BaseCamp Live

Classical Christian schools believe the Greeks understood something critical about human nature and how to raise up a fully formed human being.  They missed out on the Christian answers but got the questions right. Their view of the ultimate end, or telos of an education, still rings true today.  Ask a modern parent on the street corner what they want out of their child’s education and you are likely to hear something along the lines of to just “be happy, moral and get a good job” But the Greeks wanted more for their children, and so should we!  Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.comDon't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Counselor, Keith McCurdy, is back on this episode. He joined me onstage at this summer’s SCL conference, and we decided we should share that interview, where we discuss the truth of the mental health crisis, with all of you on the podcast. Keith’s wisdom on how to interpret what we are hearing, in terms of the statistics and reports that so often fill our news feeds, is invaluable. He puts it all in perspective, along with some sage advice. We also discuss ways we as parents and educators can be sure we are healthy and connected in meaningful community and relationships as an antidote to rising rates of isolation and ever-present screens and technology. How can we be agents of restoration and healing in our homes and schools while the culture continues to polarize and divide? There is good news! We covered a lot of ground. You don’t want to miss this episode of BCL. Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.comDon't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

His book review says it all – “In a world of 280-character social media posts, we desperately need to cultivate again our holy imaginations through good reading, especially with our children.” In The Sanctus Chronicles: The Plague of Tradium, author Dustin Leimgruber writes a new inspirational work of fiction in the tradition of Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. Dustin joins me in this episode for a conversation on his new book and a discussion on the essential need for reading and writing new works to captivate and form us as adults and the next generation by offering an appealing, soul-forming alternative to the digital distractions in our midst. Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.comDon't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

One of the reasons we love classical Christian education is because it fully restores the way just about everyone in the west was educated up until 100 years ago. At the turn of the century, significant changes took place that led to where we are today, not only in education but even further downstream in our culture. ACCS president David Goodwin joins us to share from his new book: Battle for the American Mind, which topped  the New York Times bestsellers list after just a month on the market.  He winsomely explains a number of pivotal moments that forever changed American schools, which all parents and educators need to be aware of, and that will honestly inspire you to be even more grateful and engaged in this amazing generation-shaping process we call Classical Christian Education. Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.comDon't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Classical Christian education is a powerful antidote to the all-pervasive and alluring secular culture that daily pulls and shapes what our children love. The effectiveness of our schools is not only the content of our  Great Books curriculum and training the mind with skills of logic and rhetoric, but our ability to form habits, loves, and what our children value and pursue. But we also have to recognize that much of the formation happens not in the classrooms but in the hallways. Our guest, Jordan Tucker, is an expert in developing an effective house program that is one of the most profound culture-shaping forces in our schools, impacting not only classrooms but hallways and even homes.  Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.comDon't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

On this episode of BaseCamp Live, we hear a first-hand perspective from the high school classroom. The capstone project for every CCE student is their senior thesis. Senior Christina Burkhalter joins me to share the thesis she wrote, presented, and defended, titled: The Art of Classical Education as an Effort to Restore the Joy of Learning. She presents some of her thoughtful research and reflects on her first hand experiences of her own K-12 school journey. Her enthusiasm is contagious and a reminder to all of us parents and educators why this effort to raise up the next generation in classical Christian schools is so critical and fruitful. Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.comDon't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

I’ve said before that students in K-12 Classical Christian schools are often the most neglected population in our schools. What do I mean by that? School leaders put a lot of energy into educating parents, grandparents, donors, even alumni, but our own students often miss out on the vision casting and opportunities for buy-in to the model and the amazing education they are receiving every day. And parents with children who start out in Kindergarten usually don’t spend a lot of time over the subsequent years explaining why they are in a CCE school. So how do we better onboard older students who join a CCE education in the middle or high school years?  Along the way, our students dutifully put on their uniforms and follow what is expected, but what if we took the time to give them a beautiful vision for their education and help them to “own it,” even love it. Josh Gibbs is back to talk about his newest publication that he directed specifically to prospective and current students to help them understand and lean in on the gift of a Classical Christian education. Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.comDon't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Today we tackle a challenging topic - one not easy but one that has reached an epidemic level among all communities around the world, and even more so since Covid. Greg Love, founder of Ministry Safe, an organization that has partnered with many of our schools and churches already, joins us today. He walks us through the sobering reality of child sexual abuse. And just when we may be thinking: I don’t think I can handle any more bad news, he offers us encouragement for practical ways to approach this topic wisely. What is the balance between becoming overly fearful and falling into the ditch of casual indifference, assuming our children are immune? If you are leading a family or a school, really any organization with children, please join us for this important episode of BasecampLive. Resource Links:Ministry SafeArticle 11 - False Alligations (3.27.21)Article 11 - False Alligations (April 2021) Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.comDon't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Is it godly to be anti-tech? Recent studies indicate the average American teen is spending 7-9 hours a day in front of a screen. Even if our students are not consumed by media 7-9 hours a day, technology for us as adults and our children is an inevitable part of life. Too often our way of mitigating this influence is simply to implement an ever-increasing number and kind of filters and controls. While that is important, my guest today, Tony Reinke, provides a thoughtful and thorough examination of our relationship with technology and the underlying theology we should use to choose how to live the Christian life well in our digital age. Tony’s observations are both realistic and hopeful as he makes practical recommendations for how we live in the world of technology but keep from being of it! Join Davies Owens for the latest episode of BaseCamp Live.---Tony Reinke is a journalist, teacher, and host of the Ask Pastor John podcast for Desiring God. He is the author of Lit!: A Christian Guide to Reading Books and Competing Spectacles and 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You.  Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.comDon't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Classical Christian folks celebrate high-level thinking, and rightly so, but as humans, we are ultimately driven by our hearts and imaginations. Reading great literature isn’t just for mental push-ups, it is to engage living stories with powerful influential narratives that shape how we see ourselves and the world around us. If we are ever going to compete with the world of screens, it is through great literature. And it is ultimately through the renewal of our stories and our imaginations that we gain the perspectives and encouragement we need to be more like Christ. Join Davies Owens for an engaging conversation with Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson as she shares from her new book, The Scandal of Holiness: Renewing your Imagination in the Company of Literary Saints. Whether you are a classroom teacher, a parent, a person striving to reignite your faith and spiritual disciplines, or all of the above, you don’t want to miss this episode. Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.comDon't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.