(Blog) Does the Church Need a Colonoscopy? - Episode 956 - August 6, 2026

What happens when a church stops examining its own condition while the culture around it changes at full speed? In Episode 956, Alan Smith and Jeff Rowland argue that the church must confront that question with more honesty and courage.

Their conversation moves from broad humor to serious concerns about immigration, political change, Islamic influence, Israel, biblical prophecy, and America's future. At the center is their belief that spiritual renewal must come before national renewal.

A Comic Opening Leads to a Serious Examination

Smith and Rowland begin in familiar fashion, joking with each other before they address weightier matters. The opening centers on the phrase "baited breath," which becomes a running joke about what, exactly, someone's breath might be baited with.

The humor gives the hosts room to settle into the episode's larger subject. However, the light tone doesn't last long.

The fictional "Back Alley Medicine" sponsor

The show introduces a fake sponsor called "Back Alley Medicine." Smith tells a deliberately absurd story about a conference where someone supposedly said he would rather have a "back alley colonoscopy" than attend another meeting.

Rowland immediately connects the line to meetings at church. In his view, some church gatherings can feel just as draining, repetitive, and unproductive.

"I would rather have a back alley colonoscopy than to go to some of the church meetings that we've had."

The joke gives the episode its title, but it also becomes a serious image. A colonoscopy is an uncomfortable examination meant to find a problem before it gets worse. Smith and Rowland use that idea to argue that the church needs an honest assessment of its health, its public witness, and its willingness to confront hard subjects.

The Episode's Central Concern: Can the Church Stay Silent?

After the opening jokes, the hosts turn to war involving Iran, border security, cultural change, political division, and the condition of American churches. Their comments come from an openly Christian and conservative viewpoint.

Smith and Rowland don't place the responsibility for America's condition only on politicians, activists, or foreign powers. Instead, they repeatedly return to the church. They argue that Christian leaders have avoided issues that affect public life because they don't want to offend anyone or "rock the boat."

Important context: The political, demographic, legal, and local claims discussed in this episode are the hosts' statements and interpretations. They are presented here as part of Smith and Rowland's commentary, not as independently verified findings.

For the hosts, the larger concern is simple: if the church refuses to speak with clarity, other voices will shape the moral direction of the country.

Immigration, Borders, and Birthright Citizenship

Concerns raised about citizenship at birth

Smith and Rowland spend significant time discussing birthright citizenship. They claim that some expectant mothers from other countries may enter the United States shortly before giving birth so that their children receive American citizenship.

The hosts mention China as an example. They argue that a child born in the United States could later return as an American citizen, participate in civic life, and potentially hold public office.

Their point is not a detailed legal analysis of citizenship law. Instead, they present birthright citizenship as part of a broader concern about whether the United States has lost control of its border, national identity, and immigration policy.

The Texas hospital billboard story

The conversation includes an example involving billboards in Mexico. According to the hosts, a hospital in Texas advertised to pregnant women across the border, encouraging them to come to the United States to give birth.

Smith says the advertisement promoted the fact that a child born in the country would receive American citizenship. He cites an estimate of 25,000 births a year connected to this type of situation, though the program does not provide a source for that number.

The example reinforces the hosts' concern that immigration policy has long-term consequences beyond the immediate question of border crossings. They tie it to future citizenship, political participation, and national leadership.

Border enforcement and national direction

Later in the conversation, Smith cites an estimate that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was deporting about 1,600 people per day, much of it through airports. He sees those efforts as evidence that the federal government is trying to respond to an immigration crisis.

Still, the hosts believe enforcement efforts can't address the issue alone. They describe the problem as spiritual and political, because they believe the nation's weakened convictions have made it more willing to surrender its boundaries and standards.

Dearborn, Michigan, and Political Islam

Claims about changes in Dearborn

Smith and Rowland focus closely on Dearborn, Michigan. The hosts claim that Muslim officials hold substantial influence in city leadership and that the city has experienced major religious and cultural changes.

During the discussion, they claim that road signs have been renamed for people they describe as terrorists. They also say non-Muslim residents have been told they are unwelcome, calls to prayer are heard publicly during the day, and Sharia courts operate in the area.

