Gardens in Babylon | Christian Faith Podcast

Kevin Minnett & Riley Toews | Christian Family & Discipleship

Author: Kevin Minnett & Riley Toews | Christian Family & DiscipleshipDescription:In a world that often feels hostile to Christians, God calls His people to stop waiting for rescue and start planting gardens right where they are. Inspired by Jeremiah 29, this podcast is for ordinary Christian moms juggling laundry and schedules, dads looking over noisy dinner tables with hungry kids, and parents raising the next generation to love the Lord and find godly spouses. Hosted by Kevin Minnett and Pastor Riley Toews, each episode opens with historic Christian voices on family worship, then dives into real stories, practical wisdom, and joyful encouragement for the modern household. What We BelieveWe believe the home is a "nursery"—a greenhouse where parents act as gardeners, cultivating tender shoots into resilient, fruit-bearing adults. Whether you are navigating the early years of toddlers or the complex challenges of the teen years, we provide a roadmap for building a family that outlasts the cultural shift. Topics We TackleFamily Worship & Discipleship: Practical rhythms for the "Family Altar" (Read, Pray, Sing, Catechize).Biblical Manhood: What it looks like to become and cultivate faithful manhood.Home Education & Worldview: Raising kids to think biblically in a secular age.The Family Economy: Moving from a "consumer" home to a "productive" household through homesteading, thrift, and a biblical work ethic.Parenting Teens: Helping Christian teenagers navigate identity, mental health, and social media with a firm foundation.Legacy & Heritage: Wisdom for grandparents and parents on building a multi-generational legacy.A Resource for the Whole FamilyWhile we primarily target moms and dads, we aim to be a teen-friendly Christian podcast that the whole family can enjoy together. From our "Dad Joke" face-offs to deep dives into church history, we believe that family-friendly content should be both deep and delightful. You’ll hear from pastors raising big families, homesteaders building productive households, missionaries, and more—all choosing to build, worship, work, and multiply faithfulness in hard places. Connect With UsNew episodes dropping Spring/Summer 2026. Send us your best family dad jokes or stories of how you're cultivating faithfulness at home—we may share them on the show!Suggest a Guest: Let us know who is planting "gardens" in your community.About this show: Gardens in Babylon is a Christian parenting podcast for moms, dads, and teens interested in family discipleship, home education, and family worship. Keywords: Christian Parenting, Family Discipleship, Home Education, Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, Family Worship, Christian Homesteading, Raising Godly Children, Teen Christian Faith, 1689 Baptist Theology, Family Economy.

  1. Sep 2

    Keeping the Citadel - Recovering the Beauty of Biblical Womanhood

    Episode Title: Reclaiming Biblical Femininity & Homemaking with Heather Faria Episode Summary: In this episode of Gardens in Babylon, host Kevin Minnett sits down with Heather Faria, creator and founder of Keeping the Citadel magazine and podcast. Together, they discuss the shift away from modern feminism, the limitations of the "trad wife" trend, and how Christian women can cultivate true beauty and order in the home. Heather shares the story behind the name Keeping the Citadel, the importance of biblical womanhood, and practical advice for navigating difficult family dynamics while pursuing kingdom work within the home. Key Takeaways & Topics CoveredThe Story Behind "Keeping the Citadel": How Eowyn’s character arc in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings inspired the vision to redeem womanhood, moving from fighting cultural battles in the wrong arena to embracing the calling of a life-giver and nurturer. Feminism vs. Biblical Womanhood: Unpacking how cultural ideologies have impacted the church and why women are seeking a return to God's original design for the home. The Trad Wife Movement: Evaluating the cultural trend of "trad wives" through a scriptural lens, contrasting superficial or performative homemaking with gospel-rooted Christian stewardship. Practical Advice for Challenging Circumstances: Encouragement for women dealing with past regrets, passive leadership in the home, or the daily chaos of family life. Homemaking as Kingdom Work: Viewing daily household duties not as mundane chores, but as acts of taking dominion, pushing back the curse, and reflecting God’s beauty and order. Featured Links & ResourcesKeeping the Citadel – Official website for the magazine, subscriptions, and issue updates. Keeping the Citadel Podcast – Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Recommended Publishing Resources: Canon Press and New Christendom Press. Guest InformationHeather Faria is a wife of 15 years, mother of two, and the founder and editor-in-chief of Keeping the Citadel. Through her quarterly publication and podcast, she equips and encourages women in biblical femininity, Titus 2 discipleship, and Christian homemaking. #BiblicalWomanhood, #Homemaking, #ChristianMotherhood, #BiblicalFemininity, #Titus2, #KeepingTheCitadel, #GardensInBabylon, #ChristianHomemaker, #ChristianFamily, #TradWife, #ChristianPodcast, #LordOfTheRings, #KingdomWork, #CultureAndFaith

