The Journey: PCA Parent Podcast

Minimester 2025: Witnessing the Handiwork of God!

Guests: Eddie Jimenez (PCA Band Director, Plano campus), Eli Taylor (Class of ‘25, Plano campus), Tatum Samuels (Class of ‘25, Plano campus), Harper Glenn (Class of ‘27, North campus), David Madison (Class of ‘25, Plano campus), Shay Planas (Class of ‘26, Plano campus), Kaylee Smith (Class of ‘27, Plano campus)

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

In this episode, we have an opportunity to hear PCA faculty and students share some amazing stories of God at work in and through their lives from local missions to locations around the world! Minimester is a unique and amazing opportunity for our entire community to be used by and see God at work - and, what I’ve witnessed over the past 20+ years, it is amazing to see how God uses these incredible opportunities to deepen (or begin) the faith journey of our students!

Sky Ranch: A Powerful Ministry Partner Celebrating 70 Years of Serving Others!

 

Guest: Linda Paulk, President & CEO, Sky Ranch Christian camps

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

What a great conversation with Linda Paulk, President & CEO of Sky Ranch Christian camps - we talked about everything - their summer overnight camps and day camps, their family camps, their leadership training programs, their parent/child weekend get-aways, and much, much more! With locations in TX, OK, and CO, Sky Ranch is a ministry force training kids and families with a Biblical worldview and doing it with excellence for 70 years! PCA is so proud to be a ministry partner with Sky Ranch and we look forward to continuing this fruitful partnership for years to come!

The ZIG at The Gaylord Texas - April 27th - Everything You Need to Know!

Guest: Kenzie Venus, Director of Development Events and Annual Funds

For questions about the Zig, you can email Kenzie at KVenus@prestonwoodchristian.org

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

Parents, this year “The ZIG” (the Zig Ziglar Servant Leadership Awards Banquet) will be at The Gaylord Texas on Sunday evening, April 27th. This venue is different from the past few years, so we wanted to make sure that you knew everything about where/when/why so that you can make plans now to attend. While the location is different, the purpose of the evening is the same - to raise resources that go to help families with financial needs - I know you agree with me that everyone should have access to a Christ-centered education for their children and over the years, our PCA community has been tremendously generous giving to help others attend PCA.

 

So, take a listen - make sure you know where you’re doing, when to be there, WHAT to wear (yes, it’s “evening wear” this year - suit/tie for the guys, elegant and stylish for the ladies). Look to park in The Gaylord Resort and Convention Center CONVENTION parking (not the hotel) - and there will be valet and garage parking available.

 

NOW is the time to purchase a table and invite friends who can support this incredible mission. Visit zigziglaraward.org to learn more and secure your table.

Update on the Continuing Battle to Protect Critical Freedoms with ADF Attorney Ryan Bangert

Guest: Ryan Bangert, Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Special Counsel to the President for Alliance Defending Freedom

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

Updates on a few important Free Speech/Freedom of Religion cases:

• Adam Smith-Connor, UK case dealing with an Army veteran who was arrested for a silent prayer offered outside an abortion facility. The charges are certainly absurd, but it does demonstrate the lengths to which the government can go and will go to protect abortion rights. Vice President J.D. Vance mentioned this case in his comments a few weeks ago talking about the importance of defending free speech rights.
• Jack Phillips, Colorado baker sued for refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding recently had a major victory at the Colorado Supreme Court following his third lawsuit to try and force him to violate his conscience, this time it was to try to force him to bake a cake for a gender transition.
• This article in the New York Post from 2023 revealed that thousands of public schools actually have a policy in place to keep a student’s gender transition a secret from parents. ADF has filed several cases against these school districts on behalf of parents who have a right to know about their child.
• To keep up with these and other important issues, visit Alliance Defending Freedom’s website at adflegal.org
• Ryan recommends that you pray for the strength and integrity of the church to continue to stand on God’s Word as the Truth and not compromise on these critical issues.

GraceBridge: A Ministry Partner Impacting Our Community...and the World for Christ!

