Good Men Podcast
With hosts Ps Dave Connett and Jack O'Brien. Exploring biblical manhood and growing as a Godly husband, father and Kingdom man.
Good Men Podcast
Building Family Values Through Meals + Dinner Tables
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summary
In this episode of the Good Men Podcast, Jack O'Brien and Dave Connett explore the profound significance of the dinner table in fostering relationships, community, and faith. They discuss practical strategies for creating meaningful family meals, the importance of minimizing distractions from screens, and how to include others in these vital gatherings. The conversation emphasizes the dinner table as a space for connection, growth, and shared experiences, highlighting its role in shaping family values and community ties.
takeaways
- The dinner table is a foundational space for learning and growth.
- Faith is personal but not private; it thrives in community.
- Regular family meals help solidify values and relationships.
- Minimizing screen time at the table fosters better communication.
- Creating a distraction-free environment enhances family connection.
- Involving children in meal preparation builds teamwork and responsibility.
- Changing family habits around screens requires intentionality and strategy.
- Meals can serve as a focal point for building relationships.
- Including others at the table enriches community and connection.
- The act of sharing meals is a powerful expression of love and support.
Chapters
00:00
Welcome and Introduction
00:59
The Significance of the Dinner Table
05:51
Practical Family Dinner Dynamics
11:47
Navigating Screen Distractions
18:00
Changing Family Habits Around Screens
23:42
Including Others at the Table
Well, here we are. Welcome back to another episode of the Good Men podcast. Uh, I'm Jack O'Brien, the uh the Jack post of Good Men. And you are the Jack post.
SPEAKER_00You're the cac you're the cackling jack of this uh this podcast.
SPEAKER_01Uh yes. If you pick up on that reference, uh comment over on Spotify for us. We'll we'll say no more. We'll see who astute listeners can uh can make that connection. But uh past be nice, Jack.
SPEAKER_00You've lost touch, you've lost touch with the common people.
SPEAKER_01Uh with the common man. Why did you say people are not men? Were you not trying to not gender anyone? I just missed the I I misquoted the quote. It'd be ironic on a good men podcast to try not to gender anyone.
SPEAKER_00Yep, I had I had no I had no gender thoughts whatsoever. It was just the words that came out of my mouth. My sons will be hating the fact that I that I uh that I misquoted that um that that quote. I want to say where it's from now, but it's I can't because people are meant to comment on Spotify. You can't.
SPEAKER_01Right. Uh speaking of sons, uh, we are talking the dinner table. The table. Yeah. Uh side note, great book read recently, The Leader's Table by Pastor Gillian Cameron. Uh if you haven't read that, folks listening, please do so. But let's talk, let's talk dinner tables, Dave. Uh, I recall a a leadership retreat that you took the Good Life team on a few years ago, and the whole theme of that retreat was the the dinner table, the kitchen table, as it were. So and if I recall correctly, you know, you were saying how formative tables have been in your formation. Okay, why why? What is significant about a table?
SPEAKER_00Look, there's a biblical theme. If you think all the way through um the feasts uh of the of our um of of God's people of Israel, um, there are so many feasts, and they use those feasts to remember. Um, what are you remembering? You're remembering the goodness of God, you remember the principles of God, you're remembering, therefore, from that, what we're gonna do from that. Um now, if you look at Jesus, he follows all of those feasts. Plus, on top of that, there's regular meals that he's having with people, and inevitably by the end of that conversation, they're saying, What must I do to be saved? Um, there is an instance of Jesus overturning tables, and that's where um there was corruption in the house of God, and people were using religion to take people further away from the real table. Um, even in the tabernacle, you've got the table of showbread. There are these instances where you've got to deal with uh God's people and how you interact. Um, even when you're talking, and the so the table is about the interaction with people. It's the it's the intersection of my personal faith with the community that God has put me in. And it there's a very easy thing to do in these uh in the modern world where we compartmentalize and go, here's my faith. It's personal and it's private, but it's not meant to be that way. Even the way that Jesus taught us how to pray, our Father who art in heaven, um, he puts us within community. It's what he does. Um, we are not meant to be isolated. Bad things happen when we're isolated. Proverbs 18:1, he who isolates himself rages against all wise judgment, seeks his own desire. God wants us to be interacting um with um with others. And so the the primary thing is the uh is the family, is those who you live with. Um and so uh and then the and then the next thing which is highly important is to do that within the church family as well. So that these tables are so, so important. It's where we learn, it's where we grow, it's where we're open, it's where I uh um uh I get to be seen and see others. Um, and I I get to be the answer for those around me. Or some people actually struggle receiving help and the answer from others. This is really, really important.