What the Debate Between Billy Carson and Wes Huff Means for Missionaries

In case you missed it, there was an earth-shattering debate between Billy Carson and Wes Huff and it was heard around the world. The debate wasn’t a big deal in and of itself, but it turned into a David and Goliath event that no one saw coming. Perhaps the debate exploded all over the internet because it is indicative of the spiritual battle that we are seeing in the world today in a way that directly impacts Christians.

To recap, on a random day in October, the well-known Billy Carson strolled into his friend’s home to join a podcast with a person that no one had ever heard of before – Wes Huff. Billy Carson is a big name on the internet, famous for his study of aliens, New Age teachings and his ancient review of old Biblical texts like the Gospel of Mary and Barnabas which he says disproves the crucifixion and deity of Jesus Christ. Because of his compelling evidence against the Bible, Billy has been hosted by the biggest media outlets in the world, including the Joe Rogan Experience.

Wes Huff however was a no-name, no one knew who he was. He is a young student linguist and apologist who, in many ways, did not rate to be on the same podcast with Billy Carson, but after only a few minutes into the podcast, Wes Huff completely dismantles Billy Carson’s evidence with seemingly little effort.

Billy Carson immediately went into damage control demanding the podcast not be released and is now suing everyone involved in the debate in order to ‘save face.’

Why is the simple debate hitting a chord with Christians around the world? Perhaps it is because it highlights what many Christians are feeling today about the year 2025.

2025 feels like the years of truth where the institutions of lies are falling like dominos. The mechanisms of control that have attempted to ban Christians from speaking the truth feel like they are falling down one after the other.

In 2020, there was a darkness that covered the earth. The light of truth was being blocked in every corner of the world. Governments, newspapers, social media, even communication apps were being monitored and if anyone said something that was not allowed, they were punished. It felt like George Orwell’s book, Nineteen Eighty-Four. In fact, book sales for the book 1984 sky-rocketed in 2020, more than 70 years after its release!

Like 1984’s Newsspeak, the controlling government’s new definitions of words to suit their political agenda, ‘Fact checkers,‘ were deployed like gremlins, searching for anyone not sharing the propaganda that they deemed ‘safe.’ The world was told to listen to the experts, only they knew the truth, and everyone else had to follow and parrot the words and policies that they disseminated.

In many ways 2025 feels like 1525 when the Guttenberg Press was cranking out Bibles and sending to the rest of the world during a time when it was illegal.

It was during this time that Mary I of England outlawed Protestantism in England, forcing a number of Christians to flee to Geneva and make their own translation of the Bible, the Geneva Bible, while in hiding. The illegal Geneva Bible eventually became the chosen Bible of the Pilgrims, Thomas Jefferson, William Shakespeare, and many more.

The Gatekeepers of the information in the form of Fact Checkers felt like the Vatican in the 1500s when it demanded the Bible not be translated into the common language because people were too stupid to know what the Bible says. Only the experts could read it and it was their job to interpret for the common person. The Vatican argued that it was dangerous. If every person interpreted the Bible in their own way then there would be mass confusion and wide-spread heresy.

A man by the name of William Tyndale broke the law and translated the Bible illegally into the common language saying, “I defy the pope and his laws! If God spares my life, in a few years a plow boy shall know more of the Scriptures than you do!”

William Tyndale was martyred for his efforts. Perhaps it is no coincidence that Wes Huff studied at Tyndale University, an institution named after the famed rebel.

Freedom of speech is not just a political or social concept, it is a spiritual one that goes to the heart of missions. Christians exercise the principles of freedom of speech, even if it is illegal. Jesus told His disciples in John 8:32, “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

What is the truth?

The truth is not a what, it is a who. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus doesn’t just know the truth, speak the truth, and share the truth, He is the truth and the Truth will set you free. That is why John 8:36 says clearly, “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

If missionaries are to follow the words of Christ, they must share the Truth. Sharing the Truth is essential to completing the Great Commission. Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans that “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17).

Paul further explains, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)

Freedom of speech is the cornerstone of preaching the Gospel Truth, which is why the devil opposes free speech. He is afraid of the truth because he is the father of lies. Those who serve the purposes of the devil, willingly or otherwise, share his lies.

John 8:44 says, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Lies need protection from the Truth, that is why laws and special legislation is needed. The Truth does not need protection from lies.

Augustine of Hippo once widely said, “The truth is like a lion; you don’t have to defend it. Let it loose; it will defend itself.”

Lies will never defeat the truth, the Truth will always defeat a lie. The enemy of the truth is not lies – it is silence. That is why those that promote lies must use the law to silence those that speak the truth.

Billy Carson’s lies need protection. He needs to silence the podcast. He needs the courts to silence his critics. Those who promote lies only embrace free speech when they have control. Once they have control with their lies, then free speech is stopped.

That is why it is only Christian Judaic nations in the world today that fully embrace the principles of free speech. Muslims have more freedom to preach their teachings on the street of a Christian nation than they do in a Muslim nation. Atheists have more freedom to print their literature in a Christian nation than they do in a Communist nation.

Christians embrace freedom of speech, because they have the Truth and the Truth will defeat a lie every time. That is why the enemy doesn’t try to defeat the Truth with lies, but instead with silence.

So how does the Devil stop the preaching of the Gospel Truth of Jesus Christ? He tries to stop people from sharing it.

In Saudi Arabia, Christians are stopped from preaching the Gospel Truth by calling it blasphemy.

In China, preaching of Gospel Truth is stopped by calling it disruption of social harmony.

In Britain, Christians have been stopped from sharing their beliefs by claiming it causes anxiety.

The EU is trying to stop the Truth by saying that they carry the “responsibility” for tackling misinformation.

In the U.S. preaching the Truth is stopped by saying it promotes ‘hate’ and ‘violence’ against protected groups.

However, those controls seem to falling like dominos and the government arguments are being kicked to the curb. Like Billy Carlson, the Vatican, and Queen Mary the I, their efforts to silence the truth are not working and the Gospel message is going forward.