The Parenting for Faith podcast

In today’s episode, Jess talks with play therapist Lizzie Miller about why play matters far beyond childhood. Together they unpack how play helps us all (adults and children alike), how it can give us an insight into our teen and children’s lives and how God designed us to play. Whether you're parenting toddlers or teenagers, this episode encourages us to notice the unique ways your child is wired...

Change is inevitable and comes for us all no matter our age - whether it is starting a new school, moving house, welcoming a new sibling or changes in friendships! In today's episode, Anna and Jess explore how we can help children and teenagers navigate moments of change with God at the centre. Links: The new Five Key Tools coming in September, sign up here -https://www.brfresources.org.uk/product...

In today’s episode, Anna is joined by The Clewer Initiative director Lois Bosatta to explore the reality of modern slavery and exploitation in communities across the UK. Together they identify what exploitation can look like, the warning signs parents and carers should be aware of and how we can have age-appropriate conversations with children and teenagers about trust, vulnerability and staying s...

What do you do when your child asks a question that leaves you scrambling for an answer? In this episode, Anna and Jess revisit one of Parenting for Faith’s most-loved tools for handling tricky faith questions with confidence. Using the simple four-step framework of What do you think? What do we know? What do we not know? How do I handle it?, they explore three challenging questions that many chil...

In today’s episode, Anna is joined by author, blogger, and church leader Tim Challies. Based in Canada, Tim serves as an elder at Grace Fellowship Church and has spent decades writing and teaching about faith, culture, and the Christian life. His latest children’s book, God’s Great Big Global Church, grew out of a personal project travelling the world to experience how Christians worship across di...

Church with kids can sometimes feel like something to get through, but what if it could be so much more? In today’s episode, Anna and Jess explore how to help children and teenagers notice God in church, not just sit through it. From simple ways to frame the experience before you arrive, to spotting God at work during the service, to meaningful conversations afterwards, there are practical ideas t...

In today’s episode, we will be watching and listening to a re-run of a podcast episode where Esther Kuku shares about how to share faith as part of a stepfamily. She gives insight into her experience and where God has been a part of that. Esther’s book is available to buy on BRF Resources. Links: ‘Stepping Up: A devotional for stepfamilies’ by Esther Kuku https://www.brfresources.org.uk/products/s...

In today’s episode, we join Anna at the book launch of “Spiritual Health” written by Rachel Bedford. Along with Ben Atkins, Anna and Rachel explore what spiritual health really means - the “you of you” that Jesus longs to care for. They talk about what it means for raising and leading children and young people. Rachel Bedford is a teacher, preacher and ordained Church of England minister. She is V...

In today’s episode, Anna and Jess explore how the Parenting for Faith Five Key Tools can help parents and carers support children and teenagers through exam season and other high-pressure moments. They share practical ideas for different ages and stages, as well as encouragement to parents who are feeling overwhelmed. Links: 5 Key Tools Summary for exams and tests - https://www.parentingforfaith.b...

In today’s episode, Jess is joined by Pete Greig to talk about prayer. Pete shares how modelling an authentic prayer life shapes children’s faith more than anything we say and why helping children hear God for themselves builds a real, lasting relationship with Him. Together, they explore how bringing prayer into everyday moments helps children recognise God at work in all of life. Pete Greig is t...

In today's episode, Anna and Jess explore what to do when your child or teenager asks to watch a new show or movie. They offer a practical four-step "decide with God" framework, helping parents and carers move away from quick reactions and towards equipping their children with lifelong discernment skills. Links: ● Websites for Christian perspectives on media: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/, plu...

In today’s episode, Jess talks with Hannah Miller. Hannah Miller is the founder of Sidekick and the creator of The Purpose Pursuit™ course and book. An award-winning speaker, author, podcast host, and accredited coach, she helps people and organisations uncover their strengths, navigate change, and pursue purpose. Together, they discuss what pursuing purpose can look like for parents and carers, a...

