Craft & Character Steve Carter

If you’re a parent, how do you nurture and guide your children? If you’re a pastor or leader, are you truly creating an environment that draws kids to Jesus? The responsibility of stewarding young hearts can feel immense, but the good news is: you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Today’s guest is author Kayla Craig, whose new book, Every Season Sacred, is a collection of practical tools and reflective prayers to help families build a culture of discipleship in the ebb and flow of everyday life.
Kayla speaks candidly with Steve Carter about the chaos of family schedules and the mystery of finding God in the midst of daily commutes, fast food drive-thrus, and the scattered moments of the day一all of which are opportunities to be intentional with our kids. This episode will inspire and equip you to lead your children well, in a way that works best for your stage of life.
EPISODE LINKS
Kayla’s books: Every Season Sacred, To Light Their Way
Website: https://kaylacraig.com/
@kayla_craig
@steveryancarter
@craft_character
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How do we call out injustice and seek shalom without becoming self-righteous?
In their new book, Pivot: The Priorities, Practices, and Powers That Can Transform Your Church Into a Tov Culture, father-daughter duo Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer follow up their previous book, A Church Called Tov一charting a course for those seeking to create a healthier church culture.
In this episode, they share with Steve Carter:

How healthier churches exist when leaders listen to the Spirit and surrender to his leading.

How to build a church culture in which power is stewarded, not abused; where people are shepherded, not manipulated; where leadership is accountable, not untouchable.

How to diagnose the health of your heart and team, even when everything looks “put-together” externally.

How to respond thoughtfully to abuse and scandal in the digital age.

This book is a must-read for any pastor, leader, discipler, human, who aches to see the church become tov.
EPISODE LINKS
Scot and Laura’s co-written books: Pivot, A Church Called Tov
Laura’s website: https://www.laurabarringer.net/
Scot’s Substack: https://scotmcknight.substack.com/
https://www.churchcalledtov.org/
@scotmcknight
@laurambarringer
@steveryancarter
@craft_character
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Want to become a better preacher? Listen to hip hop. 
That’s the advice of Dr. Theon Hill一an enthusiastic hip hop fan who serves as Associate Professor of Communication at Wheaton College. As an expert in rhetoric, Dr. Hill explains to Steve Carter:

The three primary ways to reach an audience 

How to anticipate and teach to diverse perspectives in your audience

Why preaching is about transformation, not just information 

Why hip hop is a great primer for preaching in our cultural moment

Throughout this episode, Dr. Hill walks Steve Carter through Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, highlighting simple principles every preacher can put into immediate practice. As the 60th anniversary of King’s famous address arrives on August 28th, Preaching Today invites you to celebrate “Share the Dream Sunday.”  
EPISODE LINKS
The Jazz of Preaching by Kirk Byron Jones
Share the Dream Sunday resources from Preaching Today
@steveryancarter
@craft_character
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Teaching kids about God is one of the greatest tasks of our lives. Even with good intentions, It’s easy to slip into behavior-driven moralism that emphasizes good behavior while neglecting the heart of God.
This disconnect一between head and heart一is why Meredith Anne Miller wrote her forthcoming book, Woven: Nurturing a Faith Your Kid Doesn’t Have to Heal From. In this episode, she explains to Steve Carter some of the simple shifts that can help you disciple kids better:

Simplify: limit the amount of info and the length of the lesson

Age appropriate: emphasize ideas kids can actually grasp developmentally

Make God the focus more than “what kids should do”

Kids are not an afterthought in our ministry; they are first in line to the Kingdom. Does your ministry reflect Jesus’ heart to disciple children? This episode will help you get there.
EPISODE LINKS
Meredith’s book: Woven: Nurturing a Faith Your Kid Doesn’t Have to Heal From
Website: meredithannemiller.com
Church: Pomona Valley Church
Ask Away podcast
@meredithannemiller
@steveryancarter
@craft_character

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The world is broken. When we see and feel that brokenness, it sometimes feels impossible一even illogical一to cling to faith. In this episode, Jason Miller, lead pastor of South Bend City Church in Indiana, describes his own journey with loss and how it led him past hollow platitudes into a deeper, more sacred space with Jesus.
His new book, When the World Breaks: The Surprising Hope and Subversive Promises in the Teachings of Jesus, is a refreshing reminder that God’s love sustains us in life’s darkest seasons.
Weary of injustice? Aching for renewal, in yourself and the world? Wondering why you can’t shake the sting of loss or disappointment? In this conversation with Steve Carter, Jason unpacks how the beatitudes opened his eyes afresh to the wonder of Jesus.
This podcast, along with Jason’s book, will remind you that you can bring your full self to God, knowing that一in Jesus, Immanuel一you always have his full heart.

EPISODE LINKS
Jason’s books: When the World Breaks
Website: jasonadammiller.com
Church: South Bend City Church
@jasonadammiller
@steveryancarter
@craft_character
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Steve Carter chops it up with his best friend Tommy Nixon一CEO of the Urban Youth Workers Institute一about how to reach the next generation for Christ. Tommy unpacks 20+ years of urban ministry, including:

What to do about the 1.2 million young people leaving the church every year

How to communicate effectively to a church that’s increasingly young, urban, and multiethnic

The two key ingredients for communicating to urban youth

Why suffering must shape our lives and message

How to use humor to connect with your audience, deliver hard truths, and show humility

Why honest feedback is crucial for your soul

Tommy’s voice is punchy and prophetic, courageous and catalytic. This episode will equip you to love your neighbor and communicate the gospel like never before.
EPISODE LINKS
Website: www.tommynixon.org
Urban Youth Worker Institute: uywi.org
Tommy’s Church: www.onelifecitychurch.org
Where Tommy got his stats: www.greatopportunity.org
@tommyuywi
@uywi
@onelifecitychurch
@steveryancarter
@craft_character
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