Abraham's Wallet

What happens when Christian parents become so focused on connection, affirmation, and keeping the peace that they stop leading their children?

In this episode of Abraham’s Wallet, Steven Manuel and Mark Parrett examine the rise of gentle parenting and ask a difficult question: Can an emphasis on connection and emotional safety actually become a form of parental passivity?

Steve and Mark explore what biblical leadership looks like in the home—and why loving your children doesn't mean avoiding boundaries, correction, discomfort, or authority. They discuss the difference between invitation and challenge: building deep relationships with your children while still being willing to direct them, correct them, and hold the line when necessary.

The conversation connects modern parenting culture to the biblical example of Adam's passivity in the Garden of Eden and Abraham's calling to command his household to follow the way of the Lord. The goal isn't authoritarian parenting or harsh discipline. It's a form of fatherhood that combines warmth with strength and prepares children to become responsible adults, faithful Christians, and future leaders of their own families.

Steve and Mark also get practical, discussing screen limits, bedtimes, curfews, sleepovers, technology, financial responsibility, correcting disrespect and dishonesty, allowing children to experience failure, and how a father's unwillingness to lead can affect his marriage.

Ultimately, this episode is about more than parenting techniques. It's about family leadership, biblical authority, resilience, and building a multi-generational legacy that can withstand the pressures of modern culture.

In this episode:

• The rise of gentle parenting
• Christian parenting vs. cultural parenting trends
• Why connection alone isn't enough
• Invitation and challenge in parenting
• Biblical leadership in the home
• Adam's passivity in Genesis 3
• Abraham's example of leading his household
• Setting healthy boundaries with children
• Discipline without harshness or authoritarianism
• Why children may actually feel more secure when parents lead
• Screen time, technology, bedtimes, and curfews
• Teaching children financial responsibility
• Correcting disrespect, dishonesty, and bad character
• Allowing children to fail while still providing leadership
• How parental passivity can affect marriage
• Building family identity and generational legacy
• Raising resilient Christian children
• The Parenthood Primer
• Growing Kids God’s Way

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Parenthood Primer
View The Parenthood Primer on Amazon

Chapters

(00:00:01) - What Adam's Passivity in the Home
(00:00:54) - Abraham's Wallet: How to Lead Your Home
(00:02:07) - Let's Talk Fafo Parenting
(00:06:17) - What Is Gentle Parenting?
(00:09:44) - Strict Curfews
(00:19:17) - How to Prevent Passivity in Parenting
(00:24:38) - How Passive Parents Can Be a temptation
(00:30:19) - 7 Rules for Parenting in the Teenage Years
(00:33:52) - Pre-Parental Counseling Workbook
(00:35:06) - Coming soon: Trust God's Design for the Family
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What if your retirement account is quietly funding companies and causes that conflict with your Christian convictions? Certified Financial Planner Mark Parrett and Steven Manuel explore Biblically Responsible Investing, Christian investing, and how fathers can build generational wealth without knowingly partnering with evil.

Is investing in the stock market biblical? Does owning a small piece of a company make you morally responsible for what that company does? And how should Christians think about investments connected to abortion, pornography, alcohol, gambling, tobacco, ESG, and other practices that may conflict with biblical values?

Steven and Mark explore these questions through the surprising lens of Exodus 21 and the biblical principle of an ox “known to gore.” Mark explains why he believes investing itself is biblical, while also arguing that ownership carries responsibility—and that Christians should take seriously the question of whether they are knowingly profiting from harm.

The conversation gets practical as they discuss Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI), investment screening, direct indexing, Christian mutual funds and ETFs, and options including Timothy Plan, Inspire Investing, Praxis, Crossmark/OneAscent, and others. They also examine Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street, including how major asset managers have approached ESG and corporate shareholder voting in recent years.

But the goal isn't perfect financial purity. As Mark explains, Christians cannot completely separate themselves from a fallen economy. The goal is faithful stewardship: building wealth and inheritance for your children's children while keeping your heart free from the love of money and avoiding known complicity with evil wherever reasonably possible.

