BaseCamp Live

AI can write essays, solve problems, and produce polished work in seconds. But does that mean our children no longer need to learn how to do those things themselves? Andrew Pudewa, founder of the Institute for Excellence in Writing, joins Davies Owens to explore a question that goes far beyond classroom technology: What is education actually for? Together, they discuss how learning shapes our capa...

What if some of the things we’ve accepted as normal for childhood aren’t actually healthy? Children and teenagers now spend hours each day on devices, carry the internet in their pockets, and increasingly experience friendship, entertainment, and even education through technology. But as Emily Harrison explains, there is an important difference between what is common and what is actually good for...

When parents hear that they are the primary educators of their children, it can sound like one more responsibility to carry. But what if it’s actually good news? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with Classical Conversations founder Leigh Bortins to rethink what education looks like in the life of a family. Leigh encourages parents to slow down and recognize the formative po...

What if some of the things we’ve accepted as normal for childhood aren’t actually healthy? Children and teenagers now spend hours each day on devices, carry the internet in their pockets, and increasingly experience friendship, entertainment, and even education through technology. But as Emily Harrison explains, there is an important difference between what is common and what is actually good for...

What if becoming better educated isn’t always about learning more, but about unlearning some of what we already believe? Most parents today did not grow up with classical Christian education. We bring our own experiences of school with us, along with assumptions about grades, success, learning, authority, and what education is supposed to accomplish. Often, we don’t even realize those assumptions...

Four hundred episodes. Nearly ten years. And a world that looks very different from the one in which BaseCamp Live began. For this milestone episode, Davies Owens steps to the other side of the microphone as his daughter, Hannah Brusven, takes over as host. Together they look back at the unlikely beginnings of BaseCamp Live, from early recordings with a makeshift microphone to hundreds of conversa...

Music is everywhere. We stream it in our cars, hear it in stores, and carry thousands of songs in our pockets. But in gaining nearly unlimited access to music, have we lost sight of what music is actually for? Dr. Eliot Grasso, musician, scholar, educator, and one of America's leading performers of the Irish uilleann pipes, returns to BaseCamp Live for a fascinating conversation about music's plac...

Every story is shaping us. Movies, television, books, music, and digital media do more than entertain. They work on our imaginations, stir our affections, and quietly influence what we love, admire, fear, and desire. So how can Christian parents help their children engage culture thoughtfully without falling into either fearful rejection or uncritical consumption? Brett McCracken, author and senio...

Classical Christian education often talks about forming students to love what is true, good, and beautiful. But how does that formation actually happen? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens is joined by author, educator, and podcaster Heidi White to explore the formative power of stories. Heidi shares how literature shaped her own life and explains why great books do far more than commun...

Modern education often trains students to absorb information, reproduce it on a test, and move on. But is that really learning? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens talks with Charley Dewberry, co-founder, Academic Dean, and tutor at Gutenberg College, about what it means to teach students to truly think. Drawing from his unusual journey through science, philosophy, biblical studies, and...

Young people today are surrounded by voices telling them to discover their own truth, define their own identity, and create their own purpose. But what happens when the foundation underneath those ideas keeps shifting? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with Joshua Weir, author of In Not Of: Firm Foundations for Life , to explore what it takes to raise a generation grounded i...

Artificial intelligence is changing the workplace faster than anyone can predict—but does that mean we should prepare our children by chasing "AI-proof" careers? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens welcomes career coach Tami Peterson back to the show to explore a very different approach. Rather than focusing on specific jobs, Tami argues that parents and educators should cultivate uniqu...

Many parents love classical Christian education until one of their children doesn't seem to "fit the mold." Does classical education only work for naturally academic students? Or should an education rooted in truth, wisdom, and Christ be accessible to far more children? In this Summer Flashback, Davies Owens welcomes educator and school consultant Heather Lloyd to explore how classical Christian s...

Strong families don't happen by accident. They are built through ordinary habits, shared life, and intentional choices. In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens is joined by Laura Kraus, founder and CEO of the Family Digital Foundation, to explore why the family remains the foundation of every healthy society. Drawing from history, modern research, and her own work at the intersection of tec...

As parents, it's easy to believe that everything depends on us. If we just choose the right curriculum, set the right boundaries, or say the right words, our children will turn out well. But Scripture reminds us that we were never meant to carry that burden alone. In this episode, bestselling author and Bible teacher Jodie Berndt joins Davies Owens to explore one of the most powerful, and often mo...

After years of encouraging families through counseling, conferences, and conversations on BaseCamp Live, Keith McCurdy's long-awaited book, Raising Sturdy Kids , has finally arrived. In this episode, Davies and Keith celebrate the book's release while exploring the foundational principles behind it. Rather than focusing on quick parenting fixes, Keith explains why healthy struggle, responsibility,...

What exactly is Classical Christian Education? Ask ten people, and you might get ten different answers. Is it about Latin? The Great Books? The Trivium? Character formation? Academic excellence? In this foundational episode of our series, What is Classical Christian Education? , Davies Owens sits down with one of the pioneers of the modern classical movement, Dr. Robert Littlejohn, to answer that...

Parents often spend so much time navigating the needs of today that it's easy to lose sight of where we're ultimately headed. But what if raising children begins with keeping the end in mind? In this episode, Davies Owens welcomes Dr. Jennifer Freeman of the Rooted Families Initiative to discuss a framework for family discipleship that helps parents understand the unique opportunities and challeng...

What happens after we realize that education is about far more than information transfer? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with David Goodwin, president of the Association of Classical Christian Schools and co-author of the New York Times bestselling book Battle for the American Mind . David's newest book, Forging the American Mind , serves as a practical guide for parents...

How do we faithfully raise children in a culture that constantly fragments their attention? In this episode of Base Camp Live, Davies Owens welcomes Suzanne Phillips of Beacon Parent for a thoughtful and deeply encouraging conversation about parenting in an age of distraction, anxiety, and cultural confusion. Rather than offering another parenting checklist, Suzanne shares a biblical framework for...

Friendship does not happen automatically anymore. In a world filled with distraction, busyness, and surface-level interaction, many adults and students are struggling to form meaningful relationships. In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with Dirk Bellamy to discuss the growing loneliness crisis and why friendship is becoming one of the greatest challenges of modern life. Drawi...

What does classical Christian education actually mean? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, host Davies Owens continues the ongoing series on classical Christian education with guest Lindsey Ralls, Upper School Head at Summit Christian Academy. Together, they explore a practical framework for understanding the heart behind classical Christian education, not simply as a method or curriculum model, but...

How do we move students from simply talking about truth, goodness, and beauty to actually living those ideals out in everyday life? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens is joined by Sharon Carlson for a thoughtful conversation about what it means to develop an “operational theology” , a faith that shapes not just beliefs, but daily decisions, relationships, failures, and future plans. Sh...

Anxiety is everywhere today, but what if it doesn’t always tell us the truth? In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens welcomes back Keith McCurdy for another conversation in the Live Sturdy series. Together, they unpack why anxiety has become so common in students and parents, how overcommitment and fear-based decision making fuel the problem, and what schools and families can do to cultiva...

Gen Z is more connected than any generation in history, yet also more isolated, anxious, and uncertain about their identity and purpose. In this episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens sits down with Dr. Stephanie Shackelford, senior fellow at the Barna Group and author of You on Purpose, to explore the findings from Barna’s latest research on Gen Z mental health. While anxiety and depression are o...