In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Shelly Melia, associate dean of the Graduate School of Ministry at Dallas Baptist University. With 25 years as a children's minister and counselor, Dr. Melia shares her insights on preschool ministry, stressing its role beyond mere “child care during adult activities.” Dr. Melia highlights her principles for engaging preschoolers: hands full, minds open, and hearts engaged. She emphasizes creating a loving, family-like church environment that supports childr...
Jul 21, 2025•26 min
Dr. Richard Ross, a distinguished figure in student ministry and long-time friend of D6 Family Ministry, joins the podcast this week to discuss the shifting priorities in parenting within theChristian faith. With a career spanning over 30 years as a student pastor and now a professor at Southwestern Seminary, Dr. Ross has unique insights into family dynamics and spiritual leadership. In thisweek’s episode, he emphasizes that while parents may express a desire to disciple their children in faith,...
Jul 14, 2025•24 min
In this episode, we have Dr. Timothy Paul Jones, a husband, father, pastor, professor, and author. Dr. Jones teaches apologetics at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and serves as a teaching pastor at Sojourn Church Midtown in Louisville, Kentucky. This week’s episode covers creating environments of diversity in the church. Dr. Jones shares how churches can foster authentic diversity by breaking down barriers and incorporating multi-ethnic, multi-generational, and socioeconomically diver...
Jul 07, 2025•27 min
In this week’s episode, we are joined by Kim Botto, an author, speaker, dedicated leader in children's and student ministries, an adoptive mom, and a special needs grandma. Kim shares her belief that every child is a treasure, deserving of love and understanding, regardless of their behavior or unique needs.This episode also provides practical advice for churchleaders, highlighting the need for proactive measures and empathy-building among volunteers to create inclusive spaces for all children. ...
Jun 30, 2025•23 min
We are joined by Dr. Scott Turansky for this week’s episode. Dr. Turansky is a professor at Concordia University, an author and speaker, pastor for over four decades, and a husband and father of five children. In this episode, Dr. Turansky discusses the importance of addressing emotional challenges in both children and adults within the church. Dr. Turansky provides practical steps for both pastors and parents to help children develop emotional resilience using a heart-based approach aligned wit...
Jun 23, 2025•28 min
In this episode, we are joined by Brent Dusing, the CEO and founder of TruPlay. Brent Dusing discusses why TruPlay was created, how faith and Scripture are incorporated into their video games, and why it was important to make games of high quality. He shares the creative process and the talented team behind TruPlay's success, highlighting the unique elements that set their games apart from traditional Christian gaming. He also shares personal anecdotes and insights, offering a refreshing perspec...
Jun 16, 2025•28 min
In our latest episode, we spoke with Chris Sasser, pastor of family ministries at Port City Community Church in Wilmington, North Carolina, and author of Bags, Helping Your Kids Lightenthe Load . With nearly three decades of ministry experience, Chris has devoted his life to guiding parents and leaders in nurturing the spiritual journey of the next generation. Chris shares his insights on "whole family ministry," a comprehensive approach involving kids, teenagers, and parents in the discipleship...
Jun 10, 2025•23 min
In this week’s episode, we welcome Christina Embree, founder of Refocus Ministry, who has a passion for intergenerational ministry. Christina discusses the vital role grandparents (and older generations of believers) play in shaping the spiritual lives of younger generations. Christina shares current research insights and offers practical ways for both ministry leaders and parents to build relationships and create environments involving grandparents in discipleship. She also suggests ways for ch...
Jun 02, 2025•21 min
In this episode, Brian Haynes, lead pastor at Bay Area Church (Texas), discusses how ministry leaders and church members are to gracefully encourage and have compassion for others in crisis, emphasizing that sin and hard times affect us all. He stresses the importance of offering genuine support over just scriptural advice, urging church leaders to genuinely connect and show empathy to those in trouble or in need. Through personal stories, he shows how vulnerability can build authenticity within...
May 26, 2025•25 min
In this episode, we welcome Dr. Michelle White, a passionate speaker and best-selling author dedicated to helping individuals on their spiritual journey. Dr. White shares her tips on making Bible study less intimidating by starting small, much like introducing new foods to toddlers. She shares an inspiring story about a woman in her sixties who found renewed understanding of the Bible by exploring various translations, proving it's never too late to deepen one's connection with God's Word. To vi...
