Equipped for Impact
A podcast designed to equip parents to disciple the next generation to stand firm in their faith and influence the world for Christ. Each episode explores practical questions and cultural issues through a Biblical worldview, providing the wisdom and tools needed to guide children toward a Christ-centered life.
Presented by: Wayne Christian School- A Christ-centered community school whose mission is to assist parents and churches in the education of their children from a biblical worldview to impact their world for Christ.
Equipped for Impact
Launching Kids with Purpose: Three Parent Plays for the New School Year
This back-to-school season offers a perfect opportunity to establish spiritual rhythms that will shape your family's faith journey throughout the entire school year. The first few weeks set the tone for everything that follows, making this a strategic moment for intentional Christian parenting.
• Setting faith anchors - establish non-negotiable spiritual routines like morning devotions or prayer before school
• Making youth group a priority - not just another activity but a lifeline for your child's faith development
• Finding balance between school, church, sports, and family time - intentionally managing your calendar
• Helping children learn to say "no" to overcommitment and protecting family rest time
• Prioritizing church attendance, even when schedules get complicated
• Remembering that consistency matters - you're planting seeds that God will use later
• Understanding it's not your job to make your child love Jesus, but to consistently expose them to Him
Join us next week as we cover "From Envy to Contentment: Discipling a Heart of Gratitude in a Materialistic World."
Send any questions you want answered to podcast@waynechristian.org
This podcast is presented by Wayne Christian School- A Christ-centered community school whose mission is to assist parents and churches in the education of their children from a biblical worldview to impact their world for Christ. You can learn more at waynechristian.org
Welcome to Equipped for Impact, the podcast designed to assist Christian parents, leaders and educators to raise up the next generation to stand firm in their faith and influence their world. For Christ, we're your hosts. I'm Nate and I'm Lewis, so let's get started and welcome back everybody to Season 2. We're back after summer. We've made it through. Well, almost. It's still summer for us by the time you're listening to it. It's probably not, but it's time for that magical moment. Parents love and kids, well, probably just tolerate, right, and that's back to school. So, Lewis, have you finished your back to school supply shopping?
Luis:yet we we have started it, and I think there's a few things that we still have to get.
Nate:So are you like a Wal-Mart back to school shopper, or are you an Amazon? What do you do?
Luis:We're kind of at a weird stage in our life. So we, we do Wal-Mart, we do Target, but now our girls are at that stage where they want to look on amazon and see and see, and so we, we went to target a few weeks ago and got some stuff and then it was like um, but I don't want to get my pins from target. And I was like what do you mean? You're like they're pins aren't they special thing?
Luis:you got a special pin you want, and so and so, and so my daughters wanted to get their pins from amazon okay and cheap plug here, right, so this is that commercial like maybe they'll sponsor us one day, but like mr pin, like like I really like mr pin pins and highlighters, okay, and so my daughters have gotten turned on to mr pin pins and highlighters, and so that's discipleship, right there. Yes, and so Amazon has them. I mean you can go to the Mr Penn website and get them too, but I think they found some on Amazon. So we're like at that weird stage where it's like some Walmart, some Amazon, some Target.
Nate:Okay, excellent.
Luis:How about you?
Nate:Have you guys Full on Walmart? We have not gone yet, but we have it scheduled. Yeah, yet, but we have it scheduled.
Luis:Yeah, we're gonna go and knock it all out in one big trip, yeah, and then we're done, that's it. Isn't it crazy that you have to schedule it, because we because we scheduled ours too, like our girls are like when are we going school supplies up and when are we going school supply? And then finally, it was like we're gonna go on tuesday, july 22nd or whatever it was, yeah, but like that was the day, like it's gonna happen and so we.
Luis:So we went and had dinner. We actually went to Garner's. We went to Garner, we had dinner in Garner and then it was like a whole outing. Yeah, I mean it was a long time and it's crazy because, like you know, my daughters, I've got a freshman in high school and I've got a sixth grader. And so, like school supplies are expensive, yeah, they are. I mean I was like, wow, I don't man, it's crazy how expensive they've gotten.
