Unlearning Together, The Cost of Humility in Culture and Teachability in the Everyday Mess of Family Life (Interview w/ A.J. Swoboda)
The Intentional Parents Podcast
Intentional
5 • 1.4K Ratings
🗓️ 7 May 2025
⏱️ 56 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week, Brook sits down once again with author, professor, theologian, lay pastor, and podcaster A.J. Swoboda to talk about the importance of having a teachable spirit in today’s world. Centered around his latest book, A Teachable Spirit, this episode invites listeners to see teachability not just as a personality trait, but as a deeply spiritual discipline.
We begin by naming a sobering truth: “We have become a culture that demands repentance but shames people who actually do it.” In response, A.J. points us to a better way — the way of Jesus — urging us to become teachable people rooted in humility and grace.
Starting with the definition of a teachable spirit, we explore the role of humility, the difference between teachability and impressionability, how we remain teachable in marriage and parenting, the value of repair with our kids, and the gift of childlike faith — pointing out the countercultural idea that “things are better when kids are in the room.” A.J. also previews the groups in his book that we must learn how to learn from: experts, the dead, strangers, culture, children, and more — even when it's uncomfortable for us as Christians.
Ultimately, we land on the “why” behind it all: why is this posture essential to the mission of the Church? A.J. ends with a moving picture of extreme humility and teachability — carried all the way to our last dying breath.
Our conversation is full of humor, vulnerability, depth, insight, and, of course, humility. If you’re longing to grow — or simply wondering what it means to become a more teachable person — don’t miss this one.
A.J. Swoboda:
Scripture Mentioned: 2 Peter 3:16, Daniel 1, Genesis 2:20-24, Matthew 19:13-15, Luke 6, John 7 + Matthew 16
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | We want to invite you to the intentional motherhood retreat, 2025. |
| 0:05.2 | For the past two years, hundreds of mothers from around the country have gathered with us for a weekend of worship, |
| 0:12.1 | teaching, and connection, and really to seek God together. |
| 0:15.8 | And we can't wait to do it all again at this year's motherhoodreat, this time in Portland, Oregon, October 23rd through 25th. |
| 0:25.0 | So come join us. We can't wait to see you. |
| 0:32.3 | You're listening to the Intentional Parents podcast, brought to you by Intentional. Intentional is all about spiritual |
| 0:38.9 | formation in the family. We desire to bring biblical hope and practical hope. Enjoy this week's |
| 0:45.4 | conversation. All right, welcome back to the Intentional Parents podcast in the studio for the first time, |
| 0:58.8 | AJ Swaboda. |
| 1:00.3 | Wow. I, I, it's, I'm almost, I'm, I'm, the, the emotions are coming in waves now. They're not. |
| 1:07.6 | They're coming in waves now at a level. at a level I'm almost uncomfortable talking about. |
| 1:12.9 | Yeah. This is a great studio, by the way. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. It's above a dental lab. |
| 1:18.5 | So people don't know that usually, but you have to go through a dental lab to get to our studio. |
| 1:22.5 | It is a fun experience, especially when guests come, I'm like, heads up, This is going to be a fun little juxt position. I actually thought it was an intervention at first. |
| 1:29.3 | I was walking into the dentist office and I thought, did you know I don't floss? |
| 1:33.5 | Yeah. |
| 1:34.2 | I actually do floss. |
| 1:35.3 | And I think it's important to say to the audience that they need to floss too. |
| 1:38.1 | These are important, important things that you pick up unintentional. |
| 1:40.5 | Your whole family is sitting there like we've kind of been concerned about ginger vitus. So we're going to send you to Ben now. |
| 1:45.2 | You're going to see a guy named Brooke and you're going to walk in and it's going to be a |
| 1:49.4 | dental office. |
... |
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