Let's Parent on Purpose: Christian Marriage, Parenting, and Discipleship

Growing up as a pastor’s kid, Davis Price never knew a time where he was not involved with family ministry. From joining his parents on mission trips to setting up chairs at church to housing homeless people, Davis’ faith was significantly formed by his mom and dad bringing him along as a part of their ministry team. Parents often worry that their kids will be resentful or feel like they missed ou...

Jesus spent three years making disciples around the meal table. My guest Abby Turner, author of The Living Table: Recipes and Devotions for Everyday Get-togethers shares how to reclaim your table as a place of encouragement, ministry, and discipleship. We talk about how to lower the expectations of perfection, the difference between hosting and hospitality, and how to involve your children in prac...

Scripture teaches us that pure and undefiled religion is caring for the orphan in their distress. Foster and adoptive parents are noble, but it often doesn’t FEEL noble! My guest Ericah Brinson shares the story of how God led her and her husband Richard to be foster and adoptive parents. She shares the struggles and challenges of the journey, as well as the ways she’s learned and grown. Ericah als...

Western culture teaches us that the purpose of family is to launch us into individual success. But what if this family vision is radically broken? Jeremy Pryor joins me to share how he encountered the biblical vision of family as a multigenerational team on mission. We talk about the factors contributing to radical individualization in our society and practices for uniting the generations of your...

As we begin a series highlighting families that are on mission to impact their world for the sake of Jesus, we want to start with the reminder that YOUR family is your first and greatest mission field!   Jay walks through Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:18-20 and applies it to family life. He then highlights the following advice for “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you”: lead yourse...

Hopefully this summer allows you time to rest, relax, and recuperate. But it also provides a season to grow, improve your walk with Jesus, your health, or your relationships. This week Jay provides a Summer Growth Worksheet as well as a set of reminders on what sets us up for successful transformation. Remember the following:   1. If you have too many goals, you’re more likely to fail across the b...

Most of us grossly underestimate how much our extended family is going to affect our marriage. Jay walks through a number of ways your childhood home and extended family shape how you walk into your marriage. He lists several situations where extended families impact your marriage throughout the years. And finally he gives a list of questions to help you process and even thrive through your extend...

Sex is one of the greatest gifts God gave to husbands and wives. But it is also one of the deepest sources of pain and bitterness in marriage. Pastor Matt and Jenny Price join me once again for a fun, honest, and encouraging conversation on how to increase the fun and joy of the marriage bed. This conversation could help transform the atmosphere in your marriage!   Matt and Jenny Price have been m...

In polls of mental health professionals, communication problems were cited as the most common factor that leads to divorce. On the other hand, couples with strong communication skills grow deeper in love and friendship even while weathering major storms. Matt and Jenny Price join us to share their wisdom and insight from over 30 years of marriage and 25 years of counseling couples at Covenant Fell...

About 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. There are many reasons given, but just about every single divorce boils down to one common denominator. Listen as Jay explains how dangerous hardness of the heart is in a marriage. Then walk through these questions in your own marriage:   - Am I being honest with myself, really? - Who am I receiving council from? - Are my ears hard? - How have I contri...

On the outside, Steve & Lisa Goldberg looked like the perfect couple. On the inside, they were miserable. This reality had slowly been building in the first six years of our marriage. It exploded with revelations of resentment, betrayal, brokenness, and fear. But God welcomed a prodigal daughter home, saved one of His own and restored a marriage. Listen to Steve and Lisa share their transparen...

There is a sense in which every single one of our homes is a broken home, because we’ve all been marred by the brokenness that sin causes. Pastor Jimmy and Kristin Scroggins join me for the final episode in my Parenting Challenges series, as we explore a gospel based understanding of forgiveness, bitterness, and restoration. As we learn to be parents who model forgiveness in our own lives, we secu...

The challenges facing a special needs family can be crushing. With no end in sight, it’s vitally important to have a plan and strategy for self care as a mom and dad of a special needs child. Today Jay answers a host of questions sent in by parents of special needs children.   From strategies for self care to tips for communication and bonding as a husband and wife, Jay shares the wisdom from his...

