Church and Family Life Podcast

It’s easy to complain that the culture’s crumbling all around us. But as homes go, so goes the nation. When fathers and mothers neglect reading the Bible daily to their family and directing their children in God’s ways, nations fall into decay. The remedy comes not in changing Washington, London, or Paris, but in transforming our homes by practicing regular family worship and putting God at the center of everything. In this podcast, Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by special guest Jeff Pollard, urge dads to open their Bibles daily and fill their homes with the knowledge of God. They shouldn’t wait for “experts” to fill the void, but simply read what His Word says to their children, pray and sing with them, and point their family to Christ. While God’s grace is essential for salvation and godliness, to rebuild our crumbling culture, families must resolve to humbly worship God six days a week in their homes, and then come together for gathered worship on the Lord’s Day. This is the path to rebuild a nation in decay. 

Jon English Lee’s new book, There Remains a Sabbath Rest for the People of God answers the question: Are Christians are bound to keep the sabbath? Or is it simply a relic of Israel’s law system that was fulfilled in Christ? The answer comes in the Fourth Commandment. We’re to “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exod. 20:8) because God established it as a creation ordinance, “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it” (Exod. 20:11).  In this podcast, Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by special guest Jon English Lee, give an overview of the Scripture’s teaching on the Sabbath, explaining that, following creation, God Himself—who needs no rest—modeled rest for man for his refreshment and benefit (Gen. 2:1-3). And Jesus, during His earthly ministry, upheld this pattern, with His apostles moving its observance to the first day of the week, following Christ’s resurrection (Mark 16:2; Acts 20:7). Honoring the Sabbath acknowledges we are not ultimately dependent on the fruitfulness of our own labor, so we should put down the plow each Lord’s Day, worship God, and rest.  

Every year should be a year of consecration. So as we enter 2025, we should set our yearly goals apart to God for His glory. This requires looking to Him for wisdom and ordering our way rightly, as the Psalmist cries: “Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me” (Ps. 119:133).  In this podcast, Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by special guest Carlton McLeod, discuss the need to sanctify ourselves as we make New Year’s Resolutions, desiring to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). This starts by humbly acknowledging God has given us another year to experience His goodness and to rejoice in His sovereign hand. Once we have this in proper view, we should dedicate ourselves to His service by pursuing goals that honor Christ. 

Leading one’s family in God’s ways requires focus and resolve. With the world arrayed against us, we must proclaim with Joshua, “as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Josh. 24:15). As parents, we must not only love God with all our heart, soul, and strength, and keep His commands (Deut. 6:4-5), but we must “teach them diligently to [our] children, and shall talk of them when [we] sit in [our] house, when [we] walk by the way, when [we] lie down, and when [we rise up” (Deut. 6:6-7).  In this podcast, Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by special guest Carlton McLeod, discuss five ways to double down on your family: (1) Identify a consistent spot in your schedule for family worship; (2) Pick a strategy for reading the Bible; (3) Squeeze more life out of your local church; (4) Have a discipleship goal for each of your children; and (5) Take one high-impact trip as a family. They then add key reasons to do so, including the fact that the Bible has put family discipleship squarely in your laps, and your role as parents is one of the greatest privileges of a lifetime. 

Delayed obedience. Partial obedience. Rolling of the eyes. “Selective” listening. A dishonorable tone. Such gestures are tell-tale signs of a child who doesn’t honor their parents from the heart. And whenever parents see such signs, they have a duty to promptly get on top of these problems and secure first-time obedience from their children—for it will not go well with them if they fail to honor their father and mother (Exod. 20:12).  In this podcast, Scott Brown and Jason Dohm discuss the need for parents to insist on first-time obedience with their children. Slow obedience is disobedience, they explain, for it reflects a heart of dishonor. Proverbs gives this helpful corrective, “The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother” (Prov. 29:15). The message is clear: Passivity in child training will lead to disaster. Proper training of our children, on the other hand, requires verbal instruction, with physical discipline to back it up. 

