Podcast
Show Notes
Guest: Glen Scrivener — Director of Speak Life, evangelist, YouTuber, and author of The Air We Breathe
Topics Covered:
- Why secular culture is more shaped by Christianity than it realizes — and how parents can use that as a bridgeThe “seven values” from
- The Air We Breathe: equality, compassion, consent, enlightenment, science, freedom, and progress
- How to respond when your child comes home saying “that’s your truth,” “Christians are hateful,” or “love is love”
- The power of asking questions rather than being the “answer guy” — modeled after Jesus’ own method in the Gospels
- What catechism is and how Glen uses 10 simple questions to ground his kids in the faith
- The top cultural forces pressuring kids today: expressive individualism, identity as self-creation, and the medicalization of anxiety
- Practical spiritual habits at home: daily Bible and prayer time, instant/spontaneous prayer, and modeling vulnerability
- Why church must be a foundation — not one extracurricular among many
- The college question: is it really a faith killer? (Statistically, no — but connection to church is key)
- The value of staying rooted in a local church community, even through college years
Resources Mentioned:
- The Air We Breathe by Glen Scrivener
- Speak Life Ministry & YouTube channel
- Intervarsity campus ministry (referenced by Sam re: his sons’ involvement)
- Sam’s ministry framework: Belong → Believe → Become
Key Takeaways
- Secular culture can’t explain its own values. The very things your secular neighbors hold dear — human rights, equality, compassion — have Christian roots. This is a powerful and non-threatening way into gospel conversations.
- Be the parent your child will ask questions of. Your first goal isn’t to have all the answers; it’s to be safe enough that your kids bring their doubts to you rather than walking away silently.
- Ask questions back — don’t just download answers. Jesus answered questions with questions far more than he gave direct answers. “What do you mean by love?” goes further than a lecture.
- Catechize your kids. Even a simple 10-question framework (Who is God? Who is Jesus? Why did he die?) takes two minutes and builds the theological “railway tracks” their thinking can run along for life.
- Watch media critically with your kids. When a movie or video has a preachy moment, ask out loud: “How do they know that? Is that really liberating?” You’re training them to think, not just absorb.
- Reframe identity language. When a child says “I have anxiety,” gently redirect: “You’re a child of God who is feeling anxious about something — let’s deal with that together.” Identity rooted in Christ is more stable than identity rooted in diagnosis or self-creation.
- Make church a foundation, not an option. Capping extracurricular activities and keeping church central isn’t legalism — it’s a countercultural act of love that shapes who your children become.
- College isn’t automatically a faith destroyer. Statistically, college-educated people are more likely to be churchgoers. The key is getting kids plugged into a local church and campus ministry before they go — as servants, not just consumers.
- Model your own faith struggles. Kids who see their parents process hard emotions through prayer, Scripture, and community learn that faith is real and resilient — not just theoretical.