    Keeping the Citadel - Recovering the Beauty of Biblical Womanhood
  2. Aug 26

    Raising Godly Men: Education, Economy, and the Next Generation | John Moody

    What does it take to raise boys who become godly, capable, productive men? In this episode of Gardens in Babylon, Kevin Minnett and Riley Toews sit down with entrepreneur, homesteader, writer, and mentor John Moody for a wide-ranging conversation about biblical manhood, Christian education, raising boys, family economy, work, mentorship, and generational legacy. John argues that one of the truest measures of a man's success isn't simply what he builds during his lifetime—but whether he can faithfully reproduce that success through those who come after him. A farm without the next generation prepared to carry it forward can disappear. A business can collapse when its founder retires. A church can stumble when faithful leadership is not passed on. A man's accomplishments mean little if he has not cultivated faithful people who can preserve and build upon what he began. So what does this mean for Christian fathers? This conversation explores why raising godly sons requires more than protecting them from the world. Boys need meaningful work, responsibility, discipline, challenge, mentorship, and the opportunity to see their fathers live out faithful Christian manhood. John shares why fathers should be actively involved in their sons' education and why practical formation matters alongside academics. The conversation addresses the importance of teaching boys how to work, negotiate, solve problems, handle responsibility, and understand the relationship between labor, value, money, and stewardship. In This Episode• Why a man's success should be measured partly by what he reproduces in the next generation • The importance of raising godly men rather than merely successful boys • Why boys need meaningful work, physical challenge, responsibility, and real-world consequences • The role fathers play in their sons' education and development • How work and shared projects become opportunities for discipleship • Building a productive family economy • Teaching children about work, money, entrepreneurship, and responsibility • Why Christian families should think generationally rather than merely surviving the present • The dangers of both the prosperity gospel and what John calls the "poverty gospel" • Why success and wealth are not inherently opposed to Christian faithfulness • Preparing young men to navigate today's difficult economic environment • How fathers can prepare their sons to become husbands, fathers, providers, leaders, and faithful stewards At the heart of the conversation is a simple question: What are you doing with your sons today that will prepare them to become faithful men tomorrow? The goal isn't simply to produce successful men. It is to raise faithful men whose strength, skills, resources, and influence are submitted to Christ and used for the good of their families, churches, communities, and the generations that follow. That requires fathers who are willing to think beyond childhood—and beyond themselves. If you are a father, grandfather, homeschooler, pastor, or Christian man thinking seriously about the future of the next generation, this conversation is for you. Subscribe to Gardens in Babylon for more conversations about cultivating faithfulness, building strong families, recovering productive households, and faithfully living for Christ in hard places. Connect & EngageShare your thoughts in the comments, and send this episode to a father who needs to hear it. #RaisingGodlyMen #BiblicalManhood #ChristianFatherhood #ChristianParenting #RaisingBoys #ChristianEducation #Homeschooling #FamilyEconomy #BiblicalStewardship #GenerationalLegacy #ChristianMen #JohnMoody #GardensInBabylon

    Raising Godly Men: Education, Economy, and the Next Generation | John Moody
  3. Aug 20 ·  Bonus

