How Christians should approach the midterm elections
In this crossover episode of Faith & Clarity and Culture Brief, Dr. Mark Turman is joined by Dr. Katie Frugé and Conner Jones to discuss approaching the midterm elections with Christian discernment. They address why political cynicism grows, emphasizing that policies affect real people and that misplaced hope in candidates can curdle into disappointment, while believers should ground their hope in Christ. Together, they make the case that government slowness and built-in friction can actually protect against harmful rapid change, giving time for debate and public input.
Katie and Conner encourage listeners to be informed voters by researching candidates and ballot measures through direct sources like speeches, podcasts, and campaign websites, and by considering multiple perspectives. The conversation closes with a look at election integrity concerns, an explanation of the decentralized U.S. election "ecosystem," and why transparency, specific evidence, and civic involvement can increase confidence in fair elections.
Topics
- (0:00) Introduction
- (0:27) Midterms and big questions
- (2:17) Fighting political cynicism
- (6:59) Why government moves slow
- (16:53) Becoming an informed voter
- (22:58) Biblical discernment for voting
- (25:10) Practical research tips
- (27:49) Research candidate positions
- (28:25) Trustworthy information sources
- (29:28) Christian witness and truth
- (32:49) Character versus policy voting
- (37:15) Election integrity concerns
- (45:27) How elections actually work
- (52:44) Responding to fraud claims
- (56:02) Conclusion
Resources
- How confident are Americans in the midterm elections’ fairness and accuracy?
- Election Concerns Run High Ahead of 2026 Midterms
- Fewer Than Half of Americans Expect Free and Fair Midterms
- Ask Us Anything: info@denisonforum.org
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About Dr. Katie Frugé
Katie Frugé, M.Div, Ph.D., serves over 5,000 Texas Baptist churches as the Director of the Christian Life Commission for the Baptist General Convention of Texas. In this role, she equips pastors and ministry leaders to navigate complex cultural, moral, and political issues with biblical faithfulness and pastoral wisdom. Specializing in the imago Dei and human dignity, Dr. Frugé's work addresses questions of human flourishing and faithful witness, informed by her personal journey as a stomach cancer survivor and parent to children with special needs. She is married to her college sweetheart; together they are raising three daughters in Fort Worth, Texas.
About Conner Jones
Conner is the Managing Editor of Denison Forum, host of the Culture Brief podcast and author of the In The Know newsletter. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 and has spent his career at the intersection of faith, culture, and current events. Outside the office, he can usually be found at the movies, watching sports, or traveling with his wife, Raigan, and their sons, Nolan and Nash.
About Dr. Mark Turman
Dr. Mark Turman serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Lake Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.
Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.
Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for thirty-five years, including twenty-five years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas. Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of our day from a biblical perspective, helping believers discern today’s news and culture through the lens of faith. Led by Dr. Jim Denison and a team of contributing writers, we offer trusted insight through The Daily Article, a daily email newsletter and podcast, along with articles, podcasts, interviews, books, and other resources. Together, these form a growing ecosystem of Christ-centered content that equips readers to respond to current events not with fear or partisanship, but with clarity, conviction, and hope. To learn more visit DenisonForum.org.
All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.
