Guide Your Kids Through Life's Difficulties What is "lawnmower parenting" and is failure really "not an option"? This week, as we talk about guiding our kids through their troubles, Jesus shows us the perfect parental prayer in John 17:12-19, particularly demonstrating what NOT to ask of the Lord. We also learn how Bryan almost blew up his house as a child — a story worth tuning in for all by itself! And we return to one of our favorite segments, Here's the Story, following the prodigal son down...
Apr 14, 2022•42 min•Ep. 150
Be Purposeful With Your Communication How is understanding our kids like collecting clues to a mystery our children haven't solved themselves? And how do we "answer a fool according to his folly" (Prov. 26:5) while also heeding the instruction to "answer NOT a fool according to his folly" (Prov. 26:4)? This week's conversation is all about how we speak and how we listen, particularly in parenting. Our Top 4 Proverbs on Communication challenge us to consider if our words are "graceful garlands" a...
Apr 07, 2022•45 min•Ep. 149
Reflect God's Grace in Your Parenting One thing every Christian parent seems to have in common is extremely high expectations — for ourselves and our kids. So this week we get to the heart of the gospel, because even in a parenting series we can't go far without relying on God's grace. We draft our A-Team of merciful and gracious people, we talk about the power of an apology, and we wonder, "Which is harder to deal with, your mistakes or your kids'?" Finding Jesus in 2 Corinthians 12, we're remi...
Mar 31, 2022•49 min•Ep. 148
Seize Each Day's Teaching Moments What do self-driving cars and spiky hair have to do with purposeful parenting? This week we talk about seizing the moments when our kids are most ready to learn, asking: What wisdom does Moses give for parents answering big, spiritual questions? And what can we do to create the conversations that can help our kids work through what's really going on in their hearts? We also offer four of our favorite teaching moments, share the kinds of kid questions that stump ...
Mar 24, 2022•45 min•Ep. 147
Take Responsibility for What You Can Control What's your goal in parenting, and is it possible we've directed our attention to the wrong person's behavior? This week, we distinguish our responsibilities from our kids' responsibilities in session 7 of our Training Wheels guided study. What Jesus Said at the end of the Sermon on the Mount shows us we aren't building additions on our parents houses and we don't have the remote control on other people. We ask, "Do You Understand?" what God wants us ...
Mar 17, 2022•41 min•Ep. 146
Show Your Children What Life Is All About What's the difference between being a shepherd, and being a good shepherd? And how does Jesus "level up" our parenting game? This week we throwback to an old segment, with a Scripture du Jour, drawing insight from Jesus' words in John 10. We talk about the challenge of shepherding different kids without juggling or splitting our focus, and the difficulty of adapting to new challenges as our kids — and the world — keep changing! The conversation starts wi...
Mar 03, 2022•42 min•Ep. 145
Parent Like Your Heavenly Father How are parenting principles like keys, sunglasses, and the mail? What's better than saying "I love you" to our kids? And what do you learn when your "birthing plan" goes out the window? This week, we praise God for the way he leads us as parents. What Jesus Said about God's fatherly provision illuminates a sobering truth about ourselves. And some Deep Thoughts from Numbers and Hosea encourage us to grow in patience. It's session five of our Training Wheels guide...
Feb 24, 2022•39 min•Ep. 144
Train With Wisdom, Patience, and Love Have you ever wondered what to do with the command not to "provoke your children to wrath"? This week we try to discern when godly discipline becomes discouraging, applying the commands of Colossians 3:21 and Ephesians 6:1-4. We start out looking for direction from Christ's example in Matthew 11:25-30, wondering, "When is a burden not a burden?" and "How do we avoid carrying our authority like the Pharisees?" It's a frank conversation that takes us from time...
Feb 17, 2022•40 min•Ep. 143
Reflect God's Discipline and Consistency at Home When is it hardest to stay consistent with our kids? What virtue gives us our compass? And what does the Bible say to do to bless our children? This week we continue our guided study on parenting with a discussion of integrity, followthrough, and consistency. What Jesus Said in Luke 16:10-13 reminds us that trust is built in small acts, and 4 Proverbs on Integrity teach us that our actions are on full display for our kids. The conversation leads u...
Feb 10, 2022•40 min•Ep. 142
Deepen Your Devotion to God as a Family What are the "No Matter What's" in your home? And how do we keep worship from becoming just another thing we "have to do"? We're in session two of our guided study on parenting, focusing on our devotion to God as a family. In a Poetry In Motion double-header, we take on Psalm 127 and 128, talking about dusting, road trips, comparing families, and the difference between the home the Lord builds and the house of futility. We also learn from Jesus' upbringing...
