It’s nearly Christmas! Ed and Amy chat honestly about the gap between the Christmas we imagine and the one we actually get – the nits, the nit lotion, the 2am present-opening, the sleepless children and the WhatsApp family polls about who’s bringing the cheese.

They share childhood Christmas memories, talk about the pressure to create a picture-perfect, movie-style Christmas, and gently remind us that “big Christmas joy” doesn’t come from the middle of Lidl or the perfect dinner set – it comes from Jesus, who stepped into our very real, slightly messy lives.

Christmas Resources:

https://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/the-adventure-of-christmas-book

https://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/the-adventure-of-christmas-tract

https://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/come-along-christmas-advent-calendar

Adventure of Christmas Wise Men all age service:

https://www.faithinkids.org/resources/church/the-adventure-of-christmas/

The Christmas Build Up digital advent resource:

https://christmasbuildup.faithinkids.org/

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Kate and Matt believe they are normal people. Matt knows how to slot motorway bridges into place and Kate is a medical engineer who can juggle twins. Their super power is that they are trying to reach neighbours, colleagues and not-yet-friends with the good news of Jesus. 

We hear the stories of frightening five year olds doing forceful evangelism and little one's praying over friends in the classroom. There is a ton of top tips including Amy saying it's alright just to sob at the school gate, Kate finding a better use for the class WhatsApp group and Matt being bold every Monday morning. 

In short, none of them are confident, but all of them are trusting Jesus to bring the miracles. We can all be normal families who bumble along taking every opportunity for the King.

Links:

https://www.brfonline.org.uk/products/refresh

Hosts: 

Ed Drew - Director of Faith in Kids
Amy Smith – Writer for Faith in Kids

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Join Ed, Amy and Nay Dawson as they talk through a Christian approach to Halloween for parents. We can use Halloween as an opportunity to talk to our children about fearless faith, living distinctively and loving generously. It is also the one time when our community knocks on our door. How can we love them, offer them something of Christ without compromising our deep conviction that Christ is the light of the world?

People: 

Ed Drew - Director of Faith in Kids
Amy Smith – Writer for Faith in Kids
Nay Dawson - Nay is the founder of Passion for Evangelism. PfE exists to empower, encourage, and equip women to share the good news of Jesus with God-given confidence and creativity. 

Quote from Nay:

“It may well be that we don’t trick or treat ourselves. My two daughters get really scared of that kind of stuff. But we were so busy last year. All we were doing was constantly filling up this box to give away ‘gift bags of light’. If you’re unconvinced, go back to Scripture to see what is says about being light of the world, and if Jesus is the light of the world, we have this incredible opportunity to bring light into darkness and point to the light on this dark night.”

 
If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch with us at [email protected]. We won't read out your emails on the podcast if you don't want us to, but we'd love to hear your stories and feedback.  We would love to speak to some families or share your stories on social media, be brave and get in touch!

Genuinely, we love hearing from folks, and helps us feel less like we are speaking into the void - do send us a friendly hello on email or socials, it might just make our day!

Support the show (http://www.faithinkids.org) 

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In this warm and witty crossover episode of the Faith in Parents and Faith in Kids for Kids podcasts, Ed, Amy, and Jam dive into one of the most common questions parenting seem to be facing every day... "can I watch this?".

They discuss what it means to “choose the wallpaper” of your home — shaping the tone and values behind what your family watches. Expect stories about Buddhist cartoons, tearful cinema trips, and the joy of discovering shows you can genuinely enjoy together.

Together, they discuss:

• How to balance shared viewing and solo screen time
• Why it’s okay to let kids be a little scared sometimes
• How to spot opportunities for spiritual conversations after films
• Setting healthy boundaries around screens and smartphones
• The freedom of remembering: you’re the parent — you set the wallpaper.

James Cary is a scriptwriter, author and podcaster (co-host of the Faith in Kids podcast!) His new podcast is called The Stand-Up Theologian. His show touring the UK in 2025-26 is called God, the Bible and Everything (in 60 Minutes). Dates are here: https://www.jamescary.co.uk/

That episode of Popcorn Parenting on Encanto is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6pvyhy3k6U

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Pixels and Parables: Can Gaming Be Good?
With Guests Tom Clarke and Andy Gears

In this episode, Ed and Amy dive into a conversation many Christian parents are asking: “What do we do about gaming?” Is it a waste of time? Is it dangerous? Or could there be something good buried under the pixels?

They’re joined by two guests who actually love games—Andy, a game developer who’s created a Bible-based adventure game (The Serpent and the Seed), and Tom, a dad of three who’s spent years figuring out how to enjoy gaming with his kids, not just against it.

