Church and Family Life Podcast

How can Christian men and women live faithfully in a world confused over sexuality and gender? The answer is simple — amidst the moral chaos, embrace God’s beautiful design for manhood and womanhood. Hosts Scott Brown and Jason Dohm discuss this subject with pastor Michael Clary. Clary’s new book, God’s Good Design, is a compelling call for men and women to reject the world’s dark vision of sexual madness and fall in love with the way God made them. Today’s young people are crying out for truthful answers of who they are, and this book gives an oasis of hope, explaining how God wonderfully creates each person as “male” or “female” (Gen. 1:27).  

How do parents cultivate a child’s affection? First and foremost, model love in your marriage. You can be perfect technicians in child training, but if you’re snippety toward your spouse, you’ll undo everything—so teach your children, by example, what loving respect is through your conversations. Second, give clear expectations and hold your children to them. You only get what you insist on, so promptly discipline them in love when they cross the line. Finally, don’t allow your children to constantly interrupt, but teach them to wait to ask questions by modeling patience as husband and wife.  Learn more on these points in: A Holy Vision for Raising Children 

Michael Clary grew up in Huntington, West Virginia, in the shadow of the Marshall University plane crash that marked his hometown. Ministry ran deep in his family line—his great-grandfather and grandfather were both Baptist preachers—but his own childhood was shaken when his parents divorced at age seven. Shuttling between households, Michael experienced both the steady example of his Christian father and the destructive influence of a tyrannical stepfather. Those early wounds left him with a deep burden for healthy, Christ-centered homes.Though he professed faith from a young age, Michael’s spiritual growth accelerated through Campus Crusade for Christ at Marshall University. Immersed in Bible study, evangelism, and worship leadership, his heart for ministry took root. It was during a summer project with Crusade that he met Laura, the shy young woman who would later become his wife. Married in 1999, Michael and Laura went on staff with Crusade before sensing God’s call to local church ministry.In 2010, with nothing but faith and a handful of families meeting in his basement, Michael planted Christ the King Church in Cincinnati. Over 15 years, the church has grown, planted daughter churches, and recently moved to a new facility in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. Along the way, Michael’s convictions deepened around biblical manhood, womanhood, and family life—shaped by both his wounds and God’s grace. Today, he continues to serve as lead pastor, husband to Laura, and father to four children, proclaiming God’s good design for households and the church

“Hands-off” parenting advocates scorn the use of physical correction, but what does the Bible say? Hosts Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by Scott’s wife Deborah, explain that disobedience, dishonor, and dishonesty call for the rod. And how should such correction be pursued? First, make sure there is a fault committed that has just cause. Second, make sure your child is convinced that he has sinned. Third, pray for yourself and your children before correcting them. Fourth, correct them in love. Fifth, make sure your emotions are under control when you discipline them. And, sixth, correct by word and instruction before correcting by the rod. In all this, recognize that just as God lovingly corrects His sons, so we, too, must correct our children (Heb. 12:5-11). Learn more on these points in: A Holy Vision for Raising Children 

We’ve lost the strong man. Kevin Swanson is holding the Act Like Men Conference to restore men to their God-given role.   On the whole, men today are AWOL, having departed from the Biblical picture of leadership and love. 60% of Master’s degrees are awarded to women. 57% of boys are born without fathers. So, what’s the solution to this crisis? Hosts Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by guest Kevin Swanson, explain that the right answer is not the “macho man” or the “wild-at-heart man,” but the biblical man who’s strong in faith and who fears God. This is the focus of the upcoming Act Like Men Conference, to be held Oct. 29-Nov. 1 in Elizabeth, Colorado. Rather than fall for the pseudo-visions of masculinity found in the “Manosphere,” we must look to God’s Word to understand what it means to be a faithful man. That’s the goal of this gathering — to teach 12-year-old boys to grandfathers to “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, [and] be strong” (1 Cor. 16:13 ESV).  Click here to learn more and register. 