    Deceived - The Ruin of Modern Women with Les Lanphere

    Deceived: Exposing Feminism & Restoring Biblical Womanhood with Les Lanphere Filmmaker Les Lanphere joins Kevin Minnett on Gardens in Babylon to discuss his upcoming documentary Deceived: The Ruin of the Modern Woman, examining the theological, cultural, and relational impact of modern feminism on both the church and the family. Support the Deceived Kickstarter The campaign for Deceived needs your support to reach its funding goal before time runs out. Help bring this project to life by backing the campaign today: 👉 Back Deceived: The Ruin of the Modern Woman on Kickstarter Episode Highlights From Calvinist to Deceived: Les Lanfear reflects on a decade of Christian filmmaking (Calvinist, Spirit and Truth, Cessationist) and what compelled him to tackle the topic of feminism. The Root of the Crisis: How modern cultural shifts have eroded distinct God-given roles, leading to widespread dissatisfaction in marriage and society. Theology of Deception: A deep dive into Genesis 3 and 1 Timothy 2, exploring traditional versus contemporary interpretations of Eve’s deception and God's created order. Masculine & Feminine Spheres: Why erasing the distinct complementary strengths of men and women harms both sexes, and why celebrating biblical womanhood is essential for flourishing homes. Male Responsibility: How male passivity helped enable cultural decay and what biblical fatherhood and leadership require today.

    Deceived - The Ruin of Modern Women with Les Lanphere
  4. Aug 19

    Get Out of the Metaphor - Fight the Real War

    What happens when Christian men become so immersed in the stories, fantasies, and metaphors of our culture that they forget the real battle happening around them? In this episode of Gardens in Babylon, Kevin Minnett sits down with Kevin Swanson, author of Strong, for a wide-ranging conversation about biblical manhood, Christian masculinity, the fear of God, family discipleship, generational faith, and the responsibility of Christian men to stand firm in a hostile culture. Swanson argues that one of the great problems facing the modern church is not simply bad strategy or bad politics—it is weakening faith. What the church needs is stronger faith, a stronger grasp of the gospel, stronger Christian men, and a renewed fear of God. But what does that strength actually look like? It means fathers who disciple their children. It means men who are willing to stand alone when truth is at stake. It means Christians who understand that history is real, sin is real, judgment is real, redemption is real, and Jesus Christ is real. And it means getting out of the metaphor. Swanson uses a memorable picture from The Lord of the Rings: imagine a young man sitting in the back of Helm's Deep playing a video game about the battle of Helm's Deep while the real battle is happening around him. That, Swanson argues, is a picture of modern manhood. We can become so absorbed in fictional battles that we fail to recognize the real spiritual, cultural, familial, and generational battles taking place in front of us. This conversation explores what it means for Christian men to stop playing at war and faithfully engage the real war God has actually given them. Swanson argues that fantasy can point us toward reality, but we can also become so immersed in fantasy that we escape from reality altogether. Instead of confronting God, sin, judgment, redemption, history, and responsibility, modern man can retreat into an endless stream of entertainment and fictional conflict. The result is a generation of men who may know everything about fictional heroes while lacking the courage to stand for truth in their own homes, churches, communities, and generation. The answer isn't to abandon stories. Strong Men Build Strong FamiliesSwanson also emphasizes that Christian strength isn't merely about individual toughness. It is fundamentally connected to discipleship and generational faith. He calls fathers to teach their children God's Word "line upon line, precept upon precept," including through daily family worship and relational discipleship. He also describes his own decades of discipling young men in his home. The goal is not simply to produce boys who know Christian ideas. It is to raise men who know God, fear God, love Christ, understand Scripture, recognize reality, and are willing to stand when the pressure comes. As Swanson puts it, our sons need to see their fathers engage the battle—not as perfect men, but as men who repent, confess their sins, oppose evil, trust Christ, and continue standing in faith. About Kevin SwansonKevin Swanson has spent decades working in Christian education, homeschooling, family discipleship, and generational ministry. Raised as a missionary kid in Japan, Swanson comes from a family deeply shaped by the early homeschooling movement and has emphasized the importance of generational faith throughout his ministry. #KevinSwanson #ChristianMen #BiblicalManhood #ChristianManhood #StrongMen #FearOfGod #ChristianFatherhood #FamilyDiscipleship #GenerationalFaith #BiblicalMasculinity #ChristianFamily #ChristianWorldview #ChristianDiscipleship #GardensInBabylon #StrongMenOfGod

