The Family Discipleship Podcast

Adam Griffin, Cassie Bryant, and Chelsea Griffin are joined by JP Pokluda to talk about how we can teach our kids to date wisely.Questions Covered in This Episode:For those who don’t know you, would you introduce yourself and tell us about you, your family, and your ministry? You’ve spoken and written a lot on dating and relationships. Is that just from working with younger people or was that already a passion of yours?Is thinking about dating from a father’s perspective different for you?What do you think about dating in high school?How has dating changed?Do you think there is anything concerning about celebrating the idea of dating with younger kids?How do you help parents think about at what age one of their kids is ready to date?How does a family prepare a kid to resist that pressure to conform to culture when it comes to dating?What lies about dating do parents have an opportunity to address?How much of your personal dating history do you share with your kids?If a parent feels a lot of shame around their own dating story, how would you pastor them into freedom and confidence to still lead their family well in this?If my kids trust me enough to ask “how far is too far physically,” how would you help parents answer that for their kids?What is a wise and Godly way to “break up”?If our listeners want to pray for you and your family, what can they ask God for on your behalf?Guest Bio:Jonathan “JP” Pokluda is the Lead Pastor of Harris Creek Baptist Church in Waco, TX. He was formerly the leader of The Porch in Dallas, TX. He is the author of several books; Welcome to Adulting, Welcoming the Future Church, and Outdated. JP is married to Monica and they have 3 kids Presley, Finley, and Weston. Follow his live Q&A on Friday on Instagram. Helpful Definitions:Dating: A pathway to a promise.Resources Mentioned in This Episode:1 Corinthians 7:1-9, Matthew 19:12, 2 Corinthians 6:14, Genesis 1:28, John 21:15-19, 1 Corinthians 6:18-20Amazon affiliate links are used where appropriate. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, thank you for supporting Training the Church.Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | TwitterOur Sister Shows:Knowing Faith | Confronting ChristianityThe Family Discipleship Podcast is a podcast of Training the Church. For ad-free episodes and more content check out our Patreon. Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteEditing and support by The Good Podcast Co. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Adam Griffin, Cassie Bryant, and Chelsea Griffin are joined by Sarah Cowan Johnson to talk about her new book “Teach Your Children Well: A Step-by-Step Guide for Family Discipleship,” and how we can live as the creative minority in today’s culture.Questions Covered in This Episode:For those who don’t know you, would you introduce yourself and tell us about you, your family, and your ministry? Your new book is called, “Teach Your Children Well: A Step-by-Step Guide for Family Discipleship.” Tell us the story about writing this book where did the idea come from and why did you want to write it?You kick off the book talking about the research that shows how many kids are walking away from the church after high school. What do we take away from that?Can you describe what you mean by a “high grace and high challenge” and why that is important?Why is it so hard for parents to believe they have this grace and freedom and this weighty calling simultaneously?Why is living in a post-Christian culture changing or clarifying the role of families to disciple their kids in today’s culture?Will you help us understand what the common responses of fight, flight, or camouflage look like for a church or a family?Why do you think that camouflage temptation is so strong for us as parents and how do we get past it? What do you think we should be doing instead?You talk about our churches and families forming a “creative minority” similar to Daniel and his friends in Babylon. What would that actually look like for families?Can you talk about what capturing a God moment is and how you encourage parents to go about doing this?You talk about our temptation for fear, control, and disbelief. How do you want parents to address and face those temptations when they do come?Your book has a lot of questions for readers to answer as well as ideas to try out. Would you share with our listeners some of your favorites that you’ve used at home?If our listeners want to pray for you and your family, what can they ask God for on your behalf?Guest Bio:Sarah Cowan Johnson is a ministry trainer, consultant, and coach based in Providence, RI. With nearly 20 years of ministry experience in the church and parachurch, Sarah is passionate about equipping ministry leaders to flourish in their unique callings and contexts. Before starting her own business, Sarah served as a Campus Staff Member and Area Director with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. After more than a decade on staff with InterVarsity, Sarah was assessed and approved by the Covenant Church as a church planter and served as the Executive Pastor for Sanctuary Church, a family of neighborhood congregations in Providence. Helpful Definitions:Post-Christian: The culture is familiar with Christianity but chooses to reject it.Fight: Our response is a culture war, we want to take back the ground we are losing.Flight: Our response is to disengage from the world into an only Christian community.Camouflage: Our response is to blend in and compromise, adopting some of the values of the post-Christian worldview.Creative Minority: Our response is that this is not our culture, we are not going to be disruptive or give in. We will follow Jesus faithfully in a culture that doesn’t. It is not just about what we believe, it is about how we live.Proactive Discipleship: Planning and thinking about spiritual practices for discipleship.God Moments: Responding to discipleship moments we can’t plan for.Resources Mentioned in This Episode:“Teach Your Children Well” by Sarah Cowan JohnsonDeuteronomy 6:4-9Amazon affiliate links are used where appropriate. