in all kinds of praise and who knows what. But Jerry followed Junior sharing is hard so need to sit down with you serving and ice to get you to tell your story and let people listen.

He's in a tell you his vision where he sees God moving America.

What about the future. It's chaos right now and he's also gonna tell you why he thinks your youngster should come to liberty University of all places here in Lynchburg Virginia we come back, don't touch that dial more truth talk with Stu Epperson right after this almost a special thank you to a wonderful partner helping us advance the message of this program of the gospel in the thank you goes out to my pillow.com Mike Lindell, the inventor and CEO has now open his heart to say thank you as well.

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Click on the new radio listener specials and you'll save big you will believe the savings just enter promo code truth when you get there, always promised with a 60 day moneyback guarantee and a 10 year warranty. You can also call this toll-free number 800-944-5396 thank you my pillow for partnering with us to advance the good news the gospel and thinking all you guys that have checked it out supported our sponsors. When you hear the name Jerry follow what comes to mind when you hear the fall will name love sit next to a Falwell Jerry followed Junior my way. There's a lot of follows and that's quite frankly, a lot of folks misunderstand that I say, hey, Jerry followed Junior I told someone how many go interview him on my national radio show on Stu Epperson this is truth talk and they say all yeah he's the pastor, so that big Baptist Church, don't you know all time best flowers you don't like no dodo. There's two brothers to tell a little bit about how you got here and you talking last segment about you travel with your dad and just how you learned in law school and a lot of tough hurdles decline the note is God brought you through these mountains to liberty Mountain, but Jerry followed Junior now you have a brother talk about the dynamics that the pastor and the family that the businessman died a present of quality of university etc. Mike Thomas or Baptist Church is local search. My father started in 1956 in and start liberty till 1971 by Thomas or Baptist Church is and always will be a local church in Lynchburg Virginia and my father started getting older and the tooth out.

He died in 2007 he started adding to every sermon speech that they really thought that my brother should be the pastor the church because he and I couldn't be more different. And that's why he and I get along so well is because we we complement each other were not were nothing like any see I told the crowds he said Jerry understands a business in school. He can run it can grow it and so he made it clear to everybody. That's what he wanted to see happen with the board agreed with them and in the church board of deacons agreed with them on my brother and so you know that the school that was that was when I was talking about earlier sis is when the school really started to exploding growth was about 2007 and in the church is discontinued to to do well it's it's is not big national television network like they used to be because back of my father had the old time gospel ever. There were three networks say had three choices on Sunday morning, but now is probably 357 and you don't know this. I was on live radio during the service, and my dad. Big Stu was at the at your dad celebration service just can't have and my dad was grabbing guys, he said all of their story of his ears. There's over towns and he would put them on national radio with me.

We were talking about celebrating the life of Jerry Falwell right and you guys were there and were amazing and I can't get in those kind of things that Mr. retina mix. Do you know GE's best ways based on little stupid. A lot of people thought all this is the end you know Jerry, the leader you know the whole. The founders dilemma is a very famous Harvard business article and you think will once you know once he goes, what's can happen in but look at what cats do and how most families are fighting over the estate and arguing and trying to snatch every crumb of the table and they hate each other but there's been a rule 20 in the fall. The family got done something here. I think I think really what how the school back a little bit before his death is because of that fear for what happened when he died because he was such a charismatic personality, but then when they saw its first thing to happen his life insurance paid schools that are then after that they give started coming and we started publicizing what was happening here. Then all of a sudden everybody was like whoa this place is gonna be fine with or without the founder then it exploded in and so you are not taking credit for that. I'm saying it was people realize it wasn't about a personality or person. It was providential.

While the needed watch that played out in a lot of those course been praying for you and a lot of liberty grads other than what you have in our school so that will so let's go back a hot potato here Donald Trump you say his name. Now you say Jerry follow name and you know get mixed you would Donald Trump. A lot of folks you get weirded out and there like you are one of the first evangelical leaders is wide open to show no folks not know in my defense over the show.

This is the most controversial Christian in America. Areas of sit next to him.

But you got behind on Trump in the election and your dad was always focal your dad was founder the moral majority know any in amazing what he did for pro-life and were little baby feet which I still have my word from time to time.

Just amazing and what you gonna love the Monson start these houses for for Monson beeping up, you'll realize how much you've done, but talk about the Christian's involvement in politics and maybe the heat you've gotten for going out and supporting vocally a presidential candidate in navigate that as a believer but also as assistant United States started noticing that the Republicans who courted evangelical the were not sincere and they were my whole life. They promise one thing and then when I got in office.

They do some mouse. The part of the establishment. I tweeted today. Yesterday member was that Obama and Clinton, Bush and Romney are all part of the same club and trumps the only military that really stood out to presidents during my lifetime is not part of the establishment have been Jimmy Carter and tantra has set Jimmy Carter when an agreement with anything hardly anything in politics. We have a speaker commencement but is the most genuine music music solid Christian Trump is as it is, the average American's president just like Jimmy Carter was an even her Jimmy Carter had the wrong political philosophy. In my opinion, those are the only two presidents that have been the my pending the people's presidents know all you say it again.

