The Family Discipleship Podcast

On the thirteenth episode of the Family Discipleship Podcast the hosts (Adam Griffin, Chelsea Griffin, and Cassie Bryant) talk about family discipleship modeling, what it looks like for parents to have a genuine walk with God themselves and repent where they fall short.Questions we addressed in this episode:What are modeling, time, moments, and milestones?Why is having a personal faith a critical component of leading a family?Are we asking parents to be perfect or at least pretend they are for their kids sake?If someone took a look at your calendar or read a transcript of everything you said in a week, what would they conclude are the most important things going on in your life?Do you see any inconsistencies between what you tell your kids is right and what they see you doing or saying?What do you think it looks life for a parent to be “diligent in caring for their own soul”?What are the biggest challenges that parents face when it comes to personal spiritual disciplines?To the parent who says, “I’m too busy” or “I’m too uneducated” or “I’m too… anything” what encouragement or challenge can you offer them?Howard Hendricks used to say that one of the best ways to love your kids is to love your spouse well. For our listeners who are married, what could spiritual discipline or a walk with Christ together look like for them?Some of our favorite quotes from this episode:“If it’s a reality that my greatest joy is my union with Christ. If that’s where my truest identity is, that’s where my hope is, that’s where I gain freedom, and I desperately want my kids to have that same freedom, then I need to be able to model for them what that looks like. I want them to see something truly great, that there really is freedom in Christ. That there really is joy in the midst of grief. That we have hope in a broken world. That needs to be true for me before I could possibly try to tell my kids about it.” - Chelsea Griffin“You are modeling something totally unattainable for your kids if you aren’t showing them your failures, mistakes, hardships, or challenges.” - Cassie Bryant“Don’t hide your failures from your kids in an attempt to keep from tarnishing your reputation with your child, use them as an opportunity to show your kids how a man or a woman of God fails and repents.” - Adam Griffin“Kids are watching and that’s why modeling is so important because they’re little sponges.” - Cassie BryantResources mentioned in this episode:Habits of GraceThe Common RuleLiturgy for the OrdinaryThe Gospel Comes with a HousekeyThe Bible ProjectThe Dwell Bible AppStreetlights BibleTo 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 twelfth episode of the Family Discipleship Podcast the hosts (Adam Griffin, and Cassie Bryant) talk with Christian musicians Shane and Shane. Shane Barnard and Shane Everett have been writing music and leading worship for more than 20 years together. You can find them online at https://www.shaneandshane.com/ and on social media at https://www.instagram.com/shaneandshane/Questions we asked Shane and Shane in this episode:You two have been leading people in worship for a long time. What does family worship look like in your home? Are y’all always singing?  What role do you think music can or should play in discipling a family? What do you say to the father/mother who is not musically gifted?You’ve got a new album coming out for kids worship, “Worship in the Word.” Can you tell us some about the purpose of the project and how it came about? Are there any songs on the album that really stick out to you personally? What wisdom do you have for parents that are struggling to find music that their kids will love that doesn’t dishonor God? How do you see these songs from your “Worship in the Word” album being used? What’s your vision for the impact that this kind of music could have?  Do you see these songs being something that are used in churches? How can/should a children’s minister benefit from the music y’all are putting out? Why do you think God gave us the ability to sing? What does that tell us about God? Before we let you go, would you mind sharing with us, what are the prayers you have for your kids right now? If our listeners want to pray for the Barnards and the Everetts, what can they ask God for on your behalf?Some of our favorite quotes from Shane and Shane in this episode:“I want to be able to be a part of helping my kids be able to talk to God in song”“We do have real needs. At school, there’s all kinds of drama, there are all kinds of disappointments, and wants. We can go to God. We have songs that help us go to him.”“We don’t know what we’re doing other than trying to point our daughter to Jesus and keep an open dialogue.”“With this music or whatever music we create we want to whet the appetite for the word of God, period. That’s where wisdom is found.”Resources mentioned in this episode:Worship in the Word AlbumRightnow Media“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 eleventh episode of the Family Discipleship Podcast the hosts (Adam Griffin, Cassie Bryant, and Chelsea Griffin) talk about different approaches Christian parents take to talking with their kids about Santa Claus. Questions that we discussed in this episode:What are the different approaches Christian parents are taking toward Santa? Is telling kids about Santa lying to them? Does Santa distract us from what we celebrate at Christmas? How do American Christmas traditions help us point our family to Christ? Is there anywhere in the bible where the celebration of the Christmas holiday is a command given to Christians? Resources we’d recommend based on this episodeSanta Strategically by Jen Wilkin Thoughts for Parents Who Don’t Do Santa by Thabiti Anyabwile 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 Christian parenting podcast from 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.