In this episode:
• Is investing biblical?
• What does Exodus 21's “goring ox” teach us about investment responsibility?
• Does owning stock make you responsible for a company's actions?
• What is Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI)?
• How can Christians screen investments for abortion, pornography, alcohol, gambling, and tobacco?
• Should Christians invest through Vanguard, BlackRock, or State Street?
• What is direct indexing, and how can it be used for Christian investing?
• Which Christian investment funds and platforms are worth researching?
• How should Christian fathers balance financial growth, generational wealth, conscience, and faithful stewardship?

Chapters

(00:00:02) - Biblical Investing for Abraham's Wallet
(00:00:51) - Abraham's Wallet
(00:02:16) - The Bull Known to Gore
(00:09:36) - Andy on the Bull and the Big Three
(00:11:43) - Exodus 11: Prior Knowledge and Negligence
(00:15:09) - Biblical Responsible Investing
(00:22:55) - Crux: Biblical Investing
(00:31:45) - BlackRock, Vanguard, Fidelity: Option 2 to a B
(00:40:11) - Biblically Based Investing
(00:47:35) - God's Money Strategy
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Miscarriage is often talked about as a woman’s experience, but what about fathers? In this conversation, we open up an honest, faith-centered discussion about pregnancy loss, grief, and the often-overlooked emotional journey men walk through. Whether you’ve experienced miscarriage or want to better support someone who has, this episode will help you understand what it really looks like to navigate loss as a family.

In this episode, Mark shares his family's deeply personal story of an unexpected pregnancy—one that brought surprise, joy, and hope—followed by the sudden heartbreak of miscarriage. What unfolds is an unfiltered look at grief, confusion, and the spiritual questions that come with loss. From wrestling with “why” to dealing with isolation and unspoken expectations, this conversation sheds light on emotions many men feel but rarely express.

Mark is joined by Eric Schumacher, who has walked through multiple miscarriages with his own family and now ministers specifically to fathers in this space. Together, they explore the unique challenges dads face—feeling overlooked, unsure how to process grief, and struggling to support their wives while carrying their own pain. This episode offers clarity, validation, and practical encouragement for anyone impacted by miscarriage, directly or indirectly.

Resources mentioned:

Book - "Ours: Biblical Comfort for Men Grieving Miscarriage"

Book - "Dads Hurt Too"

Eric's Website

Topics covered:

How miscarriage impacts fathers emotionally and spiritually

Processing grief when you don’t feel “allowed” to grieve

Supporting your wife while navigating your own loss

Common lies and isolation men experience after miscarriage

Why miscarriage is a community issue, not just a private one

Faith, suffering, and asking hard questions in loss

Practical ways to support families going through miscarriage

Timestamps:
00:00 Unexpected introduction and guest setup
00:16 Why miscarriage became a personal issue for this family
01:22 Why this conversation matters—even if you haven’t experienced loss
02:09 Introducing Eric Schumacher and his ministry to fathers
02:50 Steven shares his family’s pregnancy story
03:23 The surprise of pregnancy later in life
04:05 Joy, hope, and envisioning a new season of parenting
05:09 Navigating uncertainty and early pregnancy concerns
05:43 The moment everything changed—loss and grief
06:13 Processing deep emotional pain and spiritual questions
07:13 Unique challenges of miscarriage later in life
07:44 Isolation, lies, and how grief affects men differently
08:23 A simple act of care that made a big impact
09:18 Why men need support too—and how to offer it
10:01 Why this episode took time to share publicly
10:31 Eric responds and reflects on the miscarriage experience
11:47 Eric’s personal story and journey through multiple miscarriages
13:45 The complexity of grief, silence, and community dynamics
16:22 Turning pain into ministry for fathers

Transcript (first few minutes):

Hey guys, I’m joined today by Eric Schumacher—and I have to tell you, he came across my radar because something that had never really crossed my mind until about three months ago became a central issue in our family. And that topic is miscarriage.

I had known people that had been impacted by this, and my thoughts were mostly that this is really hard for women to go through—and husbands need to support their wives. But I have a 16-year-old...