Nate:It's true, yeah, yeah, and notebook paper. I remember you could get like a pack of notebook paper for like $0.10. You could Back to school time.
Luis:Yeah, and then it was like.
Nate:Now they're what it's like $50 or $75, $1.25. We sound really old. Well, we are. We are To the middle schoolers I'm old, I'll be 40 this year. Oh, look at that, look at that A big one. Well, enough of the banter here. Let's talk about this back to school season. So let me just pitch that to you, lewis. Like we're here back to school, like why does this matter? And what should be parents be thinking about in this kind of phase of the of the year?
Luis:Well, you know, when you talk about starting the school year, right, you guys have probably heard the old cliche saying you know, start strong. You know, or you know, start out like you can hold out. And the truth is that there's a lot of truth even in those cliche statements, right, because the first few weeks of school they're going to set the tone for the entire year. Habits form fast and we as parents, right, we're not just trying to help our kids pass their classes, but we're trying to help them grow and disciple them and help them become more like Jesus. And so whatever rhythms you set now spiritual, relational, practical they're going to carry through the rest of the year. And you know, the summer is that time where bedtimes may be later, routines may get out of, you know habits, and so this is kind of a time to reset. We actually so, as of August 1st, we've kind of for the last few years, that becomes kind of our let's start getting ready back mentally and physically for school. So we re-institute bedtime and we start going to bed a little bit earlier. I mean, it's still, they still get to stay up a little bit later because school hasn't started completely yet but we start instituting like bedtimes again, and reminding them of those routines. And here's the thing, right, parents, if you want to set study faith and church rhythms, you've got to start now, because if you wait until October, then that means that you're already behind.
Luis:I found this really interesting quote from Dallas Willard and I'm just going to paraphrase it. But the idea is that discipleship is the process of becoming who Jesus would be if he were you. And so, parents, what are we doing now to help our children understand that process? Right, like the Holy Spirit resides in them, right? I mean, that's what the Bible tells us. And so they are becoming image bearers of Christ. And so discipleship is that process of becoming who Jesus would be if he were you. And we have this great way to really frame the school year as a discipleship opportunity for the whole year, and not just really about the academics but the whole nature of the child.
Nate:Yeah, and I love that because, well, our last episode, way back at the end of last school year, was actually a summer reading list. So Dallas Willard he's got his book Renovation of the Heart, which is a great book on spiritual formation and growth, and all of that. It's a pretty. It's an older read, it's a dense read. So if you're looking for something like that, that's a good one there.
Nate:But I also love, like we've talked about, james Smith's you Are what you Love and that book and his whole idea of just the rhythms that you establish really direct your heart in the direction that you know it's going to go. And so you can either just let the culture set those rhythms or you can intentionally set those rhythms in a way that will point your heart and your child's heart in the direction it should go. And so school year, you know it's kind of like January 1st for some people. You know it's that new kickoff, you know of just kind of a new season and so that's a time of like okay, what are the rhythms we're going to set as a family this year? And so I really like that of this season is okay. Let's take a minute. You know, here at the beginning of August, what are we going to do as a family to say what are our priorities and what really are those anchors that are going to, you know, anchor our family through this next school year.
Luis:And when you think about it, right, like everything starts back in August, september, right, yep? So if your kids play sports, you know it starts back in August. If your kids are involved in dance or extracurricular, like gymnastics, karate. It runs on the typical school year, and so you're not just starting school back, but you're starting the routines that are going to set the schedule for the year. And so you're not just starting school back, but you're starting the routines that are going to set the schedule for the year.
Nate:Yep. So what we've got today is the really three. We're going to call them parent plays. So these are three plays you can put in place this school year to really set those rhythms and help disciple your children. So that first one we kind of already hinted at children. So that first one we kind of already hinted at, that's to set those anchors. So what are those anchors going to be for your family, you know, moving into this school year? So you know, we're not saying obviously your teenager has to wake up at 5 am and read, you know, through the book of Leviticus, because they're doing a read the Bible in a year plan, like that's not going to work. But what are some things that should be anchors for families early in the school year?
