On January 18th, 2026, protestors marched into a church building in Saint Paul, Minnesota in the middle of the worship service. They began chanting and disrupting the space, forcing the church ushers to evacuate the children's wing and the congregation. The pastor of that church is Jonathan Parnell.

Parnell also serves as the Send Network's City Missionary in the Twin Cities, where he works to encourage fellow pastors and train church planters.

He is the author of Mercy for Today: A Daily Prayer from Psalm 51 (2020), Never Settle for Normal: The Proven Path to Significance and Happiness (2017) and coauthor of How to Stay Christian in Seminary (2014).

A graduate of Bethlehem College and Seminary, he previously worked on the content team at desiringGod.org where he's written hundreds of articles over the years. He and his wife, Melissa, live in the Twin Cities with their eight children.

For more information, visit https://www.jonathaneparnell.com/about

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Introduction

1:00 How did you end up doing what you're doing today?

4:42 Tell us a little about church planting

8:08 How receptive is the population of Minneapolis to hearing the gospel?

10:44 Tell us about the ICE protests on January 18th

18:50 As a leader, what was the first thought going through your mind? What did the Spirit do in you in that moment?

24:40 How do you keep upper congregation from being distracted during the service as the protests continue?

29:30 Have you been able to engage with the protestors?

33:05 In hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently? Do you have any advice toward other pastors and leaders today?

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Desiring God website: https://www.desiringgod.org/

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Cynthia Scott has led prayer initiatives across Pittsburgh and beyond, including citywide gatherings, prayer for national events, and a daily prayer call for the nation. Passionate about honoring God and praying for revival in America, she has written numerous prayer guides and now offers Celebrating GOD, Our FOUNDER, at America's 250th Birthday. This work reflects her conviction that God's providence shaped the United States and calls believers to honor Him as our true Founder, and help to shape our future through prayer. Cynthia resides near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Purchase Celebrating God Our Founder at America's 250th Birthday here: https://godourfounder.com/

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Introduction to Cynthia Scott

1:35 What motivated you to write this book?

4:30 Tell us about what you've done with prayer and why is it your passion?

9:25 What advice do you have for someone whose church is not in the habit of praying?

10:50 How do you talk about America as a Christian nation?

15:43 The Founding Father's Faith

23:05 Why is Christianity in education so important?

26:00 Why is it important to pray for our leaders?

33:50 Where does revival come from?

35:50 Final Advice

Questions or comments? Email us at podcast@blackaby.org

DONATE:

If you have enjoyed this podcast and want to support our ministry into the next 20 years, click here: https://bit.ly/382Exi3

RESOURCES:

Sign up for the monthly newsletter at the bottom of the BMI homepage: https://blackaby.org/

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CONNECT:

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The infamous deception masterminded by Jacob and Esau's own mother is the theme for today's message. In episode 424, Richard and Daniel talk about the heartbreaking act that finally tore this family apart.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Introduction

1:37 Leadership Trivia

3:19 Genesis 27: Jacob and Rebekah's Deception

42:49 Leadership Trivia Response

Questions or comments? Email us at podcast@blackaby.org

DONATE:

If you have enjoyed this podcast and want to support our ministry into the next 20 years, click here: https://bit.ly/382Exi3

RESOURCES:

Order Experiencing God in Everyday Life now at: https://www.lifeway.com/en/product/experiencing-god-in-everyday-life-bible-study-book-with-video-access-P005853831

CONNECT:

X: @richardblackaby

Facebook: https://bit.ly/2WvZPzw

Read Richard's latest blog posts at www.richardblackaby.com