PVK 2025 Year in Review: End of the Long 20th Century, JBP, Peter Thiel, Douthat, Midwestuary, ARC,

Hi, this is Paul and it is December 31, 2025.

I just was on Grim Grizz's live stream and talked with him about the TLC and this is kind of a kind of an endofear meeting with people chiming in through

the uh um through the comments. Rod hair

making some as Rod hair as sort of one of our business counselors telling us how bad we're doing.

It's it's it's always the way with me and the business types. You know, you have a council meeting and you sit around and and uh you know, the business types are like, "Well, pastor, you're

not a very good businessman." Yeah,

that's true. And uh we should be hitting these metrics. And no, we're not. But um

these metrics. And no, we're not. But um

so I I I thought you maybe should do kind of a year and review. Don't quite

know where this video will go. I don't

want to spend a lot of time on it. But

then I I started sort of scroll back and discovered I can only scroll back a few hundred videos because how many videos did I make in 2025?

Um close.

I don't know over 500 maybe. I'll have

to look at it a little bit care more carefully. Um I made a lot of videos in

carefully. Um I made a lot of videos in 2025. Probably too many. If I had a

2025. Probably too many. If I had a YouTube um coach, they'd say way too many. Make better quality videos and

many. Make better quality videos and fewer videos and your channel and influence will grow. That's probably

true, [snorts] but I hear at the end of um at the beginning of 2025, end of 2024, Freddy and I had a um had a Freddy and Paul show. We haven't had a lot of those this year, so I thought might be

interesting to watch.

All right.

>> Happy holidays. Welcome to the Freddy and Paul show. Go ahead, Paul. What were

you gonna say?

>> I got to get Mark in there, too.

>> Mark's in the back seat.

>> Say something. Mark,

>> we can rip without the clamp. And we go to the champ.

>> Now, Paul, let me know how you did on fantasy football. Really though,

fantasy football. Really though, >> I I won last year. I came in fourth place this year. So, um Right.

>> I I should I should make sure that this music isn't going to cause a problem for this video. Hang on. All right. It

this video. Hang on. All right. It

should be okay. [snorts]

>> Go Mark. Come on.

>> Mark's going to rap.

>> Big Nate Hy won that league. He had a He had a dominant >> in the corner.

>> Oh, you won the whole thing. And what am I forgetting?

>> What are you Mark?

>> No barking from the hog. No smog. Mama

cooked the breakfastes. No hog. I got my get up. I got my lid up. I'm taking it

get up. I got my lid up. I'm taking it out. Just like that. This is the end of

out. Just like that. This is the end of the rap and that's a fact. But the key >> So we lost Fancy Nancy last year and of course it's always interesting looking

back in time because when we did this December or January in 2024, we had no idea what the next year was going to bring. We didn't know that we would lose Fancy Nancy. Uh we didn't

know that we wouldn't have Freddy and Paul shows for most of the year because uh Fred wouldn't do well. Mark Mark's

actually doing quite well. Mark's mother

passed away um last week and she was married to one of the founding members of the church. He was a founding member of the church before he married her even. And um they've been in the church

even. And um they've been in the church ever since from the late 50s um into the 60s and all the way to today. and she

was over 90 and she passed away. I'll I

have to bump a couple of people next week because I'll have um we'll have a graveside down in Ripen and we'll have funeral service here at Living Stones. But um Mark is Mark is

Living Stones. But um Mark is Mark is also disabled. Mark is Freddy's roommate

also disabled. Mark is Freddy's roommate and um and Mark is doing pretty well. Um

Freddy's not doing as well. And we'll

have to see what 2025 brings for Freddy.

>> Get me upset, but I ain't let that get up.

Well, hold on, Mark. Hold on. All right,

before I forget this, another thing. We

are not retiring. That was a joke. That

was a hoax. They put it up before the show. Paul and Charlie got together and

show. Paul and Charlie got together and wanted to get me upset, but I didn't let that get up me upset. I just watched the

television set. And it's just a hoax.

television set. And it's just a hoax.

The Freddy Paw Show lives for at least another 40 years or longer, whatever. We

are reckoning with um Grim Grizz. I

don't know that Grim >> Oh, Grim Grizz. He He commented.

>> Did he?

>> Yeah.

>> Oh, I didn't see.

>> Let me show you after the show.

>> Okay. Okay. So, good. Maybe he'll even give us a shout out on his show.

>> Yeah. That

>> see your comments mean a lot on the Freddy and Paul show, even though there's no Freddy and Paul shows right now. And I don't know if there ever will

now. And I don't know if there ever will be again. Um,

be again. Um, I I've been around long enough to know that people are amazing and sometimes they bounce back, but sometimes they don't. And so we'll have to see.

don't. And so we'll have to see.

>> That would be great.

>> You should. Grim Grizz should definitely give us a show. Have you ever watched this show?

>> Yes. It's nice.

>> It's nice.

>> I've seen it once. But what I wanted to tell you, Paul, is I wanted to tell the fans out there, I'll be on Zoom on the

church uh Bible study one time soon, and I'm going to be talking on there, and that's going to be fresh.

>> He he he's never made it to the men's group Bible study on Zoom.

