Making The Leap – Details, episodes & analysis

In a Herzog Podcast Network first, Christine Stigall of "Making the Leap" and Emilie Lunt of "Heart and Soul Homeschool" join forces for an important conversation for believers, no matter how you choose to educate your kids.  The ladies discuss the importance of Kingdom education.  Christine and Emilie talk with Christine Agin, co-founder of Bitterroot Heritage Academy in Montana who shares her story of faith, overcoming challenges, and honoring God's directions for her education endeavors.

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In part three of this three-part series, the Stigalls interview this year's recipients of the 2024 Excellence In Christian Education Awards.  Hear why these exemplary teachers from all over the country have been nominated and ultimately chosen by the Herzog Foundation for the highest honor in Christian education in the country! Each will be recognized formally at the annual awards ceremony in Washington D.C.'s Museum of the Bible this September.

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To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates.

We've never met a couple with a background quite like the Oettels. In one conversation, you'll hear how a young couple became public school teachers - while first home-schooling their kids. They then started their own classical Christian school, followed by entering seminary, becoming a youth pastor and eventually an associate pastor. Then back to public school while sending their own children to a classical Christian school. Why all the change? With so many different perspectives from so many different venues - what did the Oettels learn? Which setting do they think best to learn and teach? How does Lacey navigate teaching in public school while her own kids aren't enrolled there while she yearns for her past in Christian education? What does Jon think about the Church's responsibility to open their doors to developing their own educational offering? If you take nothing else from this conversation, it's that keeping your eyes and ears open to the way the Lord moves in your family's lives can lead to big changes you can lean into rather than ignore.

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To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates.

Christine and Chris welcome Dr. Josh Mulvihill, author of numerous books and articles on Christian life and education for this week's episode of Making the Leap. During this episode, the Stigalls cover why some might choose a Christian education, why public schools are failing Christian families and why that may be irredeemable. 

Dr. Mulvihill shares the types of curriculum a Christian school should offer as well as the benefit of teachers being retrained to teach from a biblical perspective. He also talks about the common objectives to Christian education, Christians evangelizing in public schools; and how parents can monitor public school curriculum. 

To learn more about Dr. Mulvihill and his work, follow him on Twitter or read his blog, Gospel Shaped Family. Read Dr. Mulvihill's article "Countering Common Objections to Christian Education," here. For more resources or to purchase any of his books mentioned in the podcast, visit his Amazon storefront here.

If you enjoyed this episode of Making the Leap, leave a 5-star rating and let us know what you liked about the show on your favorite podcast app. You can also comment on any of our social pages; Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Check out our latest YouTube Shorts too!

If you're interested in learning more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter , and Instagram or sign-up to receive monthly email updates.  

Follow Making The Leap on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube. You can also sign-up for our newsletter or send us an email hello@makingtheleappodcast.com.

To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates.

Join Christine and Chris as they discuss the role of dads in education, and how dads can be a part of Making the Leap. 

The Stigalls are joined by Adam Rizzieri, founder of the Dads and Dudes (DADs) Initiative, part of the Building Education for Students Together program at FreedomWorks. Adam, a father-to-be, details the critical role dads play in life and education, the challenges dads face today, and the positive results when dads remain active. He outlines the programs offered by the DADs initiative. 

Learn more about Adam and follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn. 

Learn more about FreedomWorks on their website or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. To learn more about Building Education for Students Together or to join the BEST Dads and Dudes Initiative, visit parentsknowbest.com.

Read the full Lion article on Christine, Chris and Making the Leap here.

If you liked this episode of Making the Leap, leave us a 5-star rating and let us know what you liked about the show on your favorite podcast app. You can also comment on any of our social pages; Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Check out our latest YouTube Shorts too!

If you're interested in learning more about the Herzog Foundation, visit herzogfoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter , and Instagram or sign-up to receive monthly email updates.

Follow Making The Leap on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube. You can also sign-up for our newsletter or send us an email hello@makingtheleappodcast.com.

To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates.

Christine and Chris devote a show to discussing how public schools are adopting gender ideology policies which override parental control, confuse adolescent children, and even lie to parents about what is happening with their children. They talk about the roles and limitations of teachers.

Chris interviews Kimberly Hermann, General Counsel with the Southeastern Legal Foundation, who is suing the Springfield, MO school district on behalf of two teachers over their "anti-racist" teacher training programs. 

Christine and Chris talk with Ginny Gentles, Director of the Education Freedom Center at the Independent Women's Forum, about the teacher training programs and administrative policies that attempt to promote and affirm gender confusion, no matter the view of parents. 

You can follow Kimberly Hermann on Twitter or LinkedIn. Find out more about the Southeastern Legal Foundation on their website and follow them on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

You can find Ginny Gentles on Twitter. To read her article on school choice, go here. For more information on the Independent Women's Forum visit their website or check out their Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube sites. 

If you liked this episode of Making the Leap, leave us a 5-star rating and let us know what you liked about the show on your favorite podcast app. You can also comment on any of our social pages; Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Check out our new YouTube Shorts too!

