The MAVEN Parent Podcast

Latest Episodes:

4 Steps to Fix Your Marriage May 19, 2026

Show notes

How you maintain your marriage is more important than the work you put into your relationship with your kids! Marriage is the foundation of the family, and kids suffer without a healthy example to lean on. So, how can we work on making marriages stronger? In this episode, Brett and Erin discuss marriage advice from Harvard professor Arthur Brooks and share how these four easy steps have helped them build a strong relationship while raising five kids together.

Watch the video from Arthur Brooks: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OXHaeRpJO1I

Join us for LIVE Q&A on YouTube every 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 12 pm Pacific! https://www.youtube.com/@we_are_MAVEN

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

Raise Men. Not Basement Boys. May 12, 2026

Show notes

Are we raising resilient men or fragile boys? American culture chronically deemphasizes God's good design for men. Parents are encouraged to coddle and protect boys from discomfort, struggle, and risk—robbing boys of the experiences and risks that teach how to be the resilient builders God has designed them to be. In this episode, Brett and Erin discuss practical ways parents can encourage and train boys to become godly men who create, build, and work hard for their families.

Read the first article: https://substack.com/@anthonybbradley/note/c-243280794?r=1cjmt&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action

Read the second article: https://substack.com/@anthonybbradley/note/c-244401324?r=1cjmt&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action

Join us for LIVE Q&A on YouTube every 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 12 pm Pacific! https://www.youtube.com/@we_are_MAVEN

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

Christians Must Stop Living By Lies w/ Rod Dreher May 05, 2026

Show notes

Gender identity. Critical Theory. Social justice. Same-sex marriage. The Culture is asking Christians to repudiate Biblical truth at every turn. Refuse and the culture will try to punish you. Author Rod Dreher's book "Live Not By Lies" highlighted this fact in 2020, as it became more evident than ever that Western society was rife with what Dreher calls "soft totalitarianism." And the conditions that created that an environment have not gone away. In this episode, Brett and Erin speak with Rod Dreher about "Live Not By Lies" and discuss the essential role Christian parents play in raising kids who will boldly speak truth amidst a culture that encourages silence and fear.

Read Rod's article "Sex After Christianity" - https://www.theamericanconservative.com/sex-after-christianity/

Read more of Rod's articles: https://substack.com/@roddreher

Find Rod on X @roddreher

Check out Rod's books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rod-Dreher/author/B00JV2IX3O

Watch the "Live Not By Lies" documentary series: https://www.angel.com/watch/live-not-by-lies

What Not to Do When Jehovah's Witnesses Knock on Your Door Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

The Great Commission is central to Christianity—we are supposed to share the Gospel with those we encounter. But what's the best way to train your kids in this skill? In this episode, Brett and Erin react to a perfect example of how not to share the Gospel with Jehovah's Witnesses and discuss a strategy practiced in their own home that gets all the kids involved.

Learn more about MAVEN's Immersive Experiences: https://maventruth.com/immersive-experience/

Get Greg Koukl’s book “Tactics” - https://a.co/d/01J8jNgA

Get Rosaria Butterfield’s book “The Gospel Comes Either a House Key” - https://a.co/d/0hcAHeoa

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

Are Millennial Parents the Most Arrogant Parents Ever? Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

Millennials have been raising the next generation for a while now and it's time to check in on them. Champions of modern parenting methods such as Gentle Parenting, millennials are fairly confident that their parenting styles will be successful. They focus on empathy, mental health, and leaving behind the parenting practices of previous generations. Overall, they think they're better parents than their own. But what does success really look like? Is it healthy to have this level of confidence in your parenting? In this episode, Brett and Erin look at the data from millennials about how they're assessing their parenting performance, discuss a Biblical perspective of what success really looks like, and some practical action steps you can take to practice a more wise parenting approach.