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, that notion of uh the feasts and it's really been a motif throughout the scriptures, the early church. I heard someone once speak to the this whole chronological snobbery, really, as C.S. Lewis would put it, that you know, our faith is a private, you mentioned it's it's a personal faith, but it's not a private faith. Because we can all read since the printing press, and then since, you know, literacy and schooling, in which is really only a 200-year-old concept, right? To a 300 year old that everyone can read. Before that, you couldn't read. And so we had to share script, like scripture was consumed over a meal around a table in community, because no one could read. You had to discuss scripture and recite scripture and share scripture and and pass out the the you know the meaning of scripture and the doctrine behind it. This was all done around a table. Does that sound right to you?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, look, yeah, I'm look, that's certainly how it was. Um, I think that there's a a bunch of benefits with uh with literacy, obviously, and the ability to be able to consume daily the word of God around I can commune with God and his word and allow it to speak to me and allow it to shape me and mold me. Um, but we can't do that at the detriment of the community growing together. Um, the dinner table with the family is where um rules and values and relationships are solidified, they're cemented, and we must actually utilize this. Um, the the uh the dinner table as often as possible with those family members that you've got really to value it, to be there, to listen to each other, to actually um mold and shape and connect with one another, I would say is the great place where the values go in. But also, I mean, uh, my stage of life and stage of family is slightly different to yours, Jack. But it's amazing that when the uh that when those teenagers that bickered and uh can can have their tussles, they grow up and all of a sudden all of those common things have become the thread that makes them the best of friends. Um and um and and now I've got my sons that hang out with each other like best of friends and don't include mum and dad. And I'm like, hey, we included you for a while, how about you start to include us, you rat bags? Um, but that's it's a it's an absolutely, it's an absolutely beautiful thing. Um and if you if you think about it, even even the wedding feast of the lamb, even the last supper, all of these things are biblical over and over and over again. God wants us to receive all of the right things that happen at that dinner table. And so we need to honor it, we need to value it, we need to do it properly as well.
SPEAKER_01Right. Yeah, as the the love feast, obviously, the practice of the early church communion is a is a meal, a symbolic meal. It's so critical. So let's talk some practicals and what this looks like in the yours and my household, or how you've seen it work well in other households. I'm I'm sure you've learned plenty from Pastor Chaz and Fran Gulow, etc. What does a dinner table look like in your current season of life?
SPEAKER_00Um well, every night that we can be together, well, every night whoever's at home, uh, one of us has responsibility to do the cooking, and then whoever's left gets to do the cleaning. But we will um sit, I mean, our kitchen bench is not the average kitchen bench, it's quite the huge monstrosity, and um but we will we will sit uh down, um uh we will wait until uh mum is there. They will sit, we won't eat until we've all um um sat together and we've prayed. Um, we're gonna thank God, and then what we do. So um then at that point is um, I mean, these days it's a little bit more organic. Early days we we had ways of starting the conversation and getting past the grunts of um young men to be able to get a conversation where they could interact. And so we would say what's the best thing if it was the highlight of your day and the worst part of your day, and we would we would take turns. And um and I think that's important for the kids to hear how we have tough times as well, and and and what do you do with that? And and then, okay, what could we do with that? And so we open those for discussion and okay, well, Josh he's had a tough day. How could we be supportive of Josh tonight? How could we so we we're thinking those sorts of things through, but it is a whole lot more organic now. Um, we've got four of us at home when four of us are there. I have I have teenage, very, very independent young men that we trust. And so a lot of times they're not home and okay, we're cooking for three, we're cooking for two. So we'll sit with whoever's there and then you know, put them put whoever's not there, put their meal in the fridge ready for them to grab. And so um, it does become very organic and we talk about our day and talk about what's important and um and um we wanna we want to hear each other and communicate, communicate love.