If you're interested in learning more about the Herzog Foundation, visit herzogfoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter , and Instagram or sign-up to receive monthly email updates.

Follow Making The Leap on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube. You can also sign-up for our newsletter or send us an email hello@makingtheleappodcast.com.

To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates.

Join Christine and Chris as they explore Missouri's Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program, Arizona's wide-ranging school choice initiative, and other school choice options.

Today's guest is Missouri State Representative Josh Hurlbert. Representative Hurlbert was first elected in 2020. Hurlbert works for the Herzog Tomorrow Foundation to implement the MO Scholars program and connect students to donor dollars.

If you liked this episode of Making the Leap, leave us a 5-star rating and let us know what you liked about the show on your favorite podcast app. You can also comment on any of our social pages; Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Check out our new YouTube Shorts too!

If you're interested in learning more about the Herzog Foundation, visit herzogfoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter , and Instagram or sign-up to receive monthly email updates. 

For more information on the MO Scholars program, visit the Missouri State Treasurer's page.

To apply for a MO Scholars ESA through the Herzog Tomorrow Foundation, visit here.

You can follow Representative Hurlbert on Facebook and Twitter or visit his Missouri House page for more information.

Follow Making The Leap on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube. You can also sign-up for our newsletter or send us an email hello@makingtheleappodcast.com.

To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates.

Join Christine and Chris as they discuss their family's experiences with children in both public and private schools. They explore the current state of public education and examine the "culture shift" in public schools.

The Stigalls are joined by their daughter, Anna, now in her second year attending a private Christian school. Anna and her parents discuss her perspective on her education, the transition from public to Christian education, how the move has benefitted her personally, and her advice for parents and children considering Christian education.

If you liked this episode of Making the Leap, leave us a 5-star rating and let us know what you liked about the show on your favorite podcast app. You can also comment on any of our social pages; Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Check out our new YouTube Shorts too!

If you're interested in learning more about the Herzog Foundation, visit our herzogfoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter , and Instagram or sign-up to receive monthly email updates.  

Follow Making The Leap on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube. You can also sign-up for our newsletter or send us an email hello@makingtheleappodcast.com.

To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates.

Many parents who are considering removing their children from public schools are immediately faced with the cost of private education, whether it's Christian or secular, private education. Some parents will never even investigate their options because the costs are daunting while others begin the process but change their minds over a lack of funds. However, many families and churches have found ways to meet the financial challenges. Chris and Christine discuss how parents can plan for the increased costs with creative and proven ways to tackle the financial issue of funding private education.

This week's guest, Sam Sorbo, holds many titles including filmmaker, radio host, actress, international model, author, wife, mother and education activist. She has homeschooled her children for the their entire education. Sam is married to actor Kevin Sorbo. She discusses the new documentary she appears in, "Truth and Lies in American Education" as well as the current state of public education.

For more information about Sam Sorbo, visit her website or follow her on Instagram and Twitter. You can also learn more about the "Truth and Lies in American Education Documentary" here. 

To learn more about United States Parents Involved in Education (USPIE) visit their website. For additional resources, follow USPIE on Facebook and Twitter.

For additional information regarding The Lion article mentioned in today's episode, read more here.

If you're interested in learning more about the Herzog Foundation, visit our website. Like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter , and Instagram or sign-up to receive monthly email updates.  

Follow Making The Leap on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube. You can also sign-up for our newsletter or send us an email hello@makingtheleappodcast.com.

To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates.

The school choice options are endless compared to twenty years ago where Christian education alternatives such as homeschooling were viewed as unconventional and strange. More states are offering funding opportunities like education savings account programs (ESA), reallocating funds, scholarship applications, and more.   

Parents are rapidly turning to these school choice opportunities as public school systems secretly implement curriculums like gender support plans and indoctrinate children on the issues of sex, gender, and race. Public education systems, teachers' unions, and secular education organizations are focused on creating diversity and pluralism within the classroom rather than instruction. 

Angie Hoffman is the founder of The Hearth Room Schools – a Christian Montessori school launching in Kansas City, MO in September 2022. A Montessori education is a child-focused approach that Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, developed for educating children. Students interact with curriculum in a hands-on environment and work at their own pace. Montessori learning also emphasizes practical life skills.  

Join Chris and Christine as Angie explains what exactly a Montessori education is and debunks some of the myths and assumptions parents think of when they hear Montessori. Listen and subscribe wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, let us know! Rate the podcast and leave us a five-star review.  

For more information about Angie and The Hearth Room Schools, visit https://www.thehearthroomschools.org/ or follow The Hearth Room Schools on Facebook. 

For more information about Montessori schools and accreditation, visit American Montessori International at https://amiusa.org/school-locator/. 

For more information about the Herzog Foundation, visit https://herzogfoundation.com/ Like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or sign-up to receive monthly email updates.  

Follow Making The Leap on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube. You can also sign-up for our newsletter or send us an email hello@makingtheleappodcast.com.

To learn more about the Herzog Foundation, visit HerzogFoundation.com. Like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram, or sign up to receive monthly email updates.