Stand Firm Parents

🎉 50th Episode Celebration: The Top Lesson So Far

After 50 powerful episodes, we're pausing to ask: What's the one lesson that's changed everything?

In this special celebration episode, Jake McCandless shares the top takeaway from 50 conversations, interviews, and experiences — and how it can reshape your parenting from the inside out.

💡 You'll Learn:

• The #1 thing your child needs most

• How to disciple when you feel like a mess

• Why presence beats performance

• Jake's most honest parenting moment yet

Whether you're new here or have been with us since episode 1, this one's for you.

Persecution Is Coming Guest: Pastor Andrew Brunson, Author of God's Hostage

He spent two years in a Turkish prison for preaching Christ. Now he's warning the Church: you're not ready.

In this gripping episode, Jake sits down with Pastor Brunson to talk about suffering, faith, and preparing the next generation to endure.

🎧 Listen now. 📘 Get God's Hostage: Buy on Amazon » 🌐 Learn more: andrewandnorinebrunson.com

Real Life Standing Firm: Andrew Brunson's Story of Faith Under Fire

When persecution isn't just possible but personal—what does faith look like?

Dr. Andrew Brunson, falsely imprisoned for over 2 years in Turkey, joins Jake for a vulnerable and bold conversation on:

• The cost of standing firm

• Preparing the church for suffering

• Why parents need to disciple their children for trials—not comfort

• What he learned about faith in the fire

📚 Book: God's Hostage 🌐 More: wavestarters.org

Jake McCandless closes out the Fully Integrated Faith series with a call to Christian parents: If your kids are going to stand firm in their faith, yours must come first. Discover how to move from devotionals to discipleship, and why the "church event" mindset must die.

You'll Learn:

• Why tools ≠ endgame

• How global Christians live fully integrated faith

• The secret to spiritual maturity in your daily routine

Bio: Jake McCandless is the director of Stand Firm Ministries and the author of Spiritual Prepper. He helps families prepare for challenges of faith and disciple the next generation to stand firm.

🎧 More at www.standfirmministries.com

What if church wasn't something you went to... but something you lived? In this deeply personal episode, Jake McCandless shares the raw, behind-the-scenes story of his relentless pursuit to build a ministry that reflects the Acts 2 church — where discipleship, mission, and real-life faith collide. From wrestling with Sunday-only Christianity to stepping out in faith to build something more authentic, this isn't just a story — it's a roadmap for families who long to see faith fully integrated into every part of life.

Whether you're a parent, pastor, or just hungry for something more, this episode will challenge you to rethink what it means to follow Jesus in your home, church, and everyday life.

Guest: Dr. Jim Wilder, neurotheologian & author of The Other Half of Church

What if the biggest barrier to passing on your faith… is your own maturity?

In this powerful episode, Jake sits down with Dr. Jim Wilder to explore how brain science and spiritual formation come together to grow resilient, emotionally grounded believers — starting with parents. You'll discover why character maturity is critical for lasting faith and how to build a discipleship model that transforms not just minds but hearts and homes.

🧠 Learn how your brain was designed to grow spiritually 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Discover how maturity impacts your parenting 🔥 Why emotional development is the missing piece in discipleship

This episode is a wake-up call to raise warriors, not just well-behaved kids.

📚 Learn more at LifeModelWorks.org

Jake McCandless sits down with Dr. Jim Wilder to discuss the surprising connection between neuroscience and faith. Learn how your brain was designed to grow through joy and peace, how relational connections form the foundation of maturity, and how parents can use brain science to help their children develop a faith that truly lasts.

Dr. Wilder also reveals how gratitude rewires the brain for resilience, and why a fully integrated faith is the key to spiritual and emotional health.

Key Takeaways:

• Your brain was designed for joy—and faith should be fueled by it.

• Maturity is about staying yourself when things go wrong.

• Gratitude is brain training for spiritual and emotional health.

• Parents can build resilience in their children through joy-based parenting.

Dr. Jim Wilder - Bio & Links

Dr. Jim Wilder is a neurotheologian, author, and the chief neurotheologian at *Life Model Works*, where he integrates brain science with spiritual formation to help individuals and communities grow in maturity and connection. He has dedicated his career to exploring the intersection of neuroscience and discipleship, helping people cultivate emotionally and spiritually healthy relationships. His work has profoundly shaped the field of relational discipleship and character transformation.

📖 **Growing We the People: More Human Community** – Get it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Growing-People-More-Human-Community/dp/B0DG2SX5F1

🔗 Life Model Works – Learn more: https://lifemodelworks.org

Jake McCandless continues his conversation with Michael Hendrix about brain science and discipleship, focusing on practical steps parents can take to nurture a healthy and resilient faith in their children. Discover why building joy, practicing rest, and showing true connection with your kids can make all the difference.

Key Takeaways:

• Brain science reveals how children learn through joy and rest cycles

• Parenting with maturity impacts children's natural development

• Disciplining with grace and maintaining connection builds character

Michel Hendricks is a pastor, teacher, and the co-author of The Other Half of Church, a book that explores the integration of brain science and biblical principles to create healthy, thriving church communities. He has worked and trained alongside Dr. Jim Wilder, a leading voice in neurotheology, at Life Model Works. Michel's passion is to help leaders cultivate environments where joy, hesed (loving-kindness), and spiritual maturity flourish. Learn more about his work at Life Model Works.

📖 The Other Half of Church by Michel Hendricks and Jim Wilder – Get it on Amazon

Have we been discipling with half the brain? Michel Hendricks, co-author of The Other Half of Church, reveals how right-brain training is essential for true spiritual transformation. Most discipleship focuses on knowledge and willpower, but what if emotional and relational growth is the missing key?

In this episode, we unpack: 🔹 How brain science connects to faith and formation 🔹 Why joy is the fuel for spiritual growth 🔹 The six big emotions that shape our discipleship 🔹 How parents can train their children's emotional and spiritual resilience

The Book - The Other Half of Church - https://a.co/d/eaNy4Ms

Life Model Works - https://lifemodelworks.org

Brian Johnson, co-founder of KC Underground, joins Stand Firm Parents to discuss a radical shift in how we do church and raise disciples at home. Instead of separating faith into a Sunday event, Brian shares how to make disciple-making a natural, daily part of life.

Key Takeaways: ✔️ The biggest reasons young people leave the faith ✔️ What the early church teaches us about disciple-making ✔️ Why parents—not the church—are the primary disciple-makers ✔️ How microchurches can transform faith at home ✔️ Practical ways to integrate faith into everyday life

Brian Johnson is the co-founder and director of KC Underground, a decentralized movement of disciple-makers and microchurches in Kansas City. Their 40-year vision is to have a missionary on every street and a microchurch in every network of relationships. Brian also trains leaders globally through KC Underground's huddles and resources. He and his wife Kristen live as missionaries with their five children, seeking to model an extended spiritual family.

📖 KC Underground Toolkit: kcunderground.org/toolkit 📖 KC Underground Training Huddles: kcunderground.org/train