The Teach Your Children Well Podcast

Forming Lifelong Followers of Jesus with Sarah Cowan Johnson and special host Andrew Mook

What does it take to raise resilient, Jesus-following kids when it feels like you’re swimming upstream against culture, norms, and sometimes even your own doubts? In this final extended episode of the season, Sarah Cowan Johnson hands over the mic to Andrew Mook, founding pastor of Sanctuary Church in Providence, Rhode Island, to turn the tables and interview her. Together, Sarah and Andrew dig deep into the major themes, surprises, and the most memorable moments from this season of The Teach Your Children Well Podcast. Reflecting on their shared passion for family discipleship, Sarah and Andrew examine why discipleship is at the heart of all parenting, how the Western church’s default approaches are often falling short, and what it looks like to help kids and ourselves embrace a faith that lasts. They candidly tackle the dizzying array of cultural narratives bombarding parents, how to “decode” the world for your kids, and ways to build rhythms of faith into busy family life, even when you feel spiritually dry or out of your depth. They talk about various topics from swimming upstream in areas of sexuality, technology, and hurried family schedules, to building weird but wonderful faith communities, to why boundaries, not legalism, are essential to spiritual formation at home. You'll also hear directly from Sarah’s son Silas, whose honest reflections add both humor and practical wisdom for parents eager to see faith flourish in the next generation. This episode is candid, encouraging, and deeply practical, reminding every parent that though the way of Jesus can seem lonely or hard, you’re not alone. Together, small habits and honest conversations can shape a faith that lasts through every stage of life. Listen to the full conversation now. This episode highlights the following themes: * Why discipleship is the key to faith that lasts * Ways for spiritually dry parents to lead with authenticity, not perfection * The crucial but overlooked role of faith communities in raising resilient kids Links from the episode: * Learn more about Andrew Mook [https://sanctuaryri.org/2011/06/20/sanctuary-planters-andrew-corrie/] and Sanctuary Church [https://sanctuaryri.org/] * Listen to sermons [https://sanctuaryri.org/teaching/] from Sanctuary Church * Listen to Sanctuary Music [https://sanctuaryri.org/music/] and Andrew’s project, Breton Yard [https://li.sten.to/bretonyardep] * Learn more about Sarah Cowan Johnson [https://www.ivpress.com/sarah-cowan-johnson] * Read Teach Your Children Well [https://ivpress.com/teach-your-children-well?utm_medium=ivp_tycw&utm_source=ivpteach25] by Sarah Cowan Johnson * Read The Anxious Generation [https://amzn.to/3GortcZ] by Jonathan Haidt * Read Wherever You Go, I Want You to Know [https://amzn.to/3JLWoB6] by Melissa Kruger * Explore Sarah’s library of family discipleship practices and resources here [https://sarahcowanjohnson.com/family-library] * Learn more about prayer journaling [https://sarahcowanjohnson.com/prayer-journaling] and imaginative prayer [https://sarahcowanjohnson.com/imaginative-prayer] * Hear Sarah’s talk [https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=715s&v=v4R7zNredFQ] on hearing God’s voice as a family * Visit Sarah’s websites here [https://sarahcowanjohnson.com/] and here [http://familydiscipleshiplabs.com] * Read the transcript here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zdtzOlHRzuR9bucIl_R1XH9NPaf3JrZA/view?usp=drive_link] * Take the survey here [https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=yO9AJgMWxUm3DHHcCfPEtNRcdeBN9xpIplXn5hpFVGJUOEJVRkQ2N0RSSzRBRDgxUzNYNEMxMkJVUSQlQCN0PWcu] Credits ✅Special offer: Visit ivpress.com [https://ivpress.com?utm_medium=ivp_tycw&utm_source=ivpteach25] and use the code IVPTEACH25 for 25% off and free US shipping on any IVP resource mentioned in this episode. ✅Producers: Kaitlin Borek, Helen Lee, and Travis Albritton ✅Sound Engineering: Honest Podcasts [https://honestpodcasts.com/] ✅Social Media Manager: Makayla Payne ✅Podcast Art: Kate Lillard ✅Theme Song: "Childlike Wonder" by Reveille Disclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. As an Amazon Affiliate, this channel earns commissions from qualifying purchases when you use the links above.

