The MAVEN Parent Podcast · Brett and Erin Kunkle

Strengthen Your Marriage & Family by Serving Together

·38 min·3 clips

Nancy Piercy explains how the Industrial Revolution stripped the home of its functions, leaving families disconnected.

This episode of The MAVEN Parent Podcast features hosts Brett and Erin Kunkle discussing how shared service can strengthen marriages and families. They draw from their nearly 26-year marriage and their work in ministry and with MAVEN. The conversation is framed by insights from Nancy Pearcey's foreword in C.R. Wiley's book, *The Household and the War for the Cosmos*. Pearcey's analysis traces how the Industrial Revolution moved economic production and social functions outside the home, fragmenting family life. She argues that relying solely on emotional bonding, like vacations or date nights, is insufficient for family cohesion in this modern, disconnected context. The Kunkles recount a recent church Q&A where they identified serving together as a key factor in their own marital strength. They differentiate this from strictly vocational ministry, emphasizing service in broader life contexts. They propose that families counter modern fragmentation by finding common projects or "family industries," like a business or ministry. The hosts cite starting MAVEN and their church plant as examples where their family worked side-by-side. They reference Acts 2:42-45, where early Christian families shared possessions and served others, creating deep bonds. Paul's letter to the Philippians is highlighted, noting that partnership in the gospel produced joy as a byproduct. Practical suggestions include involving the entire family in hospitality, like inviting a neighbor for dinner, or serving together at church or a crisis pregnancy center. They contrast the modern therapeutic focus on self with Jesus's teachings to die to self and serve others. The episode concludes by noting Pearcey's view that the household is the foundation for all other social institutions. The tone is conversational, personal, and educational, blending personal anecdote with theological and cultural analysis. It is explicitly framed from a Christian worldview, regularly referencing scripture and Christian living. This episode would deeply resonate with Christian parents or couples feeling fragmented by modern life and seeking practical, faith-based ways to deepen family bonds. Listeners not interested in a Biblically-centered perspective on family dynamics or those seeking purely psychological or secular advice might find it less applicable.

As heard by us

A Pennsylvania church Q&A, a fist-bump joke, and a grounded case for families serving together.

The MAVEN Parent Podcast frames marriage and family unity as something formed through shared service, not rescued by a dramatic getaway to Hawaii.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You may find family connection in shared service, with Hawaii left as the tempting detour.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The MAVEN Parent Podcast