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The MAVEN Parent Podcast

The MAVEN Parent Podcast

Brett and Erin Kunkle 272 Episodes Oct 6, 2026

Brett and Erin Kunkle guide you through Christian parenting in a secular culture, with wisdom and a bunch of practical help.

Episodes

C.S. Lewis on Truth and Reality w/Dr. Jerry Root
C.S. Lewis on Truth and Reality w/Dr. Jerry Root Oct 6, 2026 2797 People make truth claims all day long. This is true, that's a lie, that's false. Ask them to actually define the word and most of them have nothing. MAVEN recently hosted a C.S. Lewis Symposium in Southern California with Dr. Jerry Root — Lewis scholar, longtime Wheaton College professor, and a man with a deeply pastoral heart. In this session, Jerry makes the case that truth is simpler t
Reclaiming Childhood from Screens w/Arlene Pellicane
Reclaiming Childhood from Screens w/Arlene Pellicane Sep 29, 2026 2824 Imagine a field trip permission slip that listed the side effects: anxiety, suicidal ideation, obesity, shortened attention span. You'd never sign it. But that's the trip we've sent an entire generation of kids on, and the results are in. In this episode, Brett and Erin talk with Arlene Pellicane, author of The Great Tech Reset: Reclaiming Real Life for Christian Families. Arlene lays out
Should Christians Fear Islam? w/ Alan Shlemon
Should Christians Fear Islam? w/ Alan Shlemon Sep 22, 2026 2837 Is Islam a religion of peace? It's one of the most common claims in our culture, especially after a terrorist attack. But what do Islam's own sources actually say? In this episode, Brett and Erin continue their conversation with Alan Shlemon of Stand to Reason. Christians follow Jesus, and Muslims follow Muhammad, so Alan takes us to the three sources Muslims look to for how to live: the
Do Muslims Worship the Same God? w/Alan Shlemon
Do Muslims Worship the Same God? w/Alan Shlemon Sep 15, 2026 2540 Most Christians know a few things about Islam—the Quran, Allah, whatever they've picked up from the news—but not enough to put the pieces together. So when someone says "Muslims and Christians worship the same God," they're not sure how to answer. In this episode, Brett and Erin sit down with Alan Shlemon of Stand to Reason, a longtime friend and colleague, for a ground-level introduction
What It Took for a Devout Muslim to Follow Jesus w/ Abdu Murray
What It Took for a Devout Muslim to Follow Jesus w/ Abdu Murray Sep 8, 2026 3715 Abdu Murray grew up in a devout Shia Muslim home where faith wasn't one activity among many—it was identity, family, and daily life woven together. He was confident enough in it to spend years challenging Christians on their own beliefs, and winning. Then came a nine-year investigation into Islam and Christianity that led him to Christ, at real cost to the family and community that raised
The War Over Reality & What It Means to Be Human w/ Abdu Murray
The War Over Reality & What It Means to Be Human w/ Abdu Murray Sep 1, 2026 3131 AI is changing the world and developing faster than we can track. But what if the biggest danger isn't what AI can do, but what it reveals about what we believe about reality and what it means to be human? In this episode, Brett and Erin sit down with Abdu Murray, president of Embrace Truth and author of Fake ID, to unpack the convergence of artificial intelligence and identity ideology,
4 Real-Life Parenting Problems and How to Address Them
4 Real-Life Parenting Problems and How to Address Them Aug 25, 2026 3660 What do you actually do when your kids don’t listen? We talk a lot on this podcast about setting boundaries, holding kids accountable, and discipline but what do those strategies actually look like in the nitty gritty of real life with real kids? What do you do when your child ignores you, hits a sibling, speaks disrespectfully, or refuses to do their chores? In this episode, Brett and Er
The Differences Between Male and Female and Why it is Good
The Differences Between Male and Female and Why it is Good Aug 18, 2026 4312 What does it mean to be male or female? And why does it matter? Our culture is notoriously confused about sex, gender, and identity. How can Christians cut through the confusion to communicate the truth with both Biblical clarity and compassion? In this episode, Erin exposes three lies shaping culture's conversation about gender and explores how the beauty and goodness of God's design for
Take Your Kids Out of the Sports Cult
Take Your Kids Out of the Sports Cult Aug 11, 2026 2027 Is youth sports slowly becoming the center of your family's life? In this episode, Brett and Erin take a hard look at the growing “sports cult” in American culture and how parents can get sucked in without even realizing. From year-round teams and rising costs to Sunday games, early specialization, and the pressure to chase college scholarships, youth sports can easily move from being a g
Why We Made Our Kids Struggle
Why We Made Our Kids Struggle Aug 4, 2026 2580 Is making life easier for your kids actually making their life harder? In this episode, Brett and Erin explain why they intentionally made their own kids struggle...and why they don't regret it. From chores and earning money to facing consequences and doing hard things, they share practical ways they helped their kids build resilience, confidence, and character, in a culture that encourag
Raising Kids Who Can Actually Think in an Age of Distraction w/ Dr. Matt Burford
Raising Kids Who Can Actually Think in an Age of Distraction w/ Dr. Matt Burford Jul 28, 2026 3534 Today's kids have more information than any generation in history but they struggle to pay attention, think deeply, and engage with truth. Why? In this episode, Brett and Erin sit down with Dr. Matt Burford, founder of Tactical Faith, to explore the hidden cost of the attention economy and what it's doing to our kids' minds. Together, they build a practical framework for how parents can a
The Parenting Lesson From C.S. Lewis
The Parenting Lesson From C.S. Lewis Jul 21, 2026 2021 "There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it." It's one of the best opening lines in children's literature—and it introduces one of C.S. Lewis's brattiest characters. In this episode, Brett and Erin explore the parenting lessons hidden in C.S. Lewis's unforgettable character, Eustace Scrubb, from "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." What does Lewis's initial des

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