What do parents need to do to faithfully raise their children? William Gouge has the answers. Hosts Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by Scott’s wife Deborah, give five critical actions parents should take drawing from William Gouge’s, A Holy Vision for Raising Children. First, engage in focused parenting while your child are young; don’t wait till they’re 8 or teenagers. Second, teach your children good manners. This will help your kids to thoughtfully focus on others, rather than themselves. Third, train your children to be in some good vocation. This means more than a job skill. It’s about calling and dominion, equipping them to take care of their own family one day. Fourth, teach your children piety. Point them toward godliness—that they might love the word of God, live by it, and trust it with all their hearts. And, fifth, redeem the time, for what’s learned in childhood lasts the longest. Learn more on these (5) points in: A Holy Vision for Raising Children 

Why do young people not turn the Christ? Hosts Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by guest Carlton McLeod, answer this question, giving ten common lies that ensnare unsaved youth: (1) you’ll be deprived of pleasure; (2) faithfulness to God is impossible; (3) you’ll be beset by trials and tribulations;  (4) you'll be reproached; (5) you won’t be prosperous; (6) you’ll be unfashionable; (7) you will die young and miss all the fun; (8) you won’t be able to keep it up for very long; (9) you have plenty of time; and (10) there are many ways to God. Rather than fall for these deceptions, young people should come to Christ without delay: “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’” (Eccles. 12:1). 

The Christian faith is about more than inner piety; it must openly manifest itself in the real-life battle lines of our earthly walk. In this podcast, hosts Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by guest Carlton McLeod, discuss the Christian’s call to battle. Our engagement must be built on God’s Word and then put into practice. Fathers must reject passivity and take charge of their families. Women must embrace their femininity, not fall prey to feminism. Parents must diligently shape their children’s education, not send them to Pharoah’s schools. Young people must not seek their identity through escapist media and entertainment, but earnestly walk in the ways of God. Our call before God is this—we must not be merely hearers of the word, but doers also (James 1:22). 

Toxic masculinity is a real thing. Yet in responding to such abuses, many Christians are afraid to boldly stand on God’s established order, which is this—men, not women, are made to rule in the family, church, and civil sphere. Hosts Scott Brown and Jason Dohm discuss this dilemma with Michael Foster, author of the handbook, It’s Good to Be a Man. Their conclusion: patriarchy is inevitable, but it needs to be restored, by God’s grace, to His design. This requires men to set aside macho bluster and courageously lead.

Michael grew up in a rough household. Most nights, he heard his parents fight, and on more than one occasion, he covered his father’s sleeping body up on the sidewalk near their home after a drunken bout. Pent up anger led Michael to disruptive outbursts at school, prompting his mom to ship him to live with his grandmother, a tough German woman who survived the Dresden firebombings in WWII.  From her rural country farmhouse, she taught him structure and discipline, yet still he struggled till God saved him at a Christian basketball tournament at age 17. Michael met his future wife Emily at a Bible study, and they’ve been blessed with 22 years of marriage and 9 children together. Author of It’s Good to Be a Man, he currently serves as lead pastor of East River Church in Batavia, Ohio. 

What Bible verses do feminists most hate? 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 are near the top: “Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.” Hosts Scott Brown and Jason Dohm explain the wisdom of God’s command—it prompts husbands and wives to grow together, as they wrestle through matters of theology. By asking your husband hard questions at home, it requires him to lead, which affirms God’s order and promotes unity in the marriage bond. 

What are you doing to evangelize the lost? The truth is, the crushing need of all of humanity is for a Savior. Whether you’re “nice” and well-to-do or living in the slums, your only hope from the just wrath of God is through the Gospel, which “is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16). In this podcast, hosts Scott Brown and Jason Dohm discuss the need, scope, and motives for evangelism with pastor Rob Ventura—and how Christians can prepare themselves to share the Gospel, the focus of Ventura’s new book, Equipped to Evangelize.

Not every son will become an elder, but the requirements for this office (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9) give a great benchmark for every father to strive for as they train their boys. Hosts Scott Brown and Jason Dohm discuss the essence of these qualities with Alexander Strauch. Their summary: All fall into three main categories: (1) evidence of mature Christian character; (2) the ability to manage a household well; (3) and aptness to teach—all targets which sons should be trained to hit as they enter manhood. These qualifications, along with the Book of Proverbs, form a tried-and-try manual for raising boys. 