Chapters

(00:00:02) - A Father's Miscountation on The Abraham's Wallet Podcast
(00:07:56) - Eric and Mark on Grief
(00:09:46) - How to Talk About Miscarriage in the Church
(00:17:37) - What Are the Common Experiences of Miscarriage?
(00:19:51) - How to Help a Dad Through a Miscarriage
(00:26:25) - How Long Should a Miscarriage Gave Me Grief?
(00:32:43) - How to Grieve a Miscarriage
(00:41:21) - Understanding Suffering in the Christian Life
(00:46:23) - How to Be a Good Friend to Men Who've Lost a Baby
(00:52:03) - Grief and the Abraham's Wallet
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If you’re a Christian father trying to lead your home with wisdom, humility, and biblical conviction—this conversation will challenge you in the best way. We talk honestly about tone, self-awareness, and how your leadership actually feels to your wife and kids.

This episode dives into a tension many dads don’t think about enough: not just what you say, but how you come across at home. Through real-life stories and reflections, we unpack how wives and children often act as a “temperature gauge” for a father’s leadership—and why ignoring that feedback can quietly damage your influence.

A key moment in the conversation centers around the book Unoffendable by Brant Hansen, which sparks a deeper discussion about defensiveness, humility, and the subtle ways pride shows up in family leadership. We explore how easily fathers can justify their tone, miss what God might be revealing through others, and overlook opportunities to grow. This is a practical, grounded conversation about biblical fatherhood—not in theory, but in the day-to-day moments that shape your home.

Topics covered in this episode:

How your tone as a father shapes the culture of your home

Why your wife is often the clearest feedback source for your leadership

Parenting teenagers and handling their honest (and sometimes hard) feedback

Recognizing when God is trying to get your attention through repeated situations

Lessons from Unoffendable and overcoming defensiveness as a Christian man

The difference between being right and leading well in your family

Building humility and self-awareness in biblical fatherhood

Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro - Why this episode even exists
01:10 – Introduction to Unoffendable and why it hits a nerve
03:30 – The problem of defensiveness in Christian men
06:30 – Why being “right” can still damage your home
09:30 – Pride, self-justification, and missing what God is showing you
12:30 – Learning to receive correction without shutting down
15:30 – What humility actually looks like in day-to-day family life
18:30 – How fathers shape the emotional and spiritual tone of the home
21:30 – Recognizing patterns in conflict with your wife and kids
24:30 – Practical ways to grow in self-awareness as a dad
27:30 – Letting go of control and leading with grace instead of force
30:00 – Encouragement for fathers trying to lead biblically
33:00 – Final thoughts: becoming unoffendable and leading well
Help us equip more biblical bosses!: https://abrahamswallet.com/support

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Every few seconds, another American becomes a victim of identity theft. But what most parents don't realize is that their children are often the biggest targets. 

In this episode, we explain why kids are so vulnerable and share simple, free steps you can take in just one afternoon to help protect your family's financial future.

If you're serious about stewarding and protecting your household, this conversation is one every dad needs to hear.

Links in this Episode
https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze
https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin
https://www.annualcreditreport.com
https://www.optoutprescreen.com
https://www.identitytheft.gov
AW Bootcamp: Aug 21-23 https://abrahamswallet.com/retreat/

Please partner with us in inspiring and equipping multi-gen families at https://abrahamswallet.com/support
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Chapters

(00:00:00) - Abraham's Wallet
(00:00:57) - Heads Up, Texas: Heat Is Coming
(00:04:20) - Protect Your Family's Name From Identity Theft
(00:07:15) - Are We Ready for Identity Fraud?
(00:08:58) - Free Ways to Lock Up Your Credit
(00:15:28) - Credit Cards and Your Score
(00:22:05) - Credit Score and Credit Cards
(00:23:03) - 3 Ways to Lock Down Your Accounts
(00:28:14) - 3 Ways to Protect Yourself From
(00:31:30) - How to Lock Down Your Credit
(00:37:10) - Identity Theft and How to Prevent It
Help us equip more biblical bosses!: https://abrahamswallet.com/support

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