Parenting Against The Current

Jonathan Moon grew up as a homeschooled pastor’s kid, and the lesson that stuck with him most wasn’t any sermon. It was watching his parents meet with God every single morning. In this episode, Jonathan shares how ordinary, everyday faithfulness shaped his walk with Jesus, and how he’s passing it on to his own son.Raised near Houston, Jonathan was homeschooled from pre-K through graduation by parents who modeled faith without making a show of it. His dad read his Bible at the kitchen table every morning, and his mom prayed through her memory verse flashcards. He talks honestly about the pressures of growing up a pastor’s kid, the conversations in which his dad apologized for putting ministry ahead of family, and a note his grandfather left him in his Bible. Today, Jonathan and his wife are raising their two-year-old son, Asher, with a daughter on the way, and they’re finding simple ways to point him to Jesus every day.Jonathan is now the youth minister at Delta Church in Marble Falls, Texas, and teaches worldview classes alongside David at One Day Academy.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why your daily devotion may speak to your kids more loudly than anything you teach themHow Jonathan’s dad handled his own struggles honestly, and what that meant to JonathanHow to give older kids freedom to make decisions in their conscience before GodThe hidden pressures pastors’ kids face, including living in “ministry mode”Why a “Hebrew mindset” means faith shapes every part of everyday lifeWhy it’s okay to set aside the lesson plan when a teachable moment shows upSimple ways to point a toddler to God throughout the dayWhy “be kind” teaches kids more than “be nice”Memorable quotes:“That resonated with my heart more deeply than all of his sermons put together.” — Jonathan Moon“You are not called to be grandpa, you’re not called to be dad, but you are called to walk in the same faithfulness.” — Jonathan’s grandfather“Homeschool kids aren’t waiting for Superman. They’ve already got Superman. It’s mom and dad.” — David Swarbrick“Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit. Being nice is not.” — David SwarbrickResources mentioned:The Walk on Water Syndrome by Edward B. BratcherWaiting for “Superman” (documentary)One Day AcademyScripture referenced:Proverbs 1:5, Deuteronomy 6:5–9, Romans 12:1–2, Galatians 5:22–23, Mark 2:27, Luke 10:38–42Chapters:00:00:00 Welcome and introductions00:01:14 Meeting his wife at camp00:03:53 Growing up a homeschooled pastor’s kid00:06:59 Homeschooling in the 2000s00:09:17 The transition to college00:11:17 When dad is pastor and teacher00:13:02 A grandfather’s note in his Bible00:14:10 Dad’s open Bible every morning00:16:09 Seeing your dad’s struggles00:18:06 When dad apologized00:20:43 Should parents share their struggles?00:23:37 When kids discover dad isn’t Superman00:24:50 Mom’s memory verse flashcards00:27:30 Loving God with your whole being00:29:01 Movies, music, and conscience00:32:42 The pressures of being a pastor’s kid00:34:53 Living in “ministry mode”00:38:17 From camp counselor to youth pastor00:41:03 Becoming “Johnny Moon” at camp00:43:52 What discipling parents do well00:46:12 Sports, church, and priorities00:49:38 Teaching as you walk by the way00:50:46 Hebrew mindset vs. Greek mindset00:53:46 Finding the radical middle00:57:20 The hummingbird moment01:00:07 Making margin for teachable moments01:02:37 Raising a two-year-old to love Jesus01:04:08 “Good job, God”01:04:40 Kind, not nice01:07:12 Final thoughtsIf this episode encouraged you, subscribe so you don’t miss the next one, and share it with a parent who needs a little hope today.

Anita Scott grew up in a Christian, homeschooling family that did almost everything right, yet she spent years believing being a good Christian meant checking boxes. In this episode, Anita shares what finally moved her faith from duty to delight, and what that means for parents today.Raised in Oak Cliff, Dallas, as the fourth of eight children, Anita grew up in a home where faith shaped every lesson and every conversation. Her parents saw her gifts before she did and weren’t afraid to push her to use them. A single question from a mentor in her late 20s changed how she understood her relationship with God, and it later shaped the way she parented her foster daughters at their own dinner table.Today, Anita is the Public Policy Director at Texas Home School Coalition, where she works to protect parental rights and create new opportunities for homeschool families across Texas. She came to that role after a decade as a K-12 teacher and administrator, a calling she spent years trying to run from.In this episode, you’ll learn:How Anita’s parents integrated faith into every day dynamicsThe difference between serving God out of duty and out of delightWhy asking your kids the right questions can matter more than giving them a methodWhat helped Anita stop running from her callingWhy “relational equity” with kids changes how they learn and what they choose in lifeThe story of how homeschooling became legal in Texas, and the families who risked everything for itWhy the fight for homeschooling has always been a fight for parental rightsMemorable quotes:“I’ve been serving the Lord out of duty but not delight.” — Anita Scott“I think you’re actually running from your calling.” — Anita’s godmother“Homeschooling in Texas has never been primarily about homeschooling. It’s been about parental rights.” — Anita Scott“Asking the unconventional questions creates unconventional opportunities.” — Anita ScottResources mentioned:Texas Home School CoalitionFamily Freedom ProjectChapters:00:00:00 Welcome and introductions00:01:29 Growing up homeschooled in the 1980s00:03:05 When homeschooling was underground00:05:09 Why homeschooling set her apart00:06:29 Typing, swim lessons, and socialization00:08:02 A co-op before co-ops existed00:08:57 Faith woven into everything00:09:23 Teaching phonics at 1300:12:50 Room to explore and build00:13:52 Checking boxes vs. relationship00:15:51 Ask the questions, skip the method00:18:15 Duty vs. delight00:19:47 The 12-year-old who changed her path00:21:35 Running from her calling00:25:36 The classroom as a mission field00:29:52 Relational equity with students00:31:57 A foster daughter who was listening00:33:51 From the classroom to policy00:37:27 Zeal vs. a resume00:39:43 Saying yes to THSC00:41:18 Staying grateful and humble00:42:19 Creating opportunities for homeschoolers00:43:57 How homeschooling became legal in Texas00:47:27 Standing on their shoulders00:49:45 It’s always been about parental rights00:53:48 Academics are only part of it00:54:19 Final encouragementIf this episode encouraged you, subscribe so you don’t miss the next one, and share it with a parent who needs a little hope today.