In today’s episode, Jess and Anna discuss how to help our kids have a faith that lasts. We don't have a magic formula or secret sauce that guarantees your child will stay connected to God throughout their life (sorry!) but we do know some things that help them grow a deep and rooted faith with will help it better withstand the storms of life. Links: Send us a voice note! https://www.parentingforfa...

We normally take a break from the podcast over the holidays but today we’re bringing you a bonus of something a little bit different. Anna Hawken speaks to Martha Shrimpton from Spring Harvest about how we capture what’s great and build on the momentum of weeks like Spring Harvest. Martha is an actor, presenter and author who has worked within creative arts for many years. She is the director of N...

In today’s episode, we speak to Triona Brading, Lois Bunyan and Claire Wood, authors of Belonging without Barriers, which is a brand new book from BRF Ministries. Their book casts a vision of inclusion and full belonging within our churches and other Christian communities for those with additional needs. We chat about what that looks like in practice for those of us with children or teenagers with...

In today’s episode, Anna & Jess explore how to tell the ‘big story of the Bible’ to teens and children, especially around Easter. They offer a simple framework to help explain the full story of the Bible (don’t worry, there are only six points!). The Key Tools of Creating Windows, Framing and Unwinding are talked about in examples of how to help your children and teens with understanding the whole...

In today’s episode, Jess is talking to Gemma Hunt. Gemma is an award-winning TV presenter, children’s author and public speaker, best known for her long-standing work on CBBC and CBeebies, alongside presenting Songs of Praise and BBC Education programmes. Drawing on her own faith, family life and passion for others to have confidence, Gemma now supports adults, teens and children through storytell...

In today’s episode, Anna and Jess talk about the complex topics of sin, shame and guilt. They acknowledge that whilst we might have different theological views or backgrounds, as parents and carers we want to make sure that our children and teens have a good understanding of these concepts in a way that helps them continue to connect with God and build relationship with Him. They use the Parenting...

In today’s episode, Anna talks with Joe, the founder of KICK, a charity that transforms young people’s lives, with God’s love, through sport and support. They take an honest look at the current experiences of young people and talk about how the work of KICK, as well as the church community can help. Using the Parenting for Faith tools of Windows & Framing, they offer a way for parents and carers t...

As Valentine’s Day rolls around, Anna and Jess chat about romance and relationships. They explore how we can help our children and teenagers have a God-focused view of their lives and see how relationships might fit in with that. They chat about the various ways the media has shaped what our young people believe are ‘successful relationships’. They've got some tips and ideas of how to talk about i...

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Krish Kandiah to talk about hospitality and what it can look like in everyday family life. Dr Krish Kandiah is the director of Sanctuary Foundation, an author, social entrepreneur and broadcaster amongst many other things! Together with his wife Miriam they are adoptive parents, birth parents and foster parents. Krish shares how his heart for hospitality was mod...

Sleep can be one of the most vulnerable parts of family life. When the house is quiet and the lights go out, worries can feel bigger, fears can surface, and everyone is a little more tired than they’d like to be. In this episode, Anna and Jess explore how God meets us and our children in those moments - even in the dark. Using the Parenting for Faith Key Tools, they talk about unwinding unhelpful...

In today’s episode we speak to Rachel Turner about keys truths that all parents and carers need to hear. Rachel Turner has worked within church leadership and family, youth and children’s ministry for over 20 years. After serving full-time in multiple churches, she then went on to found Parenting for Faith in partnership with BRF Ministries. Through her and her team’s work, they have created multi...

In today’s episode, Jess and Anna chat about how to use the question ‘Where did you see God today?’, as we start 2026. It’s a great question to ask yourself and opens up lots of opportunities to create windows and frame (two of the Five Key Tools of Parenting for Faith) for the children and young people in your life. Anna is the Parenting for Faith Ministry Lead and has been getting to grips with...

In today’s episode we speak to Becky Sedgwick, author of Grandparenting for Faith and co-presenter of the Grandparenting for Faith course about the power of the grandparent generation. Listen and share with friends and relatives this Christmas and please also share the episode within anyone who might appreciate hearing it. This is a recording of a webinar on the Church Support Hub. Links: Buy the...