License to Parent with Trace Embry

If we can adequately explain and defend the evidence of the resurrection of Christ and the veracity of Scripture, while exposing the flaws in arguments to the contrary, the chances our kids will accept and obey our Savior—and obey us as well—are greatly increased.

J. Warner "Jim" Wallace is a cold-case homicide detective, popular national speaker, and best-selling author. He continues to consult on cold-case investigations while serving as a Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. Mr. Wallace is also an adjunct professor of apologetics at Biola University and a faculty member at Summit Ministries. His writings, podcasts, videos, and other resources can be found at his websites www.coldcasechristianity.com and www.coldcasechristianityforkids.com.

How Postmodern Thought can Ignore Evidence of the Resurrection

Scandal and bad news, whether it’s true or not, travels much faster than good news. I think that’s just the carnal nature in all of us. We like to dig up dirt. Just look at all the fake news going on as we speak. It’s one of the biggest issues in the media right now—and Jesus isn’t even in the equation!

What bothers me is that, as a people, we’ve become so “postmodern” in our thinking that we basically believe what we want to believe. We believe whatever makes us feel good and justified, regardless of how harmful or unjustified it might be. The mind can always justify what the heart has pre-determined.

I don’t think many people today, including our kids, really want to believe the Bible is reliable or that Christ was actually raised from the dead. Because if Scripture is true and the resurrection really happened, then Christ would likely be who He claimed to be. And if He really is who He claimed to be, then not only would we have to heed His Word, but there would also be some real consequences to deal with for denying Him.

As I discuss with J. Warner Wallace today, objectively, there’s a pretty good case for the fact that this miraculous resurrection thing actually happened. But if your postmodern worldview and presuppositions about life and reality tell you that God or a literal resurrection is totally off the table, then your emotions and subjective reasons—not logic or the objective evidence—is a whole lot more likely to dictate your reality. Even though, if you ask me, there’s still something to be said for all the lives that get transformed every day by this historical figure we know as Jesus Christ. We see it happen here at Sheperds Hill Academy all the time!

There is not only the objective evidence of the historical Christ we have to deal with—and give our kids an opportunity to deal with—we also have to deal with all the individual subjective evidences and actual life transformations that people are experiencing everyday! But since so many of our kids are being taught that the only reliable evidence for truth and reality is in the realm of empirical evidence—and by empirical, I basically mean our five senses—I thought we’d investigate the veracity of Scripture and the resurrection using the same tools that any good police detective uses to arrest criminals and put them in jail.

J. Warner Wallace and I empirically search for truth as we discuss the following:

What is a cold case consultant and why is it relevant to me.

Who is J. Warner Wallace?

The idea of freedom of religion and how our subjective opinions are not helping.

Today’s teens want evidence supporting faith.

Four ways the eyewitness account of the disciples is key to Christianity.

Picture provided by: pixabay.com

If we can adequately explain and defend the evidence of the resurrection of Christ and the veracity of Scripture, while exposing the flaws in arguments to the contrary, the chances our kids will accept and obey our Savior—and obey us as well—are greatly increased. J. Warner “Jim” Wallace is a cold-case homicide detective, popular national […]

This very public discussion about sex doesn't even include the gross variety of Internet pornography that returns multiplied billions of dollars to those who sell it, produce it, and star in it. And it is all easily accessible to any child with the developmental skills to push a few buttons on a computer or smartphone. This is the world we have to compete with when trying to teach our kids about the beauty and God-ordained gift of sex.

Dr. Juli Slattery is the president and co-founder of Authentic Intimacy, a unique teaching ministry called to teach on sexuality. She is a clinical psychologist, author, and host of the weekly podcast, Java with Juli. Dr. Slattery writes and speaks on the topic of sex, healing from sexual abuse, and intimacy with Jesus. Juli and her husband Mike have been married for 20 years and are raising their three boys in Colorado Springs. There, Juli can be found playing in the mountains and trying to manage her addiction to soy lattes.