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, thank you for supporting Training the Church.Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | TwitterOur Sister Shows:Knowing Faith | Confronting ChristianityThe Family Discipleship Podcast is a podcast of Training the Church. For ad-free episodes and more content check out our Patreon. Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteEditing and support by The Good Podcast Co. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Adam Griffin, Cassie Bryant, and Chelsea Griffin are joined by Steve Stigall to talk about what sports have to do with a family’s spiritual life and how to lead your home while your kids participate in sports.Questions Covered in This Episode:Steve, would you introduce yourself and tell us about you, your family, your ministry, and a little of your sports resume?What are the benefits of sports for kids? What are some of the great lessons that kids can learn in sports?What are some of the sinful or concerning motivations you see for families engaged in sports?Do you ever see behavior in parents around sports that concerns you?Why is sports an important issue for us in regard to discipleship? What does it have to do with a family's spiritual life?You coached high school sports, did the idol of a scholarship ever concern you?What do you think about the commitment that families make to sports?What are some warning signs of when a good thing like sports becomes an idol that threatens our commitment to God?Do any scriptures come to mind for you that help us navigate this issue?What do you look for in a team and a coach and a sport when you want to evaluate whether it would be a blessing to your family?If our listeners want to pray for you and your family, what can they ask God for on your behalf?Guest Bio:Steve Stigall is on staff at Eastside Community Church as the Men’s Discipleship & Groups Pastor. Before he was in full-time ministry he was on the football coaching staff at SMU for 12 years doing recruiting, player development, and football operations. Prior to being at SMU, he was a college football player at UT. He is married to Kathie and they have four kids.Resources Mentioned in This Episode:Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Hebrews 10:25, 1 Corinthians 6:12, 1 Timothy 6:6-7Amazon affiliate links are used where appropriate. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, thank you for supporting Training the Church.Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | TwitterOur Sister Shows:Knowing Faith | Confronting ChristianityThe Family Discipleship Podcast is a podcast of Training the Church. For ad-free episodes and more content check out our Patreon. Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteEditing and support by The Good Podcast Co. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Adam Griffin, Cassie Bryant, and Chelsea Griffin are joined by Jen Wilkin to discuss the “otherness” we will experience in all seasons of life as we follow Jesus.Questions Covered in This Episode:For those who don’t know you Jen, would you introduce yourself and tell us about you, your family, and your ministry?10 years ago you wrote a blog post called “Otherness.” It’s written like a letter to one of your children about feeling different because of some of the choices your family was making. Would you be willing to read it for us?What do those words make you feel today?What kind of “otherness” do you think was hardest for you? Anything specific that comes to mind?Why is conformity so tempting, not just for kids, but for parents?Did you have other families that made your kids feel less of the “otherness” you describe? Anybody that you partnered with in non-conformity?What can you say today that would encourage or embolden the family who is struggling to make decisions that they know are going to potentially make their child’s life harder socially?What is God communicating in Psalm 16:5-6 that you are tapping into?When we see the life of Christ, we see Jesus boldly standing out from the crowd, forsaking conformity, and we see him often rejected for his “otherness.” How should churches be teaching families to “follow Christ” when it comes to those aspects of his life?Jen, when you were growing up, did you ever feel like you experienced “otherness” for following Jesus? How do you remember navigating that?How does your letter apply to the parent?If our listeners want to pray for you and your family, what can they ask God for on your behalf?Guest Bio:Jen Wilkin is an author and Bible teacher from Dallas, Texas. She has organized and led studies for women in home, church, and parachurch contexts. An advocate for Bible literacy, her passion is to see others become articulate and committed followers of Christ, with a clear understanding of why they believe what they believe, grounded in the Word of God.Resources Mentioned in This Episode:“Otherness” Jen WilkinPsalm 16:5-6Amazon affiliate links are used where appropriate. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, thank you for supporting Training the Church.Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | TwitterOur Sister Shows:Knowing Faith | Confronting ChristianityThe Family Discipleship Podcast is a podcast of Training the Church. For ad-free episodes and more content check out our Patreon. Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteEditing and support by The Good Podcast Co. