Youth Culture Matters - A CPYU Podcast

On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed for his disciples in all times and all places, that we would be in, but not of the world. He knew that in our sinfulness, we would be prone to forsaking our duty to be a counter-cultural presence in the world, by allowing the culture to establish it’s presence in the church. In today’s world, the culture infiltrating the church through what’s called progressive Christianity. What is progressive Christianity? And why are people, especially young people, drawn to it? And, how can we as parents and youth workers point our kids to embracing and living the truths of historic Christianity? We talk to Alisa Childers about her own story, progressive Christianity, and her new book, Another Gospel? A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth In Response to Progressive Christianity, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

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.Full episode notes here: https://cpyu.org/resource/episode-116-girls-over-the-brink-with-dr-leonard-sax/ 

I once heard someone say that judging from how Christians choose to live these days, the ten commandments God gave to Moses should be relabeled as the 10 suggestions. That’s certainly justified when it comes to the fourth commandment which tells us to remember and keep a Sabbath. Who does that anymore? Our kids have no idea what is means to Sabbath. The frantic pace of life in today’s world has combined with other trends to undo a commitment to Sabbath-keeping. Sadly, we’re coming undone as a result, and we realize we’re weary. What is Sabbath? Why is sabbath important? And how can we rediscover Sabbath-keeping so that we can once again find rest in the midst of our busy lives? We’re chatting with A.J. Swoboda about our Sabbath dilemma, and his book, Subversive Sabbath, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Have you seen the comical T-Shirt based on the 1985 movie Back To The Future? It depicts the absent-minded Doc instructing young Marty McFly, “Whatever you do Marty, don’t go to 2020!” This has been a very strange year. All of us have had multiple challenges to navigate. In the midst of it all, youth culture marches on as does our responsibility to know what’s happening in the culture so that we might bring the light of God’s Word to offer needed correctives to the course of this world. What are the current youth culture trends we need to be aware of? Stick with us as I chat with four culture-watching youth workers about what they’ve seen trending in youth culture over this last summer, along with how to shape biblically-sound ministry responses, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters. 

Welcome to Youth Culture Matters, a podcast from the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding. We’re taking a short break from recording new episodes, so for the next few weeks of summer we’ll be highlighting episodes from our archive. Today's episode is a discussion about intergenerational prayer and the "Pray For Me" campaign. Listen in to a replay of Episode 50: "Intergenerational Ministry Through Prayer" with Tony Souder. The original episode has been edited to begin today's version at the onset of our interview with Tony. The full episode was originally released on December 22, 2017.

Welcome to Youth Culture Matters, a podcast from the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding. We’re taking a short break from recording new episodes, so for the next few weeks of summer we’ll be highlighting episodes from our archive. Today's episode is an encouraging conversation with Pastor Scotty Smith. Listen in to a replay of Episode 29: "Prayer, God's Story, and Preaching the Gospel to Yourself" with Scotty Smith. The original episode has been edited to begin today's version at the onset of our interview with Scotty. The full episode was originally released on February 1, 2017.

Welcome to Youth Culture Matters, a podcast from the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding. We’re taking a short break from recording new episodes, so for the next few weeks of summer we’ll be highlighting episodes from our archive. Today's episode is a look back at a discussion with Dr. Virginia Ward on the topic of racial inequality and youth ministry. Listen in to a replay of Episode 13: "Race, Youth Ministry, and The Church" with Dr. Virginia Ward. This episode was originally released on July 14, 2016.

Welcome to Youth Culture Matters, a podcast from the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding. We’re taking a short break from recording new episodes, so for the next few weeks of summer we’ll be highlighting episodes from our archive. Today’s episode begins with some fun banter about baseball, appropriate with the 2020 season about to get underway, and concludes with a very helpful conversation with James K. A. Smith and his book You Are What You Love. Listen in to a replay of Episode 24: “Liturgies, Our Loves and our Habits” with James K. A. Smith. This episode was originally released on November 21, 2016.

Earlier this week I read this short and gut-wrenching Facebook post from a friend: Today she would have turned 20. All that we wonder and all the ache that we feel melding into one vast teardrop. It’s saltiness stinging the souls and staining the pages of the lives of those she left behind. My friends teenage daughter took her own life a few years ago. I’ve been reminded as well that life in our tumultuous and uncertain times is contributing to a rise in the suicide rate. I want to invite you to listen in on a timely conversation with Dr. Karen Mason, author of the book Preventing Suicide: A Handbook For Pastors, Chaplain, and Pastoral Counselors, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

I wonder how history will remember the first half of 2020? We would all agree that so far, one of the biggest stories centers on the Coronavirus pandemic, and our culture’s efforts to reckon major changes to everyday life. One aspect of our retreat from physical presence has been a movement into engaging with others in digital space, for everything from church, to government meetings, to business appointments, to medical check-ups, to education. Today, we want to look at the impact of the coronavirus on education and learning. What is the good, the bad, and ugly when it comes to the shift from the classroom, to the screen? Stick with us as we chat with our friend, Professor Duffy Robbins and three of his college students about their pandemic educational experience, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.