Bryan Smith shares how his faith influences his life and his family.

Key Takeaways

- Faith Journey: Bryan's faith became personal at 27 after a simple prayer ("Lord, help us know you") led to a profound encounter with scripture, shifting his view of the Bible from an obligation to an invitation.

- Mission Trips: Short-term mission trips (Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador) became a family tradition, providing a "dangerous" discipleship experience that fostered gratitude and exposed them to global need.

- Parenting: Bryan advises parents to be active leaders, setting boundaries (e.g., delaying cell phones) to protect children from the world's worldview and create space for God.

- Idolatry: A career crisis revealed Bryan's identity was tied to his CTO title. He now warns against this common "accidental idolatry," stressing that self-worth must be rooted in being a child of God, not in worldly achievements.

Topics

Faith Journey & Personal Revival

- Background: Raised in a Christian home, Bryan experienced a "prodigal son" phase in his late teens/early 20s.

- Catalyst: At 27, married with two daughters, he realized his faith was a Sunday-only habit, not a personal relationship.

- Turning Point: Inspired by a pastor's sermon, he began a simple prayer, "Lord, help us know you."

Mission Trips & Family Discipleship

- Origin: Started with a church trip to a Nicaraguan orphanage in 2008.

- Impact: Working with a boy named Giovanni on a bench made Jesus's command to care for the poor profoundly real.

Overcoming Distraction & Staying Connected

- Challenge: Bryan felt distant from God, realizing his life was too "noisy" and "comfortable" to hear the Holy Spirit.

- Root Cause: A works-based approach to faith, trying to earn closeness instead of surrendering to God.

- Solution: Surrender to God and ask Him to reveal areas of resistance.

Parenting in a Counter-Cultural World

- Core Principle: Parents must be active leaders, not passive delegators.

- Key Advice:

- Delay Cell Phones: Protect children from the world's worldview and teach them to be "bored" (creating space for God).

- Enrich, Don't Just Restrict: Invest time and create opportunities tailored to each child's needs.

- Embrace Hard Conversations: Be willing to make difficult decisions, prioritizing stewardship over popularity.

The Danger of Idolatry

- Personal Lesson: A career crisis (as CTO of a cybersecurity startup for 10 years) revealed Bryan's identity was tied to his job title.

- Realization: This was "accidental idolatry"—making a worldly achievement more important than his faith.

- Warning: Idolatry is common and can take many forms (consumerism, titles, hobbies).

- Core Truth: Self-worth must be rooted in being a "child of the living God," not in worldly achievements.

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