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Adam Griffin, Cassie Bryant, and Chelsea Griffin are joined by David Thomas from Raising boys and Girls to discuss what it looks like to raise emotionally strong children in today’s culture.Questions Covered in This Episode:For those who don’t know you, David, would you introduce yourself and tell us about you, your family, and your ministry?What’s been your favorite episode of Season 4 of the Raising Boys and Girls Podcast?Can you give us a little bit of the story of where this book came from? Can you tell us about the emotional health we see in Jesus? How can we all model that when our culture is going in the other direction?In the book, you talk about what it might be like if we prioritized emotional health the way we prioritize youth sports or academics. What would it look like in our families if we were doing that? What would have to change?Can you help us understand the three “R’s” that you talk about, “Recognize, Regulate, and Repair”?When it comes to regulating, how do you know when to encourage which strategy? i.e. go work it out physically or go breathe.One of my favorite lines in your book is “In life, we’ve been promised struggle, but we’ve also been guaranteed hope.” Please talk to us about that. What is the hope?You talk about being on a mission to bring back journaling. How do you see that as an important part of dealing with our emotions?If someone doesn’t journal and they want to start, how would you advise them to start?What are the scriptures you lean on the most when you’re helping families think about raising kids that are emotionally strong?At the conclusion of the book, you encourage the readers to stop asking kids “what do you want to do?” and to start asking “who do you want to be?” Can you help us understand what you mean by that?If our listeners want to pray for you and your family, what can they ask God for on your behalf?Guest Bio:David Thomas is the Director of Family Counseling at Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, TN. He is the co-author of ten books, including the best-selling Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys and Are My Kids on Track? The 12 Emotional, Social & Spiritual Milestones Your Child Needs to Reach as well as his two latest titles Raising Emotionally Strong Boys and Strong and Smart: A Boy’s Guide to Building Healthy Emotions. He is a frequent guest on national television and podcasts, including his own called Raising Boys and Girls, has been featured in publications like The Washington Post and USA Today, and speaks across the country. He and his wife, Connie, have a daughter, twin sons, and a yellow lab named Owen. You can follow him on social media @raisingboysandgirls and find the latest parenting resources at raisingboysandgirls.com.Helpful Definitions:Recognize: Paying attention to the signs and signals my body is going to give me when I am having an emotional response.Regulate: Employing healthy coping skills to help me get from stress to settled.Repair: Taking ownership and doing any needed relational work.Blame: Discharged pain.Shame: Self-contempt.Resources Mentioned in This Episode:“Raising Emotionally Strong Boys” by David ThomasRaising boys and Girls PodcastHope HealsJohn 11, Matthew 26:36-46, Matthew 21:12 Isaiah 53:3, Romans 8:22-23, Romans 5:3-5, Ephesians 4:26, Titus 3:4-5Amazon affiliate links are used where appropriate. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, thank you for supporting Training the Church.Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | TwitterOur Sister Shows:Knowing Faith | Confronting ChristianityThe Family Discipleship Podcast is a podcast of Training the Church. For ad-free episodes and more content check out our Patreon. Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteEditing and support by The Good Podcast Co. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Adam Griffin, Cassie Bryant, and Chelsea Griffin kick off Season 3 talking about how we are called to countercultural parenting and what that looks like.Questions Covered in This Episode:What did you do with your summer?What is our theme this season?Are you seeing families struggling with being different from the culture in your church?Is being countercultural different now than it used to be?What are the topics and subjects that come to mind when you think about being different than the culture?Are you seeing anything in youth culture that is concerning?There are a lot of aspects of Christianity that are not culturally normal. How do those things affect our parenting?One of the verses that come to mind for me on this is Romans 12:2. How does that apply to us as parents?Why do you think people are so tempted to be ashamed of the gospel we believe?Who comes to mind for y’all when you think about someone who showed you how to be countercultural well?How can parents know when and how to say “no”?How do we parent counterculturally without kids or parents villainizing people that believe differently than us? How do we keep our commitment to loving?How is the sifting of the church good for the church?Helpful Definitions:Countercultural: There is a course to this world, a wide path to destruction; that we are called to walk differently than. Then scriptures would call us to walk a narrow path that leads to life. A path that follows Christ as the way, truth, and the life, and that will make us different.Resources Mentioned in This Episode:Romans 12:2, Romans 1:16, Matthew 22:34-40, John 17Episode w/ Jen, Episode on influencesAmazon affiliate links are used where appropriate. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, thank you for supporting Training the Church.Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | TwitterOur Sister Shows:Knowing Faith | Confronting ChristianityThe Family Discipleship Podcast is a podcast of Training the Church. For ad-free episodes and more content check out our Patreon. Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteEditing and support by The Good Podcast Co. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Season 3 of the Family Discipleship podcast begins on August 29! In this episode, Adam Griffin, Chelsea Griffin, and Cassie Bryant preview what is to come in Season 3 as they cover countercultural parenting!Questions Covered in This Episode:What is our theme for this season?Who are some of the guests we expect to hear from this season?What topics are we covering?What are you looking forward to this season?How do you feel about pineapple upside-down cake?Resources Mentioned in This Episode:Raising Boys & GirlsTiny Theologians“Raising Emotionally Strong Boys” by David Thomas“10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) about Christianity” by Rebecca McLaughlinAmazon affiliate links are used where appropriate. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, thank you for supporting Training the Church.Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | TwitterOur Sister Shows:Knowing Faith | Confronting ChristianityThe Family Discipleship Podcast is a podcast of Training the Church. For ad-free episodes and more content check out our Patreon. Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteEditing and support by The Good Podcast Co. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the twenty sixth episode of the Family Discipleship Podcast the hosts (Adam Griffin and Cassie Bryant) talk about Father’s Day and fatherhood with Bryan Loritts. Questions we asked Bryan about in this episode: As it pertains to your book on fatherhood, The Dad Difference, can you tell us why you wrote it? What was the heart behind this project?One of things you say very early on in the book is that “For better or for worse, right or wrong, by his absence or presence, Dad’s shadow looms large over our lives.” Can you unpack that for us some?Why do dads make such a difference?What kind of cultural shift will it take for men to think rightly about work outside the home and about the labor of love to lead their family?Your book is built around four things to give our kids; relationship, integrity, teaching, and experiences. Can you sum those up for us briefly to catch the drift of the vision you’re casting?You write about how “coddling moms and passive dads” over value their child’s happiness. How do you advise parents to love and lead their children well without making their kids feel like they are the center of the universe?What is the difference in the home of a parent struggling with pride that will not admit fault and what does that do to a family and then what does humility foster in a family?You do such a great job equipping parents with the things you write in this book. Could you take a second to encourage the discouraged parent? What do you say to the mom or dad who read what you wrote and they feel like they fall so desperately short of the picture you’re painting?How do we invest now in raising men to lead well one day?Are there any passages of scripture about fatherhood that stick out to you? Where do you root your parenting in the word?Some of our favorite quotes from Bryan in this episode:“Every man is either going to be a tailwind or a headwind in the lives of their children. Either by my presence or absence. By my activity or my passivity.”“Dads make such a difference because that’s the way God intended. I think the most profound word in the English language is “dad.” I am handing to my kids their paradigm of what the Heavenly Father looks like.”“Men, typically we are wired towards significance and we typically battle trying to find significance in other things. For a lot of us it’s success on the job, it’s money, so we are providing a certain kind of lifestyle, in a certain neighborhood with a certain house, and we vacation a certain way. What that inevitably does is run counter to the greatest means of provision that your child needs. That’s not just your resources, it’s your actual presence.”“We can be so busy buying things for our kids that those things serve as surrogates for our presence in their lives.”“The idolatry of the family is horrible. Our kids aren’t made to bear the crushing weight of deity.”“I’m following Jesus Christ today because I saw authenticity in my dad’s walk with the Lord and how that bled out into his relationship with others.”“Before we’d get disciplined, my dad would read us a proverb. He constantly wanted to thread things back to the word of God and that helped me to see that my sin didn’t just break a rule, it broke the heart of God.”“Looking at the typical American. If you were to reduce the parental aspiration for our kids down to one word it would be “happy.” That is not going to cut it as a biblical view of what we should pursue for our children.”“When I am constantly trying to orchestrate and micromanage my kids’ lives so that there is always comfort, there’s always enjoyment, there’s always happiness. At the same time what I am depleting them of is strength and resiliency.”Resources mentioned in this episode:The Dad Difference“Christ calls us to care for those living in poverty—including parents working hard for their children’s future. Download your free copy of Created to Flourish: How Employment-Based Solutions Help Eradicate Poverty, to learn how. HOPE International fights physical and spiritual poverty in 16 countries through Christ-centered microenterprise development.”To keep up with the Family Discipleship Podcast, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. To read more about family discipleship, check out the book Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home Through Time, Moments, and Milestones by Adam Griffin and Matt Chandler. The Family Discipleship Podcast is a podcast of Training the Church.  Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteEditing and support by The Good Podcast Co. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the twenty fifth episode of the Family Discipleship Podcast the hosts (Adam Griffin and Cassie Bryant) talk about heaven with Joni Eareckson Tada. Questions we talked about in this episode: You have done so much to help churches serve people with disabilities. Can you share with us the vision of Joni and friends and all that your organization does?How can a church lead well in this area, even if they don’t have a lot of resources?What led to wanting to write to kids about heaven?Why do you think there are so many cultural misconceptions about heaven? Which misconceptions affect kids in particular??Why do you think it’s important for parents to talk with kids about the afterlife?How has your theology of eternal life impacted the way you see life and God?How do you help kids see that the best thing about heaven is Jesus?How can parents have good conversations with their kids about someone’s death?Are there any passages of scripture about heaven that you have a particular love for?Some of our favorite quotes from Joni in this episode:“I love thinking about heaven. I love investing in heaven. Every little thing I do down here on earth. Everything I do has a direct bearing on my capacity for service and worship and joy in heaven. I don’t want to waste my suffering. I don’t want to waste my afflictions. I want to build things that will last for eternity. And I want to stretch my heart’s capacity for service and worship and joy for eternity.”“I want moms and dads to build within the hearts of their children a love and a zeal and a passion for, not just heaven, but Jesus.”“I want to help children get past the myths of me-centeredness in heaven.”“I think our thoughts about heaven are lazy. We tend to buy into the world’s fables about heaven…It’s all about ‘I’m gonna be happy forever.’ That is true, but it’s so much more.”“It is a parent’s job to connect the heartfelt expressions of children and immediately connect that to God. Draw a direct line from their little hearts and connect it directly to their Lord Jesus.”Resources mentioned in this episode:The Joni BookThe Awesome Super Fantastic Forever Party“Christ calls us to care for those living in poverty—including parents working hard for their children’s future. Download your free copy of Created to Flourish: How Employment-Based Solutions Help Eradicate Poverty, to learn how. HOPE International fights physical and spiritual poverty in 16 countries through Christ-centered microenterprise development.”To keep up with the Family Discipleship Podcast, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. To read more about family discipleship, check out the book Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home Through Time, Moments, and Milestones by Adam Griffin and Matt Chandler. The Family Discipleship Podcast is a podcast of Training the Church.  Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteEditing and support by The Good Podcast Co. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the twenty fourth episode of the Family Discipleship Podcast the hosts (Adam Griffin and Cassie Bryant) talk about motherhood with author, podcaster, and mother, Emily Jensen from Risen Motherhood. Questions we talked about in this episode: One of the reasons we wanted to talk with you on our Mother’s Day episode is that a few years ago you wrote an absolutely beautiful book, Risen Motherhood. For those who have not read the book, can you tell us what it is about and why you wrote it? You also have a really fantastic podcast by the same name, Risen Motherhood. What led to the idea to minister to moms as you do? Which of the chapters that you wrote is most precious to you? Does any one of them stand out? What are the words that you feel like you find yourself needing to hear over and over again as a mom yourself? How has being a mom shaped your view of God’s love? What are the common struggles and challenges that you think Christian moms are facing in this generation? Would you mind giving us a glimpse into what that has looked like for you and your husband? What are the truths in God’s word that you really cling to as a mother? If you got to sit down with a brand new mom and give her some gospel wisdom as she is just getting started on this journey, what could you say that would really encourage her? Do you have any words of challenge or words of encouragement that you wish dads out there could hear and believe for their family?Some of our favorite quotes from Emily in this episode:“A lot of our questions in motherhood come down to matters of conscience and matters of freedom that take a lot of wisdom and discernment and prayer as we do life with other people. It’s not something that has a cookie cutter answer.” - Emily Jensen“It’s so tough and I see it more and more every year. There is so much pressure to be everything and to do everything well...It’s just crippling. It’s so good that the gospel answers that pressure.” - Emily Jensen“Where are there some older women who can fill these gaps and teach us these things we don’t know? Hopefully the church.” - Emily JensenResources mentioned in this episode:Risen Motherhood bookRisen Motherhood podcast“Christ calls us to care for those living in poverty—including parents working hard for their children’s future. Download your free copy of Created to Flourish: How Employment-Based Solutions Help Eradicate Poverty, to learn how. HOPE International fights physical and spiritual poverty in 16 countries through Christ-centered microenterprise development.”To keep up with the Family Discipleship Podcast, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. To read more about family discipleship, check out the book Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home Through Time, Moments, and Milestones by Adam Griffin and Matt Chandler. The Family Discipleship Podcast is a podcast of Training the Church.  Follow Us:Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteEditing and support by The Good Podcast Co. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.