    Get Out of the Metaphor - Fight the Real War
  5. Aug 14 ·  Bonus

    Keep Watch: Redeeming the Time in a Distracted Age | Ty Nelson & Junior Hernandez

    We live in an age of unprecedented distraction. Our phones, social media feeds, notifications, emails, entertainment, and endless digital demands compete constantly for our attention. But what happens when Christian men learn to watch—not merely the clock, but their lives? In this episode of Gardens in Babylon, Kevin Minnett sits down with Ty Nelson and Junior Hernandez, founders of Keep Watch, a Christian watch company built around an old but increasingly neglected spiritual discipline: watchfulness. Their mission is rooted in Ephesians 5:15–16: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” What began as a business idea grew out of conversations about the problem of distraction, the need for Christian men to redeem their time, and the desire to create something that would serve as a daily reminder to live faithfully before God. Rather than creating another device competing for our attention, Keep Watch chose the opposite approach: a simple analog watch designed to help men get away from their phones and become more present with their families, churches, work, and communities. But this conversation goes far beyond watches. Ty and Junior explain how Christian men should think about starting businesses, taking risks, stewarding wealth, building families, finding mentors, serving their local churches, and cultivating Christian businesses that can actually bless their communities. They also discuss the importance of recovering a distinctly Christian vision of masculinity and learning from the faithful men who came before us. Keep Watch's watches draw inspiration from figures such as John Knox and Charles Spurgeon, turning church history into a daily reminder to stand boldly for Christ. 🔎 Topics & KeywordsChristian entrepreneurship, Christian business, Christian men, biblical masculinity, Christian masculinity, spiritual discipline of watchfulness, redeeming the time, Ephesians 5:15-16, Christian productivity, smartphone distraction, social media addiction, digital distraction, analog watches, Keep Watch, Ty Nelson, Junior Hernandez, John Knox, Charles Spurgeon, Prince of Preachers, church history, Christian business owners, biblical work, family economics, Christian family, Christian leadership, dominion, stewardship, Christian entrepreneurship, local church, Reformed theology, Protestant history, Gardens in Babylon. About Gardens in BabylonGardens in Babylon is a podcast about cultivating faithfulness in hard places. We talk with pastors, missionaries, families, entrepreneurs, and other Christians who are seeking to build, cultivate, and remain faithful in a culture that increasingly feels like Babylon. Rather than retreating from the world, we want to explore what it means to faithfully build families, churches, businesses, communities, and institutions for the glory of God. Subscribe to Gardens in Babylon and join us as we learn how to plant gardens—even in Babylon. Connect With Keep WatchKeep Watch is a Christian watch company focused on recovering the spiritual discipline of watchfulness and encouraging men to make better use of their God-given time. Website: Keep Watch The founders also invite listeners to follow Keep Watch on social media and participate in the conversation about future watch designs. Hashtags#GardensInBabylon #KeepWatch #ChristianMen #ChristianEntrepreneurship #BiblicalMasculinity #Watchfulness #RedeemTheTime #Ephesians5 #ChristianBusiness #ChristianBusinessOwners #CharlesSpurgeon #JohnKnox #ChurchHistory #ChristianFamily #BiblicalManhood #ChristianLeadership #Entrepreneurship #Reformed #ChristianPodcast

    Keep Watch: Redeeming the Time in a Distracted Age | Ty Nelson & Junior Hernandez
  6. Aug 12

