Covenant & Conflict

"I'm just a village idiot. I'm just asking questions." This feigned innocence is used by a growing anti-Israel Christian crowd to sound humble while pushing an agenda. Nic Lesmeister helps you see through this smokescreen.
Nic rejoins David Blease on Covenant & Conflict to name what's actually going on under the "just asking questions" posture, why the world tilted so fast after October 7th, and how an antisemitic theology long disavowed is showing back up in conservative Christian spaces. Plus, the Israel test: a way of reading how someone handles Israel that says a lot about how they handle everything else.
What we cover in this episode:
Why antisemitism didn't disappear after the Holocaust, just went dormant
How October 7th accelerated a shift the world wasn't ready to see
Classical dispensationalism, where it came from, and why GCFI isn't that
The dual-covenant accusation and what "chosen" actually means
The "just asking questions" move, and why arrogance keeps dressing up as curiosity
The Israel test: Genesis 12, God's name on a people and a place
CHAPTERS00:00 Intro01:07 Welcome back, Nic02:19 The world after October 7th05:33 Antisemitism didn't disappear, it went dormant08:01 The oldest hatred, and why it keeps mutating09:17 The imaginary Jew in your mind10:29 Scapegoating the biblical other12:15 What October 7th accelerated13:58 When the church adopts anti-Jewish theology16:22 What dispensationalism actually is19:58 Pre-millennial without being dispensational21:24 George W. Bush and Rachel Maddow23:23 A biblical and sincere love for the Jewish people26:47 Dual covenant, chosen, and the salvation question31:26 Why Christians collapse every question into "saved or not"33:51 A Greek worldview meets a Hebraic one36:46 Faith in Jesus as the assurance of salvation39:30 The Israel test and the weight of Genesis 1241:00 God's name on Jerusalem, sheen in the geography43:46 Tucker, Candace, and "I'm just asking questions"49:28 The Jew first, in blessing and in punishment51:27 Going to Israel and sitting in the tension53:01 Jesus comes back to a Jewish Jerusalem55:10 Closing thoughts

What if joy wasn’t the absence of pain, but something deeper, stronger, and always available?
In this powerful episode of Covenant & Conflict, David Blease sits down with author and missionary Bonnie Saul Wilkes to explore a lifetime journey of calling, sacrifice, and discovering what true joy really is.
From growing up with a Jewish last name in a Christian home…
to encountering antisemitism that sparked a lifelong calling…
to living on a kibbutz in Israel and eventually moving to the former Soviet Union to disciple thousands.
Bonnie’s story is marked by bold obedience and unexpected turns.
But what stands out most isn’t just the mission… it’s the joy she found along the way.

In this conversation, Bonnie unpacks:
Why joy is not the same as happiness
How joy can coexist with suffering, loss, and uncertainty
The difference between joy, peace, and pleasure
Why gratitude is one of the most powerful spiritual practices
And how God leads us into joy through obedience, not comfort
Even through cancer diagnoses in her family, hardship in missions, and seasons of deep pain, she discovered that joy isn’t something you stumble into…
It’s something you walk into.
Her new book, A Roadmap to Joy, is the result of decades of journaling, poetry, and real-life encounters with God, and every story somehow leads back to one truth: Joy is always available in His presence.
Watch now and discover what it means to walk the pathway of joy.
00:00 – Intro: A Life Marked by Calling
02:15 – From Antisemitism to a Calling for the Jewish People
08:00 – Leaving Everything for the Nations (Soviet Union Missions)
13:11 – The Unexpected Theme: Why Every Story Led to Joy
19:50 – Joy vs Happiness: What Most People Get Wrong
30:55 – The Counterfeits of Joy (Pleasure, Success, Isolation)
35:15 – Joy vs Peace: How to “Soar Over the Chaos”
41:10 – A Final Prayer: Walking the Pathway of Joy

What happens when a Jewish man finds Yeshua, but refuses to stop being Jewish?
In this powerful episode of Covenant & Conflict, we sit down again with Rocket Rudolph, a Torah-observant Jewish follower of Jesus, to wrestle through one of the most misunderstood tensions in Christianity:
Can you follow Jesus and still remain Jewish?
What does “Torah observant” actually mean today?
Did the early Church unintentionally create division in Acts 15?
And why does the word “Christ” feel complicated for many Jewish followers of Yeshua.
This conversation goes far beyond theology, it’s about identity, calling, and the deeper story most believers have never been told.
From the meaning of Israel (“to wrestle with God”) to the real implications of Torah, exile, and Messiah, this episode challenges both Gentile Christians and Jewish believers to rethink what faithfulness really looks like.

