I Wish You Could Hear This

If you’re a Christian parent, you’ve probably heard the discouraging statistic that most kids raised in the church will walk away from their faith after high school. But is that actually true?

In this episode, Shaunti and Jeff unpack recent research from Pew Research Center and Barna that paints a much more hopeful picture. They share what the data actually says about young adults and faith, why a faith-filled home makes a meaningful difference, and the surprising trends happening among Gen Z and Millennials.

They also talk about what parents can do to help their kids develop a faith of their own—and offer encouragement for parents whose children have already stepped away. Because while parents can model faith, create space for honest questions, and pray, they can’t force a change in someone’s heart. And no matter where your child is today, their story isn’t over.

Resources
New Barna Data: Young Adults Lead a Resurgence in Church Attendance, Sep 2, 2025
https://www.barna.com/research/young-adults-lead-resurgence-in-church-attendance/

New Research: Belief in Jesus Rises, Fueled by Younger Adult, Apr 7, 2025
https://www.barna.com/research/belief-in-jesus-rises/

Pew Research: Why Do Some Americans Leave Their Religion While Others Stay?
https://shared.outlook.inky.com/link?domain=www.pewresearch.org&t=h.eJxNjcFuwyAQRH8l4ly8QExs59RfobAOKBgsFgdFVf-9-FCpt9GM3rxvdpTI7hfma93pDtBaG3ZsBQlNsX7I5QEFY3iEnEAJpUEqkBqaf3OXOeUNudmwBGsS8Yjmhbx6DIX_Ubz5EJHn3hbiVM0b2MeFPU_rq4PVEMdUsewlEBI8bf_4JG-OVMNg8wZaaCtu4yquTlit9GSNM3b9krcRpVwXkNM8y3mc1TJcF6mmZToNeBpoxei88en_47m6vqYjxh5Dj_LnF4lMVoE.MEQCIAO40yzee2G9YuNe0nR9MZs61JV1ayGYRkuwaqedTHD_AiB3tHfIPF830vfYRJctIF-kfsPssZeIqEVIwxn1PJoypA

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AI has become part of everyday life for most of us. We use it to answer questions, solve problems, brainstorm ideas—and sometimes even help us navigate our relationships. But could all that interaction with AI be changing us in ways we don’t realize?
In this episode, Shaunti and Jeff take a fascinating look at what can happen when we get used to an AI that is always affirming, always available, and always ready with an answer. Could that make us a little less patient when our spouse pushes back? Could it make us more likely to avoid hard conversations? Could it even change what we expect when we go to God for answers?
They also talk about why the normal “friction” of real relationships is actually important, how to keep our relationship muscles from getting weak, and a few practical ways we can use AI wisely—while still choosing the patience, humility, honesty, and genuine affirmation that our real relationships need.
AI isn’t going away—and it can be an incredibly useful tool. But as it becomes a bigger part of our everyday lives, we need to be intentional about making sure it helps us without quietly changing what we expect from the people we love—or from God.
Resources
Why I Told My Chatbot to Stop Kissing Up to Me: AI responses are often too agreeable, too enthusiastic and too dramatic. And it’s partially our fault.
By Nicole Nguyen, Aug. 16, 2026
https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/why-i-told-my-chatbot-to-stop-kissing-up-to-me-62cea3fa?st=qc45KP&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
How to Make ChatGPT Challenge You More
Open ChatGPT and click your profile icon.
Go to Personalization.
Under Base style and tone, choose Candid. This makes ChatGPT more direct and more likely to point out gaps, risks, and trade-offs.
Still under Personalization, open Custom Instructions and make sure customization is turned on.
Add an instruction like: “Don’t automatically agree with me or affirm my assumptions. Act as a thoughtful critical-thinking partner. If you think I’m overlooking something, tell me. Challenge weak reasoning, point out alternative explanations, and ask clarifying or probing questions when they would help me think more carefully. Prioritize accuracy and honesty over making me feel validated.”
Save your changes. These preferences will then influence your conversations with ChatGPT, including existing chats.