    Fight Like Heaven: Building A Christian Family Economy in a Hostile Culture

    What does it look like to build a Christian family economy in a culture that increasingly rejects the biblical vision of marriage, children, work, and human flourishing? In this episode of Gardens in Babylon, Kevin Minnett sits down with Josh Streblow, a father of nine, cattle and hog farmer, and owner of Carl's Bakery in Granite Falls, Minnesota, to talk about what it means to build a productive household that doesn't retreat from the world—but faithfully engages it. The conversation begins with the wisdom of Puritan pastor Richard Baxter, who understood the household as far more than a place of rest or private refuge. The Christian home is an economy, a place where husbands, wives, children, and even servants participate in meaningful work, stewardship, discipleship, and worship. For Baxter, work wasn't merely about earning money. Diligent labor was an act of worship. Our time, resources, skills, businesses, land, and households belong to God, and therefore our work should be directed toward His glory. Josh Streblow is putting that vision into practice. As a husband and father, farmer, and business owner, Josh has spent years building a multi-generational family economy around productive work, faith, land, and community. But that commitment has also brought him into direct conflict with a culture that increasingly demands that Christians keep their convictions private. When Pride Month arrived, Josh chose not to hide his convictions behind the doors of his bakery. Instead, he publicly celebrated the biblical vision of marriage and family. The result was national attention, boycott attempts, hostility, and threats. But Josh's response wasn't to retreat. His philosophy is simple: You can't just build. You also have to fight. And when you fight, you fight like heaven. In this conversation, we explore what it means to recover a biblical vision of productive households, why Christians should think beyond individual careers and paychecks, how families can build real economic resilience, and why faithful Christian witness sometimes requires courage in the public square. The Productive Christian HouseholdOne of the great failures of modern Christianity has been the reduction of the Christian life to what happens inside the church building. But Scripture gives us a much bigger vision. The household is a place of discipleship. Work is a sphere of worship. Children are a heritage from the Lord. Property is something to steward. Businesses can serve neighbors. And faithful Christians are called to cultivate what God has entrusted to them. The goal isn't simply to survive the culture. It is to build something faithful, beautiful, productive, and enduring—and to do so with the confidence that Christ is Lord over every square inch of creation. About Gardens in BabylonGardens in Babylon explores what it means for Christians to faithfully live, work, build, worship, raise families, and proclaim Christ in a world increasingly shaped by competing visions of truth, beauty, morality, and human flourishing. KeywordsChristian family economy, productive household, Christian household, Christian family, Christian business, Christian entrepreneurship, work as worship, biblical work ethic, Richard Baxter, Puritan work ethic, Christian economics, family economy, multi-generational family, Christian farming, Christian business owners, biblical family, Christian culture, productive families, Christian stewardship, Christian entrepreneurship Hashtags#ChristianFamily #ChristianBusiness #ProductiveHousehold #ChristianEconomy #WorkAsWorship #ChristianEntrepreneurship #BiblicalFamily #ChristianCulture #RichardBaxter #ChristianStewardship #FamilyEconomy #GardensInBabylon

    Fight Like Heaven: Building A Christian Family Economy in a Hostile Culture
  7. Aug 4 ·  Bonus

    Why God Sent An Iranian Muslim to a Frozen Canadian Town: From Revolution to Redemption