SPEAKER_01Are there phones out that didn't I know the answer to that question, obviously, but why aren't phones welcome at the dinner table?
SPEAKER_00Yes, that was uh that was a that was uh that was a closed question there, Jack. So why aren't there phones? Um there is a complete distraction when that phone is right there. Um I will have my phone, my phone is provided by the church. I'm on call as a pastor, and so that's within ear, the the vibration is within earshot. Um and so uh, but I'm not gonna answer it. I mean, if if the same person calls three times in a row, then maybe I'll be like, I think I better take this one. But that would be the that would be the exception, not the rule. But all phones, all screens are off. We are not facing a TV. There is no, I mean, there is a TV in the lounge room beside our um beside our kitchen table, but I love that the way that our world revolves. We roll, we revolve around that kitchen bench. All screens are gone because there's got to be interaction, there's got to be connection with the rest of the family. Um, yeah, it's it it places the value on the humans.
SPEAKER_01Hmm. Yeah. Has that ever been a challenge? You know, I'd imagine when the when the kids first get a phone, or if there's something, you know, it's Friday night and the footy's on, you know, the the dolphins are getting ready to be towed up again.
SPEAKER_00Uh start by how do you deal with the temptation of screens? Sorry, you saying that your team isn't getting ready to get towed up. Sorry, they're never playing a Friday night. Um maybe between this. We know that. This is a political, this is a political point. Yeah, it is a political point. Hey, look, so there are times when like if if if one of our teams is playing um football and the preparation of the dinner has taken a while, then Bex will go, hey, look, you know what? How about you wash the footy? Like eat eat over there and yada yada. So we we will do that, but that would be it's not I would say that's the exception, not the rule, but it's it's it's even such an exception of an exception. It it so rarely happens. Um, and so I'll be like, You sure? I mean, for me, I will say I will still say, Look, no, no, no, I mean, I'm I'm happy to do this, I can come back in on the second half, and um, and oftentimes, no, no, go, go, go, go, go, go, go. And so, but because it's such an exception.
SPEAKER_01What would your advice be to a family that has a habit of let's say watching the TV specifically? The TV's on, maybe maybe just the design of the house means the TV's close. What's your advice to families who want to change that?
SPEAKER_00Um, throw the TV out. Like, actually shove it in the garage, shove it up in the loft, do something with it, get it away. If you can work out a way to redesign your world so that there are no screens. Um, so it's it, I mean, back in the day it was the TV. Everything went around the TV in a home. It was very hard. A lot of times now, people have got kids have got their laptop, they got an iPad, they've got a phone, they've got something like that. And so it does come down to you do need to make values around when and where screens are in your world. And they uh, I mean, for us, they are never around when we've got these interactions. They're a valuable times of interaction. And what we're gonna do is we're gonna have that screen off because I need you to focus. Um, I have got teenage sons that will want to cook with like a laptop. And I'm like, uh, no. I mean, one of them takes forever to cook the food if the laptop is there. That happened last night. I'm like pulling my hair out. I need to get going to be prepped for the next day. And like it's a million o'clock, and you're still cooking this food. Um, and then I've got another one who creates even more mess when he's cooking if there's a screen. I'm like, stop it, just cook the food and let's get ready. Um, so they'll just carry their stuff with them. And so, but certainly when it comes down to sitting down for the meal, there are no screens. It is, it is so worth it to build. I'm so thankful now that we took the time when they were young to build in these values. But what it means is it's not a fight now. I have not had fights with my teenagers. It is so, so rare um to actually have full-on, proper set. We've just got values and they uphold it. If if we try to fudge it, they're they're getting on us. Um even one, even one of the values that came out recently on a good men uh with the with the Father's Day Goodmen um interview you did, Jack, about if people leave out um their shoes, they go missing. Yeah, I mean, I will take them and hide them. And as I left today uh to to leave off to work, uh Bex is like, where's my blue Adidas? And Josh, Josh had shoved them in the uh in the freezer that's in the laundry. They were on ice. They were on ice. She's like, Why are they wet? No, they're not wet, they're just cold. But so they will uphold the values and they will that will remind us. So it's it's been ingrained. It is worth it. It is worth it as worth it. You will it's so hard to ingrain it with kids when in their teenage years. It's possible, but certainly way better to do it when they're young.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so two scenarios. I'm thinking about a dad who has allowed his or other screens at the dinner table. Yes. How does it how does a dad change that culture? What's your advice or recommendation for the dad? And then for a teenager, that there may well be young men listening to this who are at home with their parents still and and they want to make a positive contribution to their family. What's your advice to that young man who wants to get rid of screens at at the dinner table?