>> Oh, yeah. And another New Year thing. Me

and Charles are coming out with Always Care and the FC crew and what was the other one? Oh. Oh, where

the chosen ones, Paul. It's called We're the Chos.

>> Yeah. Yeah, it's a Christian song.

>> Oh, okay.

>> So, me and Charles has some because it's more official and >> nine o'clock. 9:00. Okay.

>> No.

>> Now, now, now don't look. I'm going to post this probably around midnight tonight. How about that?

tonight. How about that?

>> I'll post this around midnight. That'll

be people 9:00.

>> Freddy for a while was um he had a real thing about when I would post the videos. He'd be very frustrated because

videos. He'd be very frustrated because we'd record the Freddy and Paul show after church on Sunday and then I'd get home and you know there would be things to do and I'd want to relax and then sometimes I would be on a different

device and I'd have to upload it. I do

all this stuff and Freddy was like why don't you post it right away? And so for a while we're having debates about when exactly the Freddy and Paul showed for maximum impact.

>> 9:00. Okay.

>> No, no. Do it in the morning. More

people will watch it.

>> No, we should definitely do it at midnight. People want

midnight. People want >> Okay. 9:00.

>> Okay. 9:00.

>> People want to welcome the new year with the Freddy and Paul show.

>> I don't know if we can do that.

>> Well, we're doing it now. I just It just depends on when I post it.

>> Okay.

I guess I wanted to watch it today, but >> You wanted to watch it today? Yeah,

please put it up early.

>> Well, I don't know. We'll see

>> cuz that's how we get more people. We

had 250 from last Sunday. It was that good.

>> It was It was that good.

>> People watch it in the morning and I mean in the afternoon and >> Well, I usually post it on Sundays cuz I don't have any other things I post on Sundays after church. That's why.

>> No, that's when we get the big views.

>> Please, come on. I'm in charge of the show. Just post it today at 1:00 then. I

show. Just post it today at 1:00 then. I

don't know >> in the afternoon. We'll see.

>> That'll be great.

>> So there, that's how the sausage is made. Any more gems from this show?

made. Any more gems from this show?

>> Listen to Charlie.

>> Listen to Charlie Jay. He has good insight. He is a good

insight. He is a good >> Charles a good man.

>> Mediator. He's a good mediator.

>> Charles was baptized in April um here in the church. And Charles is very

the church. And Charles is very faithful. You'll see Charles on the

faithful. You'll see Charles on the Sunday morning live streams singing up on stage.

>> I I will listen to Charlie. I said I will not go back on his word because he's my elder and I'll be good with Charlie and we'll

see eye to eye in our music together as friends in Christ. If you ever wonder what a pastor's life is like, at least this pastor, what you see here on the

Freddy and Paul show, this is what some of my life is like.

>> My my resolution, I'll help Mark out any way he needs help with hopefully. And

that'll be it. Okay.

>> How about a little bit of exercise this year?

>> And more exercise this year.

>> Good. Go on walks with Mark. Mark's a

good walker.

>> Okay. Mark, you should take Freddy walking with you.

>> Mark is an amazing walker. Mark, the

length of Mark's walk gets Mark in trouble sometimes. I I got a call from

trouble sometimes. I I got a call from him. This was in 2024. I got a call from

him. This was in 2024. I got a call from him from a restaurant out in Roseville.

He had walked 23 miles and his feet were not in good shape and he wasn't even wearing shoes. And so I had to drive out

wearing shoes. And so I had to drive out to Roseville to pick him up. He went

into some restaurant. And the thing about Mark is he can always remember numbers. That's part of Mark's thing.

numbers. That's part of Mark's thing.

For a while, Mark was living with his parents again. For a long time, he had

parents again. For a long time, he had an apartment on his own, but he was living with his parents. And um they went out of town and they asked me to keep an eye on Mark, which I did. Give

him a ride around. So So I I brought Mark to the local grocery store and I I knew Mark was a bit of a celebrity.

Everybody there loves Mark and Mark again he has part of his disability is a number thing and he's he's kind of a soant like his father and um and so I

remember bringing him into the local grocery store and all of the staff it was like it was like normat cheers. It

was like Mark and he had little slips of paper where he has lottery numbers that they should play. Now, to the best of my knowledge,

play. Now, to the best of my knowledge, none of them have ever won, but he went all around the grocery store handing out the slips of paper with these numbers

on, and everybody everybody loves Mark.

I mean, Freddy can drive you a little crazy, and and Mark can drive you a little crazy sometimes, but Mark is is really very sweet. Mark's um Mark is a

year older than I am. Um but, uh Mark is Mark is a sweet guy. He's appeared a few times on the Freddy and Paul show, but he's Freddy's roommate right now. And

Mark's Mark's doing pretty well even with the >> the death of his mother and his father just went into a memory care unit.

>> Okay.

>> He's going to want to go as far as I go.

I could walk.

>> No, we'll walk a little bit.

>> Go easy on him that start. Let him build up.

Cut me some slack.

>> All right. Mark. Mark, you go ahead and tell them your resolutions.

>> You got any New Year's resolutions, Mark? I hope that I get that I'm staying

Mark? I hope that I get that I'm staying where I'm at and then I can help Freddy and everyone else in my surroundings.

