The GenSend Podcast

David Nasser, an Iranian-American pastor, author, and former Shiite Muslim refugee, shares his journey from Islam to Christ. He explores Muslim views of Jesus, the difference between mercy and grace, and why friendship, hospitality, and thoughtful questions matter more than winning debates. Discover how persistent relationships, welcoming churches, and everyday kindness can open doors to gospel conversations.

Trevin Wax, a theologian, author, and Christian commentator, explores why young people are drawn to Catholic Mass and Eastern Orthodox liturgy. The conversation examines the nuanced data behind the trend, Gen Z’s hunger for rootedness and otherworldliness, key Catholic and evangelical differences, authentic worship, structured prayer, and ways to disciple students navigating competing traditions.

In this episode of The GenSend Podcast, Shane Pruitt, Paul Worcester, and Lacey Villasenor tackle the tension every next gen leader faces: Gen Z is showing up to church in larger numbers than their parents’ generation, yet research shows they’re less theologically formed than ever. Listen in to discover the New Testament case for local church commitment, how to walk with students carrying real church hurt, and learn practical, field-tested language for talking with unchurched or unbelieving family members. Whether you’re leading six students or 600, this episode will give you fresh words for a conversation you’re probably already having this fall.  Also in This Episode: Gain a compassionate but direct approach to students dealing with real church hurt or spiritual abuse Hear language for college students navigating faith conversations at home over breaks Learn how to address “church hopping” or “church sampling” without shaming students Pick up ready-to-use illustrations for teaching on the local church Discover how to help students distinguish real shepherding from online spiritual influencers Helpful Resources: Youth Leader Coaching Network Collegiate Coaching Network  Movement Ready Church by Robby Gallaty and Vick Green  New Barna Data: Young Adults Lead a Resurgence in Church Attendance  Gen Z Churchgoers Attend More but Often Lag in Application  3 Circles Evangelism Tool  Life on Mission app  GenSend on Instagram and YouTube ★ Find more resources to lead the next generation on mission at https://GenSend.org ★ Subscribe to The GenSend Podcast on your favorite podcast platform  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Shareable Quotes:  “The church is not a building to be maintained; it's a people to be mobilized.” —Shane Pruitt   “Programs don't make disciples; disciples make disciples.” —Paul Worcester   “Ministry, evangelism, and the mission are a team sport.” —Paul Worcester  “Discipleship happens best in the local church.” —Lacey Villasenor   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Paul Worcester, a collegiate ministry leader and author, draws on 20+ years of discipling students to explore the obstacles that derail faith in college. He unpacks the isolation cycle, compromise, loneliness, burnout, and the difference between isolation and solitude. The conversation also covers reaching overlooked student groups, preparing teens before college, and building faith that endures.

Dr. Shelly Melia, professor and researcher on next-generation formation and coauthor of Reaching Generation Alpha, explores how the first fully digital generation is formed. She discusses how technology and algorithms shape identity and worldview. She highlights shifts from local to global perspectives, algorithmic authority, early immersion, and personalized truth. Practical engagement strategies and family-centered discipleship are emphasized.

