Ask Mom and Dad

You can see where things can go. The problem is most of the people around you still can’t. Greg and Tonya are sitting in that exact tension—trying to minister in a small town where people like the atmosphere but still drive out for a bigger church experience, while the vision they came with has taken a slower path than they expected. They talk about sharing the gospel at a volleyball game, the dif...

Greg and Tonya open with a Wall Street Journal piece on adult children deciding to cut off their parents—sometimes over politics, lifestyle differences, or advice from therapists and peers online. They push back on the idea that ordinary friction automatically equals “toxic,” and they talk through the real difference between biblical counsel that points toward repair and a therapy culture that oft...

Tonya sat down to keep writing and found out a chunk of the book had never actually saved. Six or seven thousand words, gone, right in the middle of the part she was most proud of. Greg and Tonya start there, then end up somewhere else. The missing pages were about a desert season in Phoenix, fear around Elijah, and the older stories God used to get Tonya ready for it. A car she was asked to give...

Tonya has been trying to write a book for a couple of years. Not because publishing is hard now—anybody can print one. Because the story itself keeps getting bigger than the moment that started it. It began with their youngest son. Accidents. Fear. A stretch in Phoenix that felt like a desert on the outside and in her soul. And then this quiet thing she almost walked past: a promise God had alread...

Greg and Tonya keep meeting the same kind of faith: know the commandments, work hard, make it to Sunday, want the life God blesses. Just not always God in the center of it. This episode is about that gap. The fear of God is not a short list that makes you a good person. Jesus made it personal—love Him with everything, then treat the person in front of you like they already belong. They sit with Ps...

We just got back from England, where churches stand on nearly every corner… and yet so many people have never actually encountered Jesus. Greg and Tonya talk about the difference between “here’s a place to sit” and “come sit with me.” They dig into why the word “religion” itself can become a wall, what people really mean when they say “I’m not religious,” and how genuine relationship—not more prog...

We spent ten days bouncing between Oxford and the southern edges of London helping mission teams move from place to place. What started as practical work turned into a running conversation about everything from tube seats that try to dump you on the floor to food that actually lists real ingredients first. Along the way we kept running into the same quiet surprise: a Christian history that is stil...

Hey, it's Greg and Tonya—jumping into a conversation that started with a walk through a famous LA celebrity graveyard and quickly got real. We talk about the minimal, often sad markers on stars like Natalie Wood, Farrah Fawcett, and Dean Martin, contrasting them with the faith-filled family plots that feel connected and hopeful. All that fame and fortune, yet so little evidence of what is lasting....

Greg and Tonya sit down and just start talking about how discouraging the headlines are and how hard it is to know what’s true anymore. They wrestle with why so many people—even in Christian circles—end up putting their hope in politics, theology, or systems instead of in Jesus Himself. From Adam and Eve trusting the first lie to modern deceptions, they unpack how we got here and what it actually...

Greg and Tonya sit down and immediately start laughing about their cluttered house, messy closets, and how hosting Bible study forced them to clean up. But the conversation quickly turns serious as they wrestle with what real rebirth looks like — for their church, for our country, and for us personally. They dig into Juneteenth, the Civil War, Lincoln’s call for national prayer and fasting, Stonew...

Greg and Tonya kick things off laughing about their exploding tomato jungle and the never-ending quest for the perfect homegrown tomato before diving headfirst into real life. They unpack their morning Bible study in Philippians, where Paul prays that love would abound more and more with knowledge and discernment. The conversation gets honest fast: how do we tell truth from noise in a world full o...

Greg and Tonya are back with their usual mix of laughs, rambling, and real talk. They kick things off forgetting how to open the show, joking about cold feet and socks, then dive into the mountain of paperwork for their upcoming mission trip to London. From there it gets deep fast—Greg shares what he's teaching at church about the Faith of Our Fathers and why America flourished for 250 years while...

Greg and Tonya sit down after a chaotic family reunion and right before Tonya heads out again—this time for a national prayer gathering on the Mall. But the real conversation kicks off when they start wrestling with a tough question: why do people sit under solid teaching for years and still show so little fruit? From the Israelites complaining in the desert, to Moses losing his cool at the rock,...

