Refining Rhetoric with Robert Bortins

What does it actually take to raise resilient sons and lead your family with strength? On this episode of Refining Rhetoric, host Robert Bortins sits down with Dr. Brandon Shriner — founder of the Warrior 3 Project, former Division I wrestler, CrossFit regional competitor, and co-owner of Revive Chiropractic — to explore the powerful connection between physical health, biblical masculinity, and spiritual leadership. This is a conve...

What happens when Christians stop thinking for themselves — and hand that job to AI? In this episode of Refining Rhetoric, host Robert Bortins sits down with Dr. Ben Holloway — philosopher, professor at Judson College at Southeastern Seminary, and incoming Bruce Little Chair of Christian Philosophy — to explore why classical Christian education depends on mastering language, logic, and the great books. From def...

Is Bitcoin's bear market your best buying opportunity? On this episode of the Refining Rhetoric podcast, host Robert Bortins and crypto-savvy co-host Will McCreery break down the 2025 crypto market — covering the Bitcoin halving cycle, why altcoins underperformed, the case for dollar cost averaging, and what to watch for heading into 2026–2029.
Bitcoin hit an all-time high near $126,000 in October 2025 — then the cycle turned. In t...

What if the best way to change culture isn't through politics or protests—but by faithfully living out a biblical worldview right where you're planted?

Discover how to raise disciples who think faithfully about every area of life. In this episode, Robert sits down with Mike Shcut...

What would you give up to stand for truth? For Kayleigh Bush, the answer was a crown. When Kayleigh Bush was crowned Miss North Florida in August 2024, she had no idea she'd soon face a choice that would make national headlines. Just four weeks after her crowning, she was presented with a revised Miss America contract that redefined "female" to include biological males who have undergone surgical procedures — directly contradicting...

What if the path to healing childhood trauma starts with a truth most people overlook? Join us as Rachel Davidson reveals how Kids Alive International is transforming the lives of sex...

What if the crisis in education isn't about test scores—but about truth itself? Join Robert Bortins as he sits down with Billy Hutchinson, Education Specialist at the Colson Center, for a timely conversation about the worldview battle shaping our children's futures.
With only 2% of Gen Z holding a biblical worldview (according to Barna research), the statistics are sobering. But this isn't a doom-and-gloom conversation—it's a roadm...

What if everything we've been told about making college "affordable" is actually making it more expensive and worse?
Robert Bortins sits down with Dr. Ben Merkle, President of New St. Andrews College and Oxford-educated scholar who wrote the foreword to "Woke and Weaponized." As one of fewer than a dozen colleges that refuse all federal student loan dollars, Dr. Merkle offers a rare insider perspective on how government money has c...

"The government doesn't give you money because they love you. Government gives money so they can have power."
Join host Robert Bortins as he sits down with Rachael Jensen, homeschool advocate and mother of six in Arizona—the state hailed as the "gold standard" for school choice. Rachael contributed Appendix A to "Woke and Weaponized" and shares what's really happening on the ground with ESA (Empowerment Scholarship Account) program...

What if the architect of America's public school system was literally taking orders from demons through Ouija boards?
Join host Robert Bortins as he talks with co-author Alex Newman to discuss their new book "Woke and Weaponized: How Karl Marx Won the Battle for American Education and How We Can Win It Back." This isn't hyperbole—it's documented history every Christian parent needs to know.
Alex reveals shocking truth about Robert ...

"There is no such thing as vouchers without government control. They just simply don't exist."
Join host Robert Bortins as he sits down with KrisAnne Hall, constitutional attorney, former prosecutor, and founder of Liberty First Society. With her background in constitutional law and as a former homeschool parent, KrisAnne delivers a compelling legal and biblical argument against government-funded school choice programs.
KrisAnne ex...

"The enemy is not at the gate—the enemy has infiltrated our classrooms."

Join host Robert Bortins for the first episode in a powerful School Choice Week series as he sits down with Dr. Joshua Pierson, who contributed to "Woke and Weaponized: How Karl Marx Won the Battle for Ameri...

What if the biggest threat to the next generation of Christians isn't coming from outside the church—but from a decision Christian parents make every weekday morning?
Join Robert Bortins as he sits down with Paul and Gena Suarez, publishers of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and founders of SchoolhouseTeachers.com, for a powerful conversation about the future of Christian education.
Paul and Gena share their 30-year homeschooling jour...

Overturning Roe v. Wade was never the finish line—it was only the starting gun. Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life and Students for Life Action, joins Refining Rhetoric to reveal why the pro-life movement's real battle is just beginning and where it's being won or lost right now. Discover why she launched Students for Life 20 years ago with the vision that Roe would be reversed (when everyone told her she was naive), h...

Ever wonder why every poll seemed to show Kamala Harris winning, yet Trump dominated the election? Mark Mitchell from Rasmussen Reports pulls back the curtain on the billion-dollar polling industry's most carefully guarded secrets. Discover how establishment pollsters use proprietary panels filled with left-leaning city dwellers to sandbag anti-establishment candidates by 20+ points, why FiveThirtyEight was really just a psychologi...

What if the real sign of wealth isn't your bank account, but the number of kids around your dinner table? Chocolate Knox from CrossPolitic joins Refining Rhetoric to flip the script on modern family planning. With seven kids and counting, Knox shares why he and his wife decided to "replace the stupid people" in their family lineage and create a new generation that honors God. Discover how God has faithfully provided through every s...

What happens when a Christian show gets canceled 20+ times but refuses to stay silent? Gabe Rench, founder of CrossPolitic, joins Refining Rhetoric to share his journey from launching a faith-and-politics show in 2016 to building a multi-platform network that's discipling Christians to engage culture boldly. Discover why he believes the church is responsible for America's condition, how his team is pivoting to deeper content in 202...

Is America on the brink of collapse—and are Christians ready to respond?
Welcome to the first episode of Refining Rhetoric for 2026! As we kick off the new year, host Robert Bortins tackles the pressing issues facing Christian families, homeschoolers, and business owners in an increasingly chaotic world.
In this episode, you'll discover:
•    Why America's $38 trillion debt crisis (which just grew by $1 trillion in 76 days) matters...

What happens when a school district demands you teach content that isn't legally required? Military wife and homeschool mom Jennifer Moye found herself in exactly that situation when New York officials insisted she add AIDS education to her sixth-grader's curr...