In episode 7 of Season 7 of The GenSend Podcast, Shane Pruitt, Paul Worcester, and Lacey Villasenor unpack the growing gap between Bible access and Bible understanding and why it may be one of the most urgent discipleship challenges facing pastors and ministry leaders right now. From the truth about “deconstruction” to the surprising hunger Gen Z has for deep theology, this conversation will challenge how you think about teaching Scripture and give you practical ways to build ministries that produce students who don’t just hear the Word but live it and share it. What You'll Learn: Why the goal isn’t to “dumb it down” but to disciple them up What Gen Z is actually craving: depth, not entertainment How to identify three types of deconstruction in your ministry Practical ways to teach students to read and interpret Scripture themselves How to balance fun, belonging, and theological depth in your ministry Helpful Resources: The Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible GenSend Leader Resources GenSend on Instagram and YouTube       ★ Find more resources to lead the next generation on mission at https://GenSend.org       ★ Subscribe to The GenSend Podcast on your favorite podcast platform ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shareable Quotes: “One of the greatest issues we have in the church today is Bible illiteracy. If we don’t know truth, we can’t live it out.” —Shane Pruitt  “Students are clearly hungry, but are we equipping them to feed themselves?” —Lacey Villasenor “Some people aren’t deconstructing—they’re just living in sin and looking for a new word to justify it.” —Shane Pruitt “It’s not just knowing the Word—it’s obeying what you know that builds a life on the rock.” —Paul Worcester  “Some of the most effective teaching is just opening the Bible and walking through it.” —Paul Worcester Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In episode 6 of Season 7 of The GenSend Podcast, Shane Pruitt, Paul Worcester, and Lacey Villasenor help next-gen leaders discern what truly matters in a digital world where influence is measured in likes and views. They unpack the tension between platform and anointing, and why viral doesn’t always mean faithful. Discover the dangers of equating online popularity with spiritual authority as well as practical guidance for leading students with discernment. Be challenged to rethink success, guard your heart from comparison, and anchor your ministry in Scripture instead of algorithms. Listen in to be equipped to shepherd students through digital noise while staying grounded in real, relational discipleship.    What You'll Learn: Why confidence does not equal competence in online teaching How to help students test everything against Scripture Why faithfulness is the biblical measure of success, not visibility How to shepherd students influenced by online voices The difference between discernment and cynicism when evaluating teachers Helpful Resources: GenSend Webinar: Reaching Gen Alpha (May 7, 2026) Three Habits for Everyday Evangelism, eBook by Paul Worcester Respectable Sins, by Jerry Bridges FM72 GenSend on Instagram and YouTube       ★ Find more resources to lead the next generation on mission at https://GenSend.org       ★ Subscribe to The GenSend Podcast on your favorite podcast platform------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shareable Quotes: “Gifts and talents can build a crowd, but only the Holy Spirit can build the Church.” —Shane Pruitt   “Students often assume that if it has a lot of views, it must be true.” —Lacey Villasenor   “It’s a snare to compare. Just put out truth and trust the Lord with it.” —Shane Pruitt “Social media is a mission field, but it should never replace real discipleship.” —Paul Worcester    “The metric of success you choose will shape the ministry you build.” —Lacey Villasenor Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In episode 5 of Season 7 of The GenSend Podcast, Shane Pruitt, Paul Worcester, and Lacey Villasenor offer a clear vision for how bivocational and covocational ministry is a strategic advantage for reaching your campus and community, especially if you’re a leader who’s navigating ministry alongside school, work, or life. Discover practical rhythms for managing your time, avoiding burnout, and leading from a place of spiritual health. Be challenged to rethink calling, not as a single lane, but as a life lived on mission wherever God has placed you. This conversation will equip you to lead faithfully right where you are, with what you have.   What You'll Learn: How to define and distinguish bivocational and covocational ministry Why bivocational ministry is becoming a key strategy for the future of the church The difference between striving for “balance” and living in “harmony” The evangelistic advantage of being in the marketplace and everyday environments How your current job or major can become a mission field, not a distraction Helpful Resources: “The 5 Hour Sermon: A Covo Preacher’s Guide” article at NewChurches.com Discovering Covocational Church Planting, by Send Network Not My Jesus (Bible Study Book with Video Access) GenSend on Instagram and YouTube       ★ Find more resources to lead the next generation on mission at https://GenSend.org       ★ Subscribe to The GenSend Podcast on your favorite podcast platform ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shareable Quotes: “See it all as a marathon. If you sprint in every area, you’ll burn out and not be great for anyone.” —Shane Pruitt   “Your goal isn’t how much ministry you can do; it’s how much you can empower others to do.” —Paul Worcester    “When students see someone with a marketplace job teaching the Bible, it expands their vision of calling.” —Lacey Villasenor   “If you're covocational, you're in good company—Jesus was a carpenter, and Paul was a tentmaker.” —Shane Pruitt “As a covocational leader, you get to model the lifestyle you’re trying to reproduce.” —Paul Worcester    “When you meet real needs, people start asking, ‘Why are you here?’