As another school year begins, parents cannot just “hand off” the education of their children to schools and teachers.

So says professional counselor Christopher Anderson, who offers practical advice on “Real Answers“, the Family Life news feature which addresses big issues facing Christians and Christian families.Anderson emphasizes that parents are their children’s primary educator, especially on faith training and values awareness. In this conversation:

Family Life’s “Hometown Heroes“

Chad Kurtz of Brookville, Pennsylvania, saw the challenges boys face in childhood and their teen years, when a father or father figure is not prominent in their lives. He directs the local chapter of “Truth in Nature”, a ministry which matches responsible Christian men with young people who need that kind of positive male influence.

Truth in Nature reaches out in response to a Biblical mandate to care for the fatherless. The need is great, with 18.5 million fatherless boys in the United States. Kurtz tells Family Life that real-world statistics show young people have very prominent incidents of imprisonment, homelessness, running away, suicide, and self-esteem issues. Of 27 recent mass shootings, 26 of those were committed by someone who did not have a dad at home.

Not all situations are dire, and single mothers do amazing work, and this ministry provides support to them too. For the boys, male teens and even those of college age, Truth in Nature provides experiences, advice and encouragement how to grow up as a healthy and respectful man. Activities include camping, learning to hunt, how to fold clothes, how to shave, and spiritual teachings.

Truth in Nature started in Georgia in 2009, and recently opened chapters in Pennsylvania and New York. Kurtz and others from Brookville are available to speak at churches and civic organizations.

Family Life’s “Issues in Education” News Feature is back for the start of the new school year.

Dr. Ralph Kerr, a longtime school administrator and the founder of the Teaching and Learning Institute talks about key issues happening now among classrooms, school boards, and communities. These conversations are important for parents, extended families and taxpayers.

This week:

Bob Price is your host.  Ralph Kerr and TLI are based in Houghton, New York.

Family Life’s “Capital Connection”

This week marks the “season premiere” of Capital Connection, our Friday noon News Feature with a roundtable of experts on social, cultural and political issues which affect the people of Pennsylvania, New Work, and the entire nation.

Christian watchdogs Jason McGuire and Michael Geer are back from a well-deserved summer break and they “dig deep” on the issues that matter from the state capitals of Harrisburg and Albany.  Among the topics happening this week on “Capital Connection”:

Jason McGuire leads New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms. Michael Geer heads the Pennsylvania Family Institute.

Previous roundtables with these two veteran commentators and other NY and PA opinion leaders are available from the Family Life News Podcasts page. Search for “Capital Connection“.