The program presents these developments as evidence that a religious and political movement has gained ground on American soil. The hosts connect this local concern to the wider debate over immigration, religious freedom, public authority, and civic identity.

A concern that local developments are being ignored

For Smith and Rowland, the alarm is not limited to one Michigan city. They argue that many Americans do not see the seriousness of what they describe as a growing Islamic political influence.

They contrast events in places like Dearborn with U.S. military action involving Iran. In their view, Americans may focus on threats abroad while missing what they believe is happening within the country.

The hosts also mention Abdul El-Sayed's Democratic nomination in Michigan as part of this political shift. They see his campaign as one sign that the state's political direction could change quickly.

The call for a spiritual response

Despite their political concerns, Smith and Rowland do not frame their response only in terms of elections or government action. Rowland says Christians may need to send missionaries to Dearborn.

The discussion calls for the church to recover its mission as well as its public voice. The hosts believe Christians should respond to cultural changes with conviction, evangelism, and a clearer account of biblical belief.

Democratic Socialism and the Democratic Party

The hosts' warning about political change

Smith says that about 250 offices across the country had been won by Democratic Socialists or by candidates who received nominations. The episode does not identify a source for that figure, but the hosts see it as proof that the Democratic Party has undergone a major internal change.

They worry that this trend could have serious effects in the next election cycle. In their view, Democratic Socialist candidates have gained more money, energy, and support than establishment candidates in important races.

Rowland also points to the age group he believes makes up much of the movement's support: college-educated voters between 25 and 34 years old. He sees that demographic as politically active and increasingly committed to Democratic Socialism.

Why they believe the party was vulnerable

The hosts argue that the Democratic Party became vulnerable because it no longer had clear principles. Smith puts the argument in plain terms: "They don't stand for anything, so they stand for everything."

Their reasoning follows three lines:

• A party without a firm identity can become open to competing movements.
• Candidates with more focused ideological commitments can gain control within that party.
• Voters may eventually find that the party no longer reflects its older positions or priorities.

Smith and Rowland do not argue that political disagreement is unhealthy. In fact, they say two strong political parties can benefit the country when both accept the basic framework of the republic and the Constitution.

A comparison with Christian denominations

The hosts compare political parties to Christian denominations. Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and other groups may disagree on some matters, they say, while still recognizing the Bible as their authority.

In the same way, they believe Americans can hold different political beliefs while agreeing on the constitutional foundation of the country. Their concern is that this shared foundation is weakening.

Biblical Prophecy, Russia, and Israel

A spiritual interpretation of political movements

Smith and Rowland ask whether Democratic Socialism, communism, and Islamic political ideology share a common connection. Their answer is theological rather than academic or political.

They argue that these movements oppose America, the West, Israel, and Christian belief. Smith describes the influence they see as "out of the pit of hell." Later, he connects it to the biblical language of the "prince of Persia," treating current events as part of a spiritual conflict.

This is the hosts' interpretation of world events. They see political movements as more than competing policy platforms because they believe spiritual forces influence nations and governments.

Russia and Islamic nations in prophecy

The conversation also turns to Russia's relationship with Islamic nations. Smith and Rowland believe Russia will form alliances with Muslim-majority nations and eventually move against Israel.

They connect this expectation to their reading of biblical prophecy. In their view, current international alliances and anti-Israel rhetoric fit into a larger pattern that Scripture describes before the tribulation period.

Their concern about anti-Semitism appears again when they discuss public figures who, in their view, speak harshly about Jewish people and favor Hamas over Israel. Rowland says he is watching for a Muslim political figure who presents himself as a bridge-builder toward Jewish people, because he believes such a figure could have wider prophetic significance.

Israel and divisions among Jewish people

The hosts stress that they do not believe all Jewish people will follow the Antichrist. They describe different groups within the Jewish people during the tribulation period, including those who accept the Antichrist and those who refuse him.

Rowland says he believes the two-thirds of Jewish people who die during the tribulation will be those who do not bow to the Antichrist. Smith describes the tribulation as a time of purification for the Jewish nation.

The discussion also mentions people who "say they are Jews" but are not. Smith and Rowland do not fully develop that point, but they place it within their wider end-times framework.

Their dispensational view of Scripture

Smith and Rowland argue that readers must "rightly divide" Scripture. Smith compares the Bible to a novel with twelve chapters. A reader needs to know which chapter he is reading in order to understand where the story is going.