Read the study: https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/blog/millennial-parenting-statistics/

Read how Gen Z is Parenting: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-research-from-kiddie-academy-reveals-54-of-gen-z-parents-prioritize-preparing-children-for-real-world-302559687.html

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

The Transgender War on Girls’ Sports: Why Christians Need to Get Involved w/ Sophia Lorey Apr 14, 2026

Show notes

Is the issue of biological males in women's sports "over" now? Last week, we interviewed teen athlete Olivia Viola about her experience running track and field against a biological man. She is far from the only teen athlete who is still having to navigate this issue. There are hundreds of stories of girls forced to play sports or share locker rooms with boys. Maybe there's even a teen in your life facing this issue too? In this episode, Brett and Erin chat with Sophia Lorey from California Family Council about her experiences helping girls and families in California navigate the real life consequences of the transgender sports issues and how Christian parents can best step up to help their students fight for truth.

Watch last week's interview with teen athlete Olivia Viola: https://linktw.in/ZFGcTv

Learn more about California Family Council: https://www.californiafamily.org

See if your state has an organization like CFC: https://familypolicyalliance.com

Get "Live Not By Lies" by Rod Dreher: https://a.co/d/0dalr2Q1

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

One Teen's Bold Stand for Women's Sports at Her High School Track Meet w/ Olivia Viola & Family Apr 07, 2026

Show notes

Ideas have consequences and those consequences impact real people. Olivia, a high school track athlete, never expected to find herself at the center of a national conversation. But when she was forced to compete against a transgender athlete, everything changed overnight. In this episode, Brett and Erin sit down with the Viola family and discuss their story and how they navigated their daughter's bold decision to make a stand for truth on the track field.

Watch Olivia's Fox News Interview: https://www.foxnews.com/video/6374060934112

Get "Live Not By Lies" by Rod Dreher: https://a.co/d/0dalr2Q1

LIVE Parenting Q&A: https://linktw.in/vzofLE

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

Is an Ancient Burial Cloth Powerful Evidence for Jesus' Resurrection? w/ Doug Powell Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Brett and Erin sit down with apologist and author Doug Powell to explore the mystery of the Shroud of Turin—a centuries-old burial cloth believed by many to be the cloth that wrapped Jesus after His crucifixion. Is the Shroud truly the burial cloth of Jesus, or is it a sophisticated medieval forgery? Doug walks us through the immense historical, scientific, and forensic evidence behind the Shroud, examining what it reveals about Jesus’ death—and why this fascinating artifact is one that families and churches should be talking about.

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8brziJ6byT0

Learn more about Doug: https://www.dougpowell.com/

Invest in your student’s faith by sending them to Summit’s Student Conferences! Use code MAVEN26 to save $250 today at https://www.summit.org/promotions/maven/

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

What Should Parents Do When Teens Lie and Break Trust? Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

What's the best way to respond when your teen lies, breaks trust, and refuses to listen? In this episode, Brett and Erin tackle a difficult—but common—parenting situation: a listener writes in about their teen repeatedly lying, pushing boundaries, and pursuing a relationship against their parents’ guidance. How should parents respond when trust is broken? What actually works when consequences don’t seem to stick? And how can you guide your teen towards better choices?

Watch "Why We Need to Let Kids Ask Questions About Faith" - https://youtu.be/T9JyEltssGY

Invest in your student’s faith by sending them to Summit’s Student Conferences! Use code MAVEN26 to save $250 today at https://www.summit.org/promotions/maven/

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

Helping Kids Explore Beauty, Art, and Saint Patrick w/ Ned Bustard Mar 17, 2026

Show notes

The modern church has sometimes struggled with encouraging artists to use their gifts for the glory of God. How do artists and art fit into the Great Commission? Also, who was St. Patrick and how can we pass along a knowledge of our church family to our kids? In this episode, Brett and Erin speak with author, graphic designer, and award-winning children's book illustrator Ned Bustard about art, his theology of art, church history, and his children's book "Saint Patrick the Forgiver."

Watch the video of Ned working: https://vimeo.com/368367334

Get "St. Patrick the Forgiver:" https://a.co/d/09F3TKRn

Find out more about Ned here: https://www.worldsendimages.com/

Follow Ned on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nedbustard/

Check out "Every Moment Holy" books: https://a.co/d/02vC5UUb

Invest in your student’s faith by sending them to Summit’s Student Conferences! Use code MAVEN26 to save $250 today at https://www.summit.org/promotions/maven/

MAVEN...is donor-supported...DONATE HERE: https://maventruth.com/donation/

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