One of the pivotal duties of a father is to lead his family daily in prayer. Whenever dads fail to do this, more often than not, the rest of their family’s prayer life will languish. A father’s prayers should be marked by praise to God for His many mercies. Dads should lead the way in acknowledging their own inability and weakness, even as they appeal to the Giver of all good things for their family’s every need.   In this podcast, Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by special guest Paul White, discuss the importance of a father’s prayer life, outlining seven reasons dads should pray daily with their families: One, because we receive family mercies every day from God’s hand; two, because of the sins committed in our families; three, because we have wants that none can supply but God; four, because of our family’s daily employments and labors; five, because we’re liable, every day, to temptations; six, because all in our family are liable to daily hazards, casualties, and afflictions; and seven, if we fail to pray, the very heathen will rise up and condemn us.  

Corporate singing as a church is vital to the health and well-being of the body. Through it, we teach and admonish one another, even as we stir up good affections toward God and praise His glorious name. The songs we sing tell us what kind of God we worship and what kind of gospel we're proclaiming. Singing together brings joy to God’s people and is one of the most spiritually unifying things that the church ever does. In this podcast, Scott Brown and Trent Moody, joined by special guest Chris Law, discuss how to build vigorous and happy cultures of singing in the local church. Rather than treat corporate singing as a secondary matter, they encourage church shepherds to make it a high priority. This involves carefully shaping the music chosen—which should include “psalms . . .  hymns, and spiritual songs” (Col. 3:16)—and calling the whole church body to embrace singing together as a gift to be cultivated for God’s glory.  

How should Christians plan and celebrate their wedding and reception? What should the wedding say and emphasize? And how should we conduct ourselves? Here’s good news! God has not left us to flounder. His all-sufficient Word provides what we need to make wise choices in planning this special day.  In this podcast, Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by special guest Carlton McLeod, share insights from their new book, A Christian Wedding, on how a bride and groom can reflect Christ every step of the way. After overviewing the biblical record of weddings, they then give practical counsel on how to steward your relationships and resources wisely and make God-honoring decisions related to music, wedding attire, and more. Their advice: Showcase the biblical vision for marriage. Put on a wedding you can afford. Reject worldliness—and give your family and friends wonderful pictures of the beauties of Jesus Christ as you come together as one. 

God calls us to be a thankful people (1 Thess. 5:18), and such thanks was powerfully modeled to us by the Pilgrims in Plymouth in 1621. Following a harsh start where half their number died due to sickness and starvation, they gathered the next Fall to celebrate God’s goodness. Joined by local Indians such as Chief Massasoit and Squanto, they feasted, played games, and gave thanks to their Maker for blessing them with an abundant harvest.   In this podcast, Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by special guest Al Burke, give practical tips on how to celebrate Thanksgiving Day as a family. Along with fitting songs to sing, they suggest fun games to play rooted in Pilgrim history, special Psalms to rehearse, and Thanksgiving Proclamations and other period accounts to read aloud—all designed for families to enjoy a rich and memorable day of thanks together.     Check Out These Resources as you Plan Your Thanksgiving Day Celebration:  Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford Resource on the Pilgrims history and early Thanksgiving celebrationsRead Online / Purchase Online    Magnalia Christi Americana by Cotton Mather Explores the blessings of God on early America    First Thanksgiving Account by Edward Winslow An eyewitness account of the first Thanksgiving    Continental Congress “Thanksgiving Proclamation” (November 1, 1777) A one-page proclamation for Thanksgiving    George Washington’s “Thanksgiving Proclamation” (October 3, 1789) A historical thanksgiving proclamation    Abraham Lincoln’s “Thanksgiving Address” (October 3, 1863) A thanksgiving and repentance address during the Civil War    The Ainsworth Psalter Used by Pilgrims for singing Psalms, historically tied to early Thanksgiving. Download PDF / Purchase Online     

What drives churches into irrelevancy? What harms the coming generation that’s grown up in the church? What nullifies preaching and doctrine? What compromises the family’s integrity at its core? What damages our witness in the world? It’s syncretism—mixing the things of God with the things of the world. Besides rejecting the true Gospel, syncretism is the greatest threat to the church and family in every age.  In this podcast, Scott Brown and Jason Dohm warn against the dangers of syncretism and give practical counsel on how to avoid it: First, cry out to God that he would resensitize you to the fact that you’re a blood-bought believer who’s to live set apart from the world. Second, double down on God’s Word—meet with the Lord every morning and let him shape your thinking and priorities. Third, double down on your family—don’t let the enemy kick down your home’s door anymore. Fourth, devote yourselves fully to your local church. In all this, resist the mixing the things of God with the things of the world.