Continuing the conversation about viewing technology through the lens of biblical discipleship, Cameron and Anna encourage parents to communicate gently with their children on the topic of technology. Listening well and asking good questions may not make your child feel better about your rules, but these things do dignify the image of God in your child. 

"The number one developmental question that an early adolescent has is this: where do I fit in the group? The deepest darkest fear of a middle schooler is being left out."

Resources:

Mark 2

John 11

Is It Time for a Phone? Practical Guidance for Parents of New Smartphone Users

Join us for Rooted 2023!

Follow us @rootedministry!

Romans 8:31-37

Psalm 61:1-4

Romans 8 for Parents

Why Teenagers Need to Know that God is For Us by Steve Eatmon
 

Mom and Dad, Nothing Can Separate You from the Love of Christ by Dan Hallock
 

Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates 
Register for Rooted 2025 Conference in Chicago 

In the first episode of our new season, Cameron and Anna will talk about what it looks like to have a discipleship mindset regarding our kids and technology. Our desire as parents is to raise children who love Jesus and have their own relationship with him. With Scripture as our guide, we can teach our children to handle technological tools with godly wisdom, to be faithful to God's Word when they are outside of our homes.

"The reality is your child is going to go out in the real world, and they are going to have their own phone, and they aren't going to have a parent to monitor or filter the internet."

Resources:

Matthew 15:10-28

Recorded podcast with Sarah Zylstra Scrolling Alone: How Instagram Is Making a Generation of Girls Lonely, Anxious, and Sad

Please see also our resources tab for Rooted articles on technology and social media.

Is It Time for a Phone? Practical Guidance for Parents of New Smartphone Users

Romans 8:31-37

Psalm 61:1-4

Romans 8 for Parents

Why Teenagers Need to Know that God is For Us by Steve Eatmon
 

Mom and Dad, Nothing Can Separate You from the Love of Christ by Dan Hallock
 

Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates 
Register for Rooted 2025 Conference in Chicago 

Join Cameron and Anna for this fascinating interview with Jim Davis and Michael Graham, authors of The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? According to the research commissioned by Davis and Graham, 40 million people have left the American church in the last several decades. Americans are most vulnerable to dechurching between the ages of 13-30. This important new book uncovers the primary reasons why people leave the church. Parents will be particularly interested in knowing how they might influence their child's decision to dechurch.

"The American Church has tended to work best for those who fit the 'American path': marriage, then children after marriage. If you get off that path, the American church doesn't work as well for you, which is really sad because if you go back to the early church, the people church worked best for were the disenfranchised." Jim Davis

Resources:

The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? by Jim Davis and Michael Graham

The Next Generation: Forming Middle and High School Students for Lifelong Faith (As In Heaven podcast episode with Cameron Cole)

Handing Down the Faith: How Parents Pass Their Religion on to the Next Generation by Christian Smith

God's Grace For Every Family: Biblical Encouragement for Single-Parent Families and the Churches that Seek to Love them Well by Anna Meade Harris

Join us November 2-4 for Rooted 2023!

Romans 8:31-37

Psalm 61:1-4

Romans 8 for Parents

Why Teenagers Need to Know that God is For Us by Steve Eatmon
 

Mom and Dad, Nothing Can Separate You from the Love of Christ by Dan Hallock
 

Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates 
Register for Rooted 2025 Conference in Chicago 

In this joint episode with Danny Kwon, host of the Rooted Youth Ministry podcast, Anna welcomes Mike McGarry, author of a newly released book for teenagers, Discover: Questioning Your Way to Faith. As a veteran youth worker, father and husband, Mike is no stranger to the difficult questions kids ask. In his book, Mike answers twenty tough questions with insight, compassion, and theological integrity. In our podcast, you'll hear him discuss how to make questions welcome in your home and ministry. 

"When we shame kids for asking questions, we're making it more difficult for them emotionally to ask their questions."

Resources: 

Join us at Rooted 2023 to hear Mike's workshop on teaching theology to teenagers.

Discover: Questioning Your Way to Faith

Teenagers Need a Safe Place to Ask Hard Questions by Anna Meade Harris

Romans 8:31-37

Psalm 61:1-4

Romans 8 for Parents

Why Teenagers Need to Know that God is For Us by Steve Eatmon
 

Mom and Dad, Nothing Can Separate You from the Love of Christ by Dan Hallock
 

Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates 
Register for Rooted 2025 Conference in Chicago 

In this final episode of our three-part series, Cameron and Anna focus on what it looks like to parent out of the grace of Jesus. Almost as soon as our babies are born, parents discover that our best efforts are not enough, our sin trips us up continually, and we often don't have a clue if we have done well or made things worse for our children. Into this difficult place come the immeasurable riches of God's grace towards us in Christ Jesus.

"The law is positive, in that it shows us our sin and our need for grace, but it doesn't transform us." 

References:

Titus 2: 11-14

Ephesians 2: 4-7 

Anxiety: Finding the Better Story by Liz Edrington

Join us for Rooted 2023 in Franklin TN and take advantage of the 1-day parent pass!

