Unapologetic with Julia Jeffress Sadler

Slandering the Saints

What do we do when Christian leaders fall, or even closer to home, when our Christian friends or family leave the faith? On this week’s episode of Unapologetic, Julia asks her dad, Dr. Robert Jeffress, these questions and more! Plus, the two also talk about Julia’s prodigal story—addressing the practical things we can do to come back to God ourselves or welcome others back into the church. From the Hillsong exposè to the documentary on the Duggar family, stories of ministries falling from grace are undoubtedly popular right now. As Julia and Dr. Jeffress dive into how to respond when Christians fall and how to heal, they challenge listeners to check their hearts when consuming media that exposes unfortunate circumstances for entertainment. Together they also talk through how to keep from becoming jaded towards our fellow Christians, guarding your life against temptation, and overcoming spiritual regrets. Towards the end of the episode, Julia shares part of her own prodigal story—encouraging listeners to remember that no one is ever too far gone to run back to Jesus. This is an honest and uplifting discussion you’re not going to want to skip! Dr. Jeffress’s book—Coming Home, which he dedicated to Julia—is available on Amazon! Connect with him at ptv.org or by listening to the Pathway to Victory podcast. Check out Julia’s new podcast for kids, Kids Bible in a Year, at pray.com! 

Her True Worth, with Brittany Maher & Cassandra Speer

We all struggle with knowing our worth, women especially. That’s why Brittany Maher and Cassandra Speer created Her True Worth—to point us to the truth that our identity is already secure in Jesus! On this week’s episode of Unapologetic, Julia sits down with Brittany and Cassandra to talk about the battles we all face when it comes to finding our value and how social media can both hurt us and help us in that fight. Brittany and Cassandra started Her True Worth in 2016 as an online ministry, right before the influencer culture of social media took off. During their conversation, Julia asks how Her True Worth remains rooted in God’s truth, plus the three moms also tackle how to know if your kids are spending too much time on screens, how to curate the feed for yourself and your kids, and pushing back against the narrative that says we’re never enough. This episode is full of positivity and truth, don’t miss it! Brittany and Cassandra’s new devotional, There’s Beauty in your Brokenness, is available now! Connect with them on Instagram at @hertrueworth.

Angels, Dinosaurs, & Answering Your Kids’ Questions about God

There are a number of truths every Christian should know. From angels and dinosaurs to temptation versus testing, the core beliefs of the faith are vitally important. But how do we explain something like spiritual warfare or why going to church shouldn't be an option to someone who’s not a Christian, or even more importantly, to our own kids? On this week’s episode of Unapologetic, Julia sits down with her dad (and favorite pastor!) Dr. Robert Jeffress to do just that! During this candid discussion between father and daughter, Julia asks the questions so many of us want to know about God, including how we explain the Trinity, are angels and demons real, does God tempt us, and more! These concepts are sometimes hard to wrap our heads around (especially when we wonder where dinosaurs came in!). Dr. Jeffress helps answer each of them in such a way that one of our kids wondering about the same thing could easily understand. Julia and Dr. Jeffress also talk about why sticking with a church is so important, why it’s never too late to start taking your kids on a Sunday, and how making worship optional will only hinder your kids’ faith. The two wrap up the episode with Julia sharing an incredible story of recently encountering God at a low moment. Don’t miss this special conversation! Dr. Jeffress’s book—What Every Christian Should Know—is available everywhere now! Connect with him at ptv.org or by listening to the Pathway to Victory podcast.

When Pastors Fall, with Lisa Whittle

Christians are not immune to moral failure. It’s a hard thing to wrap our heads around sometimes, but it’s true. Yet just because Christians fail doesn’t mean God does. So how do we stay close to God when our fellow Christians mess up? That’s the exact question author and speaker Lisa Whittle is here to answer on this week’s episode of Unapologetic. A fellow pastor’s kid, Lisa is no stranger to the backlash and negativity that come from being part of a ministry family. During their candid conversation, Julia and Lisa talk about the reasons we can continue to love Jesus, and the Church, even when people are people. Plus the two also touch on Lisa’s personal testimony, the heart behind her newest book, God Knows, and practical tools for keeping yourself on track emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. Towards the end of the episode, Julia challenges listeners to guard their hearts against the negativity that ensues when a leader or church falls—in the media we consume, the ways we talk about it, and how we let it affect our personal relationship with God. As Christians we’re called to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ and refuse to give Satan that foothold. This is a super relevant conversation you’re not going to want to miss! Lisa’s new book, God Knows, is available everywhere now! Connect with her at lisawhittle.com or by following her on Instagram.

Signs from God, with Ruth Chou Simons

Discerning God’s will for our lives is anything but easy. We long for signs and assurances to help us along the way. Thankfully, God does give us guideposts—guideposts of grace—in His Word, through other people, and sometimes even in the form of billboards (just ask Julia!) to point us forward. On this episode of Unapologetic, Julia welcomes author and artist Ruth Chou Simons back to the show to talk about how we can know if God is sending us a sign, plus how to be on the lookout for those guideposts of grace. Together these two moms tackle teaching their kids about how to hear from God, the journey of sanctification we’re all on, and discovering God’s character. Plus, Julia asks Ruth about the time Britney Spears reposted one of Ruth’s GraceLaced prints—yep, that really happened! Don’t miss this episode full of grace, truth, and hope! Ruth’s new devotional, Pilgrim, comes out this fall! Follow Ruth on Instagram, and check out her art shop, GraceLaced.