Luis:Let me just say, though, that if your kid wakes up at 5 am and that's their plan to read Leviticus, please email us. Podcast at WayneChristianorg. Let us know how that works out because I would be curious.
Nate:Of course. I saw one place that somebody was saying they were going to get in shape and that was one of their goals. And then they read Leviticus where it says the fat belongs to the Lord, and so they just gave up on that goal. They just gave up because they wanted to belong to the Lord. That was a Bible joke and a dad joke.
Luis:It's too good to pass up If your quiet time involves Leviticus.
Luis:You are more spiritual than me, but I think, it goes back to some of the things we've said in the past, and if this is the first time you've ever listened to an episode, I'd encourage you to go back. Listen to season one. There's some good stuff. Yep, but I think it just starts with are you making time for short morning devotions? Yep, but I think it just starts with are you making time for short morning devotions, even just two to three minutes, nothing complicated. I have one that I do. It's called the Navigators and it's like a little five-minute devotion, and so maybe having your kid just do a short morning devotion, maybe it's just as simple as praying with them before they leave, or maybe on the ride to school, maybe over breakfast at normal breakfast time Right, because that's when we eat breakfast. Yep.
Nate:Not after 1030. Not after 1030, right Well, because you're already at school, right yeah?
Luis:And so, or really whatever works for your family.
Luis:I mean every family is different, or really whatever works for your family. I mean, every family is different. And look, don't do what we're telling you to do because you think somehow we're super spiritual and we've got it figured out, like, find the routine that's going to work for you and your family and maybe even let them see you reading the Bible or you praying, because kids are going to notice that kind of stuff and they pay attention to what you're doing and so you may not think it has an impact. I remember you shared the story in one of the episodes about your mom and the way she would leave her Bible and you knew because you had her coffee cup.
Nate:You could hear the spoon stirring the coffee every morning. So all of that influenced you, and so because I do drink coffee while I have my quiet time.
Luis:You know? Yeah, it's important. Are you a coffee drinker? I am a coffee drinker. I didn't know that about you. I don't think.
Nate:Yeah, coffee, and I do eat breakfast for dinner, but usually it would have to be decaf coffee if it's going with breakfast for dinner, it.
Luis:I guess whatever floats your boat.
Nate:Yeah and that'll help. But having these anchors right and it's the routines, it's the rhythms, whatever is important. Just find what works for you and be intentional about it and don't be afraid to mix it up right Just because you might be late to this Maybe you're listening to this in October, november, it's okay. You just admit that something's not working and find a new rhythm and routine. The main thing is that you're intentional about it and you set those priorities instead of letting the culture or your schedule set your priorities. It's a classic, you know, don't let the tail wag the dog situation. So that's the first one. Find those anchors and set them early if you can. The second one is really thinking about things starting back up again and that's youth groups. So make youth group or your kids' ministry a non-negotiable. Make that a priority in your family's life. What does that look like for a family and getting back into a youth ministry at their church?
Luis:You know, for a lot of our churches they take the summer off. When it comes to their normal routine, right?
Luis:So, my church we start up, I think it's the Wednesday after Labor Day, okay, and that's kind of like the season of our midweek services, and so we take off Memorial Day through Labor Day and then in September we start back up with our midweek. And so, whatever your church does, if they take off the summer and then they start back up, if it's Wednesday night, if it's Sunday night, if it's another night during the week, you've got to realize that it's not an activity that you're trying to fit in Like. It has to become the lifeline of your teenager's faith.
Luis:It's got to become the lifeline of your preteen or your child and even you as a parent, right? Because if it's just seen as something that you do when it's convenient, then you're never going to do it right. It has to become a priority for you and your family. And we talk about why it matters. Well, because there's friendships that form in church that can sustain your child.