What if your kids don’t need perfect parents, just parents who keep pointing them to a perfect Savior? Author, pastor’s wife, and mom of six daughters Jeanine Sanchez joins David Swarbrick on the first episode of Parenting Against the Current to talk about how to raise kids who keep walking with Jesus even after they move out.Jeanine has been married to her husband Juan, a senior pastor in Austin, Texas, for 36 years and has raised 5 daughters who are still walking with Jesus. She and Juan learned a great deal along the way, and they put it into their book, Reaching Your Child’s Heart: A Practical Guide to Faithful Parenting.In this episode, Jeanine talks honestly about the difference between managing behavior and reaching a child’s heart. She and David also discuss reconciling with an angry teenager, how the authority of the parent changes as children age, and why church was a non-negotiable in the Sanchez home.If you’ve ever worried that you’re doing it all wrong, this conversation will remind you where your hope belongs.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why your kids need to watch you repentThe difference between heart engagement and behavior managementHow grace and mercy work together with correctionSimple ways to build Scripture and catechism into routines you already haveHow to reconcile with a teenager who isn’t ready to talk yetWhy fear makes a poor foundation for parenting and the damage of being a chronically angry parentHow freedoms should grow with responsibility as kids approach moving outHow to receive feedback from your kids about how they see you as a parentMemorable quotes:“Our kids don’t need perfect parents, because they’re not going to get that anyway. What they really need is a perfect Savior.” — Jeanine Sanchez“If you deny and justify and explain and sweep it under the rug, that’s what your kids are going to learn to do.” — David Swarbrick“As long as that child has breath in their lungs, there is hope.” — Jeanine Sanchez“Quality time is born out of quantity time.” — Jeanine SanchezResources mentioned:Reaching Your Child’s Heart: A Practical Guide to Faithful Parenting by Juan and Jeanine Sanchez (New Growth Press), also available in SpanishScripture referenced:Proverbs 1:5, Psalm 139:14, Deuteronomy 6, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 8:1, Proverbs 3, Matthew 18:22, Matthew 12:43–45, Psalm 103:12, Galatians 6:9, Ezekiel 36:26, Philippians 2:12, Hebrews 12:2, Isaiah 55:11Chapters:00:00:00 Welcome and introductions00:01:01 Six daughters and a life in ministry00:02:28 Why parenting stereotypes don’t help00:07:00 Writing Reaching Your Child’s Heart00:12:35 God’s desire for godly offspring00:15:19 Kids need a perfect Savior00:16:34 Letting your kids see you repent00:20:32 Transparency and kids leaving faith00:22:07 Holding justice and mercy together00:28:38 Reaching the heart, not just behavior00:34:39 How we harden our kids’ hearts00:37:10 Positive biblical instruction00:41:26 Building Scripture into daily routines00:44:55 Catechism and the mental warehouse00:46:32 Having uncomfortable conversations00:48:22 Spanking as one tool among many00:52:40 Reconciling with an angry teenager00:58:08 Choosing fun over fear01:03:03 From command to counsel01:06:31 Freedom to fail and launching well01:10:12 Raising worshipers, not just believers01:12:59 Why church was non-negotiable01:15:49 Praying for what only God can do01:16:43 I don’t agree, but I trust you01:20:06 Anger destroys relationships01:20:40 Quality time needs quantity time01:23:35 Hope in Jesus alone01:26:26 Wrap-upIf this episode encourages you, subscribe so you don’t miss the next one, and share it with a parent who needs a little hope today.

Every Christian parent carries a picture: kids who love Jesus, live with purpose, and launch into the world well. But with so many kids walking away from faith, that picture can feel more like a fear than a hope.Parenting Against the Current is a podcast built on a simple belief: there are things you can do that make a real difference. Each episode, we sit down with parents who've launched kids who still walk with Jesus, and adults who grew up in believing homes and kept the faith. Real stories. Wins, failures, joys, heartaches.Pull up a chair, be encouraged, and learn how to resist the pull of the world so the picture in your head can become real.