SPEAKER_00I would I'll speak to the dad first. Um, you've got to fix your uh example first, and you've got to be able to then own it. So I would say talk with your uh talk with your wife and say, this is, I feel like this is an important thing that I need to do. This this is, I think, is a value, and I want to be the example of it first. Find a place where the phone goes, set it there, just go, just go there. What you've got to watch for is when even when family times are going on, when it's not actually sit down for dinner, put the phone somewhere, put it away, put it up, put it in a cupboard, put it somewhere that is not then in within reach and is not a temptation in the middle of a conversation to pull out and start scrolling. You're not really there with your family if you're on your phone. The screen is such a distraction, and it means you're not present with the humans that God has got you there to be in their world, to lead, to pass it, to mentor, to love, be include. We're not included in their world if we're included on a screen. So find somewhere for it to go. And then I'd say to your wife, hey, look, this is going to be hard for me because I've created a habit. I've got to unlearn the habit. And what I would say to the wife is like, if you find me doing this, there's got to be a way that you can nicely, calmly, respectfully be reminded and so that your wife can go, hey, how like I don't know. It is, does she have to say, how's the weather today? for you to go, ah, damn it, uh, I'm doing it again. Put the phone, like, have a strategy. It's got to go somewhere. If you don't create a strategy, a place where it goes, then it will then dominate. Make sure it's away somewhere. Um, if you've got to be near that phone for some form of work thing, then have a place where it goes face down away. That's, I mean, I have to do that for for my work. But there's a place, it's over, it's gone, it's it's away. It's completely out of reach, completely out of sight. So I would do that. Then what I'd do is I would do that for a couple of weeks, and then I would say to then I would say somewhere in the next couple of weeks, I'd say to my wife, hey, you know what? This has actually been so liberating and so good. I think this is the kind of thing we need to get our kids to do. And then ask your wife to be included on the journey. Very hard to ask your wife to do it unless you've actually given it a shot. Now it might not be two weeks, you might just be like, this is so good. I think we should do this. Could you consider it, babe? Um, then once you've actually got that kind of example, you work out how to say to the kids, look, this is what's going to happen. And and I'd I wouldn't say I'd rip the band-aid straight off. I would say this is the journey I've been on because I realized dad's been wrong, dad's been distracted. And then what I've done is then I've allowed you all to be distracted. Don't know if you've noticed, but I've been keeping mine away. Mum's done the same. And as of, and pick 48 hours, as of this time, that's what we're gonna do. I'm gonna give you 48 hours to get your head ready to go, and um, that's what's gonna happen. We're gonna do it from that point because we need to value each other, we need to value um connection with each other, love with each other. How can we support each other as a family unless we're actually present with each other? So there will be a place, this will be the place that we'll put them. Um, and um, yeah, so that's that's how I would go about it. If there's World War III, what you're doing is you're giving them time to get their head around it. If there's gonna be World War III, then what you need to be as a parent is if you pick a battle, you never lose a battle. You must be the winner of the battle. They need to see you as the winner, that you're gonna stand by principle. Um, I mean, we had rules in regards to screens, um, laptops, phones, all sorts of stuff. They never go in bedrooms. They never go, screens never go in those areas um because they it is for a public use. Um, the temptations to do things, to invite people into your kids' worlds happen in those private moments. And so if you don't like it, we will take it. That is a that is a that is a that is a hill I'm willing to die on because I'm here to protect. I am the shepherd, I am the steward, I am the leader of my home. I will, I will, I will live, I will die on that hill. So I would encourage then, if that's the story, get mentoring, get some help, reach out to us. We're very happy to walk people through this. That World War III is the best war that you could ever win on behalf of your kids and you and your mental health, man. Scrolling, doom scrolling, being attached, every email that comes through, every notification. Ah man, that'll just mess with your head. So I would make sure those screens are away, they're off, they're not speaking, and um, and allow connection with humans um to touch hearts and to touch grass.
