Episode Summary

Brad and Heidi Mitchell share why praying together is one of the most overlooked yet transformative practices in marriage and how couples can start, even if it feels awkward or unfamiliar.

Key Takeaways

1. Most couples aren’t praying together—and it’s more serious than you think (00:02:02)
Only about 5% of couples pray together, and even among pastors it’s just 6%. This highlights a major gap between belief and practice.

2. Crisis often reveals the depth prayer was missing (00:05:13)
It wasn’t until a “cataclysmic” season in their marriage that their prayers became authentic, vulnerable, and transformative.

3. Praying together shifts conflict away from “who’s right” (00:07:50)
When couples bring issues before God, the focus moves from winning arguments to seeking God’s direction together.

4. The biggest barrier isn’t theology—it’s fear and insecurity (00:09:18)
Fear of judgment, not knowing what to say, or feeling spiritually inadequate keeps many couples from even starting.

Resources & Links

• Book: Build Your Marriage with Prayer
• Ministry: Build Your Marriage — https://buildyourmarriage.org/

In this episode of the Entrusting the Faith podcast, host Eric Rutherford explores the historical shift from private to public education in America, drawing insights from Samuel Blumenfield's 1979 article, "Why the Schools Went Public." The article can be found here: https://reason.com/1979/03/01/why-the-schools-went-public/

The article delves into the early 1800s, when a group of intellectuals pushed for socialized education, challenging the prevailing belief that public education was inherently superior. We examine the ideological battles between Calvinists and Unitarians, highlighting the latter's influence in shaping public education as a tool to fix all of society's evils through education, ignoring sinfulness of human beings. Their goal was to make the state into a god.

Rutherford critiques the notion that education alone can perfect human nature, arguing that this belief has led to a flawed system. He emphasizes the importance of questioning educational norms and aligning them with biblical principles, urging listeners to critically assess the role of education in shaping society.