What makes a good elder’s wife? Thankfully, we’re not left to wonder—as she “must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things” (1 Tim. 3:11). In this podcast, Scott Brown and Jason Dohm welcome guest Alexander Strauch to break down these four elements. Strauch explains that an elder’s wife must, first, be worthy of respect. Second, she must not hurt others through loose or malicious talk. Third, she must be characterized by sound and stable judgment. And, finally, like the Proverbs 31 woman, she must show herself faithful in all her pursuits (Prov. 31:11). Perfection is not the standard—yet these qualities are what’s needed in an elder’s helpmeet. 

Over the last century, feminism has radically reshaped how the family, church, and state are led. While God’s Word calls on men to helm these spheres, even churches in more “conservative” denominations have compromised, allowing women to take on public roles not condoned in Scripture. Professing Christians have also slid from God’s standards in how they approach authority in the home and civil realm. In this podcast, hosts Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by author Zachary Garris, survey this checkered landscape in light of the Reformers’ testimony. Their charge: rather than bow to the prevailing culture, men and women should buck this trend and joyfully embrace their God-given roles. 

You’ve heard the mantra—men, today, need “to get in touch with their feminine side.” But this is utter nonsense. In this podcast, hosts Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by Carlton McLeod, declare the Scripture’s call for men to “act like men” and “be strong” (1 Cor. 16:13). This doesn’t mean that males are to show no emotion—as Jesus wept (John 11:35), and we’re all charged to be “tenderhearted” to one another (Eph. 4:32). But men aren’t to cow in fear and give way to their emotions. When storms come, they’re to guide their families with calm judgment and bravely lead. 

Men are called by God to labor. Yet the uncertainty of financial markets, as well as the idolization of wealth, can prod men to fretfully toil beyond what is wise. What’s the answer to the problem? In this podcast, hosts Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by Carlton McLeod, turn to Psalm 127 for direction: Don’t fear the economy, but trust God, work with purpose, and sleep well. View your children, not your bank account, as your greatest asset. Instead of laboring in vain, look to God to build your house. 

When push comes to shove, who’s really shaping you in your walk with God? Sadly, most Christians today have “ten thousand instructors,” as Paul wrote, “but not many . . . fathers” (1 Cor. 4:15). The truth is, it’s far easier to look to popular podcasters to guide us, rather than seeking out the interpersonal influence of godly mentors as personal shepherds. But that’s not what the Scriptures prescribe. In this podcast, Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by special guest Bill Roach, give this earnest charge—stop stoking superficial manhood and womanhood through man caves and social media chatter, but seek out faithful shepherds who will spur you on to godly living. 

In today’s world, families rarely eat together. Yet this is a far cry from the biblical model, which pictures family mealtime as a blessing, describing “children like olive plants all around [one’s] table” (Ps. 128:3). In this podcast, Scott Brown and Jason Dohm, joined by special guest Bill Roach, give ten reasons families should eat together daily: (1) it solidifies family culture; (2) it creates a rhythmic predictability about life; (3) it gets you off the Internet with real people; (4) it facilitates family joy; (5) it creates stories; (6) it surfaces problems; (7) it covers the news and world events; (8) it transmits values; (9) it cultivates belonging; and (10), it is generationally balanced.   So don’t let life’s distractions keep you from the family table—make eating together, each day, a top priority! 

The Western church is in shambles. It has become lukewarm and compromised because of a love for the world, a lack of an awestruck fear of God, and a watered-down view of His grace and sovereignty. In answer to this crisis Kevin Swanson has issued an urgent call-to-arms in his new book, Strong: An Urgent Call to Strengthen the Things that Remain. Pulling no punches, he calls out Christians to reject escapist pursuits—be it through alcohol, sports, the Internet, or other off-ramps from reality—and pursue a stronger grace, a stronger faith, a stronger church, and stronger families.   Join Scott Brown and Jason Dohm in today’s podcast as they break down the book with Kevin.