Feb 03, 2022•39 min•Ep. 141
Solidify Your Marital Foundation How important is it for couples to stay on the same page? What's God's recipe for marriage? And just how serious are covenants made before God? This week's conversation follows the study guide for session one of Training Wheels. We take on the Heavy Word "covenant" and learn that faithful love for our spouses starts in our spirits. We start with what Jesus Said about becoming "one flesh" and end by sharing how we've dealt with disagreements in our marriages throu...
Jan 27, 2022•40 min•Ep. 140
Support, Shepherd, and Send Out Our Kids What does it really mean to "train up" a child, and what does that have to do with Hanukkah, NASA shuttle launches, and kids getting their way? This week we aim to set the trajectory for our kids and give them momentum, as we introduce our first Guided Study. It's a thirteen-session dive into biblical parenting we call "Training Wheels," and we can't wait to get started! As we prepare for session one, we look at two famous parenting passages (Eph. 6:1-4 a...
Jan 20, 2022•35 min•Ep. 139
Programming Note: This week, we're replaying one of our favorite episodes from the past. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode. This week we’re all about habits! How do you get a good habit to stick, why is a sin habit so hard to shake, and what kind of habits did Jesus have? We’ve had habits on the brain lately as we both have been reading James Clear’s new book, so we’re examining our own habits and diving into God’s wisdom on this practical subject. Plus Bryan reacts to Jesus’ word...
Jan 13, 2022•40 min
Transition to the New Year With Gratitude What kind of year has it been? What do you hope for in 2022? This week we throw back to an old, favorite segment, celebrating the "new wine" Christ brings and aiming to fit it with a "new wineskin" (Luke 5:33-39). We also share our Favorite Things about last year's Cross Training — like thinking holistically about discipleship and finding a conversational "sweet spot" with other Christians. Then we close the episode explaining what we have planned for th...
Jan 06, 2022•36 min•Ep. 138
Open Yourself to Wise Advisors We made it! It's our final Cross Training episode and our last episode of another crazy year! Thank you for being part of this journey — we hope it has blessed you and your spiritual growth. This week we learn when "more is more," why Bob Evans' restaurants should have whiteboards, and how Google makes a dangerous doctor! It all ties in (somehow!?!) with the Scriptural directive to seek out good advice and choose carefully who we let influence us. We start by retur...
Dec 30, 2021•42 min•Ep. 137
Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself Why do we tend to think we’re alone in our struggles, and how do we reconnect? If God knows me better than I know myself, and he also loves me more than I love myself — how do those truths change my commitments? And where do we find joy when it isn’t close at hand? This week we set Poetry in Motion with David’s extraordinary, intimate prayer in Psalm 139, learning to live as an open book before God. And in our opening discussion of Matthew 7:1-5, Bryan th...
Dec 23, 2021•39 min•Ep. 136
Desire and Seek God’s Goodness Make sure you eat before this week's episode or you might get hungry! Our discussion of hungering and thirsting for righteousness brought on a lot of food talk! We go from Michael Phelps' diet to Elf's Clause-o-meter, as 4 Proverbs encourage us to align our desires with God's, burn lots of spiritual calories, and stay hungry! We learn how to savor God's goodness and even to find the good in the bitter things of life. And some Through the Week challenges whet our ap...
Dec 16, 2021•40 min•Ep. 135
Learn From the Lord Throughout Your Life How does God draw us to Christ? What's the difference between learning a subject and learning a person (Eph. 4:20)? And how do we get off track when we make discipleship a competition? This week we kick off four weeks on lifelong learning, beginning with a discussion of discipleship that takes us from "old man problems" to our continuing education in faith and grace. We start with a Like the Teacher segment that leads us on a scavenger hunt and reminds us...
Dec 09, 2021•44 min•Ep. 134
Learn the Leadership Style of Christ What does Jesus mean when he says he knows his sheep by name? And what gives us the right to lead anyone? On this episode, our sights are set on the Lord’s shepherding and how to imitate it in our own spheres of influence. This week’s Poetry in Motion dives into some of the most beloved words ever penned, as we find encouragement in God’s care and protection in the 23rd psalm. From fighting bears to cooking competitions, our Through the Week challenges force ...
Dec 02, 2021•43 min•Ep. 133
Don’t Dim Christ’s Light Within You This week, "on a very special Bible Geeks," we had the chance to record together lakeside and enjoy God's creation around us. Our Cross Training focuses on shining a light to lead others to the Lord. A lot of the conversation dealt with the challenge of letting others see your good works (Matt. 5:16) while at the same time avoiding doing good works "to be seen" (Matt. 6:1). That paradox lies at the heart of the Christian life, and working through it illuminate...
