The Gospel Shaped Family Podcast

How to Raise Children Who Love the Church

It is a heartbreaking reality that a large percentage of young people walk away from the church when they reach adulthood. As parents, this outcome can feel inevitable, but it does not have to be. You can take proactive, intentional steps today to help your children see their need for the church, value its community, and joyfully participate in corporate worship from an early age.
In this episode, we share practical, non-negotiable principles to help your family prioritize the local church. We discuss the importance of consistent attendance, being mindful of how you speak about the church in front of your children, and the value of committing to one church community for long-term stability. You will also learn how to transition your children into corporate worship and help them build meaningful relationships with church leaders.
Key Takeaways From This Episode:
The One-Time Decision: How making church attendance a non-negotiable part of your weekly family schedule eliminates ongoing debates and prioritizes Sunday morning worship over sports or work.
Prioritizing Corporate Worship: Why children should sit in the main service once they reach kindergarten age, and practical strategies to help them stay engaged.
Guarding Your Speech: The impact of your words on your child's perspective of the church, and why negative critiques should be kept in private conversations.
Stability in Commitment: The spiritual and relational benefits of staying committed to one local church throughout your children's childhood.
 
Book 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home: https://bit.ly/50thingspc
Renewanation: https://bit.ly/rangsfpc 
Gospel Shaped Family Homepage: https://bit.ly/gsfhpc 

Helping a Child Understand the Gospel: Practical Tips for Christian Parents

There is no more important conversation a parent can have with their child than the gospel. In this episode, Josh and Jen walk through practical, scripture-grounded steps for sharing the good news with children at every age and stage, from toddlers to teenagers. Drawing on their own family's experience and the wisdom of Charles Spurgeon, they help parents overcome intimidation and take up their God-given role as the primary evangelists in their children's lives.
The episode covers eight specific tips, from the importance of starting early and keeping testimony alive, to knowing key scripture passages and calling for a genuine response without manipulation. Josh and Jen also walk through a curated list of resources, including children's Bibles, gospel-sharing tools, and apologetics books for kids wrestling with doubt.
Whether your child has already placed their faith in Christ or is still in the process, this episode is a practical guide for faithful, consistent, and loving gospel proclamation in the home.
Book 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home: https://bit.ly/50thingspc
Renewanation: https://bit.ly/rangsfpc 
Gospel Shaped Family Homepage: https://bit.ly/gsfhpc 

Pointing Children to the Gospel Through Literature with Korrie Johnson and Kathryn Butler

What if the books on your family's shelf were doing more than filling time between meals and bedtime? In this conversation, Josh and Jen welcome Kathryn Butler, author of the Dream Keeper Saga, and Korrie Johnson, founder of Good Book Mom, to discuss their new book Stories Woven in Silver. Together they make the case that well-chosen stories are instruments of discipleship, pointing children toward the gospel from the earliest age.
The conversation covers what it looks like to build a read-aloud culture in your home, how to navigate the overwhelming book market with discernment, and why your public library is a mission field rather than a minefield to avoid. Practical, honest, and grounded in Scripture, this episode will equip parents and grandparents to see their bookshelves as part of their family's spiritual formation strategy.
From Deuteronomy 6 to Tolkien's Minas Tirith, from toddler snack time to Shakespeare acted out on school breaks, this episode is full of tools and encouragement for families at every stage.
Book 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home: https://bit.ly/50thingspc
Renewanation: https://bit.ly/rangsfpc 
Gospel Shaped Family Homepage: https://bit.ly/gsfhpc 
 
https://goodbookmom.com/ 
www.kathrynbutler.com
Stories Woven in Silver by Kathryn Butler and Korrie Johnson — https://a.co/d/0gun0uR3

11 Money-Saving Hacks for Every Home

Living on one income is harder than ever, but it is possible, and it can be done without sacrificing the things that matter most. In this episode, Josh and Jen Mulvihill pull back the curtain on the practical strategies that have carried their family through ministry salaries, five kids, a PhD, and multiple home renovations, all while staying out of debt.
From cutting your grocery bill and shopping secondhand to bartering services, negotiating cash discounts, and building income streams that center on the home, Josh and Jen walk through eleven specific money-saving hacks drawn from decades of intentional, frugal family living. This isn't theoretical advice, it's what they've actually done.
Whether you're newly married and trying to structure your finances well, or in a season where the budget feels tight and the bills feel heavier, this episode gives you a proven, principled framework for stewarding what God has placed in your hands.
Book 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home: https://bit.ly/50thingspc
Renewanation: https://bit.ly/rangsfpc 
Gospel Shaped Family Homepage: https://bit.ly/gsfhpc 

Helping Children Develop a Biblical View of Creation with Dr. Christopher Rupe

Most Christian parents want their children to trust the Bible, but few feel equipped to answer the questions their kids are already hearing. In this episode, Josh and Jen sit down with Dr. Christopher Rupe, sedimentary geologist and president of Back2Genesis, to talk about why Genesis 1–11 is foundational to the entire Christian worldview, not a secondary doctrine to be sidestepped.
Dr. Rupe walks parents through the specific claims children encounter, from dinosaur timelines to so-called ape-men, and explains how a clear, confident understanding of biblical history equips families to answer those questions honestly and faithfully. He also addresses how popular old-earth frameworks like the gap theory and day-age theory undermine the very doctrines they claim to preserve.
If you've ever felt underprepared when your child asks about fossils, the flood, or where dinosaurs fit in the Bible, this episode gives you the foundation, and the tools, to lead them well.
Book 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home: https://bit.ly/50thingspc
Renewanation: https://bit.ly/rangsfpc 
Gospel Shaped Family Homepage: https://bit.ly/gsfhpc 
 