That would be very good if that happens.

>> All right. [clears throat]

I guess I guess my resolution is to keep doing the Freddy and Paul show instead of retiring.

>> Thank you. I love it. That's what's

great. We're out of space, but we are in the new rate. The ratio.

>> So that's how 2025 began.

And then January 3, 2025, Dog Bark, who hadn't been with us that long, uh, came to Living Stones because he watched the Freddy and Paul show, left comments on the Freddy and Paul show, and then

showed up one day for Living Stones, and, um, he was a five-point anti-calvinist, um, offered harmonica and all kinds of

things. Um, he passed away and passed

things. Um, he passed away and passed away suddenly. We didn't even know it.

away suddenly. We didn't even know it.

Of course, we've got the uh [music] there. Where are you? Got

there. Where are you? Got

[clears throat] me.

>> Oh, boy.

Yeah. Walk with me, Lord. Walk with me. And uh Dog Bark

Lord. Walk with me. And uh Dog Bark would then go on to walk with the Lord.

And I have another bit of branding from him that is uh you know that is a song about his death.

Beginning of 2025, I started um really promoting the word metangelical.

Evangelical today is really neoeangelical and Molly Woreren wrote a great book Apostles of Reason working on that. This is all before she became a

that. This is all before she became a Christian. And so neoeangelicalism is

Christian. And so neoeangelicalism is this movement that happens in the 20th century with the rise interest in orthodoxy

and missionaries were still not in the same way that >> with the work of John Nevin. Um, but I became very familiar with the work of

John Nevin during that class because he was particularly interested. He was the one person that was the most interesting to me in early American theology. So,

the Mercersburg School of theology, that's basically, you know, uh, shaf as in like all right. So, um, as the frontier theology thins, metangelicalism

connects post nuns with tradition.

Nathan Jacobs. And I've got a I've got a another conversation coming up with with Nathan Nathan Jacobs quite soon actually. So, um really like Nathan and

actually. So, um really like Nathan and always love when we when we get together.

Fairly early in 2026, I had a trip to Europe where we had the um the conference in Galway with uh Martin Shaw

and Paul Kingsorth and that was that was coming up. We were starting to promote

coming up. We were starting to promote that. um this video. Does the kingdom of

that. um this video. Does the kingdom of God have a culture? Secularity is

kayfabe religion. And of course, I play the Tim Keller clip. Um

and so we're sort of working on the metangelical thing, working on those kinds of issues.

Shoots an arrow. [laughter]

So actually the Galway conference was tremendously fun. U so so much of that

tremendously fun. U so so much of that conference was I I wound up spending a lot of time with Martin Shaw which was an absolute delight. Uh we we were on

the we're on the same plane flying over to Galway. We um spent time in the car

to Galway. We um spent time in the car and in the bus and together and um Paul Kingsorth lives quite near Galway so I didn't spend any much near as much time

with Paul Kings North but a lot of time just with Martin Shaw and we had just an absolutely delightful time together. We

really hit it off well and I just got a copy of his new book that I have to start looking at and going through. In

connection with that trip, I had um I got to know Father Connor um Mcdana, who is a Dominican frier there in Galway.

Absolutely wonderful man. Really the um you know put a lot of that conference together um with with Marcus and his

wife and wonderful conversation with him about medieval and civilization. It's so

funny because when I when I walk through these things, I I just want to listen to all this material again because I you know, as people say, you remember how thing feel things feel better than you

remember the propositional. And uh such a wonderful time learning from Connor, Father Connor, and um really tremendous >> and Paul shows.

>> What about those Kings, man?

>> What about those Kings, Fred? How they

doing?

>> Oh, he lost to the Bucks and that's it.

They won like >> we we they're they're photobombing the Freddy and Paul show. Alli and Jared are photobombing the Freddy and Paul show.

[laughter] >> That's okay. Anyway, so what's new, man?

Tell me what's going on with your ministry or whatever. Who you get who you uh uplifting against?

>> Oh, I hope I'm uplifting you.

>> Yeah, always. But what I'm saying is it's my birthday and I would thought someone was gonna break me off something proper,

but it's okay. Anyway, cuz I'm used to getting >> Freddy's birthday is later later. It's

It's the 23rd of January and um so we'll have to I I'm hoping by his birthday he'll be willing to leave the house and

get out of bed and maybe he'll let me take him someplace special and we can have a good time together. Oh, big

development in January 2024 when I realized that at the end of the emerging church movement was the orthodox moment. That

was a that was a breakthrough insight that I had. I was reading Richard Beck's um uh exper experimental theology did this great series on the emerging church

movement and you know I'm still sort of filtering that through my mind the relationship between the emerging church and um orthodoxy and I think in in some

ways the best person to see that in is Luke Thompson because in some ways Luke Thompson has sort of been through all the evangelical fads in the last 10 years and lands in orthodoxy.

>> Hey, this is we who wrestle with and then then with God 1.5 in God's image.

The section starts out very clearly.

What does created in the image of God mean? It means that the human spirit

mean? It means that the human spirit exists in its essence on the border between. Now, this is this is one of the

between. Now, this is this is one of the membership videos. When I would drive to

membership videos. When I would drive to Costco, I would listen to We Who Wrestle with God and I would pull my hair out if

I had any because the book is so poorly written.