Luis:I think about just some kids that I've known over the course of my time in ministry. Some of the best friendships that were formed were formed in youth group, and these might've been kids who maybe weren't very popular in their school, maybe they even got picked on or bullied just because of the nature of their school. But youth group became an escape because they got to be around people that loved them, that helped them, that mentored them, and so parents. They can form these friendships, they can develop relationships where they're being mentored, and it also gives them a safe place to wrestle with real questions right. And so, again, they may be encountering things that the culture is feeding them, that they don't know how to ask or who to ask, and being involved in a youth group, being involved in an Awana club or a Word of Life group or whatever your church does, gives them an opportunity to have that.
Nate:Yep, and I think that's one of the biggest things for me.
Nate:Like I always wanted multiple adults saying the same thing I was, you know, to my children and I, even when I was a youth pastor, I wanted multiple adults saying the same thing I was and the parents were to the children in my youth group, you know, because we would go to camps and we would bring in guest speakers and we'd have multiple adult leaders and it was like the more voices saying the same thing, you know, sunday school teacher, youth leader, teacher at a Christian school myself, you know I want all of these voices all echoing the same thing together and so that's a great chance.
Nate:And if it's a good church and a good youth group, good children's group, things like that, they're also going to incorporate places for your child, your teenager, to learn to serve and exercise their gifts in a low stakes environment. You know, if it's the first time they're getting up and doing a lesson in front of younger kids than they are, like that, you don't want that to be. You know, when they're 20, 25, and they've never done it before, like if they get reps in in a low stakes environment when they're a teenager, like that can just have a so much. It's that compound interest. You know, the earlier you start, the better it'll be for them. They can then have a lifelong of service that they develop because they were learning those skills as a teenager.
Luis:And we see it as a long-term investment, right. So attending now is that long-term investment in their spiritual walk and it's going to make an impact. Lifeway did a research back, probably about eight years ago, and what they found is that students who are actively involved in their church during high school are more likely twice as likely to stay engaged in their faith after graduation. And it's not about attending, but it's about serving right Actively involved?
Luis:Yes, Yep, and so you know parents, the way that you can help with this is treat it like you would. Another extracurricular activity right.
Luis:So your kid isn't going to miss a game, they might not miss practice, and you're not going to let them skip those things and so. And so why do we do it with with church, um, offer to drive their friends, like, like, make it an outing for them and their friend group, so. So maybe maybe their friend's school doesn't have a, I'm sorry, their friend's church doesn't have a midweek service yep, and yours does. Then then then make it your calling your mission, to make your call this rolling youth ministry where you're picking up three or four kids. I can tell you that youth pastors out there are going to love the mom that shows up with the minivan that has like six kids that just fall out of it.
Luis:I'm at this weird stage right now where I'm actually going to be leading the teens at our church, and so I'm a little bit nervous and excited right so.
Luis:I've got that nerf-sided kind of thing going on, because it's probably been wow, like 15 years since I was last a youth pastor at a church or leading teens, and so I had the opportunity to do that. And so, look, I'll be honest with you, like mom, dad, like if you show up in a seven-passenger minivan With seven teenagers, with seven teenagers, like I mean, like I'm going to love it, like you know, I'm going to be excited, and so just find ways to do that. And then, you know, ask what they've learned afterward, not in an interrogative way, right, but to understand, like what stood out to you tonight. One of the things that I ask my girls anytime that they're involved in a lesson is what did you get out of today's message? And they you know typical teenagers like I don't know, right, but probe deeper.
Nate:Yep, if you're a youth pastor, pro tip if you're a youth pastor, listening to this, is have a way that you communicate with those parents. Like I know this is kind of off topic for us, but have a way where you can give the parents a heads up so that they know what you've talked about, so that when they have those conversations they're deeper right and parents like, if your youth pastor doesn't do that, ask. I'm sure they would love to tell you those things, even if they're not actively like taking that first step, like just ask them and they will tell you, though hopefully they've got a plan and they can share that and you're like in the know, so that when the kid says, oh, I don't know, or you can be like well, wasn't it something about David and Goliath? Oh, how'd you know that? You know and it's busted.
Nate:That's exactly right, so that's a good one. You know, another way that you can also help your kids really get excited about youth group and ensure that they're there is if you volunteer to help in the youth group. Now there's different ways, like how do your kids kids feel about you leading the teens?