Nov 25, 2021•45 min•Ep. 132
Programming Note: This week, we're replaying one of our favorite episodes from the past. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode. This week we discuss how warhorses are like fighter jets and how beagles are like Moses. We talk about "Selah," superscriptions, and the source of salvation as we set the third psalm "in Motion." And we continue our Fruit of the Spirit series with a virtue some have called "the most untranslatable" Bible word. Jesus Said those who possess it will inherit the ...
Nov 18, 2021•36 min
Walk With the Lord Why does following Jesus require us to get over our estimation of ourselves — whether we see ourselves too low or too high? And how does the "butterfly effect" apply to your conversion? In a conversation with the risen Jesus over breakfast, Jesus won't let Peter redirect attention away from himself onto another disciple. Peter reminds us of Dr. Pol, the large animal vet of Nat Geo's reality show as Jesus trains him to care for the sheep he loves. And in a Here's the Story segm...
Nov 11, 2021•45 min•Ep. 131
Pick Up Someone’s Baggage What burdens are yours to shoulder? This week, we learn to take radical responsibility from Jesus’ story about the shepherd and the lost sheep. We have some Deeep Thoughts about getting “voluntold,” making people feel small by serving them, and evaluating each other’s burdens. Bryan talks about times he wants to say, “you don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.” And Ryan talks about when his “eyes are bigger” than his ability to actually help. Bearing one anothe...
Nov 04, 2021•43 min•Ep. 130
Live a Consistently Faithful Life What’s the thread you hang onto everyday? How can we block out God like smog blocks out the sun? And what “tech support” do we all occasionally need to keep our “spiritual operating systems” optimized? This week we appreciate our Favorite Things to keep consistent, like time outside, asking good questions, and starting the day quietly. In this week’s Like the Teacher passage, Jesus says he “always does the things that please” the Father — but what are we suppose...
Oct 28, 2021•41 min•Ep. 129
Be Strong Through Your Suffering Why does Jesus say the world will hate us? And what do weakness and waiting have to do with getting through tough times? In this episode, we're Flying Through the Book of James, learning from expectations and disappointment, and considering how trials have changed us. This week's "Through the Week" challenges have us dealing with burnout, embracing God's delivery schedule, and learning to appreciate difficult people. Plus, Jesus' words in John 15 teach us why it'...
Oct 21, 2021•44 min•Ep. 128
Follow the Faithful From Scripture What kind of statue do you envision when you think of Abel, Sarah, or Gideon? Which individual person from Scripture has influenced you the most? This week, in an ensemble Here’s the Story, we imagine walking through Hebrews 11’s “Hall of Faith,” stopping to appreciate each figure. We discuss how examples are like matching pajamas and Bible stories are like Evil Knievel’s ramp. We find our common humanity with our heroes and a common table to sit at with Elijah...
Oct 14, 2021•43 min•Ep. 127
Faithfully Tend to the Master’s Blessings What’s the difference between efficiency and fruitfulness? How can our productivity in God’s service go from good to bad to ugly? This week we draft our A-Teams of stewardship stories and dive into the Lord’s parable of the Minas. We consider how sharing in the kingdom is kind of like using Vrbo, how humanity seems a risky investment for God, and how stewardship is like babysitting. We hope you find this discussion of all God’s gifts (and the responsibil...
Oct 07, 2021•43 min•Ep. 126
Do Your Work With All Your Might What do “manly” hands, iPhone Focus Mode, and three star generals have to do with fervently serving the Lord? What do you see when you look at a crowd? And (to quote an old song), “what’s love got to do with it?” This week we’re Cross Training to become more fruitful in Christ. So a Heavy Words study of zeal and diligence serves as a temperature check for our passion and devotion, encouraging us to be “romanced” by hope. While this week’s challenges inspire us to...
Sep 30, 2021•42 min•Ep. 125
Programming Note: This week, we're replaying one of our favorite episodes from the past. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode. Hold Nothing Back From God Living dangerously ... but with discernment? This week we start with Jesus’ consuming zeal, as he cleanses the temple, guns blazing, so to speak. What if we acted with that kind of force and passion? That leads into a Shema Edition of Heavy Words, as we seek to live the Greatest Commandment. Finally, we take on (maybe) our toughest ...
Sep 23, 2021•41 min
Take Responsibility for Obedience and Growth Why isn't it enough just to "come to Jesus"? What's the real issue behind burying your talent? And how can we care for others without getting too tangled up in their emotions and difficulties? This week we kick off four weeks on fruitfulness, beginning with a hard look at our accountability to God for our choices. We ask each other tough questions about judgment and fruitfulness in a "Do You Understand?" segment that lets us talk about things like "Ma...
Sep 16, 2021•40 min•Ep. 124