It just is. And and it was this year that I learned that Greg Herurwitz basically edited 12 Rules for Life, which is why the book

is so much better written. Peterson can

be such an amazing, compelling speaker, but as an author, he tries to fit everything in and he just makes a mess.

And I, as I was going, I abandoned this project because I got so frustrated with the book because while the book has a lot of good ideas in it,

a chapter should be a string of pearls.

a sermon should be a string of pearls, but the chapters were bowls of pearls and and some pearls that didn't belong in that particular bowl. And so I I

eventually abandoned that that project.

All those videos are in the membership section, the $3 randos membership section. And um and I abandoned that

section. And um and I abandoned that project. Then I had my conversation with

project. Then I had my conversation with Spencer Claven, which was an amazing conversation. I love Spencer. Spencer is

conversation. I love Spencer. Spencer is

just the a gem of a guy and he had released his his book and I told him right at the beginning of the video I said you know my biggest problem with

this book is that it's so much better a book than we who wrestle with God and so few people will read it but it is a lovely wonderful book.

This was a Freddy and Paul show when we had a Randall come and we could actually get the rando on the on the show.

>> Is it just all rap?

>> What What's going on with the camera work for this show? It's really a mess.

There's the cathedral. Hi, this is Paul.

I'm here in Galway. There's the

cathedral. I've been walking around.

We've got a little bit of time before the event. I didn't bring my selfie

the event. I didn't bring my selfie stick, so I have to do this the oldfashioned way.

Um, it's been so much fun uh getting to know the history of this area and what's

gone on here for hundreds of years.

Over where I'm staying near St. Mary's.

can't say these Irish words, but over by St. Mary's where I'm staying in the

St. Mary's where I'm staying in the priaryy with the friars. Um,

I was outside the wall. Um, the wall held civilization.

So, that's a little membership video I made when I was in Galway.

But, >> so then I had this wonderful conversation with Kent Dobson. And

again, as I was be I was piecing together the relationship between the emerging church movement. Ken Dobson was part of that. He was the worship pastor

for um Rob Bell and Luke's favorite dude or one of Luke's favorite dudes. And Kent um contacted me and we just had a we just

had absolute absolutely wonderful conversation of sharing stories and learning his story and um that was a highlight. All right. Then we had Ark

highlight. All right. Then we had Ark and here we had a an estuary live stream um after Ark with some of the participants from ARC. We had the the

the only appearance of Sophie Spittle uh who used to be the producer of trigonometry. Um I met her at Ark 1 and

trigonometry. Um I met her at Ark 1 and she was also at Ark 2 and Bethl was at Ark 2 and Ups was at Ark 2 and uh Jordan was at Ark 2 and so we uh we talked

about the crazy conference.

>> Why? Oh, and Marcus was at Ark 2, too.

Um so it was good. It was good.

>> After a long conversation, >> in 2025, we had the entry of Ethan Kahi into the corner and he made a big splash. She was the he was the hot girl

splash. She was the he was the hot girl in the corner for a while and um and and then he you know he he was very big and then he sort of backed away because he

moved and got married and now he's sort of reemerging again. So um and he had his AI story and how he came back to the church and we'll have to catch up more

with Ethan as he has as he has time. Oh,

and this is where we had the advent of the lions and foxes. And that was sort of after arc because I had picked up on that after ark one and after two I continued to work on that the uh

Wilfredo paro his lions and foxes as rulers and I know some people in the corner really didn't like the lions and fox culture metaphor but I find it um I

find it sort of illuminates the change that I've been thinking about more recently in terms of the first world war the long 19th century how all that stuff works. I'm still trying to figure out

works. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with the Rando's membership exclusive videos for the that that that your $3 a month will buy you

>> incar members video for a little while.

I I went to Tahoe yesterday um my son's birthday, my youngest son's

birthday, and he's um undermployed at the moment, still looking for his career track job. So, he's kind of in grad

track job. So, he's kind of in grad school while he's undermployed, while he's living at home, all that kind of stuff. And it was his birthday. And so,

stuff. And it was his birthday. And so,

it was uh he's like, I want to go. So,

continue to figure that out. I've been

doing some inoff videos for that.

And 2025 was really the year that that Jordan Hall really comes into the corner in a big way. And um of course after his conversion

um and and Jordan Hall really becomes a you know a big element of the corner for for a lot of people. We also have downstream from Jordan Hall in some ways

the entry of the influence of Ross Bird um mostly doing his work on Substack in the corner and uh really lovely conversation with him and of course Ross

has has made has made the rounds in the corner as well. did the way back look like for you? And and then we also had um Christianity on the spectrum which

which was a really wonderful conversation and and getting to know John and his perspective. Um that was another that was another highlight. Now

we're in uh where are we in? We're in

April. We're in April. It actually took quite a while to get through the backlog of randos after Europe and um then

finally had a chance to sit down with Martin Shaw and our our conversation was interrupted by a power outage which which seems uh especially apppropo for

something with Martin Shaw but um really fun to sort of deepen my relationship and friendship with Martin Shaw this year. Another thing that happened this

year. Another thing that happened this year was the announcement from Scott Adams of his terminal cancer diagnosis.

