Youth Culture Matters - A CPYU Podcast

The recently released Netflix series "13 Reasons Why" is getting a ton of attention from kids, parents, teachers and counselors. The show has sparked conversations about all sorts of adolescent issues, including suicide. But the show has also ignited controversy, as experts are divided over whether or not "13 Reasons Why" is motivating teenagers toward positive or negative behaviors. One thing is for sure: this is NOT a show to ignore. Our kids ARE watching it, they ARE thinking and talking about it, and they ARE allowing "13 Reasons Why" to shape their lives. We'll talk about these things and appropriate ways to respond, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Some would have us believe that if we find parenting difficult, we must not be following the right plan. They might also say that parenting well always results in Godly children. If you're like most parents, believing these lies can result in a heavy dose of guilt and shame. Because we live in a broken world as broken parents with broken kids, life is never easy. What we need is a heavy dose of realistic theology and good sense to help us navigate the difficult journey of parenting in ways that help us understand that there is no such thing as a perfect parent. Our friend Leslie Leyland Fields has lived this journey. Listen in as she talks to us about her book "Parenting Is Your Highest Calling: And 8 Other Myths That Trap Us in Worry and Guilt" and a whole lot more. Walt and Jason begin the podcast discussing news related to Richard Simmons and fame, tanning bed dangers, sexual abuse prevention, drug use vs. smartphone use, Converse, and how many germs iPhones have.

It's as if the landscape of our culture has changed overnight. The issue of transgenderism has moved front and center in our culture, our school, our churches, our youth groups, and in many of our homes. It's safe to say that this new gender landscape is one that we must understand, respond to and navigate. But as parents, how can we do so? What names do we use when addressing transgendered kids? And how do we handle the complex web of logistical issues including bathrooms and sleeping arrangements? We'll start the difficult process of tackling these questions and more, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters as we invite Ellen Dykas and Dan Wilson of Harvest USA to join the conversation.

Anybody who has ever worked as youth minister or youth ministry volunteer owes a debt of gratitude to Wayne Rice. One of the co-founders of Youth Specialities, Wayne has worked to equip and resource youth workers for almost fifty years. Over the course of that time he’s experienced a lot, rethought how we do youth ministry, and is now working to resource grandparents in their efforts to lead their grandchildren to Jesus. We’re thrilled to be chatting with our friend and hero, Wayne Rice, about youth ministry, grand-parenting, and a whole lot more, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters. To open the podcast Walt and Jason discuss youth culture trends related to a new friendship app called Yellow, e-cigarettes and dripping, sex ed and love, deadly teenage driving mistakes, apps to help track teen drivers and teens, Carson Daly and 'TRL.'

Studies say up to 65-80 percent of people who grow up in the church drop out of church when they become college-aged. It's not intentional. It just happens. But why is this happening? And what can we do as parents, grandparents, pastors, and youth workers to be sure our kids get plugged into a campus fellowship group and church when they arrive on the college campus? We’ll be talking to Sherri Nee, the co-founder of the College Church Connection service, about steps to take to make it easy to find Christian community right away. To open the podcast Walt and Jason discuss youth culture trends related to texting, biohacking, Tinder, terms for pregnant mothers, Metallica and the effects of pornography and the proper age for kids to get their own cell phones.

Walt and Jason begin the podcast with a discussion about gun violence in movies, body image and photo-editing, Russell Wilson ans Ciara, sports specialization, Millennials in the workplace, and heavy alcohol use and brain development. Research reveals the alarming fact that far too many of our boys and girls are being victimized by sexual abuse. It’s our belief that loosened sexual standards and the growing pervasiveness of pornography will only lead to a rise in sexual absue. And, whether you know it or not, the abusers and the abused are living in our midst. Sexual abuse is not benign. It is traumatizing. Consequently, it requires intervention, deep care, and healing. The journey to hope and healing is difficult and long, but it is a journey that can lead to redemption. We’ll be talking to world-class diver Denise Gater about her own story of abuse and redemption on this episode.

In recent years, researchers have sounded the warning that narcissism is on the rise in our culture, particularly among the emerging generations. If this is true, the tendency towards following self rather than following God will thwart our spiritual growth and development. Where does this focus on self come from? How is it being manifested in our lives? And what can we do to lead ourselves and our kids into a lifestyle of allegiance to God and service to others, when the world encourages us to look out for number one? We’ll be talking about the tendency towards too much focus on me, myself and I, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters. Walt and Jason begin the podcast with a discussion about a new college course, social media replacing drugs, social media and violence, the cost of raising a child, shortening sports broadcasts because of the shortening attention spans of Millennials, and the epidemic of stress among kids.

In the Gospel of Luke we read about a time when one of the the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Lord, teach us to pray." In a day and age where distractions are many and times of concentrated silence are disappearing, we'd do well to voice this same request. Here at CPYU, our prayer lives have been greatly enhanced through several books of written prayers, including books written by Scotty Smith. We're engaging with Scotty Smith in a lively and entertaining conversation about faith, culture, prayer and a whole lot more in this episode of Youth Culture Matters. Walt and Jason start the podcast off with a discussion about online pornography, new leadership at MTV, the 'American Dream', Pac Sun partnering with Budweiser, teen behavior across generations, and the Monitoring the Future Survey.

For those of us who lived through it, Beatlemania and the turbulence of the 1960s were watershed times in the history of popular culture. There had been nothing like it before, and there hasn't been anything like it since. Music journalist Steve Turner's's life in London gave him a front row seat and insider's look at cultural change that is fascinating. His insights are helpful to us as we think about the role pop culture plays in our lives. We'll be talking to Steve Turner about the intersection of faith and culture and his brand new book, Beatles '66: The Revolutionary Year, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters. This episode of Youth Culture Matters is sponsored by the Ministry to Emerging Generations Doctor of Ministry program at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Learn more at www.gcts.edu/emerginggenerations.

In recent years, more and more parents and youth workers have become legitimately concerned about what happens to their high school graduates once they head off to college. Among the many challenges students face is the diminishing of Christian faith. It seems that what they once embraced, is weakened and at times forgotten. Mike Gaffney discusses with us how we can encourage and support faith development so that it stands firm during the university years. Walt and Jason start the podcast off with a discussion about New Year's resolutions and youth culture trends related to the rise in STDs, parental media use, the "backpack challenge," virgins, and dating.