A senior in high school…and pregnant?! That’s when God’s grace became so evident in Erin Kunkle’s life. At the 2024 MAVEN Coram Deo Conference in Florida, Erin talked about facing the reality of becoming a single teen mom months before her high school graduation and how God’s grace rescued her in her time of need. Her story is also a powerful reminder of the intrinsic value of every human life.

Parents struggle with how much to protect their kids from the difficulties of life, especially the passing of a loved one. When it comes to the reality of death, are our kids ready to confront the pain and suffering that accompanies it? The Kunkle Family recently experienced a loss and are navigating this as well. So we're replaying one of our early episodes on this very topic: Should we take kids to a funeral? In this episode, Brett and Erin discuss a biblical worldview perspective on life...

Should we even read the Old Testament to our kids? The Old Testament has some rough passages: genocide, sex, idol worship, etc. And it can raise some tough theological questions that we might not be prepared for. In this episode, Brett and Erin interview Dr. Paul Copan a professor of philosophy, a widely-published author, and a skilled apologist on why we should not shy away from navigating these tough Old Testament passages with our kids.   Watch our interview with Greg Koukl:...

Parents, what was our mantra from last week? That's right, make kids do hard things! In the last episode, we identified what coddling looks like, how it's become the modern parenting norm, and listed some examples in the Kunkle family of pushing kids to do hard things. In this episode, Brett and Erin outline the biblical view of suffering and trials and explore the practical benefits of pushing kids outside their comfort zones. Don't miss Part 1 of this conversation:...

Coddling is a major problem in American culture. It might come with good intentions, but when we remove obstacles from our kids' lives, we can actually prevent them from learning the valuable lessons they need to grow into functional adults. In this episode, Brett and Erin confront the epidemic of coddling among parents and discuss a few instances where they've wrestled with letting kids do hard things. For more info about the Florida Student Conference,...

Kids' sports aren't about winning or merely having fun! Nowhere else in our culture today is there a space where the virtues of humility, strength, and courage are nurtured in our kids the way they are in sports. In this episode, Brett and Erin continue their discussion on the powerful role kids' sports play in developing in our children a love for glorifying God and developing virtues essential to a robust Christian worldview. Watch Part 1 of this series on Kids' Sports here:...

Kids' sports can take over life! The pressure and level of commitment in kids' sports seems higher than ever AND at younger ages. In this episode, Brett and Erin address a frequent question they get from parents across the country: How do I navigate the commitment kids' sports demands as a Christian? How can I possibly teach my kids to rightly order the priorities of sports and faith? And how does my Christianity inform the way I see and approach sports?

How do we pass on the importance of Easter and the Resurrection of Christ to our kids? If they have questions or doubts, what's the best way we can respond? In this episode, Brett and Erin interview Mike Licona, a Christian apologist, academic scholar, and expert on the Resurrection. They explore his journey to faith, his book The Case For The Resurrection, and why it is absolutely essential to equip your kids with the evidence for why the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is true.

Our culture has created a false dichotomy in parenting. Pop parenting trends tend to focus either purely on emotions (what they call "the heart") or purely on outward actions (obedience). But as we examined in Part 1, these parenting strategies ignore the reality that the human person is both body and soul (heart). In this episode, Brett and Erin unpack more Scripture about the heart and discuss how the biblical definition of the heart helps us practically navigate and avoid the pitfalls of...

Parents are told repeatedly that rules and discipline don't really change a child's heart AND that it's the heart which is the most important issue. Therefore, much of today's parenting advice can subtlety undermine the idea of strong rules, boundaries and discipline. In order to navigate the maze of modern parenting advice, Christian parents must start by asking some vital questions. Do we know what we're even referring to when we talk about our kids' "heart?" What does the Bible say about...

In this special episode, we bring you the profound story and testimony of Emily Komoszewski, a young woman who tragically passed away in 2021. Shelley, Emily's mom, shared her daughter's story at the 2024 California MAVEN Conference where she recounted the aching questions of faith she had to wrestle with in the wake of her unimaginable loss and how she found refuge in the foundation of Scripture. Following Shelley's talk, Brett explores how grief and pain over such an intense loss ultimately...

How do we make sure our kids are trained in the Christian worldview? How do we look beyond the popular parenting or Sunday school trends? Recorded LIVE at the 2024 California MAVEN Conference, Brett and Erin chat with Christian apologist and cold-case detective J. Warner Wallace about his story, journey to faith, and the practical strategies he used to pass the Christian worldview on to his kids. Check out J. Warner Wallace's resources here: https://coldcasechristianity.com/ Explore more...

