Understanding Children’s Ministry: The Church’s Role and the Power of Parental Influence – Dr. Josh Mulvihill

Why does children’s ministry matter—and how should parents engage with it? Aby Rinella sits down with Josh Mulvihill to explore the real purpose and history of children's and youth ministry. Learn practical tips for evaluating church curriculums (including warnings about one to avoid!), understanding biblical worldview, and creating a partnership between church and home that helps your children thrive spiritually. Whether you’re homeschooling, volunteering in ministry, or just seeking guidance, this episode will encourage you to take charge of your child’s discipleship.

Episode Highlights:

• Biblical perspective on children’s ministry and parental responsibility

• Questions parents should ask about church curriculum and teaching

• Dangers of progressive curriculums and programs

• The benefits of family discipleship over outsourced ministry

• Research and statistics on biblical worldview among church leaders

• Simple steps for evaluating your church’s safety and leadership

• Encouragement to get involved as teachers and leaders

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

• ⁠Gospel Shaped Family Podcast⁠

• ⁠More from Josh Mulvihill on the Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast⁠

Organizations:

• ⁠Renewanation⁠

• ⁠AWANA⁠

Books:

• ⁠Preparing Children for Marriage: How to Teach God's Good Design for Marriage, Sex, Purity, and Dating by Josh Mulvihill⁠

• ⁠50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home: Raising Children to Godly Adults by Dr. Josh Mulvihill⁠

• ⁠Family Ministry: How Your Church Can Shepherd Parents and Grandparents to Make Disciples by Josh Mulvihill⁠

• ⁠Biblical Worldview: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Shape the Worldview of the Next Generation by Dr. Josh Mulvhill⁠

• ⁠Biblical Grandparenting (Grandparenting Matters): Exploring God's Design for Disciple-Making and Passing Faith to Future Generations by Josh Mulvihill⁠

• ⁠Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Cleon

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Sponsors:

Apologia is a Christ-centered, award-winning homeschool curriculum provider. Our mission is to help homeschooling students and families learn, live, and defend the Christian faith through our print and digital curriculum and online classes.

BJU Press Homeschool is dedicated to providing homeschool families with academically strong curriculum rooted in a biblical worldview. They offer a complete curriculum from preschool through 12th grade, available in both traditional textbooks and video courses. By teaching through the lens of Christ’s power, they help students view the world through the transformative story of God’s creation

CTCMath specializes in providing online video tutorials that take a multi-sensory approach to learning. Creative graphics and animation, synchronized with the friendly voice of internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, make learning math easy and effective. Start your free trial today.

The Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast is a member of the Biblical Family Network. Our mission is to support and encourage the family by providing the very best podcasts on family, discipleship, marriage, parenting, worldview, culture, and education, all from a Biblical perspective. Visit the website for more great shows, like Culture Proof, the Renton Rathbun Show, Thinking Dad, the Nicki Truesdell Podcast, Gospel Shaped Family, Homeschool Insights, and Made2Homeschool.