SPEAKER_01Hmm. I don't know. How's it how's it working?
SPEAKER_00How's it work in your world? You've got you've got little ones.
SPEAKER_01I do have little ones. I grew up where dad went to work at three or four o'clock in the morning. I I don't recall ever having breakfast with dad. And um, for as from as early as I can remember, sport was effectively a religion in our house. And so we would never have dinner together. There's a kid at training here or someone at ballet there, and you know, we would be eating on the go and eating at different times. So it wasn't a family value. That's not a slight on mum or dad or our family, it's just wasn't wasn't a value. And so now getting to write the rules for my family and and seeing the fruit of others, how critical, how critical this is. Um, yeah, we've got little kids, and so um it's always a bit of a circus. But you know, screens at the table for uh for for me is an ongoing battle, it's an ongoing wrestle. Uh wearing different hats and work and church and whatever. So uh I've engaged the kids to help me. And it's like, hey, if you see dad pull out his phone, you kids are welcome to pull me up. And uh, and to your point, it's like the phone needs to be out of sight and out of reach, notwithstanding emergencies, and I mean like real, there's not many real emergencies, right? Like there's not much that can't wait for 23 minutes while we finish a steak. Uh phone out of sight and out of reach. Because when a phone is in sight, there's there's actually some some research behind this. Don't ask me for the journal, but it exists. Um, when a phone is in sight, your attention is distracted. You see it, you're thinking about it subconsciously, whatever. So we try and make it so that the phone goes out of sight, out of reach. And uh and that's super helpful when the kids, you know, they get to have fun. Oh, I caught you, dad, you know, blah blah blah. So um, and back to the point of like the TVs, we have lived in a variety of different houses. The house we chose now is very deliberately one where the TV wasn't near or wasn't visible from the dining space. Uh, we lived in a house um for for one of the houses we had was one where the the the the kitchen table could see the TV, and that's a problem. It's like uh even when it's off, you can again it's In sight. So deliberately designing the way you live, I think is really critical and really helpful. The screens thing's really helpful. And fostering conversation, you can just you can just eat food and nourish yourself, or you can build your family each and every meal. And so yeah, we're we're super deliberate about the types of conversations that we have. And so, you know, in some regards, your role as a parent is to facilitate that, to make it happen. You know, often things, particularly when they're little, don't just happen naturally. Um, left to their own devices, kids will chuck tantrums or whatever the case is. So you have to be a deliberate architect of a conversation and of the relationship. Uh, at least that's been that's been my experience today.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, that's that's that's really, really clever. Um, I think that thought of of trying to orient your way where from key parts of life like the dining table, um, that you you can't see a TV is is is certainly a win. Um, the more that you can make sure that your world is not is oriented around a kitchen bench or a kitchen table, uh, and and less around a screen is is so much uh is so uh helpful. I know for me that the the the tables of uh George and Nerida Ingram um and of Chaz and Frangulow and to a lesser extent Dave and Trish McDonald have been some of the places where we've really personally grown. They were the times where hearts are open. I think if you can if you can facilitate this, you get heart open moments. You actually get a naturally heart-open moment. And from that point, you can hear people, you can hear where they're at, you can try to advise, help, support, um, you can nourish, you can lead and guide, you can nurture from that point. Um, so yeah, it's uh it's it's to be shaped and it's to be valued.
SPEAKER_01Right. Well, I want to touch on um others, including others at your table. Before we do that, I want to ask, you know, you alluded to we wait till Mom or Beck in this case sits down. For us, we found it the the whole dinner experience has been super formative for our family to the point of who's helping to cook, what other things are we doing around meals, who's you know, setting tables, cleaning tables. We all eat the same thing, you know. There's no special treatment, you know, brilliance special food. We thank mum, and every time we comment on well, mum's usually the one that cooks, though these days I'm I've changed, Dave. I cook. Uh, and the kids are starting to cook, which is great fun. It's such a beautiful chaos environment, but but it's more than just eating the same food, right? It's it's sharing those common experiences. Tell me, how do you how do you think about including others around your table?
