The Child Discipleship Podcast

Episode Summary In this episode, Mike Handler sits down with Sam Luce to challenge a default assumption in children’s ministry: that a kids or youth pastor’s primary job is to disciple the kids in the room. Sam argues the more faithful and sustainable calling is to disciple the people who disciple kids, namely volunteer leaders and parents. Drawing on his years at Redeemer Church, wher...

Episode Summary In this episode of the Child Discipleship Podcast, Matt Markins and Mike Handler tackle one of the most persistent tensions in children’s ministry: who is primarily responsible for discipling kids? Using two imagined gatherings, a late-night circle of kids pastors on the East Coast and a multi-generational family dinner in La Jolla, they surface a striking gap from Awana’s 2022 res...

Summary This episode of the Child Discipleship Podcast centers on a confession before it becomes a lesson: Matt Markins openly admits he spent years treating prayer as a management failure — something you turned to when leadership wasn’t enough. That honesty drives the whole conversation. Both hosts work through how children’s ministry workers (and ministry leaders at every level) defa...

Despite decades of effort since George Barna popularized the “parents as primary spiritual influence” framework in 2003, children’s ministry leaders still report that parents aren’t consistently discipling their kids at home. Awana’s 2022 research reveals why: it’s not a motivation problem on either side — it’s a structural one. Kids pastors spend the over...

On this special Father’s Day episode, co-hosts Matt Markins and Mike Handler explore the complicated emotions the holiday can stir up and the redemptive opportunity it presents for dads. Matt shares the origin story of his new children’s book, Daddy, How Much Do You Love Me? (New Growth Press) — a journey that began with processing his own painful relationship with his father in his mi...

Episode Summary In this episode of the Child Discipleship Podcast, host Mike Handler sits down with Sam Luce, director of ChildDiscipleship.com, to discuss a provocative question at the heart of children’s ministry: have we traded authentic discipleship for polished production? Sam unpacks a chapter he contributed to Forming Faith, arguing that many churches have fallen into what he calls th...

Episode Summary In this episode of the Child Discipleship Podcast, Matt Markins and Mike Handler explore the tension between relevance and relationship in children’s ministry. They argue that while relevance — being culturally connected and contextually appropriate — has its place, the church has often over-invested in making ministry “cool” or Disney-like, chasing a shifting tar...

Summary In this episode, Matt Markins and Mike Handler discuss the role of fun and entertainment in children’s ministry. They are careful to say that fun is good and necessary. Kids should laugh, enjoy church, and want to come back. But the episode asks whether children’s ministry has sometimes made fun the main measure of success rather than discipleship. Matt traces part of this tendency to the...

In this episode of the Child Discipleship Podcast, Matt Markins and Mike Handler explore the difference between teaching children “Bible light” and helping them grow in true biblical literacy. They argue that many churches unintentionally teach Bible stories in ways that are accurate, but incomplete. When Bible teaching focuses on virtues, morals, and good character without rooting them in the gos...

In this episode, Matt Markins and Mike Handler tackle a provocative idea: what if the church needs to move from a children’s ministry mindset to a child discipleship mindset? Matt explains that after years of Awana research, one of the clearest insights is that many churches are still building ministry around activities and methods rather than around the deeper objectives that actually form lastin...

Episode Summary In this episode of the Child Discipleship Podcast by Awana, hosts Matt Markins and Mike Handler dig into one of the most important — and often overlooked — realities in children’s ministry: the deadline of worldview formation. Drawing on research from the Barna Group, they unpack the striking finding that a person’s worldview is largely set by age 13, and explore what t...

Episode Summary In this episode, Matt Markins and Mike Handler explore what it means to raise children and disciple the next generation in today’s rapidly shifting cultural landscape — a world they liken to raising kids on Mars. Inspired by a lyric from Elton John’s Rocket Man, Matt shares the moment the metaphor crystallized for him: an environment that feels unsustainable, isolating,...