How Leading a Godly Discussion About Sex Can Benefit Your Children

When we talk with our kids about sex, we really do have to find a way to have a louder or more effective microphone and stage than this crazy world we live in today. I think the way to have that louder or more effective microphone for our kids is to be the very first to speak into it about this subject. Because, just like many things in life, when a person—in this case, our child—learns something for the first time the right way from someone they love and respect, I think there is a tremendous advantage to that.

If kids first learn about sex from mom and dad and discover that it is a beautiful, God-ordained act that is supposed to be reserved for the sanctity of marriage and has the possibility of producing an offspring that is not, as defined by any dictionary, a “bastard”—and I think I’m using that term judiciously—we gain a leg-up on those who are bastardizing what should be a legitimate act of love. This is, again, especially true if our kids learn this early on with regular allusions to the beauty and sanctity of sex. So, when a kid sees or hears about sex in a way that’s diminished or dirty—through a joke or porn for example—hopefully, they will be more likely to be turned-off by it than turned-on. Dr. Juli Slattery and I tackle this subject as we talk about the following topics:

Sex is a God ordained act, in the confines of marriage.

What is Authentic Intimacy?

Why is it so important for your children to learn about sex from you?

What is the difference between covenant love and the love the world displays?

How early is too early to talk to your kids about the birds and the bees?

How much detail is too much detail to share with your kids about sex?

Picture provided by: pixabay.com

This very public discussion about sex doesn’t even include the gross variety of Internet pornography that returns multiplied billions of dollars to those who sell it, produce it, and star in it. And it is all easily accessible to any child with the developmental skills to push a few buttons on a computer or smartphone. […]

So, if we’re truly going to model the love of Christ to our kids, we must find the balance between truth and grace—and that’s after we’ve properly defined and understood the terms. Are you confused yet? Well today, we’ll find the love in discipline and that balance between truth and grace—a formula that will increase your chances of a successful parent/child relationship.

Our guest, Dan Seaborn is the director of the marriage and family division of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) and the founder of Winning At Home, an organization that produces media resources and hosts special events to develop marriages and families. He has authored 12 books with his latest work being Parenting with Grace and Truth.

Dan has been a featured speaker at various churches and large-scale events such as Promise Keepers weekends, AACC conferences, and university assemblies. He has earned recognition as a powerful and passionate communicator. He has established himself as a media personality on West Michigan television and on national radio. Prior to founding Winning At Home, Dan served as a Pastor of Student Ministries and then as Pastor of Family Life. He and his wife Jane have four children and live in West Michigan.

Why Parents Must Find the Balance Between Truth and Grace

Because of the parent/child relationship with our kids, at times, we may feel we can say and do things that don’t require us to think things through very deeply. Though what we may have to say to our children may be true, we can diminish the importance of our words by neglecting the grace needed to articulate this truth to our kids. It’s like we can almost take our kids for granted sometimes. Essentially, as a result, we may let a foolish method overshadow a wise principle. This is very easy to do. I explain some examples that I have experienced in my parenting with guest Dan Seaborn as we discuss the following:

The purpose behind Dan’s book Parenting with Grace and Truth.

How do we find the balance between truth and grace.

What are some common traps behind “grace based” parenting.

The number one advice that Dan Seaborn can give you for parenting.

What are “rules to die for.”

How to regain lost ground.

Picture provided by: Lilly_M [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

So, if we’re truly going to model the love of Christ to our kids, we must find the balance between truth and grace—and that’s after we’ve properly defined and understood the terms. Are you confused yet? Well today, we’ll find the love in discipline and that balance between truth and grace—a formula that will increase […]

Today, however, homosexual behavior is not only legal, for many it’s actually considered chic and trendy. Our teenagers are attracted to things that are chic and trendy—even more so, when there’s no-longer a stigma attached to whatever the trend may be. And when the stigma is gone, so are inhibitions. When inhibitions are gone, appetites, habits, and even addictions can be acquired. Parents must prepare themselves and their kids to navigate a world that no longer knows how to blush.