SPEAKER_00Um look, because of the dynamic of us being in ministry and my wife being a raging introvert, um, we it's probably it's probably not been a natural thing for us. Um we've probably done it out. We've probably done it. Um we've probably made it in and around maybe uh birthdays and events and times to really um so celebrations. We try to go there. Um and so uh we certainly want to value that, but it it has been it has been a it has been a journey. We've done it really well with our family. But it yeah, it's it's certainly it's certainly been a tension that we've really tried to manage. So me being a sanguine and being the more pastoral of the of the connets that's employed at Good Life Church, then I I do a I do a lot of it. I do a lot of it um outside and include people. Um there are certain times where I'll invite a whole bunch of people around. I'll I'll utilize the moments like the state of origin or certain sporting things and invite a whole bunch of men around and shove a big slab of something on a smoker and and then feed people. But so we've tried to work around the dynamic of what we what we're good at. Um yeah, but I I think that's that's been that's been something that we've navigated and tried to do well despite the tensions that we that we face.
SPEAKER_01Right. Well I think what I've observed and learned from you know you as you specifically is that like meals are such a focal point of relationships. You know, for how many years I've been part of your team, I'm like, why the flip does he need us to get there 30 minutes earlier to share a meal? Why can't we just crack on with the meeting? And I've realized now by 15 years later I get it, uh, that the meal is the meeting. Slow bit you wouldn't be waiting on the meal. Oh worth waiting on. And and whether that's at a, you know, I'll say potluck where people bring stuff or we're out at a you know, at a restaurant, or or shit, meals are it's the meal that's critical, right? And that will look different for different seasons and different styles, but it is the breaking of bread together and you know, going from house to house, breaking bread, etc. Uh yeah, for us is powerful. It's super powerful. Different seasons will will negate different things. I know we've got little kids, we don't go out like much at all. It's it's carnage for us. So having people over to our glorious chaos is our way of sharing, including others, whether that's you know, family we're trying to reach or friends where can you know, connect group and and part of our church or um you know others that maybe don't have the same family dynamic. We want to showcase what we think is a beautiful, godly expression of family and include that for others. And so I'd encourage that for blokes listening along is you know, cultivate this beautiful picture of heaven around a table. And then how can you extend that out to others? Yes, take care of your own family first, and then your church, and then your neighbors and your community, right?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, look, and and that has been that has been our experience. I I think of you've been many times. Obviously, we've had the team around, and we'll you're right, there's going to be a cup or a dessert or eat there's something to do. And there are, yeah, I mean, probably my funnest moments and memories of team have been those Christmas dinners and um everyone's around and enjoying time and team, and then doing the uh you know the secret sound where everyone gets the stealer present, those sorts of things. So I I think they are very, very important. And you're right, we do that these days. Um obviously our team is spread right the way across Newcastle, and so oftentimes we'll have to do meetings at church instead of at our home because we're out the western etc. So I I think those times where we're sitting down, having a bit of a meal, having something to eat, it is the breaking bread from house to house, it is it is the Last Supper, it is communion uh in a lot of way, and it makes sense of the uh of the sacrifice that people are making.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, love that. Well, I think there's uh there's a key imperative for everyone listening along. How can you I say tidy up your family experience around the dinner table? How can you participate at other tables or include others at your table?
SPEAKER_00Uh yeah, so much ministry happens. Or do the or do the eating out, working out how to have a coffee. Like seriously, the coffee with someone really, really works. Um, make the time to have a meal with someone, have a table, be there together, chit-chat, open up, and actually be a support to someone. It's amazing how much support comes back your way.
SPEAKER_01Love it. Super practical, Pastor Dave. Thank you as always. And uh before we round this episode out, where in the world are you today?
SPEAKER_00I am in a random car park at Warner's Bay. Um, today have been all over the place. Uh, I had to uh go and do a delivery for my business. I've had work meetings from early through to I've got late ones, and so I've ended up just I had to I had to get the pool water checked, Jack. And so we've ended up finishing there, sitting in a car park outside that pirate, what is it, pirate something surf? Anyway, here I am. I'll be I'll be heading into this. Yeah, get get that get that pool water sorted. So yes, that's right, man. Water's bad, finish the road.
SPEAKER_01Good, good. All right, well, thank you for us today. We're looking forward to another episode again really soon. Bye bye.
SPEAKER_00Talk soon, mate.