Their outline of the present and future follows this order:

1. The church is now living in what they call the "dispensation of the grace of God."
2. They expect the rapture of the church before the tribulation.
3. They view the tribulation as a period with a special focus on Israel and the Jewish nation.
4. They believe Israel's future will unfold according to biblical prophecy, even though many Jewish people do not recognize Jesus as Messiah.

This framework explains why the hosts give Israel such weight in their discussion of current events.

America's Place in Their Biblical Outlook

A nation not clearly identified in prophecy

Rowland says he has confidence in his heavenly citizenship and in the biblical future of the church. However, he struggles with the question of America's future because he does not believe Scripture clearly identifies the United States in end-times prophecy.

That uncertainty troubles him. He believes America has been uniquely blessed, yet he also sees the nation deteriorating in ways that do not require a foreign military invasion.

The hosts say no bomb, cannon, or battlefield defeat has brought the country to this point. Instead, they argue that Americans have slowly given away freedoms and accepted ideas that conflict with the nation's historic foundations.

America and the land given by God

Smith and Rowland compare America with Israel in one important way. They say that God gave Israel its land, and they believe God also gave America its land under the mystery of grace.

This is a theological claim, not a legal or historical argument. Still, it shapes their concern about patriotism. They believe Christians have lost a proper reverence for the country God gave them.

For the hosts, patriotism is tied to gratitude, responsibility, and moral memory. They see the loss of respect for the flag, the Constitution, and the nation's Christian heritage as a warning sign.

The Church's Retreat From Public Responsibility

"The country is falling on our watch"

The strongest part of the episode is the hosts' criticism of the church. Smith argues that Christians must accept responsibility for the condition of the country because the decline happened "on our watch."

"The country is falling on our watch."

He asks how many pastors will speak plainly about the nation's crisis from their pulpits. The question is aimed at churches that avoid difficult political, cultural, and moral subjects.

Smith and Rowland believe church leaders often fear that clear speech will offend members, affect attendance, or create conflict. Yet they argue that avoiding conflict has not protected the church or the country.

Why they call the church the weak link

The hosts say the church has become the nation's weak link. In their view, the political system cannot preserve the country's moral foundation by itself.

Rowland says the country's early political structure grew out of principles that the church "mandated and dictated" at the nation's beginning. He believes that foundation has weakened because churches stopped teaching and defending the convictions that once shaped public life.

Their message is direct: the hosts argue that national renewal must begin with spiritual renewal.

A warning about silence and lost freedom

Smith worries that voices like theirs may eventually lose the freedom to speak openly. He predicts that the Smith and Rowland show could become one of the few places where they can address these subjects without restriction.

The hosts do not identify a particular policy or censorship measure. Their warning is broader. They believe that when Christians surrender conviction, the country may also lose its ability to challenge political power, defend free speech, and resist government overreach.

Smith says the show will become "plainer and plainer and bolder every day." That promise fits the episode's larger message: the church must stop avoiding the issues it believes matter.

The Call for Revival

Smith and Rowland do not end with a call for party politics alone. They call for revival in the church, and they mean a focused revival that produces conviction, courage, and obedience.

Smith uses the biblical image of examining fruit. He says that if the country's condition is bad, Christians should not ignore the condition of the church that lives within it. A doctor does not focus on the parts of a patient that are healthy while failing to address the illness.

The hosts want churches to ask hard questions about their own fruit. Are pastors speaking clearly? Are Christians able to explain biblical truth? Are churches willing to address national concerns without allowing politics to replace the gospel?

Their final appeal is urgent but simple.

"Wake up, everybody."

The title's colonoscopy joke comes full circle. Smith and Rowland believe the church needs more than a pleasant checkup. It needs an honest examination that identifies what has gone wrong and calls believers back to spiritual health.

A Call to Examine the Church's Condition

Episode 956 argues that America's political and cultural struggles cannot be separated from the condition of its churches. Smith and Rowland believe the church has surrendered too much ground through silence, fear of offense, and loss of conviction.

Their proposed answer is revival. They call for Christians to examine their fruit, understand the times through Scripture, speak with courage, and recover the public responsibility they believe the church has neglected.

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