Ever feel like you're talking… and it goes straight through your kid's ear and right out the other? This week in part 2 of our series we're calling "From Overwhelmed to Intentional," Kent and Lawson get super practical about communication with your kids, especially in the teen years.
You'll be challenged to consider why "Why won't they listen?" might be the wrong question, how your posture and timing matter more than your volume, and why listening is not weakness, it's leadership leverage. Lawson shares a real story from a weekend with his daughter in New York that reframed how he shows up in deeper conversations. Kent breaks down how to season hard conversations with grace (Colossians 4:6), ask questions that are not "gotchas," and trade control for influence so your kids learn to listen to God, not just comply with you.
If you want the kind of relationship where your kids, no matter the age, want to talk to you, this is a deposit worth making.
Want to shape the direction of the show this year? Leave us a voicemail and tell us what you're facing as a dad: manhoodjourney.org/podcast Scroll down to "What's Your Story?" and leave us a message!
You're not a father on accident. Go be a father on purpose.
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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.
FEATURING GREAT GUESTS
Gary Chapman
Ken Blanchard
Chip Ingram
“I listen to the father on purpose podcast and you guys are amazing. Thank you for all you guys do and please keep it up. Us Fathers need this NOW more than ever.”
–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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Dad, have you paused lately to think about who has helped you become the father, husband, and man you are today? Chances are, you didn't get here alone. We're all products of past generosity. This episode is all about recognizing and appreciating those who've supported us behind the scenes. We want to celebrate the people who rarely get the spotlight but who play essential roles in our lives and stories. Namely, today we want to honor Lawson Brown. He's co-host extraordinaire, a friend that sticks closer than a brother, and one of the reasons you're able to listen to this show today. Thank you Lawson.
In today's episode, Kent dives into some fascinating examples from history—like the unseen heroes behind the translation of the Bible or the creation of "Amazing Grace"—and shares stories from his own life and ministry. Listen in, be encouraged, and then take the challenge: thank someone who's made a difference in your journey, and help your kids see the value of gratitude in action. Generosity fuels the kingdom, and you probably have a lot more to give than you think.
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If you're anything like us, your answer to the title question might sound something like "well it depends…in what area?" What if we're asking the wrong question altogether? Our culture constantly pushes us to measure success in terms of work accomplishments, financial milestones, or social recognition. It's tempting to think of our life as an aggregate GPA, where we might be failing in one area, but hey, at least we're doing okay over here! It can be easy to hope our financial wins give us extra husband points, or our promotion at work makes up for all those missed ballgames.
This week, we dive into powerful conversations exploring why success might be the wrong goal—and why faithfulness is the true target. We get into some of our favorite definitions of success, such as, "when those who know you best respect you the most" (thanks Mark!) or "being in the process of achieving a God-honoring goal." We'll also examine some biblical wisdom from Joshua, Psalms, Proverbs, and elsewhere to redefine our idea of prospering and effectiveness.
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In this episode, we unpack Psalm 127 and Hebrews 3 to remind ourselves what it means to let God take the lead. He is the true Builder, and when we try to take that role from Him, we end up carrying a load we were never designed to bear.
Through personal stories, biblical reflection, and some real talk around identity and control, we invite you to consider a better way. One marked by prayer, dependence, and freedom that comes from trusting God with both your work and your home. Let the peace of handing over the reigns wash over you this week.
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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.