The Child Discipleship Podcast is built around one central burden: lasting faith in Jesus for every child. This opening episode introduces Matt Markins and Mike Handler as hosts for the new season and sets the direction for the conversations ahead. The podcast itself is designed to equip parents, pastors, ministry leaders, and anyone else who cares about helping the next generation form a durable...

In this episode, recorded live at the 2024 Child Discipleship Forum, Glenn Packiam emphasizes the importance of nurturing faith in children. He reflects on his own experiences growing up in Malaysia and the impact of early faith encounters. The conversation explores the challenges faced by church leaders in times of crisis, the need for resilience in discipleship, and the significance of seeking G...

In this episode, recorded live at the 2024 Child Discipleship Forum, Trevin Wax emphasizes the importance of imparting old truths to awaken the hearts of the next generation. Drawing from his experiences and biblical teachings, he discusses how the gospel can transform young minds and hearts, urging listeners to raise their expectations of what children can understand. Trevin highlights the need f...

In this episode, recorded live at the 2024 Child Discipleship Forum, Blair Linne discusses the profound impact of fatherlessness on children and families. Drawing from her personal experiences and statistics, she highlights the importance of fatherhood in shaping lives and communities. Blair emphasizes the church’s role in supporting fatherless children and encourages listeners to see and se...

In this episode, recorded live at the 2024 Child Discipleship Forum, Jay Kim discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by technology in ministry, particularly for emerging generations. Drawing parallels between the evolution of art and the digital age, he emphasizes the need for church leaders to resist resignation and reimagine their approach to discipleship. Jay highlights the importa...

In this episode, recorded live at the 2024 Child Discipleship Forum, Sean McDowell discusses the critical role of apologetics in children’s ministry, emphasizing the need to equip kids with the ability to understand and defend their faith. He highlights the cultural shifts and challenges that today’s youth face, including increased secularism, the rise of Islam, and the impact of techn...

In this episode of the Child Discipleship Podcast, Melanie Hester and Dee Dee Meyer discuss the importance of family connection and the challenges faced by today’s parents. They explore the role of the Boone Center for the Family in supporting families, the impact of social media and technology on parenting, and the need for resilience and responsibility in children. The conversation emphasi...

In this conversation, Melanie Hester speaks with Kenneth Padgett, the director of Dwell Kids, about the importance of discipleship, family engagement with scripture, and the role of storytelling in shaping children’s faith. Kenneth shares his journey into family discipleship and emphasizes the need for accessible resources to help families connect with God’s word. In this conversation,...

In this episode, recorded from the 2024 Child Discipleship Forum, Diane Comer dives into the heart of church ministry, unpacking its challenges, rewards, and deep spiritual significance. She shares candid reflections on the emotional toll of leadership, the inevitability of conflict, and the sacrifices required to embrace a life of service. Diane emphasizes the importance of understanding personal...

In this live episode from the 2024 Child Discipleship Forum, Mark Sayers unpacks the rising anxiety epidemic among today’s youth, tracing its cultural roots and the amplifying role of technology. He discusses the shift from community to individualism, the confusion of the “gray zones” between past and future, and the transformative power of wilderness experiences in spiritual growth. Mark challeng...

In this episode of the Child Discipleship Podcast, Sean Sweet, speaking from the 2024 Child Discipleship Forum, explores how to empower preteens to take ownership of their faith. Sean highlights the unique developmental stage of preteens, explaining how their growing ability to question, wrestle with beliefs, and interpret Scripture creates opportunities for deeper spiritual engagement. Sean empha...

In this episode of the Child Discipleship Podcast, Justin Whitmel Earley, a featured speaker at the 2024 Child Discipleship Forum, unpacks the power of habits in shaping faith and identity within the home. Drawing from his expertise and personal experience, Justin explores how everyday rhythms—like bedtime liturgies, family meals, and intentional screen time practices—create opportunities for grac...

In this episode of the Child Discipleship Podcast, recorded live at the 2024 Child Discipleship Forum, Awana President and CEO Matt Markins dives into the critical themes shaping childhood faith formation. From the surprising early stages of spiritual development to the layered, intentional process of nurturing lasting faith, Matt unpacks the miraculous outcomes that arise from the seemingly munda...