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 Christian parenting podcast from 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 tenth episode of the Family Discipleship Podcast Cassie and Chelsea are joined by Caroline Smiley, a theologian and a mother. Cassie, Chelsea, and Caroline talk about the theology of parenting and leading kids. Questions we discussed on this episode:How has studying and learning enriched parenthood for you? How has being a mother affected your theology? How has being a mom affected how you see God? How does the gospel shape the way you face motherhood challenges?What are some truths about God that have been foundational for you and your household? If you got to give a brand new parent any theological advice, what would you say? 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 Christian parenting podcast from 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 ninth episode of the Family Discipleship Podcast the hosts (Adam Griffin, Cassie Bryant, and Chelsea Griffin) address a very common issue that Christian parents face, parent guilt.. Questions that we answered in this episode:Why is having a Romans 3:23 vision of parenting important for parents? What is the difference between being hard on yourself for not being a better parent and sinning in omission or commission that requires repentance? We feel guilty when we think we did something wrong, is there such a thing as right and wrong in Christian parenting? What role does comparison play in parent guilt? Do you see a difference between grief over sin and guilt over unmet expectations? How can moms and dads preach the gospel to themselves when it comes to their parenting shortcomings? What role does community play in addressing parent guilt? Where do you see moms and dads potentially feeling guilty specifically around family discipleship?  What is a godly response to making parenting mistakes? What is the relationship between parenting guilt and Christ’s warning to not be anxious about anything? What does modeling a guilty reaction to our own mistakes model for our kids that we don’t want them to learn from us? If we could not get over our parent guilt, how would you counsel us? Resources mentioned in this episodeGospel Fluency by Jeff VandersteltGentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund 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 Christian parenting podcast from 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 eighth episode of the Family Discipleship Podcast Adam Griffin is joined by JT English and Kyle Worley from the Knowing Faith podcast. They talk about a foundational question, but one that is far from easy - How do you talk with your family about the Trinity? Questions we discussed on this episode:What heresies do you commonly hear when y’all are teaching on the Trinity? We see a lot of people trying to use concrete metaphors to teach kids about the Trinity. What is the worst trinitarian metaphor you’ve ever heard? Why is it important to teach kids about the trinity?Is there a less confusing way to say “three persons in one God”? How do you help kids understand the distinctness and the sameness of the Trinity?When you talk to your kids about the actions of God in their lives do you get specific about the persons of the trinity at work? Is it ok to just say “God”?How does trinitarian theology affect how we teach kids to pray?Is it ok to have some mystery in your answers to kids about the Trinity or should we keep it concrete? If a parent is stumped by a question from their kids or on something you just said, where should they turn? What could they read? Who should they talk to?What are your favorite Old Testament story for teaching on the Trinity?Resources mentioned in this episode:New City Catechism Pitfalls by Kyle WorleyDelighting in the TrinityTo 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 Christian parenting podcast from 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 seventh episode of the Family Discipleship Podcast the hosts (Adam Griffin, Cassie Bryant, and Chelsea Griffin) answer a very important question about baptism for Christian parents. Questions that we answered in this episode:What can someone who practices infant baptism expect to get out of a conversation like this? Why is this question an important one? How can a parent know if their child is ready to be baptized? What role do you think peer pressure and parent pressure plays in this conversation? What is the process your church takes or any advice for church workers out there teaching a family baptism class? How can we celebrate a baptism in a way that can make it into a milestone? Any next steps we can suggest for a parent whose kids are clearly not ready? 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 Christian parenting podcast from 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 sixth episode of the Family Discipleship Podcast the hosts (Adam Griffin, Cassie Bryant, and Chelsea Griffin) talk with a special guest, Trillia Newbell, about talking with your family about race and diversity and what it has to do with spiritual leadership. Trillia is an author and speaker in Nashville TN. To learn more about Trillia you can follow her on instagram @trillianewbell and find out more about her ministry at http://www.trillianewbell.com/. Questions we asked Trillia in this episode:What inspired the writing of your children’s books about race and diversity? Were you itching to write them or did someone else ask you to do it? In “God’s Very Good Idea” you say “Everyone you see is different than you, and the same as you.” You’re teaching about the image of God in diverse people. Why is this important for Christian parents to be teaching their kids? How is racial diversity a family discipleship issue? One of the questions you ask kids to consider in “Creative God Colorful Us” is “Why do you think it’s important to love those who don’t look or sound like you?” Can you answer that question for us? Why is that important for our kids?Can you think of examples in the Newbell home where race has been a difficult issue to navigate as you and your husband lead your home? For a lot of parents, racial tension or division in the news is a hard thing to talk about even with their peers. What wisdom could you offer our listeners on processing racism spiritually with their families? What do you say to the parent who is raising kids in a homogenous neighborhood, church, and school? How can they help their family see the beauty in diversity?  