And it's been interesting to watch. Um,

you know, he's been streaming. He uses

Rumble live stream to uh I talked with Grizz about that on on the live stream today. Um, that's on Grizz's channel.

today. Um, that's on Grizz's channel.

You know, it's I think it's really helpful for people to see the death of someone that they see on the screens because the screens tend to freeze us in

a moment. And what you know, it's quite

a moment. And what you know, it's quite likely, I don't wish for it, but it's quite likely that Scott Adams will pass this year. And um I I think that's

this year. And um I I think that's really important in this internet space to bring our mortality into the space, especially when we have these parasocial

relationships and we connect with these people online. How how that works. This

people online. How how that works. This

this was a big video for me, the collapse of neoeangelical ecosystem and the recession of cultural engagement.

Um, Glenn Scribner had his um, postarchc video and I thought it was an excellent

video and of course I played the Tim Keller clip. Um

Keller clip. Um and then and dealing with Holy Post and just just working through

what it what because it was really in 2025 after the reelection of Donald Trump that this this blue church alignment with

certain moderate moderate progressives progressive evangelicalism just collapses and the elites now don't know what to say or do in the culture. All All

they've done is but just keep sort of hammering against Trump all the time.

That's that's basically their playbook.

Complain against Trump, complain against Trump. And and by 2025 that was just

Trump. And and by 2025 that was just done that you you're going to need to have something more than that. And um

they they really haven't found it. And

of course that would sort of set up what would happen at Cinnid 2025 in the Christian Reformed Church. Oh, then we had Jordan Peterson's appearance on the

Jubilee show which was just a disaster and and Ups had made contact with I

forget what his name is um who had been on the program, Greg. And so we had a conversation with Greg about Jordan on the show and the background of the show

and and that was really sort of I think that that was right about at the end of the last wave of Jordan. We're going to have to see what happens after Jordan has had these interesting cycles of a

wave and then a collapse and then a reemergence. And of course in the second

reemergence. And of course in the second wave you had this emergence into the Daily Wire and that iteration and then of course he starts playing around with fairy tales again and he goes on this

program. It's just a catastrophe and it

program. It's just a catastrophe and it all collapses again. And so now we'll see what what comes what comes next. And

then after the the spring meeting of our classes, I was I knew I would be sent to Senate and um wondered what would happen

with Senate and um and it was it was so this is one of my CRC videos where I go through CRC history and try to put Senate in

perspective and the overall arc of the Christian Reformed Church. We had the introduction of Kale's mother to the corner this year and that was delightful

and just gaining perspective again in 2025. We had this

2025. We had this in many ways I think 2025 had the collapse of the Obama era completely.

Now with Trump's second election um his second term in office, it's sort of the end of the long 20th century. And

I think that's I think that's true.

So then I had my videos from Senate, not all of which were uh survived. My

impromptu camera people uh my good friend Rod reading his his great poem Lava Soap them looked down at me I thought for just a while and I strung all three together and said him with a

smile.

We laughed and snorted right out loud.

We thought we were wellheaded, but mother has this extra sense and it told her what we did. [laughter]

She had brought some brownies to the barn to give us all a snack, but when she heard our barnyard merge, she took a different tag. She stormed right up the

different tag. She stormed right up the ladder of rungs. No doubt our goose was cooked. And I remember to this day the

cooked. And I remember to this day the way my mother looked. She grabbed us all by ears and hair. Her face was bright as red. No, there was not a single doubt.

red. No, there was not a single doubt.

We knew that we were dead.

Then we were hauled down from the loft.

She beat us on the rump and yelled for me to go and get some water from the pump. She soaked a bar of lava soap. We

pump. She soaked a bar of lava soap. We

knew that we were cursed. When Howard

cried, "I'm not your kid." My mom said, "Good. You're first." [laughter]

"Good. You're first." [laughter]

THE BAR was shoved half in his mouth. He

sputtered, spit, and choked. Huge tears

[clears throat] were streaming down his face. And when he talked, he croked. My

face. And when he talked, he croked. My

sister was the next to go. Mom walked

away her sin. Then Edwin said, started whimpering and said, "I'm only 10." When

my turn came, she grabbed my hair. I

fell down on my knees, but she was way past listening to my heartbroken.

I swore I'd never cuss again. She

listened to my blather, then stroked my mouth with lava soap until she made a lather.

My mom is known for cleanliness. Her

floors are spiced. But when she did, but what she did to my poor mouth, drill sergeants would have banned. The taste

was one I'll not forget until the day I died. like broccoli and kerosene wrapped

died. like broccoli and kerosene wrapped up in lard and lie. My teeth clamped down my tus taste buds died my tongue

and threw a fetch. The only thing I taste for weeks was hummus mixed with grit. And though I rinsed my mouth out

grit. And though I rinsed my mouth out well, still I suffered trouble. Whenever

I would try to speak, I could blow a bubble. Sometimes today when wrenches

bubble. Sometimes today when wrenches slip, I'm tempted still to swear. I hear

my sister Miriam say, "Hey Rod, I double dare my mouth."