Forming Healthy Boundaries to Manage Family Stress with Tracie Braylock

Parenting under constant stress and busyness takes a real toll, not just on our health, relationships, and spiritual well-being, but also on our children. In this episode of The Teach Your Children Well Podcast, Tracie Braylock, holistic nurse educator, wellness consultant, and author of Radical Relaxation: Releasing the Stress You Were Never Meant to Carry [https://www.ivpress.com/radical-relaxation-ebook?srsltid=AfmBOoonzd6tEF0BCY_R1_Bnot4vvCWzLmRtgp7MfIZ9lwFZ1PZVJ5bh], joins host Sarah Cowan Johnson to talk about the real and lasting impact of stress on parents and children. Drawing on her expertise in mind-body-spirit wellness, Tracie explains how stress shows up in families physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and why the Surgeon General’s recent advisory is a wake-up call for us all. Tracie and Sarah discuss the societal and cultural pressures that keep families trapped in cycles of busyness, the myths that convince us we have to “do it all,” and the quiet damage that pace inflicts on our bodies, families, and homes. This is a must-listen as they share practical ideas for breaking free from cultural norms that increase stress in families and instead creating rhythms of rest and sabbath in family life. This episode is both grounding and hopeful, reminding parents that small, intentional changes can bring more peace, connection, and health into their homes. Listen to the full conversation now. This episode highlights the following themes: * The physical, emotional, and spiritual impact of parental stress on families * Practical ways to recognize, manage, and reduce stress at home * The biblical wisdom of sabbath rest and boundaries Links from the episode: * Learn more about Tracie Braylock [https://traciebraylock.com/] * Read Radical Relaxation [https://www.ivpress.com/radical-relaxation-ebook?srsltid=AfmBOoonzd6tEF0BCY_R1_Bnot4vvCWzLmRtgp7MfIZ9lwFZ1PZVJ5bh] by Tracie Braylock * Learn more about Sarah Cowan Johnson [https://www.ivpress.com/sarah-cowan-johnson] * Read Teach Your Children Well [https://ivpress.com/teach-your-children-well?utm_medium=ivp_tycw&utm_source=ivpteach25] by Sarah Cowan Johnson * Read the Surgeon General’s Advisory here [https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/parents-under-pressure.pdf] * Learn more about Sarah’s family sabbath practice here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/11IvyT3aSXCgs9LXT8rBU7F9u8NPiHEv5/view] or on her website [https://sarahcowanjohnson.com/practice-of-the-month] * Read the transcript here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NTFEWQn52Wykj0sBuYJfN421wO34E5jx/view?usp=drive_link] * Take the survey here [https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=yO9AJgMWxUm3DHHcCfPEtNRcdeBN9xpIplXn5hpFVGJUOEJVRkQ2N0RSSzRBRDgxUzNYNEMxMkJVUSQlQCN0PWcu] Credits ✅Special offer: Visit ivpress.com [https://ivpress.com?utm_medium=ivp_tycw&utm_source=ivpteach25] and use the code IVPTEACH25 for 25% off and free US shipping on any IVP resource mentioned in this episode. ✅Producers: Kaitlin Borek, Helen Lee, and Travis Albritton ✅Sound Engineering: Honest Podcasts [https://honestpodcasts.com/] ✅Social Media Manager: Makayla Payne ✅Podcast Art: Kate Lillard ✅Theme Song: "Childlike Wonder" by Reveille Disclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

Forming a Healthy View of Christian Sexuality in Our Kids with Rachel Joy Welcher