Racism and prejudice are sinful, we see that in God’s word. Why do you think parents have such an easier time addressing sins like selfishness, anger, impatience, and lust with our children than we do with addressing prejudice and partiality? If you could go back to when your first child was born and give yourself one piece of advice about the Newbell family’s spiritual life, what would you say? I’m curious about how this conversation has changed in your house for your kids as they reach different ages. You wrote books for different levels, what have the different levels of conversations on this topic looked like in your house? Is there any scripture that you or your family can point to that has been a guide to you in how you’ve led your home spiritually around issues of race and diversity? Before we let you go, would you mind sharing with us, what are the prayers you have for your kids right now? If our listeners want to pray for the Newbells, what can they ask God for on your behalf?Some of our favorite quotes from Trillia Newbell in this episode:Either you’re going to be teaching your children or the culture is going to be teaching your children and we have a choice. So we want to be engaged in what the bible says about people because the world has a different message. We have good, good news. It is good to know that we are all equal in the sight of God. That God has created us all to reflect him. Every person walking this earth has value and worth. It is essential that we are instilling that into our children...It’s of utmost importance, because if we don’t teach them that foundation, how are we going to then teach them about love?  There is evidence of a transformed heart by the way we look and interact with people. It is of utmost importance that we understand that God has created us and that we are commanded to love people who don’t look like us or sound like us. It’s really a foundation of the faith. If you are seeing racism on the news, one thing I wish that we’d all do is learn how to weep with those weep and mourn with those who mourn...We make everything about division or politics when really as families we need to shepherd their hearts and teach them how to pray and how to mourn.I felt valuable because my parents told me I was and no one could take that away. There are so many kids who are walking wounded because of the color of their skin. You have to make the effort to be intentional to enjoy different cultures. You’re not gonna address something with your kids that you haven’t addressed in your own heart. It’s really difficult if you haven’t said, “Ok Lord, where have I failed here? I confess. I repent.”...Parents have to do the hard work of really evaluating their own hearts. We can be apathetic about this topic. If it doesn’t affect me personally then it doesn’t affect me at all. One of the things I realized really early on is that I cannot save my kids. That burden has been lifted. Resources mentioned in this episode:God’s Very Good IdeaCreative God Colorful UsThe Big Wide WelcomeTo 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 Christian parenting podcast from 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 fifth episode of the Family Discipleship Podcast the hosts (Adam Griffin, Cassie Bryant, and Chelsea Griffin) answer some common questions for Christian parents. Questions that we answered in this episode:What if my kids will not sit still for family discipleship time? What if I’ve never been discipled so I don’t know what it looks like?What if my kids are still just babies? What if my kids are disinterested or even resistant/defiant teenagers? What if my kids are older and we’ve neve done ANY spiritual conversations before? What if my spouse is not a Christian OR we don’t see eye to eye on how to lead our family? What if I keep losing my temper with my kids, like what if my behavior is a poor example to my kids? What if our family is “too busy” for family discipleship?What if I’m a parent but I don’t feel super theologically competent? What if my kid has special needs? What if we have a big family? How do we make time or give focus to every kid? What if we want or need a resource to help us get started as a family? What resources do you recommend for family discipleship?Resources mentioned in this episode: Praying Through the Bible for your Kids  A Father’s Guide to Blessing His ChildrenJesus Storybook BibleBig Picture Interactive Bible StorybookMarty Machowski DevotionalsThe Garden the Curtain and the CrossThe Good Book Company Children’s BookJesus Kids Album by Shai LinneSlugs and Bugs AlbumSeeds Family WorshipFoundations by Ruth Chou SimonsIntentional Father by Jon TysonKing Me by Steve FarrarRaising a Modern Day KnightTo 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 Christian parenting podcast from 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.