May 19, 2025•25 min
In this episode, Jay Strother (the senior pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church in Tennessee and holder of a doctorate in leadership from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) shares his personal journey and experiences that have fueled his commitment to building adoption and foster ministries within the church. He emphasizes the importance of church communities stepping into adoption and foster ministry, highlighting the need for collective involvement in caring for vulnerable children. Throu...
May 12, 2025•24 min
In this episode, we chat with Dale Hudson, a veteran in children's ministry with 35 years of experience. As the founder and president of Building Children's Ministry, Dale has helped churches nationwide create strong leaders and teams. Dale's passion for creating a welcoming environment is evident, providing listeners with valuable insights to improve their church's first impression. In our conversation, Dale highlights the importance of first impressions in church settings, explaining how the i...
May 05, 2025•25 min
We're excited to share our latest episode featuring Kathleen Trock Mulhoek, founder of Pebbles and Stones. Kathleen offers valuable advice for parents on how discipline can foster freedom and character development in kids, as opposed to punishment's potential to spark fear and shame. By weaving in concepts like repentance, forgiveness, and prayer, Kathleen demonstrates how discipline can lead to more meaningful and lasting change in a child’s heart. To register for the D6 Conference, visit www.d...
Apr 28, 2025•24 min
In this week’s episode, we are excited to have Carl Barnhill, the creative mind behind Church Visuals and an expert in visual media for ministry. Carl shares his insights on the essential role of high-quality visuals in effectively communicating the gospel, particularly in children's ministry. He discusses the challenges ministry leaders face, such as volunteer shortages and low parent engagement, and emphasizes the importance of using visual media to capture the attention of today's youth. Acco...
Apr 21, 2025•22 min
In this episode, we’re joined by Lydia Randall, a dedicated leader with nearly three decades of experience in helping families and churches foster a culture of intentional discipleship in the home. Throughout the conversation, Lydia emphasized the importance of taking a step-by-step approach to discipleship, focusing on intentionality and simplicity. She discussed theconcept of Faith Path, a strategy designed to aid parents in nurturing their children's faith journey from birth to age 18 through...
Apr 14, 2025•19 min
In this episode, we welcome Becky Sparks. Becky is a seasoned family ministry expert, author, and parenting coach. She joined us to discuss the critical topic of parents creating boundaries in today's digital landscape. She emphasizes the importance of intentionally setting mental and emotional boundaries for children, particularly as they enter the crucial developmental stages between ages 12 and 18. Because of kids’ natural curiosity and search for answers about life at this age, she underscor...
Apr 07, 2025•29 min
We're excited to share our latest podcast episode featuring Dr. Jonathan Williams, executive director of Gospel Family Ministries and author of A Practical Theology of Family Worship and Gospel Family . Dr. Williams talks about breaking down the silos that exist within church ministries—like those segmented by age groups—to create an intergenerational discipleship vision. He explains how these silos can unintentionally lead to isolation and dysfunctional competition among different church genera...
Mar 31, 2025•23 min
Tom Bump is a seasoned ministry leader and pastor's kid who has dedicated his career to full-time ministry since the age of 18. Known for his passion for connecting with people, Tom combines his experiences and spiritual insights to address contemporary issues in leadership and community, particularly leadership and narcissism. During our conversation, Tom dives into the topic of narcissism, especially in leadership roles. He explained how to differentiate between narcissists and leaders. He als...
Mar 24, 2025•30 min
In this week’s podcast episode, we are joined by Rebecca St. James and Cubbie Fink. Rebecca is a Grammy-winning Christian music artist known for her powerful ministry and the film Unsung Hero , which focuses on her family. Cubbie, a former missionary to South Africa, co-founded the Grammy-nominated band Foster the People.In our conversation, Rebecca and Cubbie opened up about how God brought them together. They shared insights on the importance of finding contentment in Jesus in every season of ...
Mar 17, 2025•33 min
For this week’s episode, we are joined by guest Erin Warren. Erin has authored several Bible studies through her ministry, Feasting on Truth. She is passionate about equipping and encouraging women to discover God's truths. Erin discussed the crucial topic of biblical literacy and explored the difference between merely knowing facts about the Bible and truly understanding its redemptive narrative. She shared the alarming statistics that show a decline in daily Bible engagement, highlighting the ...