Country Star Granger Smith on Losing His Son, Finding Salvation, & Leaving Country Music

Country singer Granger Smith has faced loss few of us can even imagine. After losing his son, River, in a tragic drowning accident in 2019, Granger said he was paralyzed by guilt. It was only through surrendering to the power of the gospel and coming face-to-face with Jesus that Granger and his family were able to survive and move forward in freedom. On this powerful episode of Unapologetic, Julia gets to hear Granger’s story firsthand: How he found relief from crushing guilt only through Jesus, the posture of surrender that saved his family, and the realization that he wasn’t truly saved until he faced the worst life had to offer. Granger doesn’t shy away from the dark parts of his story, and together he and Julia walk through the promises God has for us, even on our hardest days. Julia concludes their conversation by asking Granger about his plans to leave country music and pursue ministry—challenging listeners to be open to the call God has on their lives, even when it looks so different from what we had planned. Granger’s story is one of hope overcoming tragedy, life coming from death—no matter the pain you’ve walked through, Jesus will never leave your side. Granger’s book, Like a River, is available everywhere August 1st! Follow Granger on Instagram to keep up with his latest updates.

Mark Batterson & The Power of Prayer

We’re kicking off season 4 of Unapologetic with a very special guest: one of Julia’s biggest influences and her number one dream guest, Mark Batterson! Six years ago, a complete stranger changed Julia’s life when he challenged her to pray bold prayers. That stranger was author Mark Batterson, and his writing and witness led not only to Julia's prayer for miracle triplets but also to her realizing the dream of starting a media ministry and, ultimately, this show! Is there a more perfect person to kick off a brand new season of Unapologetic?! We don’t think so! During their conversation, the two talk about why it matters that we pray big prayers, how to discern the will of God, and the importance of asking God to perform miracles and fulfill our greatest desires. Together Mark and Julia close the episode by discussing how the words “please,” “sorry,” and “thanks” can change the trajectory of our lives and relationships. Mark’s newest book, Please, Sorry, Thanks, is available everywhere now! Connect with him on his website or by following him on Instagram.

The Best of UNA: Candace Cameron Bure on Full House, her Faith Journey, & Being a Christian in Hollywood

**Over the next few weeks, we’re re-releasing some of our favorite Unapologetic episodes as a way to celebrate the first year of UNA! This conversation with Candace Cameron Bure, all about being a Christian in Hollywood, originally aired on February 8th, 2023. A lot of us grew up with (or at least watched reruns of!) Candace Cameron Bure playing DJ Tanner on “Full House.” But that iconic role as America’s big sister is just part of Candace’s story! On this special episode of Unapologetic, Julia sits down with Candace to talk about how she left Hollywood at the peak of her young career, her time as a stay-at-home mom, and why she chose to return to the spotlight—using her platform as a way to spread the love of Jesus. Throughout their conversation, Candace unapologetically shares her testimony, gives a glimpse into family life with brother Kirk Cameron, discusses mental health struggles in Hollywood, and gives her best advice for Christians who want to go into media. You may think you know Candace Cameron Bure, but you don’t know her like this! Julia also shares how God used “Full House” to plant the desire in her heart for multiples and how DJ Tanner inspired her sister Dorothy’s childhood nickname. Don’t miss out on this uplifting and fun episode! Listen to the Candace Cameron Bure podcast here, or follow Candace on Instagram to keep up with her latest updates!

The Best of UNA: Vice President Mike Pence on Keeping His Oath, January 6th, & Faith Under Fire

**Over the next few weeks, we’re re-releasing some of our favorite Unapologetic episodes as a way to celebrate the first year of UNA! This conversation with Vice President Mike Pence on keeping his oath under fire originally aired on February 1st, 2023. In his own words, Vice President Mike Pence is “one of the least known, well-known public figures in America.” His is the story of a small-town kid from Indiana with big dreams of representing his hometown. Those dreams, and the faith he found as a college student, led him not only to representing his hometown but took him all the way to Congress and, ultimately, the White House. In this candid, faith-filled, and inspiring conversation, Julia sits down with the former Vice President as he shares everything from his early career in politics and how he met his wife, Karen, to how he unapologetically lives out his faith in the public eye and his advice to young people today. Vice President Pence doesn’t shy away from talking about controversial issues either—recounting how he chose to keep his oath to his office, God, and the American people throughout the events of January 6th, 2021, and why he has felt at peace with those decisions ever since. The episode ends with the Vice President’s thoughts on the importance of family and the role of faith in politics. No matter your political leaning, this is sure to be an inspiring listen that will make you proud to be an American! Vice President Mike Pence’s book, So Help Me God, is available everywhere now! Keep up with his latest updates on Instagram. 

The Best of UNA: Healthy Female Friendships, with Andi Andrew

**Over the next few weeks, we’re re-releasing some of our favorite Unapologetic episodes as a way to celebrate the first year of UNA! This conversation with Andi Andrew, all about how to have healthy female friendships, originally aired on July 27th, 2022. We’ve all walked through brokenness in our lives, whether those wounds occurred last week or as far back as childhood. Author and speaker Andi Andrew knows what it means to be wounded. But more than that, she knows how to get healthy, and she wants to share the healing she’s found through Jesus with each of us. On this brand new episode of Unapologetic, Julia sits down with Andi to talk through the concrete steps we can all take to find healing—from having hard conversations to talking with a therapist. The two also hit on female friendships and how, as women, we can foster friendships—no matter our age—that are based on encouragement, not competition. You can connect with Andi through her website or on Instagram. Her newest book, Friendship—It’s Complicated, is available now!