Feeling unsure about how to talk to your kids about sex? Many Christian parents want to raise their kids with a healthy understanding of sex, sexuality, and identity. But most don’t know where to start. Some are still working through their own experiences with shame or silence. Others are afraid of saying the wrong thing. In this episode of The Teach Your Children Well Podcast, author, editor, and poet Rachel Joy Welcher joins Sarah Cowan Johnson to help parents move from a fear-based narrative about sex to a redemptive, biblical vision of sexuality. Drawing from her book Talking Back to Purity Culture [https://www.ivpress.com/talking-back-to-purity-culture], Rachel unpacks what the church got wrong about sex, how those messages impacted a generation of Christians, and how parents can do things differently with their own children. Sarah and Rachel explore how to teach kids that sex is not merely about setting boundaries but about love of God and love of neighbor. They talk about giving our kids a theology of desire, the importance of honesty and nuance, and how to walk with children through big questions with compassion and hope. Don’t let fear or shame lead the conversation. This episode will help you start honest, gospel-centered talks about sex, identity, and God’s good design with confidence and compassion. Tune in now. This episode highlights the following themes: * How purity culture shaped Christian views of sex and bodies * Practical ways to talk about sex without shame or fear * How to affirm your child’s dignity while teaching self-control, consent, and character Links from the episode: * Learn more about Rachel Joy Welcher [https://racheljoywelcher.substack.com/] * Read Talking Back to Purity Culture [https://www.ivpress.com/talking-back-to-purity-culture] by Rachel Joy Welcher * Read Rachel Joy Welcher’s IVP Kids book, Charlie Can’t Sleep! [https://www.ivpress.com/charlie-can-t-sleep?utm_medium=ivp_tycw&utm_source=IVPTeach25] * Read Rachel Joy Welcher’s poetry [https://racheljoywelcher.substack.com/s/poetry] * Learn more about Sarah Cowan Johnson [https://www.ivpress.com/sarah-cowan-johnson] * Read Teach Your Children Well [https://ivpress.com/teach-your-children-well?utm_medium=ivp_tycw&utm_source=ivpteach25] by Sarah Cowan Johnson * Read Redeeming Sex: Naked Conversations About Sexuality and Spirituality [https://www.ivpress.com/redeeming-sex?utm_medium=ivp_tycw&utm_source=IVPTeach25] by Debra Hirsch * Learn more about Axis [https://axis.org/]and subscribe to their Culture Translator [https://axis.org/culture-translator/] emails * Learn more about Sarah’s recommended resources on sexuality here [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tR7mirqrvJTWJq4tnHDxAN0R3sjMmK7LfyOJ12Ik82E/edit?tab=t.0] * Read the transcript here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VeZTMlNIy71aLHu6JCnjldpB98YQR5a0/view?usp=drive_link] * Take the survey here [https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=yO9AJgMWxUm3DHHcCfPEtNRcdeBN9xpIplXn5hpFVGJUOEJVRkQ2N0RSSzRBRDgxUzNYNEMxMkJVUSQlQCN0PWcu] Credits ✅Special offer: Visit ivpress.com [https://ivpress.com?utm_medium=ivp_tycw&utm_source=ivpteach25] and use the code IVPTEACH25 for 25% off and free US shipping on any IVP resource mentioned in this episode. ✅Producers: Kaitlin Borek, Helen Lee, and Travis Albritton ✅Sound Engineering: Honest Podcasts [https://honestpodcasts.com/] ✅Social Media Manager: Makayla Payne ✅Podcast Art: Kate Lillard ✅Theme Song: "Childlike Wonder" by Reveille Disclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. As an Amazon Affiliate, this channel earns commissions from qualifying purchases when you use the links above.

Forming Boys into Healthy Men with Jon Tyson

What are the messages that boys are receiving about manhood from the culture around them? In this episode of The Teach Your Children Well Podcast, host Sarah Cowan Johnson sits down with pastor and author Jon Tyson for a conversation about raising boys in a culture that often champions toxic or unhealthy versions of masculinity. As the author of Primal Path [https://primalpath.co/], a discipleship curriculum for fathers and sons, Tyson has helped tens of thousands of families to walk the road from Christ-centered childhood to Christ-centered manhood. Together, Sarah and Jon talk about the differences between passive parenting and intentional parenting, how cultural messages often prevent boys from developing a healthy sense of self, and why the goal isn’t to shield them from the world but to prepare them to follow Jesus within it. Jon offers wisdom from his books The Intentional Father [https://amzn.to/44U0Nua] and Fighting Shadows [https://amzn.to/40KAiVt], naming the lies boys and men believe and how families can resist shame and spiritual apathy by leaning into identity and purpose. From dating and friendships to rites of passage and building courage in children, this conversation invites parents to form their children with love, clarity, and purpose so they’re ready to live as faithful disciples in a culture that constantly pulls them away from Jesus. This episode highlights the following themes: * Unhealthy messages about masculinity in the culture and in the church * Forming healthy attachments with both boys and girls in the family * The importance of prayer as kids grow up from childhood into adolescence Links from the episode: * Learn more about Jon Tyson [https://www.jontyson.org/] * Read The Intentional Father [https://amzn.to/44U0Nua] and Fighting Shadows [https://amzn.to/40KAiVt] by Jon Tyson * Learn more about The Primal Path [https://primalpath.co/] and Raising Resilient Daughters [https://www.formingmen.com/daughters] * Learn more about Sarah Cowan Johnson [https://www.ivpress.com/sarah-cowan-johnson] * Read Teach Your Children Well [https://ivpress.com/teach-your-children-well?utm_medium=ivp_tycw&utm_source=ivpteach25] by Sarah Cowan Johnson * Read How Christianity Changed the World [https://amzn.to/44UeXLO] by Alvin Schmidt * Read Validation [https://amzn.to/4m5gg0v] by Dr. Caroline Fleck * For more on complementarity without hierarchy, see Discovering Biblical Equality [https://www.ivpress.com/discovering-biblical-equality?utm_medium=ivp_tycw&utm_source=IVPTeach25] edited by Ronald W. Pierce, Cynthia Long Westfall, and Christa L. McKirkland * Read the transcript here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xFgSrs9vjHMg-0OsXoxfk_k2LP7K9pw6/view?usp=drive_link] * Take the survey here [https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=yO9AJgMWxUm3DHHcCfPEtNRcdeBN9xpIplXn5hpFVGJUOEJVRkQ2N0RSSzRBRDgxUzNYNEMxMkJVUSQlQCN0PWcu] Credits ✅Special offer: Visit ivpress.com [https://ivpress.com?utm_medium=ivp_tycw&utm_source=ivpteach25] and use the code IVPTEACH25 for 25% off and free US shipping on any IVP resource mentioned in this episode. ✅Producers: Kaitlin Borek, Helen Lee, and Travis Albritton ✅Sound Engineering: Honest Podcasts [https://honestpodcasts.com/] ✅Social Media Manager: Makayla Payne ✅Podcast Art: Kate Lillard ✅Theme Song: "Childlike Wonder" by Reveille Disclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. As an Amazon Affiliate, this channel earns commissions from qualifying purchases when you use the links above.