Together, they explore:

•⁠  ⁠How gaming can be more than a screen-time battle
•⁠  ⁠⁠Why playing with your kids might change the game
•⁠  ⁠⁠How to set boundaries with grace, not guilt
•⁠  ⁠⁠And whether a co-op Minecraft session can teach us about Jesus (spoiler: maybe it can)

This episode isn’t about being for or against games. It’s about discipling our children in a digital world, learning to enter their world like Jesus enters ours, and finding gospel moments—even between rounds of Fortnite.

Episode Links:

Listen to "Gaming for God":
https://www.buzzsprout.com/237067/episodes/9869948

Gaming for God Article: 
https://www.faithinkids.org/article/gaming-for-god-an-introduction-to-video-gaming-for-parents/

The Serpent & The Seed Game:
https://discipleship.tech/serpentseedgame/

People:

Andy Geers - Andy is the CEO of Discipleship Tech, the creator of PrayerMate and Co-founder of Kingdom Code. For as long as he can remember, he has two passions: Coding and Christ. Since then his passions have grown to include his wife and three children! They live in North London

Tom Clarke - Tom lives in Kent with his wife, Lizzie, and their three pre-teen children. He loves church, Lego and gaming with his children.

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The joy and angst of our children's friendships are a constant feature of so many homes.

Hear Amy and Ed share their stories of friendship success, of God hearing prayers and the miracle of care between children. But we also have the stories of tears, of the years of heart break and the longing for better. What can we say? What can we do for our children?

Hear the rules of saying 'hello' on a bus.
Discover if Amy thinks it's alright to swear in righteous anger
Learn about the wonderful bonding power of Cricket stats
Join us. Because friendships are a mess worth making.

Links:

• Who Am I? - Faith in Kids Resource 
• Reclaiming Masculinity - Matt Fuller

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Amy and Ed were pootling down the road to the train station after a fun-filled few days at the Keswick convention, when they got the call from Sinclair Ferguson, 'So I am keen to do this podcast. I am in Keswick. Where are you?' 

Brakes screech. U turn. Back to Keswick for this podcast.

Hear Amy as she quickly decides that Sinclair is the Grandad she never had. Full of wisdom, gentleness and comfort, he gives Amy the pep talk she has always wanted.

Ed just wants to hear about the time Sinclair faced his sternest test- a room full of 8 and 9 year olds, ready with their God questions.

Sinclair Ferguson gives us his care, advice and laughs looking back on his 60 years of ministering to parents and their children. Get yourself a mug of something hot, settle in and enjoy this big hug of an episode.

People:

Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson is a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow, vice-chairman of Ligonier Ministries, and Chancellor’s Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary. He is featured teacher for several Ligonier teaching series, including Sojourners and Exiles. He is author of many books, including The Whole Christ, Maturity, and Devoted to God's Church. Dr. Ferguson is host of the podcast Things Unseen.

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Do you like rollercoasters? It’s been a thrilling ride following Jesus around in Mark’s Gospel, through storms on lakes and bursting through ceilings. And now a man is about to see trees wandering around! What’s going on? Jessica Seeker isn’t falling for it, but Abby’s all in on Jesus – like Jam and Ed. And music from Awesome Cutlery with The Hero:

https://www.awesomecutlery.com/tracks/the-hero/

And here’s the Ancient Tree Inventory for the UK:

https://ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk

Get more info on the "Jesus is Here! Good news from Mark" series here: https://www.faithinkids.org/jesus-is-here/

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In this second part of a two episode mini series… Ed and Amy are again invited as guests onto their own podcast to be on the other side of the conversation!

They’re joined by Jason, who is asking the questions from his own parenting journey. Is 5 yrs old too early to have a boyfriend? What is the right response when his daughter adopts the prayer position? And what do we do with our shame and failures?

These questions give Amy the chance to award Jason a certificate for excellent parenting and explains how NOT to be that parent who gets out the toys to role play every crisis situation in miniature. Ed shares how Colin Buchanan has less guilt and more adventures than him.

With a glorious mix of laughter, confusion and tenderness this is an episode for you if you are broken, baffled or just bored on the beach.

Jason is the Digital Lead at Faith in Kids, an ordained minister with the Elim Pentecostal Church, and co-host of The Parenting Tools Podcast.

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There’s a storm brewing on the lake! But don’t worry. The animals and fish know it’s coming. Seriously! They can sense it. Well, according to Jam’s fun facts. But, more importantly, what will the disciples do? Actually, what’s EVEN more important is what Jesus does – and says – next. We find out what happens, as do Jessica and Abby in their wake on the lake! And another wonderful single from Dumbrocks: Who is a God Like You?

https://dumbrocks.com/music/songs/who-is-a-god-like-you/

Get more info on the "Jesus is Here! Good news from Mark" series here: https://www.faithinkids.org/jesus-is-here/

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