Note: You can also adjust Characteristics under Personalization to fine-tune things like warmth and enthusiasm, although the Custom Instruction is the more important piece for getting ChatGPT to actually push back on your thinking.
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Rebuilding trust after infidelity—or any serious betrayal—can feel impossible. How do you begin trusting someone again when that trust has been completely shattered?
In this episode, Shaunti and Jeff sit down with longtime friends Mark and Jill Savage, authors, speakers, and marriage coaches who know this journey firsthand. They share the story of the affair that nearly ended their marriage, the moment everything began to change, and the long process of rebuilding what had been broken.
Mark and Jill explain why trust isn't restored with one apology or promise to change. Instead, it comes back through consistent changed behavior over time—what they describe as rebuilding trust "one tablespoon at a time." They share practical examples of what honesty, transparency, accountability, and compassion looked like in their own recovery, as well as the role faith, humility, and grief played in their healing.
For anyone facing infidelity or another serious breach of trust, this conversation offers practical steps for moving forward—and hope that even when a marriage feels beyond repair, the story may not be over yet.
This Episode's Key Topics
Mark and Jill Savage's personal story of infidelity and recovery
The turning point that began the healing of their marriage
Why rebuilding trust requires consistent changed behavior over time
The "Trust Bathtub" and rebuilding trust one tablespoon at a time
The importance of honesty, transparency, and proactive accountability
Taking responsibility for betrayal without shifting blame
The role of grief, humility, and faith in the healing process
Hope for couples who feel like their marriage may be beyond repair
Resources
Mark and Jill Savage: markandjill.org
No More Perfect Podcast: podcast.nomoreperfect.com
Free Rebuilding Trust Guide: rebuildingtrust.us
Connect with Mark and Jill
Instagram: @jillsavage.author
Facebook: @jillsavage.author
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What if love isn’t primarily something you feel—or something you have to wait for—but something you can choose?
In this episode of I Wish You Could Hear This, Shaunti and Jeff sit down with pastor, author, and Bible teacher Chip Ingram to talk about his book I Choose Love and a radically practical way to understand biblical love.
Chip explains the difference between the feelings we associate with love and the agape love modeled by Jesus: a willful, sacrificial choice to put another person’s needs ahead of our own. And that matters whether we’re dealing with tension in a marriage, a difficult family relationship, division in the church, or someone whose views are completely different from ours.
Chip also gets personal, sharing how this understanding of love helped transform a deeply difficult season in his own marriage. The breakthrough came when he stopped focusing on how his wife needed to change and started asking what he could do differently. As Chip puts it, you can’t control another person—but you can change your part of the relationship.
You’ll also hear why loving action sometimes has to come before loving feelings, why humility and servanthood are so important, and three practical ways to become a more loving person: declare war on selfishness, attack the pride underneath it, and intentionally practice humility by putting others’ needs ahead of your own.
In this episode:
Why biblical love is much more than a feeling
The difference between agape love and romantic, friendship, and family love
What Philippians 2 teaches us about loving like Jesus
Why waiting until you feel loving can keep you stuck
How choosing obedience can begin changing our hearts
What Chip learned during a painful season in his own marriage
Why you can’t control another person—but you can change your part of the relationship
How selfishness and pride undermine love
Three practical choices that can help us become more loving
How Christians can pursue love and unity in a deeply divided culture
Why the mindset “I am second” can change the way we approach everyday relationships
Resources mentioned:
Book: I Choose Love by Chip Ingram
Living on the Edge: livingontheedge.org
Also mentioned: Good to Great in God’s Eyes by Chip Ingram
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Boys today are growing up surrounded by confusing messages about masculinity and what it means to be a man. So how can parents help their sons develop a healthy, confident understanding of who God created them to be?
Shaunti and Jeff talk with Molly DeFrank, mom of six and author of Mothering Boys: 8 Things Your Son Needs to Hear from You Before He Turns 10. Together, they explore the powerful role parents—and especially moms—play in shaping a boy’s identity, character, confidence, and understanding of masculinity.
You’ll hear practical ways to speak life into your son, recognize the unique strengths God has given him, and help him grow into a godly man of courage and character.
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