Luis:Um, I don't know, you know, I think, um, I think my youngest is probably excited, uh, cause she's, you know, my oldest uh hasn't seen me in in that role ever. My youngest, cause I've I've done stuff with, like the younger children in our church. So I've done some of her, like some of her classes, so I think she's a little bit excited. My oldest one is like uh, I don't know, she's also starting high school, so that's a different phase, right.
Nate:Some parents are like that, like some kids are like absolutely not, I don't want my parent in the room. And then some are like that's awesome, like my parents are there and they can hang out, and then it's not any extra stress because they're right there.
Luis:And the truth is that your kid is going to enjoy youth group midweek service more if you're engaged with it too. Yep.
Nate:That's exactly right.
Luis:Just make it a whole family thing.
Nate:Yep, that's right. So with all of those things. So we've got setting those anchors, we've got specifically that youth group getting back into things at church. Number three we would say is just find a balance where you can balance school, faith and life. And really, like I've heard different takes on this and some people love the word balance, some people hate the word balance and would prefer like find the right tension or whatever.
Nate:But like, think about like a tightrope walker If you've ever watched somebody do that, maybe at the circus or whatever, like they'd never, like stand straight, right in the middle while they're going across the tightrope, right, they're constantly shifting back and forth to try and maintain balance. And that's really what life is like. Like we understand that analogy. Like there's going to be times, you know, school is going to be, it's a little closer to exams, it's going to be a little bit heavier Sports. Maybe you know church is in a heavy season where it's camps and VBS or whatever. Like your balance is going to shift a little bit but it's going to be constantly going back and forth and if you go too far to one side you're going to fall off that tightrope. So we've got to find that balance as parents for our family, between school, church, sports, all the different activities we have going on Like what does it look like for our family, so that school doesn't take over right or sports don't take over our schedule Again, don't let the tail wag the dog.
Luis:We actually did an episode on that. We did Way back in the spring, and so if you get a chance to go back and listen to that, it's this idea of you setting your calendar and a few of the things that we talked about there is helping your children learn to say no to some things right, that's exactly right, like in our family, my youngest daughter.
Luis:she plays softball, she plays basketball, and she used to want to do gymnastics or tumbling, and so we had to learn to say no to that, because we were. So she had to choose right, and so she chose basketball. She chose tumbling.
Nate:Is that just like falling with style?
Luis:Yeah, like falling with style and rolling. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Nate:Was that Buzz?
Luis:Lightyear from Toy Story. That's right, yep.
Nate:I wasn't flying, that was falling with style.
Luis:And then my oldest, you guys know, so she plays travel soccer.
Luis:It's a pretty competitive league and she gets asked all the time to run cross country for our school. She gets asked to play basketball for our school and thankfully she's been disciplined enough to know my priority is this, and so this is the thing I'm going to do. I don't want to do another thing that's going to make me busy, because I a situation where I have to decide between a school basketball game and a travel basketball, you know, soccer game or whatever, and so help them to learn to say no to things and then build in one night of week of rest, right, yep, no homework, no phones, just family.
Nate:I know you've talked about your Saturdays, yeah we've talked about that, and so that's episode 11, keeping Christ to the Center During Busy Times. If you want to go back and listen to that one, but yeah, we do that. You know it's like this is our time. It actually starts Friday night in through to Saturday, and it's you know not that I'm still mowing the grass, obviously, because when else am I going to protect that family time?
Luis:Unless you get somebody to do it for you.
Nate:Unless I get somebody to do it for me. But I like mowing grass Like I enjoy it, except for right now. It's like the grass I have to mow it like three times a week to stay on top of it.
Luis:So we're not doing that I had a parent that I ran into about a week ago and they mentioned to me we were having a conversation and the topic of cutting grass came up and they said, except, you don't cut grass, right, because we were talking about the podcast and what they listened to. And I was like that was a moment where you knew, like you've arrived here, you've got a parent that listens to the podcast who's referencing the fact that, like I don't cut my own grass, I do he does not.
Nate:Also, I eat breakfast for dinner, oh, and I do not After cutting the grass. So you know those things. I think there's a correlation there.