Greg and Tonya sit down and talk real about something a lot of believers quietly wrestle with: the Holy Spirit. After a wild hailstorm chat, they jump into Greg’s Bible study on Colossians and unpack why Jesus really is enough—no extra keys, no secret rituals, no spooky ghost stuff. They laugh about how the words “Holy Ghost” freak people out, wrestle with the Trinity, share stories of the Spirit...

Greg and Tonya are back talking about the one topic that makes everybody squirm—money in the church. They unpack Greg’s current sermon series on generosity and why so many of us get tangled up between “love of money is the root of all evil” and the clear biblical call to be cheerful, open-handed givers. They ask the big question: If Noah tried to build the ark in today’s church, would the finance...

After a rough several weeks battling travel & sickness Greg and Tonya are back. They jump straight into the big stuff happening in the world right now. They talk about the U.S. strikes on Iran, the dramatic rescue of that F-15 pilot on Easter weekend, and the wild contrast between how America values one soldier’s life versus how some regimes treat their own people. From there the conversation...

Many Christians feel an uneasy tension when it comes to pleasure. If following Jesus means sacrifice, surrender, and denying ourselves… why did God create a world filled with beauty, laughter, food, relationships, and meaningful work? In this episode of Ask Mom and Dad, Greg and Tonya continue their discussion of Joe Rigney’s book Strangely Brightand wrestle with a question many believers quietly...

What if the real test of your faith isn’t what you believe—but what you’re willing to give up? In this episode, Greg and Tonya tackle the uncomfortable tension between pleasure and sacrifice. Why does Lent matter? Why would God give us good things—and then ask us to fast from them? And if Jesus is truly better than everything else… do our lives actually reflect that? From carrot cake to covenant m...

Why do some of the most gifted musicians, artists, and thinkers in history display almost supernatural creativity yet never openly give credit to God? In this episode of Ask Mom & Dad, we explore the tension between human talent and divine glory—asking whether beauty, music, and innovation still point back to their Creator even when the creator doesn’t acknowledge Him. Through reflections on f...

In this episode of Asked & Dad, Greg and Tonya reflect on joy, pleasure, and the beauty of God’s creation. Drawing from Scripture and insights from The book "Strangely Bright" by Joe Rigney, they explore how enjoying the world God made doesn’t compete with loving God—but can actually deepen it. From icy landscapes and music to relationships and everyday moments, the conversation asks how belie...

On this episode of Ask Mom and Dad, Greg and Tonya share heartfelt reflections on long-term marriage, the joy of bustling family holiday gatherings, and the excitement of welcoming two more grandsons to their growing quiver of 14 grandchildren. Drawing from recent Thanksgiving celebrations and counseling insights, they explore mutual appreciation in relationships, why modern couples voice feelings...

In this episode of Ask Mom and Dad, Greg and Tonya talk about the raw emotions of grief. They explore the differences between secular and Christian approaches to mourning, drawing from Psalm 103 to discuss God's mercy, compassion, and the fleeting nature of human life. The conversation weaves in biblical insights on death, resurrection, eternity, and the hope found in faith, touching on stories fr...

In this episode, Greg and Tonya open up about the weight of recent events — from the shocking assassination of Christian influencer Kirk to the deeper questions it raises about faith, culture, and resilience. They discuss how tragedy shapes our perspective, why spiritual rest is essential in turbulent times, and how believers can respond when the world feels increasingly unstable. Blending honesty...

In this episode of "Ask Mom and Dad," Greg and his mom dive into helping children navigate doubt in their faith journey. Through personal stories of childhood fears and reflections on biblical figures like Jeremiah, Job, and Jonah, they explore how doubt is a natural part of spiritual growth for kids. The discussion offers practical parenting advice, emphasizing the importance of teaching children...

In this episode of Ask Mom and Dad, Greg and Tonya  dive into the heart of teaching kids to pray in ways that are natural, simple, and faith-building. Through personal stories, laughter, and honest reflections, they explore how children learn to talk with God, the importance of letting prayer grow with personality, and how parents can model a genuine prayer life at home. Whether you’re a parent, g...