Feelings are important, but they should not master our lives. As we live in a society that idolizes feelings, we need a way to train ourselves and our children to make healthy decisions not driven by feelings. Jay walks through an exercise that will help you reframe the story around your experiences. By doing so, you can remove feelings from the driver’s seat and make  healthier decisions.     Spo...

Nobody wants to get the call from school that your child is the bully and is being expelled. As a parent you are forced to deal with so many complex emotions at once. What is going on with my child? What does this say about me as a parent? How can I trust God through this struggle? Crystal Paine shares her vulnerable story of how bullying by her child opened the door to her transformed relationshi...

We don’t make it past the fourth chapter of the Bible before sibling rivalry becomes an area of angst and heartbreak for moms and dads. Even if your kids are not as bad as Cain and Able, the arguing, competition, and fighting can be a major drain. Licensed Therapist Brian Neal joins me to discuss the different origins of sibling silvery (including sin), general strategies to bring harmony to your...

The number of children and teens who experience high levels of anxiety has tripled over the last several years, and that’s before adding in the stress of Covid-19. Author and counselor Sissy Goff shares many of the social and cultural factors contributing to our children’s high levels of anxiety. She also equips parents with tools to help their children lower and manage stress and anxiety, includi...

The speed and intensity of the cultural shift towards affirming every type of sexual attraction and gender identity has left many parents struggling to keep up.   Dr. Sean McDowell, a renowned Christian Apologist and author of the new book Chasing Love: Sex, Love, and Relationships in a Confused Culture joins us to help guide moms and dads on how to have grace and truth filled conversations with t...

When Pastor and Author Jonathan Pitts’ wife of sixteen years died suddenly, he found himself thrust into a season of grief while also trying to navigate as a single parent. His wife Wynter had been his ministry partner, chief counselor, as well as an incredible mom for their four girls. In this conversation, Jonathan shares his journey of grief, provision, hope, and community. He encourages those...

Before we have children, people tell us that parenting is really hard. But it’s not until you get into the midst of your parenting journey that you realize just how many challenges you face in building a thriving family.   Jay talks about four factors that make parenting so difficult:   1) Your family is filled with sinful humans, 2) Mother Nature is trying to kill us, 3) The world is not helpful,...

It’s imperative that our daughters and sons have a solid understanding of identity, femininity, and beauty from a godly perspective! Author and speaker Bethany Neal joins me as we speak on crafting a definition and vision for biblical womanhood that will help our children through elementary, the preteen and teenage years, and all the way into adulthood. This conversation will not only give you a v...

Dr. Ron Archer shares his powerful life story and then addresses the   incredible influence that a father has in a home. We speak to the level of spiritual gravity the dad has in comparison to the rest of the household members. Dr. Archer offers words of encouragement for spiritually engaged fathers: be present, be attentive, be affirming, be consistent, and be committed. He also encourages moms w...

In the first episode of my new series on Parenting Challenges, I address the truth that “Our friends determine the direction and quality of our lives”. In a unique episode designed for parents to listen to with their children, we discuss how to identify toxic relationships, represented by the acronym MAD GAS (Manipulator, Addict, Deceiver, Gossip, Arguer, and Slug). We then determine the character...

Every year we make goals that never happen. The problem is not our   goals, it’s our systems. As the saying goes “your habits are perfectly suited to give you the life you have.” By learning to focus on our systems, we open the door for radical change in our spiritual life, families, and personal health. Resources Mentioned: Episode 207 Your Future Self Will Thank You With Drew Dyck Episode 208 Cu...

Faith is built through consistent, small interactions. My guest Ken Kuhn shares how to use meal times, bed times, and other regular routines to strengthen your child’s faith. Through regular questions, prayers of blessings and simple spiritual habits, you can slowly grow your children into the men and women of God who will be a blessing to the world. Ken Kuhn is a Christian education specialist, f...