Forming Healthy Responses to Grief with Natasha Smith

Grief is not a detour from discipleship—it’s part of it. When families walk through loss, parents often don’t know how to support their kids and process their own pain at the same time. What do we say? What do we do? And how do we help our children name their emotions and meet God in the middle of them? In this episode of The Teach Your Children Well Podcast, host Sarah Cowan Johnson talks with Natasha Smith, grief advocate, speaker, and author of Can You Just Sit With Me? [https://www.ivpress.com/can-you-just-sit-with-me?srsltid=AfmBOopT_FPRuR6yp1RMBhpC94HI0sgdvTqsAlcCimWzw60g-BGolfbB] and Black Woman Grief [https://www.ivpress.com/black-woman-grief?srsltid=AfmBOoqSOcYxZw01-2ABRQTtBf9a4MHsNPYVPM1nYjCiWNP1L9e5Ld6_], about navigating grief as a family. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, the end of a season, or something else entirely, Natasha reminds us that grief is part of being human, and God meets us in it. Sarah and Natasha talk about the difference between lament and despair, the power of naming emotions, and how grief can become a space of spiritual growth for both parents and kids. They explore why sitting with pain is so difficult, especially for adults who feel pressure to "hold it all together" for their children. Natasha shares how parents can model emotional honesty without overwhelming their kids, and why creating room for questions, sadness, and even silence can be a powerful part of discipleship.  If you're navigating your own grief, helping a child process theirs, or wondering how to talk about loss with your family, this conversation offers practical wisdom and gentle encouragement to meet grief with grace.   This episode highlights the following themes: * What healthy grief looks like, and how it can form us * Why emotional honesty is discipleship * How to create space for lament with your kids “Steal This Idea” prayer: Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” God of love, As a sign of sorrow,  As a protest against death, injustice, and loss,  As an act of holy defiance against what should not be, We tear this cloth, Not to sever hope, But to open our hearts in grief before you. Hold us in our sorrow, Meet us in the tearing, And do not let this grief be wasted. Amen. Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Links from the episode: * Learn more about Natasha Smith [https://imnatashasmith.com/] * Read Can You Just Sit With Me? [https://www.ivpress.com/can-you-just-sit-with-me?srsltid=AfmBOopT_FPRuR6yp1RMBhpC94HI0sgdvTqsAlcCimWzw60g-BGolfbB] and Black Woman Grief [https://www.ivpress.com/black-woman-grief?srsltid=AfmBOoqSOcYxZw01-2ABRQTtBf9a4MHsNPYVPM1nYjCiWNP1L9e5Ld6_] by Natasha Smith * Read Hopeful Lament [https://www.ivpress.com/hopeful-lament?utm_medium=ivp_tycw&utm_source=IVPTeach25] by Terra McDaniel * Learn more about Sarah Cowan Johnson [https://www.ivpress.com/sarah-cowan-johnson] * Read Teach Your Children Well [https://ivpress.com/teach-your-children-well?utm_medium=ivp_tycw&utm_source=ivpteach25] by Sarah Cowan Johnson * Read the transcript here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/18Uw-ZrQnWyi6Z3vMJFrlx0gSwRP_0VcA/view?usp=drive_link] * Take the survey here [https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=yO9AJgMWxUm3DHHcCfPEtNRcdeBN9xpIplXn5hpFVGJUOEJVRkQ2N0RSSzRBRDgxUzNYNEMxMkJVUSQlQCN0PWcu] Credits ✅Special offer: Visit ivpress.com [https://ivpress.com?utm_medium=ivp_tycw&utm_source=ivpteach25] and use the code IVPTEACH25 for 25% off and free US shipping on any IVP resource mentioned in this episode. ✅Producers: Helen Lee, Kaitlin Borek, and Travis Albritton ✅Sound Engineering: Honest Podcasts [https://honestpodcasts.com/] ✅Social Media Manager: Makayla Payne ✅Podcast Art: Kate Lillard ✅Theme Song: "Childlike Wonder" by Reveille Disclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.