Youth Culture Matters - A CPYU Podcast

All of us in the youth ministry world have heard the experts tell us about the differences in generations. We have to realize that all of these statements are generalizations that are sometimes accurate and helpful, and sometimes not so accurate and less than helpful. What should we think about generational theory? And how can we as people who care about and love kids use it with wisdom and discernment in our youth ministries? Listen in as I chat with my friend Crystal Kirgiss and three of our youth worker friends about the good, the bad, and the ugly of generational theory, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

As Christians, our lives must be marked by a never-ending passion to know and live the truth. This is especially necessary in those aspects of life where convincing and easily-believed lies have taken root and grown, not only in the culture, but in our lives as well. What we believe about sex and gender is too often shaped by lies, rather than the truth of God’s will and way for His creation. Today we chat with someone, who like all of us, has believed and lived lies. By God’s transforming grace, she has also been brought out of darkness and into the light. Rosaria Butterfield is passionate about helping all of us know and live the truth, and I’m chatting with her about all of this on this episode, of Youth Culture Matters.

Here in the United States, over 45 million children and teens participate in organized sports every year. It’s no secret that over the years youth sports are costing families more and more in terms of time, effort, and money. If we allow it, this growing commitment can cut into our commitment to live a life of faithful Christian discipleship. Many youth workers and pastors lament how youth sports are taking so many kids away from opportunities for Christian nurture and growth. Today, I’m talking to our youth worker friend, Jason Engle, about how we can best navigate youth sports and church participation, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

It’s no secret that conversations about sex and gender are front and center in today’s world. This creates challenges for those of us who want to communicate God’s good design for sex and gender in our homes and churches. What voices are our kids listening to? And what should we be teaching regarding what it means to live lives of gender and sexuality regarding God’s design? Today, I’m chatting with one of the most trusted and helpful voices regarding biblical sexuality, Dr. Christopher Yuan, on this practical and helpful episode of Youth Culture Matters.

This episode was originally released on October 19, 2020.Recent research tells us that about half of our eleven to twenty-one year old girls regularly alter their photos to enhance their appearance online in order to find acceptance. Researchers also tell us that our girls are much more likely to experience anxiety and depression than their male peers. What are cultural forces that are shaping and even mis-shaping girls in today’s world? Why are more and more of our girls struggling to figure out who they are and how to live in the world? And what can parents and youth workers do to guide girls through the earthquake of adolescence and into an adulthood where they flourish? Stay tuned as we chat with physician, counselor, and author Dr. Leonard Sax about his new book, Girls on the Edge, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

This episode was originally released on June 5, 2021.People have always had questions, doubts, and objections to the Christian faith. Kids growing up in today’s youth culture are no exception. As they marinate in a cultural soup that encourages them to rely on their own intuition rather than biblical authority, the challenges to embracing a lifetime of following Jesus are very real.  And I fear that the nurture taking place in our homes, churches, and youth groups all too often remains shallow, leaving kids to simply embrace the cultural narrative, rather than engaging with solid biblical answers to their questions. One of the best resources to remedy this is Rebecca McLaughlin’s new book, 10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask and Answer About Christianity. Stay with us as we chat with Rebecca about helping our kids find life-giving answers to their toughest questions, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

It’s been just a few days since Tim Keller went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. A pastor, writer, and theologian, Keller has had a profound impact on so many during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. I, for one, have been blessed by Keller’s ministry. Today, I’m going to converse with some youth ministry friends about the life, impact, and legacy of Tim Keller and what it means for all of us moving forward, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Don’t judge. You do you. Be authentic to yourself. God just wants you to be happy. These are just some of the cultural mantras that saturate the soup of today’s culture. If we aren’t careful, even followers of Jesus Christ can get swept up in the spirit of the times and believe these lies that we see and hear on social media each and every day. Alisa Childers will help us understand how to listen to evaluate and respond to these cultural lies as we talk about her new book, Live Your Truth and Other Lies: Exposing Popular Deceptions that Make Us Anxious, Exhausted, and Self-Obsessed, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Our kids are growing up in a world where questioning one’s birth gender is an encouraged option. With more and more of our kids questioning their gender and even taking steps to transition, we need solid guidance on how to compassionately walk alongside them and minister to them in ways that glorify God. Stay tuned as I chat with my friend Nicholas Black about what to do say and what to do with those who are experiencing gender confusion on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

It’s mind-boggling, isn’t it? I’m talking about the rapid advances being made in technology and social media. As parents and youthworkers, it’s essential  that we not only keep up with these changes, but that we also develop biblically-faithful strategies for helping our kids and their families navigate the use of these tools in ways that bring glory to God and advance our human flourishing. Knowledge, caution, and wisdom are necessary. That’s what we’ll address as we chat with Chris Martin about his new book, The Wolf in their Pockets: 13 Ways the Social Internet Threatens the People You Lead, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.