Parents, have you ever asked your kid, "Hey, what do you think about work?" How would they respond? In the past 2 episodes, we've highlighted the struggle Gen Z is experiencing with work ethic and outlined a theology of work according to the Bible. Now, it's time to get down to specifics. In this episode, Brett and Erin unpack 9 very practical ways you can engage and strengthen your child's view of work and work ethic. Read the article mentioned in the episode:...

Our theology should touch every single area of life. So, does your family have a theology of washing the dishes or mowing the lawn? Well, all of these flow from having a strong grasp of work's role in the Christian worldview: what work is and why we should do it as illuminated by the light of Scripture. In this episode, Brett and Erin outline a theology of work to help you equip your kids to navigate work today. Want to register your family for the MAVEN Conference?...

Do you remember when you got your first job? Odds are it wasn't super spectacular, but it did allow you to earn some spending money and taught you some essential skills. Studies are finding that Gen Z is struggling in the workforce with skills like professional behavior or confidence. In this episode, Brett and Erin respond to some studies about Gen Z and their working woes and begin to outline the necessity of work in the Christian worldview as a way to teach kids how to enter the...

Parents, do you need to "do better?" Popular parenting influencer BillyVSCO thinks so, ending each of his parenting videos with this mantra. He's one of hundreds of prominent social media voices offering parenting advice on everything from discipline to discipleship. So how can Christian parents possibly sort through all the contradictory advice and noise online? In this episode, Brett and Erin respond to a couple of BillyVSCO's videos and walk you through strategies for sifting through good...

Parents, do you need to "do better?" Popular parenting influencer BillyVSCO thinks so, ending each of his parenting videos with this mantra. He's one of hundreds of prominent social media voices offering parenting advice on everything from discipline to discipleship. So how can Christian parents possibly sort through all the contradictory advice and noise online? In this episode, Brett and Erin respond to a couple of BillyVSCO's videos and walk you through strategies for sifting through good...

How does Scripture define faith? Last week, we discussed some of the mistaken views of faith that are popular in the church today. In this episode, Brett and Erin explore 3 key Scriptures that help us accurately define faith, and equip you with some practical parenting strategies for passing a true view of faith to your kids. Listen to Part 1 of this conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSzMM_mSYY8 Check out our interview with Greg Koukl here:...

How does Scripture define faith? Last week, we discussed some of the mistaken views of faith that are popular in the church today. In this episode, Brett and Erin explore 3 key Scriptures that help us accurately define faith, and equip you with some practical parenting strategies for passing a true view of faith to your kids. Listen to Part 1 of this conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSzMM_mSYY8 Check out our interview with Greg Koukl here:...

How would you define faith? Does it depend on how many Bible facts we know or is faith just a feeling? Unfortunately, many Christians hold a mistaken view of faith and don't even know it. We hear the word "faith" used by pastors, fellow Christians, and sometimes even by atheists. But, how many of us know what it really means? In this episode, Brett and Erin unpack some of the most prevalent mistaken views of faith that have seeped into the church today.

How would you define faith? Does it depend on how many Bible facts we know or is faith just a feeling? Unfortunately, many Christians hold a mistaken view of faith and don't even know it. We hear the word "faith" used by pastors, fellow Christians, and sometimes even by atheists. But, how many of us know what it really means? In this episode, Brett and Erin unpack some of the most prevalent mistaken views of faith that have seeped into the church today.

When our kids have questions or hang-ups about faith, is there a strategic way to approach those conversations? How can we equip our kids well so that one day they are ripe to become ambassadors for Christ? In this episode, Brett and Erin talk with Greg Koukl, a Christian apologist, author, and the president of Stand To Reason about his new book, Street Smarts, and about how parents can use questions to pass on their faith to their kids and give them tools to navigate our culture.   Buy...

When our kids have questions or hang-ups about faith, is there a strategic way to approach those conversations? How can we equip our kids well so that one day they are ripe to become ambassadors for Christ? In this episode, Brett and Erin talk with Greg Koukl, a Christian apologist, author, and the president of Stand To Reason about his new book, Street Smarts, and about how parents can use questions to pass on their faith to their kids and give them tools to navigate our culture. Buy Greg's...

Happy New Year to the MAVEN Parent Podcast community! Are you ready for 2024? At MAVEN, we want to come alongside and support you in the discipleship of you and your kids in the year ahead. In this episode, Brett and Erin outline MAVEN's upcoming resources in 2024 to help you plan your year with intentionality.   MAVEN Conferences: https://www.mavenconferences.com/   Open Enrollment Trip: https://maventruth.com/open-enrollment/