Romans 8:31-37

Psalm 61:1-4

Romans 8 for Parents

Why Teenagers Need to Know that God is For Us by Steve Eatmon
 

Mom and Dad, Nothing Can Separate You from the Love of Christ by Dan Hallock
 

Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates 
Register for Rooted 2025 Conference in Chicago 

Cameron and Anna take a pause in the summertime to review what it means to parent out of the rest of the gospel, the wisdom of Scripture, and the grace of Jesus. In this second episode of a three-part series, they examine what it looks like for parents to let the wisdom of Scripture guide their decision-making.

"The Holy Spirit of God is stronger than both the internal and the external pressures that we parents are facing."

Resources:

Join us in Franklin, TN for the 2023 Rooted Conference November 2-4; take advantage of the special one day parent pass for Saturday!

Romans 8:3-9a

Psalm 19:7-12

Romans 8:31-37

Psalm 61:1-4

Romans 8 for Parents

Why Teenagers Need to Know that God is For Us by Steve Eatmon
 

Mom and Dad, Nothing Can Separate You from the Love of Christ by Dan Hallock
 

Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates 
Register for Rooted 2025 Conference in Chicago 

Cameron and Anna take a pause in the summertime to review what it means to parent out of the rest of the gospel, the wisdom of Scripture, and the grace of Jesus. In this first episode of a three-part series, they examine the gospel and what it looks like for parents to rest in the finished work of Christ even as we do the hard work of parenting. Rather than trying to justify ourselves either through our good parenting or the success of our children, parents have peace with God through Christ. 

Join us in Franklin, TN, November 4 for a morning of parent workshops; check out our special one-day ticket for parents!

References:

Romans 5:1-5, 3:21-26

Hebrews 4:11

Rooted Parent podcast Fear Factor season

Romans 8:31-37

Psalm 61:1-4

Romans 8 for Parents

Why Teenagers Need to Know that God is For Us by Steve Eatmon
 

Mom and Dad, Nothing Can Separate You from the Love of Christ by Dan Hallock
 

Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates 
Register for Rooted 2025 Conference in Chicago 

In this episode of the Rooted Parent Podcast, Anna talks with Jared Kennedy, husband and father of three daughters. Jared works as an editor with The Gospel Coalition and is the founder of The Gospel-Centered Family. Jared shares what he believes a gospel-centered family looks like- and it's a combination of dedicated family time, chickens, prayer requests, and lots of ice cream, among other things. You won't want to miss this joyful, encouraging episode!

Resources:

If you'd like to hear more from Jared, please join us for the Rooted conference in Nashville, November 2-4.

Psalm 78: 1-8

Gospel-Centered Family

Oklahoma Girls' Softball Press Conference

Romans 8:31-37

Psalm 61:1-4

Romans 8 for Parents

Why Teenagers Need to Know that God is For Us by Steve Eatmon
 

Mom and Dad, Nothing Can Separate You from the Love of Christ by Dan Hallock
 

Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates 
Register for Rooted 2025 Conference in Chicago 

In this episode of the Rooted Parent Podcast, we share an interview from our sister podcast, Ask Alice. 

Alice Churnock interviews author and mental health counselor, Liz Edrington on her 31-day teen devotional: Anxiety: Finding the Better Story. Listen in as these two experts in teenage anxiety discuss common misconceptions of anxiety, how to spot patterns of anxious behavior in your child, and how to walk with a child or teenager who is struggling with anxiety. Using her own story with anxiety, Liz invites us to consider how Jesus invites both us and our children into wholeness in the face of anxiety. 

Resources:

Order Anxiety: Finding the Better Story by Liz Edrington today! 

Subscribe to Ask Alice and check out all the other Rooted podcasts!

Follow @therootedministry on Instagram!

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Romans 8:31-37

Psalm 61:1-4

Romans 8 for Parents

Why Teenagers Need to Know that God is For Us by Steve Eatmon
 

Mom and Dad, Nothing Can Separate You from the Love of Christ by Dan Hallock
 

Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates 
Register for Rooted 2025 Conference in Chicago 

For parents who dread the hormones, changes, and challenges of the teen years: you will find so much comfort and hope in our interview with author and counselor Kristen Hatton. Kristen is a mother of three grown children, a pastors' wife, and a counselor, and she is well acquainted with how parents anxiously anticipate what life will be like with teenagers in the house. In her newest book, Parenting Ahead: Preparing Now for the Teen Years, Hatton lays a foundation for discipleship that will help parents maintain warm and loving connection with their children, all while teaching them about the redemptive love and sacrifice of Jesus. Listen in on her conversation with Cameron and Anna and find rest in God's goodness towards us as moms and dads.

Resources:

Rooted Recommends: Parenting Ahead: Preparing Now for the Teen Years by Kristen Hatton

Kristen Hatton Author Page

Romans 8:31-37

Psalm 61:1-4

Romans 8 for Parents

Why Teenagers Need to Know that God is For Us by Steve Eatmon
 

Mom and Dad, Nothing Can Separate You from the Love of Christ by Dan Hallock
 

Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates 
Register for Rooted 2025 Conference in Chicago