Sunday Afternoon Reads: Lord of the Night

The Bulletin

Christianity Today

News, News Commentary, Society & Culture, Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.4 • 586 Ratings

🗓️ 22 February 2026

⏱️ 22 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Antarctica experiences six months of darkness every year, but God is not absent from this desolate place. Brett Baddorf spent nine months as a missionary in the South Pole, and he saw God in the grandeur of the night sky and in taking time to withdraw from normal life. He also found that others on the station were open to spiritual conversations and wrestling with their faith. In this edition of Sunday Afternoon Reads, Brett narrates his 2017 cover story “Lord of the Night.” We hope this journey to Antarctica is a balm to your winter blues. READ THE PRINT VERSION: Lord of the Night - Brett Baddorf GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Join the conversation at our Substack. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE GUESTS: Brett Baddorf lived at the South Pole as a missionary for Hope Church in Cordova, Tennessee. He has worked as a youth minister for more than ten years, a collegiate minister for three, as a children’s minister and as a clinical chaplain. He and his wife, Sarah, live with their two children in Asheville, NC. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more. The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more. “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today Producer: Clarissa Moll Associate Producer: Alexa Burke Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	As hosts of The Bulletin, we are passionate about featuring voices you know and love as we share breaking news and discuss issues that are shaping our world.
0:08.7	If you'd like to contribute to the production of The Bulletin, consider subscribing to Christianity today using our special link, ordercc.com slash the Bulletin.
0:18.9	Bulletin listeners like you get 25% off your subscription and unlimited access to the platform
0:24.4	that elevates the stories and the ideas in the kingdom of God.
0:28.3	That's orderc.com forward slash the bulletin, all one word.
0:33.8	We look forward to having you join us.
0:42.9	Thank you. We look forward to having you join us. Hi, I'm Clarissa Mall, producer and moderator of the bulletin.
0:47.6	Welcome to this month's Sunday afternoon read.
0:51.2	For many in the U.S., this winter has been a slog. A bomb cyclone hit the East Coast earlier this month,
0:57.9	and more than half the continental U.S. reported record snowfall, along with some of the most
1:03.4	frigid days in recent memory. At a time of the year where the days are already short and the
1:09.2	nights are long, harsh weather has only
1:11.7	made the season seem to drag on. Today, at the end of February, we share the account of someone
1:18.7	who lived with extreme cold and no sunlight for six whole months. Brett Badoorff and his wife Sarah
1:26.5	lived on the South Pole as part of the U.S.
1:29.3	Antarctic program. And during that season, Brett wrestled with finding God in solitude, snow,
1:36.6	and darkness. Listen now, as Brett reads his 2017 CT cover story, Lord of the Night.
1:45.0	The Night.
1:46.0	The Antarctica to me is a very our inspiring place.
1:59.0	When the wind doesn't blow, when it doesn't blow, which sometimes is rare, there is hardly sound to be heard in Antarctica because there is a very our inspiring place. When the wind doesn't blow, when it doesn't blow, which sometimes
2:01.9	is rare, there is hardly a sound to be heard in Antarctica because there's no running water, there are no
2:06.3	people nearby, there are no machines, there's no noise. It's just a completely dead silence
	...

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