Episode #10
Raising Godly Men: Education, Economy, and the Next Generation | John Moody
What does it take to raise boys who become godly, capable, productive men ? In this episode of Gardens in Babylon , Kevin Minnett and Riley Toews sit down with entrepreneur, homesteader, writer, and mentor John Moody for a wide-ranging conversation about biblical manhood, Christian education, raising boys, family economy, work, mentorship, and generational legacy . John argues that one of the truest measures of a man's success isn't simply what he builds during his lifetime—but whether he can faithfully reproduce that success through those who come after him . A farm without the next generation prepared to carry it forward can disappear. A business can collapse when its founder retires. A church can stumble when faithful leadership is not passed on. A man's accomplishments mean little if he has not cultivated faithful people who can preserve and build upon what he began. So what does this mean for Christian fathers? This conversation explores why raising godly sons requires more than protecting them from the world . Boys need meaningful work, responsibility, discipline, challenge, mentorship, and the opportunity to see their fathers live out faithful Christian manhood. John shares why fathers should be actively involved in their sons' education and why practical formation matters alongside academics. The conversation addresses the importance of teaching boys how to work, negotiate, solve problems, handle responsibility, and understand the relationship between labor, value, money, and stewardship . In This Episode • Why a man's success should be measured partly by what he reproduces in the next generation • The importance of raising godly men rather than merely successful boys • Why boys need meaningful work, physical challenge, responsibility, and real-world consequences • The role fathers play in their sons' education and development • How work and shared projects become opportunities for discipleship • Building a productive family economy • Teaching children about work, money, entrepreneurship, and responsibility • Why Christian families should think generationally rather than merely surviving the present • The dangers of both the prosperity gospel and what John calls the "poverty gospel" • Why success and wealth are not inherently opposed to Christian faithfulness • Preparing young men to navigate today's difficult economic environment • How fathers can prepare their sons to become husbands, fathers, providers, leaders, and faithful stewards At the heart of the conversation is a simple question: What are you doing with your sons today that will prepare them to become faithful men tomorrow? The goal isn't simply to produce successful men. It is to raise faithful men whose strength, skills, resources, and influence are submitted to Christ and used for the good of their families, churches, communities, and the generations that follow. That requires fathers who are willing to think beyond childhood—and beyond themselves. If you are a father, grandfather, homeschooler, pastor, or Christian man thinking seriously about the future of the next generation, this conversation is for you. Subscribe to Gardens in Babylon for more conversations about cultivating faithfulness, building strong families, recovering productive households, and faithfully living for Christ in hard places. Connect & Engage Share your thoughts in the comments, and send this episode to a father who needs to hear it. #RaisingGodlyMen #BiblicalManhood #ChristianFatherhood #ChristianParenting #RaisingBoys #ChristianEducation #Homeschooling #FamilyEconomy #BiblicalStewardship #GenerationalLegacy #ChristianMen #JohnMoody #GardensInBabylon
