Solid Steps Radio

Four every day, 365 days a year - that is the number of new child abuse cases in the Kentuckiana area. Said another way - from the time you wake up, to the time you go to bed, 4 children will have been newly identified as an abused child. It is likely their life will never be the same. On this week’s show, Chad and Kurt talk with Stephen Whitehead. He works for a 135 year old organization called Family and Children’s Place ( www.familyandchildrensplace.org ). When a child is referred to Family and Children's Place, they and their family find it is a an emotional and physical safe place. Stephen talks about the programs and processes that this wonderful organization uses in the prevention, intervention, and restoration of children and families.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans….” James 1:27 NIV There are 9,000 children in the Kentucky foster care system. What is the role of the church in the lives of these kids? If someone wants to help, what are their options? Are our churches equipped for supporting them? On this weeks show, Kurt and Chad talk with Darren Washausen, the Executive Director of Orphan Care Alliance (OCA) http://orphancarealliance.org as well as Board Member Austin Wilkerson, and Pastor Darren Lewis. They talk about their adoption journeys around the world and the role OCA played in the process. OCA was founded in 2005 and has helped families care for the fatherless.

"Why is this happening to me? “ Every person has had that question run through their mind. Whether it's a car breaking down or a call from the doctor, we have never really been taught how to mourn or grieve. When the inevitable happens, how can we best handle it? On this weeks show, Kurt and Chad welcome corporate chaplain and grief counselor James Santos. James discusses how we can grieve before, during, and after traumatic events. He also talks about how we can lovingly help the ones we care for who are grieving.

On this weeks show, Kurt and Chad finish up a 5 week study on the book "Shepherding A Child's Heart" by Tedd Tripp. Kurt and Chad talk with Gabe Smith and Brad Ricca - two Dads who either have a teenager or soon will. 
Listen now to learn 1) Three goals to impart into the worldview of a teenager. 2) The importance of having a healthy perspective of the identity of God and self; 3) How to move from authority to influence with teenagers.

“Spare the rod, spoil the child." (Proverbs 13:24) That proverb was written by King Solomon centuries ago. Is the idea of spanking as old as the phrase? Is there a place for spanking in the families of today? On this week’s show, Chad and Kurt continue the study of the book Shepherding a Child's Heart (by Tedd Tripp). They talk with Family Pastor Bryan Elliott and Family Counselor Chad Stettler (Olive Branch Family Counseling https://m.facebook.com/Olivebranchfamilycounseling/ ) about what good discipline looks like, as well as what it shouldn't look like. The ultimate goal is getting to the heart of the child, not just managing their behavior. Kurt shares the story of how he explained gospel of Christ in a powerful way to one of his children during a spanking. It’s one of the most moving segments on the show (4th segment, it's worth checking out at least to hear the story.)

"Spare the rod, spoil the child.” That's a phrase many people heard growing up, but in today's culture and society, it may be frowned upon. Few people believe that discipline should not be part of child rearing. But what is a correct way to do it? Is spanking too harsh and outdated compared to more "enlightened" methods? On this weeks show, Kurt and Chad continue their walk through the book Shepherding a Child's Heart as we sit down with fathers Max Semenick and Rob Keto to discuss what is proper discipline in a child's life. And, how should we communicate with our children? According to the author Tedd Tripp, most people just use 3 ways to communicate to their children, but there are another 5 that we don't think utilize.

Things we think we want for our children - the skill of hitting a baseball, being well-adjusted psychologically, reading the Bible, behaving well in public, straight A's in school, and not going to hell. But what if they are the wrong goals in parenting? On this week’s show Kurt and Chad welcome fathers Rob Keto and Cameron Howell to discuss the book Shepherding a Child's Heart (by author Tedd Tripp). While all of those things listed above are what we would like for our children, they could be incredibly shortsighted in the big picture of life. The guys discuss how we Dads can rethink our goals as parents and even enjoy our children in the process.

Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart. It is the wellspring of life.” How do we parent our children so they will not only be driven by behaving well and will actually have insides that match the outside? On this week’s show, Kurt and Chad welcome Ken Idleman - former pastor, college president and current consultant for The Solomon Foundation. Ken talks about reaching a child's heart without losing the importance of teaching behavior.

The Kentucky Derby is known as “the greatest two minutes in sports.” The Derby is the oldest American sporting event. Every year the city of Louisville, Kentucky celebrates for two weeks in preparation for a two minute horse race. Is the build up worth it? If you've ever been to the Kentucky Derby, you’d have to say it is. And the majority of the time, the intrigue is not about horses, but about the people. On this week’s show, Kurt and Chad talk to racing Hall of Famer Pat Day about how he got into horse racing, and about his meteoric rise to fame and fortune. With 8,803 career wins on some of the greatest championship horses, his favorite win was the 1992 Kentucky Derby. But was that THE defining moment in his career, and life? At the top of the horse racing world, as Rider of the Year, God showed him that success, as measured by this world, can be a dead end.

In this week’s episode, U of L Professor Brad Shuck joins Kurt and Chad to share what he knows about compassionate leadership. Brad travels around the world meeting with corporate leaders who are looking for ways to energize their companies. Listen now and you will learn the six characteristics of a compassionate leader. And the same principles that can transform a giant corporation will also work in a church or at home! (This weekend's show is a repeat from 2016 - an interview with professor Brad Shuck about servant leadership. Enjoy!)