Along the way, we unpack:
Why being “chosen” might not mean what you think
The difference between Jewish and Greek ways of thinking
How the gospel is often told… and what’s missing
Why antisemitism is ultimately a spiritual issue
And what it really means to live “through” Messiah

00:00 – Intro: The Jewish Wrestle Begins Again
02:15 – What Does It Mean to Be “Chosen”? (It’s Not What You Think)
08:10 – Torah Observance: Law, Identity, or Something Deeper?
15:30 – Acts 15: The Decision That Changed Everything
24:50 – “Christ” vs “Messiah”: Did Translation Shift Theology?
34:10 – Why Antisemitism Is More Than Political (It’s Spiritual)
45:20 – The Gospel We Preach vs The Gospel in Scripture
55:00 – Final Thought: Don’t Stop Wrestling

In this long-awaited episode of Covenant & Conflict, we sit down with international lawyer Andrew Tucker to unpack one of the most misunderstood and controversial topics in the world today: Israel and international law.
From accusations of genocide to debates over occupation, settlements, and the United Nations, this conversation brings clarity to the legal language dominating headlines and social media.
If you’ve ever wondered:
What international law actually is
Whether Israel is committing genocide
Why the UN constantly targets Israel
What “occupation” and “settlements” really mean
Or how the modern conflict connects to biblical themes

…this episode will help you think clearly and respond intelligently.
Andrew Tucker serves with a legal think tank focused on Israel and international law, advising at the highest levels—including the UN. He brings both legal expertise and a deep understanding of the spiritual and historical dimensions behind the conflict.
This is not just a political conversation. It’s about truth, clarity, and understanding one of the most important issues of our time.
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Chapters
00:00 – Why Israel Is So Controversial Right Now
00:02:10 – Biblical vs Political Israel: Why It’s So Complex
00:13:52 – What Is “International Law” (Really)?
00:24:59 – Are Israeli Settlements Illegal?
00:45:19 – What Is Genocide? (Legal Definition Explained)
00:50:54 – Is Israel Committing Genocide in Gaza?
01:03:59 – Who Owns the West Bank? (Legal Breakdown)
01:06:04 – Why a Two-State Solution Keeps Failing

What should Christians really believe about Islam, and why does it matter right now?
In this powerful and unfiltered episode of Covenant & Conflict, we sit down with Nathaniel Buzolic (Nate Buzz) to explore one of the most important and misunderstood topics in the Church today: Islam, Christianity, and the truth about Jesus (Yeshua).
This conversation goes far beyond headlines. We dive into the theological foundations of Islam, how it compares to the Bible, and why so many believers feel unprepared to engage with it. From the identity of Jesus to the story of Israel, from history to modern conflict, this episode challenges Christians to think clearly, biblically, and courageously in a cultural moment filled with confusion.
At the heart of this discussion is a deeper question: is this simply a difference of religion, or is there a much bigger spiritual reality unfolding? As Nate shares from personal experience and study, the conversation reveals why understanding Islam is not optional for the modern believer; it’s essential.
“This is not just political… this is a spiritual battle.”
Our heart in this episode is not to attack people, but to pursue truth. We believe real love requires clarity, and real clarity leads us back to the person of Jesus and the story God is telling through Israel and the nations.
If you’ve ever wrestled with questions like What does Islam actually teach? How is Jesus viewed in Islam vs the Bible? How should Christians respond?—This episode will challenge, equip, and stretch you.
00:00 Introduction: Why Christians Must Understand Islam
02:05 Meet Nathaniel Buzolic (Nate Buzz)
05:30 Israel, Suffering, and Rising Global Tensions
12:10 Christianity: Religion or Jewish Movement?
20:15 What Islam Teaches vs. What People Assume
32:40 Jesus (Yeshua) in the Bible vs Islam
48:55 End Times, Spiritual Battle, and What’s Coming
1:05:10 How Christians Should Respond with Truth & Love
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