Luis:There may be a correlation.
Nate:Anyway. But I would say the last thing, not only of having that day of rest, but also making sure we already talked about our youth group, kid service, whatever, but Sunday worship and again we've talked about that especially we hit it on episode 11, but making sure that that Sunday time with your church, family, right, the body of Christ coming together, you know, not forsaking the assembly of yourselves together, don't abandon them.
Nate:You know church is important, so get with your church family, worship together, learn together, grow together, no matter what else you have going on.
Luis:And let me just say something about that. Right, you know Sunday is the traditional day of worship, but if your church has a Saturday service, you know, like we're not dogmatic about saying like, don't be creative in how you worship, right? Like our churches traditionally have Sunday service, so that's why we're saying Sunday. So don't feel like, oh, you know I work on Sundays so I'm already playing from behind. No, like, if your church offers a Sunday night service and you can go to Sunday night service, then make that a priority. If you work on Sundays and your church has service on Saturday, or maybe you're in a situation where you're in a split home, right, and so like your child's not with you every Sunday, and like, don't let the enemy defeat you by you thinking like, oh, I can't do that, so I'm not going to do any of it.
Nate:Right, no like— Some is better than none. Yes, right.
Luis:And so where you can make it a priority—and so I say that, you know, speaking from like experience, right, because sometimes we're out of town, because, again, my daughter plays a pretty competitive travel soccer and so we may not be able to be there Sunday morning, but we make a commitment that if we're not there Sunday morning, then we're going to be there Wednesday, right, Like? Or if we're not going to be there Sunday morning, we find a way to worship together as a family, or even corporately with some of our soccer team folks on Sunday night or Sunday as part of it. And so, man, like, don't get discouraged and feel like, oh, I can't do that, so I'm not going to do any of it. No, like, god wants what you can give him, even if that is just a little. But don't give up. Don't let the enemy defeat you and say, oh, you didn't go to Sunday morning worship? Yep, so you're a terrible Christian, you're a terrible parent. Nope, that's not how it works. You can still be committed to being involved some way, somehow. That's right.
Nate:So let's end with some encouragement here. Right, we talked about these three things and just kind of being intentional and setting those routines. But just remember, parents, it's not your job to make your kid love Jesus, right, you can't make them love Jesus, but what you can do is keep putting them in places where they see him clearly. They see him working in your life and, like they say, more is caught than taught, and they will catch on to that and they will fall in love with Jesus as they go through these routines and the Holy Spirit works in their heart.
Luis:And don't underestimate the power of consistency right. Even when you think they're not listening, even when you think they're not paying attention, you're planting the seeds that God will use later. Just to encourage the dads that might be listening right now. Especially if you have teenagers, you may be the dumbest person that they know, right Like we don't know anything. But, man, like 10, 15, 20 years from now, when their parents that advice you gave them, that consistency that you showed, it's going to come back around.
Nate:Yep, that's right. And so, parents, let's just pick one of these things we talked about, right? Pick a routine, a morning prayer routine, a Bible reading routine, something. Make that commitment to youth group or the kids' service. Find that intentional family time. Make one thing right, one change that you can start this week to really start those rhythms and build those habits in your family's life. Any last words, lewis, as we launch this school year together.
Luis:Parents, don't just send your kid back to school. Launch them. Launch them into a new year where their faith is growing, where their friendships are going to deepen and where they're going to learn to walk closer with Jesus.
Nate:Yep, that's awesome. So, guys, season two is just getting started here at Equipped for Impact, and so we're glad that you're along for the ride here with us. In season two Next week, we're going to cover a topic from envy to contentment and how to Disciple a Heart of Gratitude in the Materialistic World we Live In. So make sure you tune in for that episode, make sure you subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next, and if you know another parent who would enjoy this episode, share this with them. If you've got a community of parents who can really make some of these changes and do this work together, it's going to be even better for you and for your kids and their friends, so share it. Thank you, guys, for joining us today and until next time, keep leading the next generation to stand firm in their faith and influence their world for Christ.