>> Then someone was coming with a card afterwards. And of course, the big the

afterwards. And of course, the big the other one of the big issues at Senate was the banner issue. And I was chair of the advisory committee. So,

it was funny. I I met with a couple of couple of former members of the church here. They now live in Chicago. And um

here. They now live in Chicago. And um

and they were they were talking about yeah, you know, some people saw your videos and they were talking about it on Facebook and they said that Vander Clay, he's just a Trumploving conservative.

They just members of the my church, they know me quite well. They just busted out laughing at um at, you know, people in the CRC. Yeah, that Vander Clay, he's

the CRC. Yeah, that Vander Clay, he's just a he's he's Oh, viewwise the biggest video of the

year. This is a video. This is a video.

year. This is a video. This is a video.

>> So, in a sense, we're already living under a moderate rule of the Antichrist in that in that telling.

>> Do you think God is in control of history?

I uh man this this is again like a wait I I I I I think that uh I think it there's always room for human

freedom and and and human choice. These

things are you know um or at least where we are today. These things are um you know they're they're they're not you know they're not uh absolutely

predetermined one way or another. Right.

I um >> but God wouldn't leave us forever under the rule of a mild moderate stagnationist antichrist, right? That

can't be how the story ends, right?

>> Uh it's it's attributing too much causation to God is always a problem.

You know, I don't know. There are

different Bible verses I can give you, but I'll give you John.

>> Attributing too much causation to God. I

don't know, like the creation of the universe 25 where Christ says they hated me without cause and um and and uh and so

it's all these people that are persecuting Christ have no reason, no cause for why they're persecuting Christ. And if we interpret this as a

Christ. And if we interpret this as a ultimate causation verse, um they want to say I'm persecuting because God caused me to do this. God is causing

everything. and and and the Christian

everything. and and and the Christian view is anti-Calvinist. God is not behind history. God is not causing

behind history. God is not causing everything. If you say God's causing

everything. If you say God's causing everything, >> God is but wait scapegoating God.

>> But God is okay. But God is behind Jesus Christ entering history because God was not going to leave us in a stagnationist, decadent Roman Empire,

right? So at some point at some point at

right? So at some point at some point at some point God is going to step in. I am

not I'm not I am not that Calvinist. And

uh >> that's not Calvinism though. That's just

Christianity. God God will not leave us eternally st you know staring into screens and being lectured by Greta Thunberg, right? He will not abandon us

Thunberg, right? He will not abandon us >> to that fate.

It is uh it is there is a great you know I don't know for better and for worse I think there's a great deal of scope for

for human action for human human freedom if um if I thought these things were deterministic you might as well you know maybe just accept it the lions are coming you

should just have some yoga and prayerful meditation and wait while the lions eat you up and I I don't think that's you're supposed to. It's it's it's it's

supposed to. It's it's it's it's >> Let me remind you >> and and this is why um Ross Alphet is is currently my

favorite interviewer.

>> Oh, and the big Grail Country conversation with uh Nate and Paul >> Renee.

>> Um we we whittleled ourselves down to the nuclear family.

>> Mhm. and and and we're even whittling that down to the individual.

>> And for for a marriage to work, the legalism we have now is not only not enough, but it encourages divorce with

the no fault divorce stuff.

>> Yeah. And you really need you really need a community around you that has a a stake in your relationship to push you back together. Mhm.

together. Mhm.

>> Um, and the the pain I'm experiencing now, part of the pain I'm experiencing now is that

even the even the Orthodox church is not a substitute for having a stable, involved, extended

family on both sides of the marriage. It

just it doesn't substitute because >> that was a that was a that was a big moment and a big conversation in my opinion. Here's a membership video that

opinion. Here's a membership video that was may or may not be worth your $3.

Playing around with a action cam on vacation was a lot of fun.

Oh, and uh Midwestary was coming down the road and here they were. Hi, this is Paul and I am outside my go-to lunch spot and we have the boys here from the

Estuary Road Trip and um we just had lunch at the Aviator restaurant here at the Sacramento [clears throat] Executive Airport and um we're going to do a van tour.

>> How's that sound?

>> Sounds great.

>> All right. Well, why don't you guys introduce yourselves a little bit at least?

>> Jonathan Deir. I have

>> had about 400,000 on it when they bought it, but it was supposedly a new engine.

>> Yep.

>> No paperwork to prove it. [laughter]

>> The guy seemed reliable.

>> Yep.

>> And it has run. You haven't broken down.

>> Well, we did have an oil leak early on and recently we had a brake line that started leaking. We had to get repaired,

started leaking. We had to get repaired, but other than that, like all the important stuff is maintained.

>> All right. Well, 6,000 miles hasn't been that kind of trip, huh?

>> Well, I did meet a lovely lady in LA.

>> Fertility suppression by elite women.