Back2Genesis.org 

What Is Biblical Justice? Why Social Justice Is a Dangerous Counterfeit with Scott David Allen

Justice may be one of the most important words in the Bible — and one of the most distorted in our culture. In this episode, Josh sits down with Scott David Allen, president of the Disciple Nations Alliance and author of Why Social Justice Is Not Biblical Justice, to unpack what genuine, biblical justice actually means and how it differs fundamentally from the ideology reshaping schools, churches, and governments today.
Scott walks through a clear, scripturally-grounded definition of justice as conformity to God's moral standard — the same standard rooted in his character, revealed in the Ten Commandments, and fulfilled at the cross. He traces the Marxist roots of modern social justice, explains how it redefines sin, salvation, and human dignity, and describes the real-world consequences already playing out in cities like Minneapolis and Portland.
For parents and grandparents, this conversation ends where it matters most: the home. Scott gives practical guidance on how to model and teach biblical justice and mercy to the next generation — and why doing so is one of the most urgent callings of Christian family life right now.
Book 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home: https://bit.ly/50thingspc
Renewanation: https://bit.ly/rangsfpc 
Gospel Shaped Family Homepage: https://bit.ly/gsfhpc 
Disciple Nations Alliance: https://disciplenations.org/ 
Why Social Justice Is Not Biblical Justice: https://a.co/d/0bNOWi3I

Setting Healthy Boundaries with Technology in Your Home with Arlene Pellicane

Most parents know screens are a problem. Few have a plan. In this practical and encouraging conversation, Josh sits down with Arlene Pellicane — speaker, author of Screen Kids, and host of the Happy Home podcast — to talk about what it actually looks like to raise children with healthy boundaries around technology. Arlene and her husband raised their three kids through high school without social media, video games, or smartphones. The fruit speaks for itself: kids who can focus, communicate with adults, solve problems, and walk with God without a device in hand.
Arlene breaks down the neuroscience of what screens do to the developing brain, explains the difference between casual use, at-risk behavior, and addiction, and offers a tiered family technology plan — from the Platinum Plan (delay everything through high school) to practical bronze-level wins any family can start this week. She also addresses the real-world questions parents face: How do your kids communicate with friends without a phone? What do you do when the device becomes a babysitter? And what happens when a child already seems addicted?
This episode is a gift to any parent who wants to be proactive — not reactive — about technology in the home. Come for the practical tools; stay for the vision of children shaped by the gospel rather than a screen.
 
Book 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home: https://bit.ly/50thingspc
Renewanation: https://bit.ly/rangsfpc 
Gospel Shaped Family Homepage: https://bit.ly/gsfhpc 
Happy Home Podcast: https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/ 
Screen Kids Book: https://a.co/d/0hDpiIKi 

10 Practical Ways to Make the Most of Your Family Summer

Summer offers a unique opportunity for families to move from the frantic pace of the school year into a season of intentionality. With extracurriculars on pause and longer daylight hours, parents have a strategic window to deepen relationships and build a legacy of faith. This episode provides a roadmap for maximizing the precious months of summer that parents have before their children reach adulthood.
From establishing new family rhythms to incorporating biblical history into your patriotic celebrations, Josh and Jen share practical ideas to help your children grow closer to Christ while making lifelong memories. Whether it is working together on a garden, embarking on outdoor adventures, or prioritizing time with grandparents, this conversation is designed to help you reach the end of August without the regret of wasted time.
Book 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home: https://bit.ly/50thingspc
Renewanation: https://bit.ly/rangsfpc 
Gospel Shaped Family Homepage: https://bit.ly/gsfhpc 

What Does it Mean for a Man to Lead a Family?

Fathers play a monumental role in the spiritual health of the next generation. A landmark 35 year study involving 3000 family members reveals that the active involvement of a father is the most critical factor in whether children retain their faith into adulthood. When a father is perceived as warm and engaged, he becomes the tipping point for a child’s lifelong commitment to Christ.
This episode explores the biblical "job description" for men, moving past cultural confusion to find clarity in God’s design. We discuss the three primary responsibilities of a godly head: leading through servant-heartedness, providing both financially and spiritually, and protecting the family as a watchful warrior. Whether you are a father looking for direction or a mother seeking to support the men in your life, this conversation offers practical, scriptural foundations for building a legacy of faith.
 
Book 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home: https://bit.ly/50thingspc
Renewanation: https://bit.ly/rangsfpc 
Gospel Shaped Family Homepage: https://bit.ly/gsfhpc 

Teaching Children the Big Picture of the Bible

Many children grow up viewing the Bible as a fragmented collection of "do’s and don’ts" or a random assortment of disconnected stories. This perspective often leads to confusion and a failure to see how the individual stories of Scripture connect to the person and work of Jesus Christ. In this episode, we discuss why it is essential for parents and church leaders to prioritize the "big picture" of Scripture, moving from biblical theology to systematic application.
By teaching the Bible as one unified narrative, we safeguard our children against moralism—the tendency to teach biblical stories void of the gospel. We explore the methodology Jesus used on the road to Emmaus, showing how the entire Old Testament points toward His mission of glorifying God through salvation. This conversation provides families with simple, concrete tools to summarize the Bible’s core message, ensuring the next generation understands God’s overarching plan from creation to restoration.
Book 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home: https://bit.ly/50thingspc
Renewanation: https://bit.ly/rangsfpc 
Gospel Shaped Family Homepage: https://bit.ly/gsfhpc