Mar 10, 2025•25 min
This week’s episode features Ben Birdsong, D.Min., an expert in youth ministry and generational research. Dr. Birdsong introduced the differences and characteristics of Gen Z and Gen Alpha, emphasizing the need for ministry approaches to evolve alongside the latest generational shifts. Dr. Birdsongencouraged listeners to have an open heart, a willingness to learn, and a commitment to adapting our methods to truly connect with and disciple the young people in our care. 👥 Share this episode with ...
Mar 03, 2025•30 min
Brad Rhodes, co-founder of Grace Marriage and author of Grace Marriage: How the Gospel and Intentionality Transform Your Relationship , has been married to his wife Marilyn since 1996. Together, they help churches and ministry leaders with the challenges pastors face in balancing their ministry commitments with a flourishing marriage. In this episode, Brad emphasizes the critical importance of prioritizing marriage. He also touches on the pressures pastors face from their congregations, which ca...
Feb 24, 2025•22 min
This podcast episode offers a deep dive into understanding millennials as parents, their challenges, and the role of the church in supporting them. Brittany Nelson, a children's ministry leader and creator of DeeperKidMin.com, shares valuable insights into how millennials approach parenting and how the church can come alongside them in their faith parenting journeys. The conversation highlights how millennials, now between the ages of 28 and 43, are navigating parenthood while balancing the pres...
Feb 17, 2025•23 min
In this week’s episode, we are joined by Dr. Stephanie Cline, the children’s minister at First Baptist Church in Winter Garden, Florida, and an adjunct professor at Trinity College of Florida. Stephanie is passionate about training ministry leaders and parents to reintroduce spiritual discipline practices in the home. Stephanie talks about her H.O.M.E. Model , which she created to help parents create easy habits for these spiritual disciplines and establish a culture of discipleship at home. Spi...
Feb 10, 2025•24 min•Ep. 456
In this episode, Tiger McLuen helps rethink student discipleship and looks at “faith factors” in young adults. Tiger served in student ministry in the local church and oversaw the youth and family ministry programs at Bethel and Luther seminaries. Now the executive director of Youth Ministry Consultants (YMC), who focuses on coaching and training ministry leaders, particularly those in smaller churches who are often under-trained and under-resourced. Tiger focused on and researched young adults ...
Feb 03, 2025•29 min
In this episode, we talk with Brad Ransom, denominational leader and author of Creating Healthy Church Systems. Drawing from his experience as a pastor and consultant to over 300 churches, Brad shares the importance of building systems tailored to each church's unique identity, instead of copying others. He emphasizes that church health and growth are not the same—health stems from having strong foundations and honest evaluations, while growth is often a byproduct of health. Brad also shares...
Jan 27, 2025•24 min
Committed to child discipleship, the next generation, and faith formation, Dr. Denise Kjesbo, Dr. Luz Gálvez de Figueroa, and Shelley Henning share about the launch of their research on the partnership between church and home from their shared work in Partnering Church and Home: Discipleship for the Next Generation . With over 900 respondents from across the globe, they explored the pivotal role of adult discipleship in fostering child discipleship and the need for authentic relationships betwee...
Jan 20, 2025•27 min
For this episode, we sat down with Jon Forrest, a veteran youth minister (30 years in ministry) at Bethel Free Will Baptist Church (TN) and author of The Super Youth Worker Utility Belt . For our conversation, Jon talks about his journey through decades of ministry. He shares practical advice for youth ministry leaders and takes time to offer encouragement. He discusses the importance of slowing down and prioritizing relational discipleship and connection, truly paying attention to the students ...
Jan 13, 2025•29 min
In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Arlene Pellicane to discuss her thoughts on the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in our daily lives, especially its impact on children, families, and the church. Arlene is a speaker, host of the Happy Home Podcast, and author of several books including Parents Rising , 31 Days to a Happy Husband , and Screen Kids . Arlene has been featured on the Today Show, Fox and Friends, The Wall Street Journal , and Focus on the Family. She is def...
Jan 06, 2025•26 min
In this episode, guest Eryn Lynum talks about how nature can be a powerful tool for discipling children and nurturing a deeper connection to God’s creation. She also shares practical ways parents and church leaders can use nature to disciple others—whether through simple activities like gardening or by seeing God’s handiwork in the world around us. She encourages us to reflect on God’s creativity and offers resources, such as her book Rooted in Wonder , to help families integrate these lessons i...
Dec 30, 2024•19 min