Guests: Carter Morris, President & CEO, and Drew Herndon, Distribution and Services Manager for GraceBridge

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

It is a privilege to let you know about the incredible work of GraceBridge and The Master Cares, two organizations dedicated to the ministry of the Gospel by serving the needs of their communities - as they say on their website: two missions, one vision. Here in the North Texas area, you’ll see GraceBridge serve with food banks and resale stores as well as a variety of work and employment training programs. The Master Cares is an international program based in Uganda, Africa and includes an ACSI-accredited Christian school, vocational training, medical services and water wells.

Am I Not Enough?: Helping Our Children Counter the Hyper-Competitive Culture to Find Meaning and Purpose (Part 2 of 2)

Guest: Erin Williams, LPC, PCA US Counselor, Plano campus

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

This is week two of a great conversation with Erin Williams about the book Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic - and What We Can Do About It by Jennifer Breheny Wallace. This book is a New York Times bestseller, but remember that it is written from the perspective of someone without a Biblical worldview. Wallace does raise some very profound and provocative questions that need to be answered, especially when the research says that 1 in 3 students may be impacted by what Wallace calls the “excessive pressure to achieve.”

 

Praying that you find this conversation insightful and practical. It is broken down into two episodes - the first episode was released last week.

Am I Not Enough?: Helping Our Children Counter the Hyper-Competitive Culture to Find Meaning and Purpose (Part 1 of 2)

Guest: Erin Williams, LPC, PCA US Counselor, Plano campus

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

Great conversation with Erin Williams about the book Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic - and What We Can Do About It by Jennifer Breheny Wallace. This book is a New York Times bestseller, but remember that it is written from the perspective of someone without a Biblical worldview. Wallace does raise some very profound and provocative questions that need to be answered, especially when the research says that 1 in 3 students may be impacted by what Wallace calls the “excessive pressure to achieve.”

 

Praying that you find this conversation insightful and practical. It is broken down into two episodes over this week and next.

2025 Zig Ziglar Servant Leadership Award Recipient: Dr. O.S. Hawkins

Guest: Dr. O.S. Hawkins, PhD, Chancellor, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, President Emeritus, GuideStone Financial Resources.

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

To learn more about Dr. Hawkins, you can visit his website at OSHawkins.com

 

What an honor to sit down to record with Dr. O.S. Hawkins, the 2025 Zig Ziglar Servant Leadership Award recipient. Pastor and author of more than 50 books, Dr. Hawkins has been serving the Lord in a variety of capacities for years. The proceeds and royalties from his books in the “Code Series” benefit Mission: Dignity, a ministry of GuideStone started under Hawkins’ tenure that assists retired ministers and their widows who are in need.

 

The Zig Ziglar banquet is coming up Sunday, April 27th and will be located at the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, TX. Art reception opens at 5:00 pm and the dinner begins at 6:00 pm. Attire for the evening is “evening wear.”

Important Texas Legislative Update, February 2025

Guest: The Honorable Matt Shaheen, Texas State Representative, District 66

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

We had the opportunity to sit down and catch up with State Representative Matt Shaheen after he returned from the oral arguments at the Supreme Court on his bill (HB 1181) that requires age verification to prevent minors from accessing inappropriate material on the Internet. The case involves some complex issues including digital privacy rights, states’ rights, the protection of minors, and the regulation of online content. To learn more about this bill and the Supreme Court case please read the Texas Policy Research article as well as the press release from the Texas Attorney General’s office on the Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton case.

 

We also discussed several major initiatives that will be addressed and debated in the 2025 Texas Legislative Session including school choice (ESA, Educational Savings Accounts), gambling, gender ideology, and pro-life issues.

Sophomore Year: Which Path Will You Pursue?

Guests: Sevyn Trogdon, Emerson Seal, and Elizabeth Teague, PCA sophomores at the Plano campus 

 

If you’d like to watch this podcast, check out the PCA YouTube page.

 

In this episode, we spend a little time talking about their journey toward wisdom during their sophomore year at PCA and the events and activities that help keep them on the right track! The girls talk about activities like Freedom Weekend, the Texas Stomp, Minimester, the Zig Ziglar Servant Award banquet, and their journey with their academics and athletics. The girls are also excited about some of the upcoming opportunities like Beach Camp (June 8-13) and the Choir Mission Trip to the United Kingdom. So many outstanding resources, activities, and events to help students grow in their faith journey and their love for Jesus Christ!