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.

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

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.

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

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

Rob Wegner joins Stand Firm Parents to challenge the way we think about church. Rather than centering faith around a weekly event, what if we saw it as a lifestyle of disciple-making? This episode explores how microchurches, spiritual families, and everyday disciple-makers are the future of faith. Rob Wegner is a leading voice in the missional movement and the co-founder of KC Underground, a decentralized network of disciple-making communities. He also serves with NewThing, helping catalyze reproducing churches globally, and leads Microchurch.Next for Exponential, equipping leaders to embrace microchurch movements. Rob is the co-author of The Starfish and the Spirit, a book on decentralized church movements. 📖 The Starfish and the Spirit – Get it on Amazon 🔗 KC Underground: https://www.kcunderground.org

Jake McCandless speaks with Darren Huckey about the Jewish context of discipleship and what it means for parents raising children in faith. Learn how first-century discipleship was more than just knowledge—it was about full-life transformation through devotion, imitation, and replication. Key Takeaways: How first-century discipleship worked What Jesus meant when He said, "A disciple, when fully trained, will be like his teacher." How parents can model and teach discipleship at home Darren Huckey is the Assistant to the Rabbi at Shalom Macon Messianic Synagogue in Macon, Georgia. He is a husband, a father, an author, a teacher, and posts weekly videos to the Shalom Macon YouTube channel. He has published seven books to date with his eighth book due out the first quarter of 2025. He has been active in ministry and/or religious leadership since 1994. Learning about the Jewishness of Jesus has radically changed his life and understanding of Jesus' call to discipleship. His focus over the last several years has been connecting the church back to its Jewish roots, bringing insights into the life, teachings, and ministry of Jesus from Jewish sources. Darren currently lives in Macon, GA with his beautiful wife and four of his five wonderful children (the oldest is happily married and living in Texas), building community with the people he loves. Darren's book: Four Responsibilities of a Disciple, https://a.co/d/3LIICOZ Darren's website: https://www.emethatorah.com

What can the global church teach us about raising kids with a faith that lasts? Jake McCandless sits down with John David Smith, President of BMA Global, for an enlightening conversation about wholistic faith and parenting. Key Takeaways: The difference between wholistic Christianity and compartmentalized faith. Why simplicity matters in our walk with Christ. The power of the gospel to transform families and create a legacy of faith. With stories and lessons from 67 nations, this episode will challenge and inspire you to lead your family toward a fully integrated faith.