That's what I love about true thought his people. The main Dragon Dragon was close, but he still not in the same league as Stone #12 Will Dr. the political issues hard on the show I was with the red issues of marriage and things like that but but it's important to Christians vote how to challenge people at least think about it you know as someone who's been quite vocal about his life focused on the Gospels, Jesus taught and is very clear rendering to Caesar that which is Caesar's and to God as God's words to your neighbor as yourself that's that's rendering unto God and be a good citizen. That means if you work for a corporation to do it's in the best interests of the corporation. If you work for the government are fear and like to officially do it's in the best interest of whatever government division manager in charge and Jesus was very clear that he was very careful not to take sides on whether whether there should be big.

Well, first, they shouldn't. He just said yes but he figured that out for yourself. That's that that's not that's Caesar's world for referring to the kingdoms of this earth. And so I think he's everything every answer you need. In the four Gospels all right. He is Jerry. Follow Junior present of liberty University and the new Falkirk center as well, which is a it is a big big deal here was talking about. What is your perspective on the future of America.

This is a heavy question a lot a lot of archers and riots.

There's been a racial inflammation in our country people upset. There's been this coded this pandemic which is exposing us, you know, probably more than we've exposed it in a just a button or to all the people are angry and people are on the edge. There's an election coming up here not long from now, much or what your prayer for the country what your vision as you think, as you look out there.

First leave the policy second and believing in 2016 and I saw in sour people. The people or support Trump are extremely excited about in spirit puts important by not excited about him and I think when those two men get on the stage together. I think papers that we can like somebody that doesn't know what day it is nice.

I hate to be read but assist system fact and when they look in trumps record and they look at what is got planned for the next four years. I think you not think he could he could. When jeeps and keep the Senate in the Republican side. I just think of it goes the other way is not only privy and then on Magnus, no one predict doom and gloom. But we can see a lot worse riots and worse and now when you dad talk a lot about is how Christians seem to be in the crosshairs. Christian seems new on the attack that there is an attack big government taken away freedoms. The freedom to preach the gospel freedom teach the Bible like you do this University liberty University.

How important is that the freedom of speech and of the freedom to broadcast this program. A baby will take true thought, which is always true.

Thought instructions on their own to say that Jesus is the only way I want to point people to him and tell people the truth about what marriage is in heaven and hell. But that may be hate speech one day what you challenge about standing up strong even when the culture and the tide.

The media are dead against you. I think your I think the fine keep looking for ways to attack not separate religion Christianity. I think organized religion is a good thing. It's great charitable thing, but I think you can be as religious as anybody in the world but not for future interest not in the way you treat other people so but I think there religion is a threat to authoritarians and the liberals released, liberals he said with a man I agree with you but I die for your right to say that they become authoritarians them become like Nazis and they don't want anybody to say anything you don't agree with and so religion is a threat to them because it's it's people voluntarily get together. Heaven discussions doing projects with no government involvement whatsoever. That's a threat to them.

Something to keep attack and religion.

It's harder for him to attack Christianity because Christianity is in the heart. It's a sweat survived in house churches in sermon some things but I think it's like to keep coming after any any religious organization and look for ways to stab us in the back and ion. I'm not going down without a fight. And what about in terms of shifting gears to young people out there thinking about Christian college versus secular college yeah I've heard you say and unless I was under my dad we're talking that that did you really need to think about who you're going to go learn from is asking to impact the way you think the rest your life. My daughter Faith is here with me and why in this lot good Christian colleges.

We just have to be on the campus of the biggest one. I believe you know in America. Maybe the world. Liberty University is where I am I'm sitting next to Jerry.

Follow Junior the present the most controversial Christian America talking to him why this kind of education with all the secular schools and all the it's so many Christian parents going to go to Christian culture the kids.

They just tingle out there that I get to go there and why here and what's going to be different about a kid the graduates with the liberty reverses your typical secular cause not it's a sin to go to synagogue but why why liberty I think. First, we attract students who are who are Christlike.

They they they treat others like they want to be treated. They have a work ethic. They don't feel entitled. They also are learning what Jesus taught in the Gospels that is when Jesus said help the poor and save mode for somebodies and take money from your neighbor to give to the poor he wasn't. He wasn't support in session where he said when he said turn the other cheek.