Anne Paulk is the executive director of the Restored Hope Network, a coalition of ministries that offer hope and healing to those caught in a homosexual lifestyle. Anne is an author and speaker on homosexual issues having appeared on Oprah Winfrey, Good Morning America, The CBS Evening News, and The 700 Club. She was also featured in People Magazine. Anne is the author of the book Restoring Sexual Identity: Hope for Women who Struggle with Same-Sex Attraction.

How Culture Can Affect Perspectives on Homosexual Behavior

Today’s culture normalizes what God sees as sin. This skews reality for our teens and prevents them from knowing the other side to this conflict. Essentially there are many things in life I could do, but I choose not to do them. This is for the simple reason that these things could be harmful to me and those closest to me.

Our guest today, Anne Paulk, helps us sort it all out by discussing the following topics:

Who is Anne Paulk and what is Restored Hope?

Was marriage really between a man and a woman?

How marriage reflects the character of God.

The new face of public displays of affection (PDA). Should we be concerned?

As Christians, how are we supposed to approach homosexuality?

Picture provided by: pixabay.com

Today, however, homosexual behavior is not only legal, for many it’s actually considered chic and trendy. Our teenagers are attracted to things that are chic and trendy—even more so, when there’s no-longer a stigma attached to whatever the trend may be. And when the stigma is gone, so are inhibitions. When inhibitions are gone, appetites, […]

Circumstances around the globe continue to draw stark parallels to the events leading up to the end times as recorded in the book of Revelation and other prophetic books in Scripture. We might be wise, as parents, to at least begin to understand our times and better prepare ourselves—and our kids— for what to do should we actually be living in the end times.

Our guest, Carl Gallups, is a pastor, author, and commentator. He has served in Milton, Florida as the senior pastor at Hickory Hammock Baptist Church for 30 years. He has authored multiple bestselling books, and his latest book, When The Lion Roars, was released in 2016. Gallups founded the web-based PNN News and Ministry Network, and he can be heard on the radio several times a week. His commentary can often be found on WND.com, as well as on various television and radio shows. Carl Gallups has appeared as a guest on Fox News Radio, TBN with Pat Boone, and Jewish Voice TV, and he was featured as an “influential Evangelical leader" on Fox Business Report.

Are Parents Doing Enough to Understand Our Times

You know, it’s not every day that we think about living our last day, but it is something we need to take a glance at occasionally—maybe even regularly—especially when we consider everything that’s been taking place in the world lately. This is even more true for those of us who still have kids at home. Because if we’re responsible before God for protecting our kids and preparing them for their future—and I think eternity might qualify as their “future”—then I’d also think that we would be held responsible to help them recognize and prepare for the return of Christ.

I have to confess that I have not been the best at helping my kids in this area. Eschatology is just a subject that I find confusing and speculative. I guess my philosophy has been that if I just stay ready, I’ve got nothing to be concerned about. I know that is no excuse, but maybe because it’s my weakest area of biblical knowledge, I just don’t have the confidence to intelligently and/or adequately pass it along to my kids like I probably should.

This much I DO know. This much I DO pass on to my kids. We are close to the end times! And I know Christians have been saying that forever, but a lot has developed just in the past few decades that should move all of us into having some very serious conversations with our kids about the imminent return of Jesus Christ. And that’s exactly what I’d like to draw out of our conversation today as Carl Gallups and I discuss the following topics:

Who is Carl Gallups?

What the Sons of Issachar, eschatology, and the return of Christ have in common.

Carl relates today's events and state of the world to the prophecy of the End Times.

How the Bible clearly identifies the End Times.

The purpose and use of technology in the destiny of humankind.

Importance of living your life, understand our times, and teach our kids to be ready for eternity.

Why pay attention to biblical prophecy and teach your kids about it.

Picture provided by: bykst

Circumstances around the globe continue to draw stark parallels to the events leading up to the end times as recorded in the book of Revelation and other prophetic books in Scripture. We might be wise, as parents, to at least begin to understand our times and better prepare ourselves—and our kids— for what to do […]