    From Iran to Christ: Shohreh Polley's Incredible Journey | Gardens in Babylon Podcast 📖 Episode Description What does it cost to follow Christ when you've spent your entire life devoted to Islam? In this unforgettable episode of Gardens in Babylon, Kevin Minnett sits down with Shohreh Polley, whose remarkable testimony spans continents, revolutions, and the sovereign providence of God. Raised in a deeply devout Shi'a Muslim family in Iran, Shohreh faithfully prayed, fasted during Ramadan, and believed that acceptance before God depended on good works. She witnessed firsthand the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution, the rise of the Islamic Republic, political persecution, and the growing oppression that transformed her homeland. Yet God was quietly orchestrating another story. What began as an educational journey from Iran to Cyprus unexpectedly became a spiritual journey unlike anything she could have imagined. After years of searching, conversations with Christians, and countless "coincidences" that were anything but accidental, Shohreh found herself in one of the most unlikely places on earth—a tiny town in northern Ontario, Canada. There, through the ordinary kindness of faithful Christians, God opened the Scriptures and revealed the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is a story about: * God's providence over nations and individual lives * Life inside revolutionary Iran * Growing up in Shi'a Islam * The search for truth * The beauty of Christian hospitality * Leaving works-based religion for grace * Finding Christ when you least expect it Whether you're curious about Islam, interested in apologetics, or simply need encouragement that God is still drawing people to Himself from every nation, Shohreh's testimony is one you won't forget. --- ⏱️ In This Episode * Growing up in revolutionary Iran after the Islamic Revolution * What everyday life was really like inside a devout Muslim family * Shi'a Islam, prayer, Ramadan, and earning God's favor * Political upheaval, persecution, and the cost of dissent * Why Shohreh left Iran for Cyprus * Encounters with Christians that challenged everything she believed * How an unexpected move to rural Canada changed her life forever * The Christians whose quiet faith pointed her to Christ * Wrestling with the identity of Jesus * From Islam to Christianity: finding salvation by grace through faith * Lessons for Christians about evangelism, hospitality, and trusting God's providence --- Featured Quote "God was leading me long before I knew He was leading me." Who Should Watch? This episode is for anyone interested in: * Testimonies of God's grace * Islam and Christianity * Christian apologetics * Missions and evangelism * The Iranian Revolution and modern Iran * Religious conversion stories * Reformed Christian theology * God's providence in everyday life --- #FromIslamToChrist #ChristianTestimony #Iran #IranianChristian #ExMuslim #JesusChrist #ChristianPodcast #GardensInBabylon #Gospel #Apologetics #Evangelism #Faith #Islam #Christianity #Testimony #ConversionStory #ReligiousFreedom #Bible #ChristianLiving #Grace #Salvation #Mission #JesusSaves #GodsProvidence --- Subscribe to Gardens in Babylon If this conversation encouraged you, please: ✅ Like the video ✅ Subscribe to the channel ✅ Share this episode with a friend ✅ Leave a comment—we'd love to hear your thoughts. Every subscription helps us continue producing conversations that help Christians build faithful households and stand firm in an increasingly hostile culture.

    Why God Sent An Iranian Muslim to a Frozen Canadian Town: From Revolution to Redemption

About

Author: Kevin Minnett & Riley Toews | Christian Family & DiscipleshipDescription:In a world that often feels hostile to Christians, God calls His people to stop waiting for rescue and start planting gardens right where they are. Inspired by Jeremiah 29, this podcast is for ordinary Christian moms juggling laundry and schedules, dads looking over noisy dinner tables with hungry kids, and parents raising the next generation to love the Lord and find godly spouses. Hosted by Kevin Minnett and Pastor Riley Toews, each episode opens with historic Christian voices on family worship, then dives into real stories, practical wisdom, and joyful encouragement for the modern household. What We BelieveWe believe the home is a "nursery"—a greenhouse where parents act as gardeners, cultivating tender shoots into resilient, fruit-bearing adults. Whether you are navigating the early years of toddlers or the complex challenges of the teen years, we provide a roadmap for building a family that outlasts the cultural shift. Topics We TackleFamily Worship & Discipleship: Practical rhythms for the "Family Altar" (Read, Pray, Sing, Catechize).Biblical Manhood: What it looks like to become and cultivate faithful manhood.Home Education & Worldview: Raising kids to think biblically in a secular age.The Family Economy: Moving from a "consumer" home to a "productive" household through homesteading, thrift, and a biblical work ethic.Parenting Teens: Helping Christian teenagers navigate identity, mental health, and social media with a firm foundation.Legacy & Heritage: Wisdom for grandparents and parents on building a multi-generational legacy.A Resource for the Whole FamilyWhile we primarily target moms and dads, we aim to be a teen-friendly Christian podcast that the whole family can enjoy together. From our "Dad Joke" face-offs to deep dives into church history, we believe that family-friendly content should be both deep and delightful. You’ll hear from pastors raising big families, homesteaders building productive households, missionaries, and more—all choosing to build, worship, work, and multiply faithfulness in hard places. Connect With UsNew episodes dropping Spring/Summer 2026. Send us your best family dad jokes or stories of how you're cultivating faithfulness at home—we may share them on the show!Suggest a Guest: Let us know who is planting "gardens" in your community.About this show: Gardens in Babylon is a Christian parenting podcast for moms, dads, and teens interested in family discipleship, home education, and family worship. Keywords: Christian Parenting, Family Discipleship, Home Education, Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, Family Worship, Christian Homesteading, Raising Godly Children, Teen Christian Faith, 1689 Baptist Theology, Family Economy.

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