A new podcast for parents

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Today is Wednesday, January 18th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Mary Reichard.

NICK EICHER, HOST: And I’m Nick Eicher. Well, your generous support has made it possible for us to start a brand new project with WORLD News Coach Kelsey Reed. For the last year, Kelsey has been working with the team at God’s WORLD News to help parents develop news literacy and cultivate biblical discernment within families.

A few months ago the team began looking for ways to get that helpful material into the hands of more parents and starting today it’s available as a weekly podcast.

REICHARD: Kelsey Reed herself is here to tell us more.

Hi there, Kelsey!

KELSEY REED, NEWS COACH: Good morning, Mary.

REICHARD: Before we get to your new podcast, let’s start with why? Why this kind of podcast?

REED: Well, the last couple years, we've been going through a rebranding process in our student division—God's World News. And we engaged in an extensive needs assessment: talking to pastors, teachers, parents of children in homeschool, private and public educations. And across the board each of these voices were crying out for a resource for their own. They asked, we need somebody to help demystify what's going on in our world, a calm and encouraging voice that is non-anxious that comes alongside us. A resource for us.

REICHARD: Well, tell us what a news coach is and what you’ve been doing for God’s World News.

REED: The idea came from our brilliant editor, managing editor Rebecca Cochran at God's World News, who came up with this concept that a coach was what was needed; somebody who was an encourager. And so the material that we have been seeking to develop to this point is just laying a foundation for that voice that ultimately is getting its expression in the podcast. We've been talking about material just from scripture, you know, how do we have a framework for what we're doing when we engage children and this world? And then demystifying aspects of the news and culture. So the role named News Coach, it's a little bit mystifying at first, we have to sometimes demystify that, too. We're not coaching about what to put in the news. But we're talking about what is in the news with parents so they can equip their children to look at this world.

REICHARD: It’s so exciting and now you’ve got a brand new podcast just launching today and it’s called Concurrently. Explain that name to us.

REED: Concurrently is meant to describe that alongside position of the news coach. It's something that is going on at the same time as all the things in our world. So it's with current events. So it's with the parents. It is co-laboring, co-learning with them, and having those conversations that are necessary for, again, helping to demystify the news or to give resources that can be used with our children at home or in the classroom.

REICHARD: Well, let’s go ahead and listen to a short clip from today’s first episode titled: Extraordinary times call for ordinary measures. Let’s listen.

KELSEY: When we think about “extraordinary,” and we want to approach that carefully—extraordinary: something that is not the normal. What else?

JONATHAN: I think “out of the ordinary.” Something that disrupts our expectation.

KELSEY: That’s really good. We don’t have a sense of what’s next. How do we meet with that idea, then? If this is extraordinary to us, where do we get our bearings from? I want to submit the idea that, in Christ, we have our bearings secure.

REICHARD: Well, obviously, Kelsey, you’re not doing this alone. Who else is on your team?

REED: Well, you heard Jonathan Boes there with me along on the podcast. He is my co-host and will be for some time as we establish this voice. He also is our producer. He's very technically gifted. He brings all that I don't have to this team. My own background is in teaching, education, seminary. So the two of us make a pretty good team, I think.

REICHARD: Let’s listen to one more clip. This one, from Episode 2, which is also available today:

JONATHAN: When I was a kid, everybody wanted to be a rock star, or an athlete, or an actor. I think there’s a similar heart behind those desires and the desire to be an influencer. Those are fame positions. Those are positions that come with influence and celebrity. But one difference, I think, is that all of those involve some sort of craft or skill. Athletic training, or learning an instrument. Today, we have all that realm of craft stripped away to just the bare thing of influence online. Fame for fame’s sake. And we actually see people sacrificing their skills, like being a classically trained violin player, for the sake of this raw thing of fame, stripped from the real fruit of a good vocation.

KELSEY: Another thing to challenge here—to do it succinctly and clearly—is that idea of “seeking glory.” We’re really not made for glory in that sense.

REICHARD: Kelsey, how do you think this podcast can really help families?

REED: Well, I want to affirm so many practices that are already going on at home. When we engage this conversation, I hope what we're doing is identifying those practices that parents and teachers are already engaging with their children. Some of the things that I do at home that I want to make sure that I'm affirming across from me, that carving out time for quiet reflection. We are bombarded with information right now. Sometimes we just need to still those streams, quiet the voices, and build reflective capacity for our children's sake. Lots of conversations around the table, in the car, pausing what media that you're experiencing and listening to, to ask questions. And then that age old thing, asking questions. Ask your children to think about their thinking, what they're feeling, what they're absorbing, and have them process the content that they have been enjoying. But then, most importantly—and I've saved it for last—is that gentle, consistent exposure to Scripture. They need to be saturated in the Gospel, saturated in the confidence and hope that they get from knowing that this is their Father's world, that He is in charge. The nation's might rage, the kingdoms might topple, but our refuge, He is with us. And Jesus promises in Matthew 28:20 that He will be with us to the end of the age. And so just encouraging those practices at home.

REICHARD: The Concurrently podcast from God’s WORLD News and WORLD Radio, available everywhere you get your podcasts—starting today. Kelsey, thanks for joining us.

REED: Thank you for having me, Mary.

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