He wasn't standard Roman soldier in his day she got a battle in terminology we got realize we have two different roles in us were trying to seize these young people and we want to stay humble and and to and to serve others, and they did in a huge way.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars every year and that the main thing is our professor's father generally conservative, if a fat little kid speaks up in class and says things that are that professor and most the kids don't agree with the not ridiculed its colleges positively discuss any idea and that's what most colleges used to be like, but now conservative kid in most mainstream universities bespeaks up in class and be laughed at riven killed shouted down the filing at some point where they just say witchcraft professor once on the size of the getting a great and it's best not what college is supposed to be about free expression, academic freedom liberties when the fee left offers everything we offer world-class academics, world-class NCAA Division I sports, school, law school, but still has academic freedom and say what what whatever you feel are helping your you have a liberty. You gotta come to the campus. My daughter Faith first time I meet I think about her, which is wee little but her first time. When team truth played liberty in the vine center and I was starting small forward. We lost the flames. We fought hard and hit a baseline jumper but it was just the roof you know when on a plane in the yet with Jordan in the last dance okay. He played in your dear dad came down the locker room after the game and prayed with our team was perhaps a picture of a facility sometime made when your list and it's in my office but but does this campus.

Every time I come here there's a new building L say there's a medical school so there's there's there's a move in years of growth here and people to meet you. Your invitation is just come check out what's going on absolutely amazing.

Our success is because of everyone else's failure is for higher education. They are doing everything all the colleges are going the same direction. Political correctness in and all were doing this is family, diseased, and set so we end up in the choice and enrollment escape soaring and when I can say it was keep doing what were doing a scene like the more controversy I am in the more I make the liberals man more students. We stayed open during the covert crisis Alisa campus did in and no one got it in you you but you been smarting you been careful and and but but there's a whole lot going here in the vision of your dad to reach the world change world for Christ. What would you say one thing your dad told you coming up. I don't care if you are a spy little guy are your college-age or even closer to when he went to heaven. What what's one thing you can think of that you leave with our listeners that he told you he said to you to to the Jerry Senior said to Jerry Junior that stuck with it may be that you feel like it's been some is carried you to Tori our daily sample. It sounds great sciences never quit.

88.

She picked it up from Weston's Hartsell Weston service again. Commencement address.

I think Oxford or Cambridge after World War II is the only thing he said his whole commencement speech.

Never give up, never, never give up. So that's the key made. Maybe your role is going up just so, if you will say hey don't go there.

Don't go there. Don't ever go there, go like to go learn from the pagans, you know, voting. Baucom said this fascinating quote he said, why do we expect we send our kids did you know to Rome were shocked the comeback is Romans absolutely is dangerous to send you your young daughter sent to mom schools nowadays and come back with crazy ideas in us overseeing the streets. Now what they learned on campus is what they're carrying out the Orion's anarchy is what they were taught and stuck and not knowing that here bend to follow up, never give up credit file of analysis.

I am a man's greatness is not determined by his talent as well, but rather by what it takes to discourage him. So that's the key liberty success. So Jerry follow Junior whatever God puts in here when you going to heaven one day many years from now, whenever that is what's on your tombstone or what would be your will be cutting your epitaph. What is the legacy piece for you or what you would like to say you know when I'll get this okay this is a missive on the higher-rated radio programs in the world here to thought Justin but what what what is it you like to pass along. In that same vein, that same spirit, father was primary started from scratch. Nobody, and he was willing to go deep in debt take huge risks.

Nobody else could've built it from scratch. I was I went to Alaska I was little more conservative. I don't think I don't think he could've taken it. The second generation. In other words, it took two generations with different gifts to get us where we are human, but he would and he would still be betting the farm every every every way and you can't do that when he gets a certain level and so I just I was proud that I was one of the play key role in one of those two generations. The guy needs to know this place okay you heard from Jerry.

Follow Junior make up your own mind, but we just interviewed the most controversial Christian in America. Untrue thought was Stu Epperson all me on twitter Facebook. Follow him is a lot more followers and I do and were both on Instagram so we might have to put a picture might be the last we took a big stew right there by your your emblem there left it on the anagram to do.

Sure, we will eat Leno for this is also your podcast downloader podcast and listen and encourage people whatever they do to think about Jesus Christ and the gospel. That's the quintessential issue absolutely hundred percent is the most false religions come from a misinterpretation of of parts of the New Testament, there were not the Gospels in a sentence. I think the rest of the New Testament after the four Gospels have to interpret in the context of what Jesus said.

That's how you keep true religion should Christianity and said that's over trying to teacher liberty and sign any debate, any argument again and with meet liberal about I get is quite Jesus and you and you and go somewhere where they teach you the framework so you can look at Scripture and apologetics shifted show the historicity how he really was a son of God is not just a story, but and is once you switch see that it's historical and that it's it's really did happen. The miracles that has went through Thomas Jefferson office because he he didn't like the organized church because he saw how the monarchies in Europe misused the church to control people and controlled it, and that he confuse that with Christianity so he took out all the miracles of the New Testament in the diversion. He wrote for the Indians here in America and I think that's where he got that off-track is that he didn't understand it, there was a historical Jesus really was God and he ate didn't like that he didn't like organized religion, so he blamed it on them from making it up and set up. We got Skala seated that I do such a great job somehow there's more history for what more proof for what Jesus did and most any other ruler, history