Ever walk away from a conversation and realize you did almost all the talking…again? As dads, we often think our "advice" is what will change our kids, when in reality, it might just be the questions we ask...or don't ask. In this episode, Kent and Lawson unpack why some men dominate every conversation, why others never ask anything deeper than small talk, and why a humble, curious dad is a great listener instead of a constant lecturer.
Kent tells the story of a simple question that completely disarmed him: "What kind of tension does that cause for you?" That one line forced him to search his own heart, not just react with an opinion. From there, the guys walk through why Jesus asked so many questions, how Proverbs 20:5 paints your child's heart like deep water, and what it looks like to draw it out instead of just "fixing" everything with quick advice.
You'll hear super practical examples of questions you can use this week with your kids, your wife, and even that talkative uncle at Christmas. Things like, "What was that like for you?", "Could you explain that to me a bit more?", and "What about that excites you or concerns you?" Plus, Kent shares his "clay on the wheel" analogy for shaping a conversation with your child using their words and their goals, not just yours.
If you've ever wondered why your kids don't open up, or you want to be a dad who talks less and understands more, this episode will help you step into holiday gatherings—and everyday moments at home—with a heart that is both curious and humble.
We've launched video now! Check out the video version of today's episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nktheEfq93o
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Meet the Hosts
Kent Evans is the Executive Director and co-founder of Manhood Journey, a ministry that helps dads become disciple-makers. After a twenty-year career as a business leader, he embarked on biblical fatherhood ministry projects. He’s authored four books. The most recent, Don’t Bench Yourself: How to Stay in the Game Even When You Want to Quit. He and his wife April have been married for three decades and they have five sons.
Lawson Brown married his high school sweetheart, and is a father of two adult daughters. He’s a business leader and a former (always!) Marine. He’s served as a small group leader, helped launch ministries and a church plant where he served as its Men’s Ministry leader. His faith journey has always been centered in a grounding from his wife, Audrey, and supported throughout by many men who’ve been brothers along the way. His family is nearing an empty nest phase and has recently relocated to the Florida Gulf Coast beaches area.
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–Joel C.
“Thank you for the effort and time you put into leading us dads toward the Kingdom of God. I have learned and put to use so much by listening to the podcast.”
–Cole S.
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If you’ve been craving a band of brothers and a clear next step, today’s episode will light the way.
Check out Goose's ministry: https://www.mensalliancetribe.com/
Find Goose's book "Answer With Truth" here: https://a.co/d/3MwMe6K
Listen to the Men's Alliance Tribe podcast: https://www.mensalliancetribe.com/podcast
We've launched video now! Check out the video version of today's episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VVVX8hLLWvg
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Check out Scott MacLellan's non-profit providing support for addiction recovery: https://www.riversoul.org
We've launched video now! Check out the video version of this show on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ocpmKrp3Ayc
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Check out this amazing veterans focused men's ministry Lawson mentioned in the episode: shepherdsmen.com
We've launched video now! Check out the video version of this show on YouTube: https://youtu.be/r3iF3aCPoVs
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What’s Your Mission as a Dad?
Being a godly dad is hard work. Challenges abound, and sometimes, we just need some ideas, encouragement, and a little laughter along the way. So, we created the Father On Purpose Podcast to have real, fun, and practical conversations about being dads. Fatherhood is awesome, sacred, and hard all at the same time. We don’t have all the answers, but together as dads, we’ll try to figure it out.