—and that opens the door for the gospel.” —Lacey Villasenor Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In episode 4 of Season 7 of The GenSend Podcast, Shane Pruitt, Paul Worcester, and Lacey Villasenor welcome Catherine Renfro as they discuss the data behind the growing church engagement gap and offer practical insight into why college-aged women are disengaging from weekly church attendance and spiritual habits. You’ll be equipped to disciple young women in a culture shaped by social media, political polarization, and mistrust of institutions. Discover proactive strategies to empower women as laborers in the harvest, strengthen relational discipleship, and address difficult topics like leadership, purpose, and church hurt with both truth and compassion. Listen in to gather help in building ministries that mobilize both young men and young women for the mission of God. What You'll Learn: The recent data that shows a growing engagement gap between genders—and what that means for your ministry. Why safety, belonging, and authenticity are critical for engaging Gen Z women in the local church. How to evaluate whether your ministry culture unintentionally sidelines or overlooks young women. Why disciple-making—not programming—is the long-term solution to engagement gaps. How to create pathways for both young men and young women to live on mission together.   Helpful Resources: Dream Big: The Henrietta Mears Story The Other Half of Church Women in the Mission of God Gospel Conversation Starters for Women Living Sent Barna Research GenSend on Instagram and YouTube ★ Find more resources to lead the next generation on mission at https://GenSend.org ★ Subscribe to The GenSend Podcast on your favorite podcast platform------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Shareable Quotes: “If we say we want our ministries to be a hospital for souls, then we shouldn’t push people away who are hurting.” —Shane Pruitt “Relational connection is one of the highest values for Gen Z, especially women.” —Paul Worcester  “If we’re going to reach this world, it’s going to take every single one of us.” —Catherine Renfro “It’s really easy to train your mind to have a bad view of the church if you’re constantly fed negative stories.” —Lacey Villasenor “We define God by our circumstances instead of letting God define our circumstances.” —Catherine Renfro “We’re in a God moment where young men are being reached with the gospel.” —Shane Pruitt “If they don’t see the church as a safe place, they’re just not going to show up.” —Paul Worcester Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In episode 3 of Season 7 of The GenSend Podcast, Shane Pruitt, Paul Worcester, and Lacey Villasenor unpack the difference between justification and sanctification and why understanding both matters for next-gen leaders. Discover why sanctification is not instant perfection but a lifelong, grace-filled process of becoming who you already are in Christ. Gain clarity on distorted theology, shame-driven discipleship, and “quick fix” spirituality, as well as biblical and practical encouragement for leaders and the students in their ministries. Ultimately, be reminded that the process itself is the reward. Walking with Jesus on the journey is the victory.   What You'll Learn: Teach students the clear distinction between justification and sanctification How to normalize struggle in the Christian life without normalizing sin The importance of building discipleship environments that include accountability, Scripture memory, and honest confession Specific biblical passages to teach students a framework for understanding freedom, struggle, and victory Reasons to guard against “higher life” or perfectionist models that create shame or false expectations Helpful Resources: The Pursuit of Holiness The Pilgrim’s Progress The Hole in Our Holiness GenSend on Instagram and YouTube ★ Find more resources to lead the next generation on mission at https://GenSend.org ★ Subscribe to The GenSend Podcast on your favorite podcast platform------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Shareable Quotes: “The process is the reward. The reward is walking with Jesus.” —Shane Pruitt  “Work out your salvation—not work for it.” —Paul Worcester  “Sanctification is empowered by the Spirit, shaped by the Word, supported by community, and lived out in obedience.” —Lacey Villasenor “If you feel like you’re in the middle of a war, that’s not a bad thing.” —Shane Pruitt  “It’s not let go and let God. It’s trust God and get going.” —Paul Worcester  “Sanctification is this lifelong journey of becoming like Christ.” —Lacey Villasenor   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.