Unashamed with the Robertson Family
Unashamed with the Robertson Family

Ep 1430 | Can You Pray the Sinner’s Prayer and Still Not Be Saved?

September 29, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Difference Between a Prayer and a Life

When Granger Smith found his three-year-old son River face down in the family pool, it set off a chain of events that would eventually expose something he had never questioned: whether he was actually a Christian. Smith, a country musician with 24 years of touring and number one hits, had grown up in a faithful home, could articulate the gospel, and always believed he was saved. But after River's death in 2019, his grief spiraled into suicidal despair, and what happened next forced him to reexamine everything he thought he knew about his own faith.

The CINO Problem

Smith's new book, Poison in the Well, introduces an acronym that captures a widespread but rarely discussed reality: CINO—Christian in Name Only. These are people who believe they are Christians, can defend the Bible, and may even live morally respectable lives, but whose actual lives show little evidence of following Christ. Smith describes himself as having been a CINO for most of his life. "I still believed I was a Christian," he says. "Never did I doubt that. There was never a time when I felt like I'm denying the Lord or walking away from him verbally, but it was the way I was living that was denying him."

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:01) **Welcome & Guest Introduction** - The Robertson family welcomes Granger Smith to the studio and discusses a humorous mix-up where AI falsely claimed he had been a previous guest.
  • 2 (05:31) **Granger Smith's Story: Believing He Was a Christian** - Granger introduces the core theme of his new book: he spent most of his life believing he was a Christian but was actually a "CINO" (Christian in Name Only).
  • 3 (08:08) **The Moment of Crisis: Losing His Son, River** - Granger recounts the tragic day in 2019 when his three-year-old son, River, drowned in the family pool.
  • 4 (16:23) **Suicidal Desperation and a Cry for Help** - Six months after the tragedy, Granger hit a breaking point on his tour bus, feeling that death was the only path to peace.
  • 5 (18:54) **The True Conversion: John 14 and the Word of God** - Three months after the crisis, Granger heard a sermon on John 14 that finally led to his genuine conversion.
  • 6 (22:16) **The Problem with the Sinner’s Prayer & Altar Calls** - The discussion pivots to a controversial topic in Granger's book: his refusal to lead the "Sinner's Prayer" or a traditional altar call at events.
  • 7 (24:58) **The "CINO" Acronym and False Assurance** - The hosts unpack the concept of a "Christian in Name Only," which Granger uses to describe his former self.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Former country singer Granger Smith opens up about hitting rock bottom alone on a tour bus after the devastating loss of his 3-year-old son, River, and the moment he finally cried out to God. Granger tells Jase, Al, and Zach why Scripture eventually convinced him to walk away from a successful music career. Jase and Granger agree on why emotion-driven altar calls aren't the same as becoming a disciple of Jesus. Granger also gives a stunning answer when asked whether he would go back and prevent his son’s death if he could, leading to an honest conversation about grief, eternity, and trusting God through unimaginable loss. Granger also discusses his new book, Poison in the Well: 11 Toxic Beliefs That Kept Me From the Living Water of Jesus, which grew out of the beliefs and assumptions he had to confront in his own life.


In this episode: John 14:22-23; Matthew 1; John; Hebrews 4:12; Matthew 16:24-26; Psalm 42:1-2; Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 23:43; Philippians 1:23; Psalm 23:4; Psalm 90:12; Hebrews 2:14-15; 2 Corinthians 7:10


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“Unashamed” Episode 1430 is sponsored by:


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Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts.


Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts!

https://open.spotify.com/show/3LY8eJ4ZBZHmsImGoDNK2l


Chapters

00:00 Granger Smith Joins Unashamed

04:00 AI Gets Podcast History SO Wrong

07:00 Why Granger Became a Pastor

13:20 The Loss of Granger’s Son River

17:40 When Granger Hit Rock Bottom

21:10 Granger Trades Devotionals for the Bible

24:10 I Refuse to Lead the Sinner’s Prayer<

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