Youth Culture Matters - A CPYU Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 81: "Where Have All The Good Men Gone?" with Chris Walker Apr 18, 2019

Show notes

Where have all the good men gone? We’re hearing more and more young women lament the lack of mature Godly men. One says, “The guys I dated were more like the kids I babysat than the dads who drove me home.” Research and observation increasingly point to the fact that it is taking longer and longer for our boys to mature into responsible, Godly manhood. What are the factors that contribute to this reality? Are our current youth ministry and parenting strategies working to remedy the situation? And what can we do in our churches and homes to help prepare our boys to become Godly men and leaders? We’ll be talking with youth pastor Chris Walker about what he’s discovered in his research and ministry about how to disciple our boys into maturity, on this practical and informative episode, of Youth Culture Matters.

Episode 80: "Millennials, Evangelism and Faith Formation" with David Kinnaman Mar 25, 2019

Show notes

A recent headline from the Barna Group reads, “Almost half of practicing Christian millennials say evangelism is wrong.” The Barna group has been conducting research on the faith-sharing experiences and expectations of Christians and non-Christians alike. And it seems that many millennials now believe that it’s wrong to share their faith. Join us as we dig into the data, talk through the implications, and think forward about the implications for the church, as we talk with Barna’s David Kinnaman, on this episode of youth culture matters.

Episode 79: "Life, Sexuality, and a Christian Worldview" with Nancy Pearcey Mar 07, 2019

Show notes

If you’re active on social media, you know that not a day goes by without someone posting an article or news story which sparks sometimes heated disagreement and discussion over one of the many issues related to life and sexuality. Discussions center on topics like abortion, euthanasia, gender, and marriage. The reality is that even in the church disagreements and divides are on the rise. How can we build a strong biblical foundation that serves us well as we seek to respond according to a Christian world and life view? Do world views even matter? And what’s at stake in these conversations with our kids? We’ll be looking to find answers to the hard questions about life and sexuality as we chat with Nancy Pearcey, author of the book Love Thy Body, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Episode 78: "Changing Youth Sports" with Brandon Day Feb 21, 2019

Show notes

Our youth sports culture is broken. That was the headline for a recent op-ed piece in the Port Huron Michigan Times Herald. Written by a highly-respected high school wrestling coach, the article has gone viral, drawing accolades from educators, coaches, parents, and youth workers. Even though we all live in this sports-worshiping North American culture, we are seeing clear signs that our obsessions and pushiness are not serving kids, families, communities, and the culture at large well at all. What damage are we doing to our kids as they get involved in youth sports? And what can we do to change the youth sports culture in ways that builds kids up, rather than tearing kids down? We’ll be tackling these questions and more as we talk to the article’s author, Coach Brandon Day, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Episode 77: "Engaging Disability in Youth Ministry and Beyond" with Ashley Belknap Feb 06, 2019

Show notes

The Scriptures tell us with great clarity that all human beings have been made by God, in the image of God, and for a relationship with God. But the reality of life in our post-fall world has left everything broken, including all human beings. This brokenness touches us all deeply, but in a variety of different ways. This includes the many types of physical and cognitive disabilities in our world. This means that our churches and youth groups must be places sensitive to the unique needs of those among us who are disabled. How can we best minister to the disabled, from birth through old age? How can we create welcoming, safe spaces that foster spiritual growth and development among the disabled? Stay with us as we learn about ministry to and with the disabled as we converse with Ashley Belknap, from a ministry called Engaging Disability With the Gospel, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Episode 76: "Evangelism - Gospelizing Your Youth Ministry" with Greg Stier Jan 25, 2019

Show notes

Before he ascended into heaven, Jesus issued what is now known as the Great Commission. He commanded his followers in all times and all places to go into the world and make disciples. That task follows our efforts to communicate the good news of the Gospel. Do our youth ministry efforts reflect a commitment to obedience to this command of Christ? What does it mean to do evangelism and discipleship with the emerging generations? How can we fuel our passions and abilities at evangelism and discipleship? We’ll talk about these issues and more with our friend, Dare 2 Share’s Greg Stier, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Episode 75: "Stressed Out" a Conversation about Anxiety with Walt Mueller Jan 15, 2019

Show notes

Four years ago, the band Twenty-One Pilots released a hit song focusing on the pressures of adulthood and a yearning to return back to the relatively easy years of childhood. Title Stressed Out, the song went to number one on the mainstream music charts. But judging from what we’re hearing from researchers, parents, youth workers, educators, and kids themselves, stress and anxiety is increasingly common among our children and teens. What is anxiety? How is it manifesting itself in the lives of our kids? What are its causes? And how does the Gospel speak to this new epidemic of anxiety among our kids? We’ll be discussing strategies for navigating the epidemic of youth anxiety on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Episode 74: "Scripture and Popular Music" with Steve Turner Jan 04, 2019

Show notes

Plato once said that “music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” While you might argue with the particulars of Plato’s words, you have to agree that music has power. And there’s no question that Scripture has influenced music since the first ever song was penned. Poet, author, and rock music critic Steve Turner knows this to be the case. And in his new book, “Turn, Turn Turn: Popular Songs and Music Inspired By The Bible,” Steve Turner takes an in-depth look at the lyrics and cultural context of 100 of the most popular songs ever written, and how those songs were influenced by the Bible. Stay with us as we talk music and the Bible in this eye-opening and informative episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Episode 73: "Eighth Grade" Film: A Youthworker Round Table Discussion Dec 18, 2018

Show notes

Every now and then, a film comes along that offers a helpful, realistic, and compelling peek into the world of contemporary adolescence. The recent film, Eighth Grade, is a movie follows the last week of middle school before thirteen-year-old Kayla graduates and moves on to high school. It’s a good one that covers all kinds of issues including identity, family, social media, friendships, and sexuality. We recently sat with a group of youth workers to view and discuss the film. Does Eighth Grade accurately capture what its like to be a kid in today’s world? Are there issues the film raises that we need to be addressing in our youth ministries and in our homes? And, how can a youth worker use Eighth Grade as a ministry tool? We host a round table discussion with three local church youth workers on these questions and more, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Episode 72: "Why Youth Stay in Church When They Grow Up" with Jon Nielson Nov 28, 2018

Show notes

Over the course of the last few years, youth workers and parents have been increasingly lamenting the exodus of kids from the church once they graduate from high school and launch into the next phase of life. A growing volume of research is offering ideas on why this is happening, and solutions designed to reverse this trend. Why is it that our kids are leaving the church in droves after they grow up? Have we come to a clear understanding of the reasons? And what steps can we take to prepare kids for a lifetime of spiritual growth and following Christ? We’ll chat with John Nielson about what he’s discovered about why youth stay in church when they grow up, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

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