What is the source of this assault on humanity's future? Big conversation that

humanity's future? Big conversation that Benjamin Boyce had. Oh, then Midwestary play. Hi, this is Paul. It's about4

play. Hi, this is Paul. It's about4

after 5 in the morning. We've had the first day of Midwestary.

uh got back to the hotel about 9:30 last night after everything and um briefly went down to the lobby and met with some people and talked, but it was was pretty loud and I had to sort of shout and I

could hear my voice get grally and I knew I had the second day. So, I decided I'd just go to bed and um feel, you know, had a good had a good night's sleep. Woke up a little bit early. Um

sleep. Woke up a little bit early. Um

had a lot of thoughts and so thought I would uh share some of them. I thought

the first day went very very well. I

assume it's being recorded and that the recordings will come out in various ways on various channels at some time. Um,

great. So, so one of the things that I like about the strategy of having different

groups do their own theater and a sort of a hardcore non plat and the TLC continues to grow with some

individuals becoming more familiar faces uh Gray Hamilton and uh Ferillian and Skankenstein. 9. Joseph and Christian,

Skankenstein. 9. Joseph and Christian, of course, um had some prominence in 2024.

And then towards the end of the year, we've we're looking at the end of the post-war consensus. We're looking at the

post-war consensus. We're looking at the long 19th century. We're looking at the rise of Christian nationalism. We're

looking at the decline of Christian inter post World War II Christian internationalism, the decline of the blue church, and again, more Ross Dowet

and um more important Ross Dowet content.

We also had Southeast Juuary and um my talk with Karen Wong, Southeastary, great conference, you know, really good >> thing in the ' 80s was love needs to be

tough and what does that exactly mean?

And because love wasn't tough and love wasn't um providing opportunities for opponent processing so that we could be

strengthened and not fragile. love ended

up in a weaponized compassion that is leaving our children defenseless in the world. I wonder what you think about

world. I wonder what you think about that.

And if you want to know what I think, you can watch the video.

And then I had to go to Florida for a church conference and and it's raining.

I'm missing my Sacramento weather because it's Woodro Wilson.

Um, you know, >> so I did some car membership videos in 2025 >> and lately again more Ross Det um the

return of some Sam Harris and and you know I give Sam a hard time but I have to give him credit that he is actually making some content that I want to see

which Jordan Peterson wasn't doing towards the end of this last wave which which at least says something that Sam is at least putting his finger on some

things. Uh that is important. And um

things. Uh that is important. And um

yeah, it was uh it was a good year. Now,

thinking about some of Rod's challenges, um I don't know, maybe I thought I'd play not nearly enough people have seen this

video from from Neil >> TLC. Do you want to know what it is?

>> TLC. Do you want to know what it is?

>> I think the term was originally coined by Civil King.

>> We're in a very interesting discussion in this little corner of the internet and I'm thrilled to be included in it.

>> Civil was instrumental in the foundation of this space, especially in conjunction with Karen Wong and Mary Cohen. And

unfortunately, I never got to meet Mary before her passing. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Nowadays when we use the term TLC we are typically referring

to a collection of channels that we have come to know and love as the flotilla.

>> It's a lot. It's a lot. So perhaps what will be most helpful is if we go back back where it all began.

something I've wanted to do for a long time but still does surprise me that um >> Hi, my name is Paul Vander's ready for

church in Sacramento, California.

[music] And I want to do a little video on Jordan Peterson.

Hi, this is Paul and this is an experiment.

[music] >> I don't know who greets you hosts or anything. I had some thoughts, so I'm

anything. I had some thoughts, so I'm going to jump right in.

>> The other cast of characters I'd like to familiarize you with, that's the Vanderlay guy.

>> It's not meant for people who are here.

It's meant for those who have not yet made it may trip over it. [music]

>> Hello.

[music] >> This is the intro.

>> Welcome to the underneath live stream.

[music] >> Love you. Chin here.

>> Everyone, it's Christian here.

>> For a while, I was done with the whole Christian thing.

>> There's some woo in there.

>> Okay. Yes. people sort of stay there to chat.

The ordering principle of the universe is the God man that humbles himself unto death and in all of it and yeah the link for

the whole video will be below and so then the question of okay well what about pacing what about I mean Rod continues and he's

absolutely correct every single movement through History has to account for the economics.

And if you read, let's say, Acts 2 and Acts 4, economics are deeply involved in the growth of the church in Jerusalem and the growth of the early church. And

have we figured out economics? No, not

really. Um, was

Rod suggested that perhaps 2025 was peak TLC? might be, could be. Um, has it

TLC? might be, could be. Um, has it grown fast enough? Should it grow faster?

Maybe I should get Rod Hair and um Jordan Hall on stage to debate that.

That would be worth seeing because they're both business guys and they're both successful business guys.

I want to see that. Um,

I am not a business guy. I'm a pastor.

And so yeah, I have I I I approach things in different ways. What will 2026 bring? We

different ways. What will 2026 bring? We

don't have any big conferences on the agenda for 2026. I know that there are some, at least in the works and dream stage for 2027. There's New York City,

there's Minnesota, there's some Texas things. I haven't pulled off a

things. I haven't pulled off a conference at Living Stones yet. Um,

there's a lot to think about what will happen in 2026.

You know, I I look at various metrics.

Um and the difficult thing relevance realization is to know what metrics to pay attention to.

And um that's that's part of the challenge.

One of the one of the videos that I came across um the Cold Fusion channel four weeks ago, 1.1 million views. The

metaverse only has 900 users. remember

um remember Mark Zuckerberg, the big announcement of the metaverse and how we're all going to be like these little

avatars and billions of dollars and this is the wave of the future and you know we're all going to be these disembodied

things in virtual spaces. The metaverse

has 900 users.

Yeah. If I was on his board, yeah, I might have something to say about how many billions went into the creation of the metaverse. Will AI go the same way?

the metaverse. Will AI go the same way?

We'll know more at the end of 2026.

Um, one of the one of the things, one of the metrics that I have, and I mentioned this in my conversation

with Grizz that the um, when Ron Coppperman came on the came on

uh, Neil's stream and said, "I I'm living in a house that I own now But I never thought that would happen because not so many years ago I was a

burnout living in my car and and then I found Jesus and this church helped me. You know, Grizz always talks about an initiation ritual, but I

think about what Pujo said in the at Midwestary about what estuary is. It's a

it's a middle place. It's a place we swim through. And I think uh Neil

swim through. And I think uh Neil Datalus is right. um towards the end of his little introduction video. Um we are watchers. We are those who wait and

watchers. We are those who wait and watch. Individuals when they find the

watch. Individuals when they find the door, they need to go straight through and keep going right into the center.

But there are a few of us for whatever reason we feel compelled to stand by the door. The way I see TLC is we are

door. The way I see TLC is we are watchers. We are those who wait and

watchers. We are those who wait and watch for the others who begin to seek a better alternative. And don't forget

better alternative. And don't forget about play.

The key to friendship, it turns out, is play. And most grown-ups have forgotten

play. And most grown-ups have forgotten that. Whoosh! There it is. Whoosh! There

that. Whoosh! There it is. Whoosh! There

it is. Whoosh! There it is.

>> But I hope you remember Embody.

So, we will continue to play. And in

fact, if um play is at the forefront of what we're doing, I couldn't be happier because I just released a It's a rough

draft for Sunday. Um, but it's in no wait, no ads.

And what will happen in 2026, I don't know.

But [snorts] I am playing the long game.

And this long game is measured in people's lives.

And so we'll see what comes in 2026.

Will there be more conferences or less conferences? Looks like less at this

conferences? Looks like less at this point. Uh, are we making too much

point. Uh, are we making too much content? Absolutely. and I'm the chief

content? Absolutely. and I'm the chief of sinners in that category and I'm now making more content on Substack, but written content is different from

video content.

Um, uh, I don't know what will happen with me in 2026. Um, if you'd like to make a donation to Living Stones, that would be a great thing to do. Um, will I

think Living Stones I think the build the church will still be in the building this year. Um, will I be paid to pastor

this year. Um, will I be paid to pastor it? I don't know. Will I still be

it? I don't know. Will I still be pastoring it? Quite likely.

pastoring it? Quite likely.

Will, how will that work? I don't know quite yet. Um, maybe we'll find enough

quite yet. Um, maybe we'll find enough runway to make it all the way through 2026. Um, with Living Stones having a

2026. Um, with Living Stones having a full-time pastor who's also Living Stones has long been subsidizing the TLC and estuary.

And I feel totally fine about that and my church feels totally fine about that.

Um because Estu and the TLC has blessed living stones with new members with donations from many of you and um

but we live in the age of decay and things change and whether the TLC is a thing whether

um what what happens with estuary I think estuary will continue to grow slowly as it has been growing um I don't

know I I don't know but I I trust God and um he will it is his and he will do with it as is everything else

of course render to Caesar what is Caesars's render to God what is God's and what he decides to do with it um I

will I will be okay with dad's life and most of us can testify to how this communion that we have that is growing

amongst us is is share now. Um, now now Rod says, "Eight years into it and we only have 28 viewers watching now." Uh,

last year we probably would have had 19.

Um, I I watch these numbers now. Sure. Would

it be would it be better with 100 viewers right now or would we have nine people trying to get in and the conversation be different? So,

um yeah, I know this is this is where Ron and I go back and forth on. Um,

and uh, >> played, >> but that's the that's the opponent processing and and I I will defend Rod's

pushing against me. Um, and Rod's wife is my wife is very much aligned even though she doesn't know what Rod is doing. My wife is very much aligned with

doing. My wife is very much aligned with well I gotta I gotta finish up some things and I have family at home and uh >> ads >> it is

>> which may come out what the 3rd the 2nd for regular bleeps >> it is scheduled to come out because the kind of video it is but I'm not

>> all right so have a happy new year and I hope you have a great New Year's Day. I'll

release this on the morning of New Year's Day. I don't know if this video

Year's Day. I don't know if this video is worth anything. It it the video would have definitely be been better if I had given it more thought, but I just don't have time to give it more thought today.

I've got family at home that I'm missing out on and I got to get over there. And

that's part of that economic thing. I

mean, in the Christian form church, if you read the church order, it basically says, you know, we pay pastors salaries so that they're free to do ministry. and

the um and but but the ministry goes on even if the church can't free up the pastor. It

just means that I and I think we're going to see this in churches because church economics is changing too.

But somehow Christianity in the church has been able to survive and sometimes thrive through very difficult times and spaces and uh I think that will

continue. So,

continue. So, um, if you hadn't heard me wish you a merry Christmas, have a merry Christmas and have a have a happy new year as

well. and I will see you in the new

well. and I will see you in the new