The Culture Translator

"Today's teens, especially those who are too young to drive, enter what they call "talking stages," which seem to be a substitute for dating. It's basically a stream of conciousness texting session with one another. I have a 14 year old son. Girls are coming out of the wood work trying to enter a "talking stage" with him. Right now he is talking to 4 girls. He has decided he really likes one of these girls. So the question is, should he continue talking to the other girls, or let them know that he really likes someone other than them? What he has done is ghost the other girls, he simply doesn't answer their texts; this doesn't feel right. What do you think the right way is to handle the situation? I have no idea where girls are getting his number but every week someone new  is texting him out of the blue. It usually starts with, "I thought you were cute so I asked for your number." To me this is also concerning. I think the type of girls he should be looking for are not the ones chasing boys." - Michelle  Axis Resource → A Parent's Guide to Teen Dating Axis Resource → A Conversation Kit on Dating

Three Big Conversations: The Grammys offered a chaotic celebration of modern music. - 8:08 "Etsy witches" are getting kicked off of Etsy. - 21:12 Sports betting looms large over Super Bowl LX this Sunday. - 35:06 Song of the Week: "Aperture" by Harry Styles -1:25 Click here for the lyrics. In Other News: - 53:08 "She's free" is a TikTok trend where friends line up, clap and shine phone flashlights as someone walks a celebratory runway after a breakup.  The 2026 Winter Olympics in the Italian cities of Milano and Cortina begin today. If the 2024 Summer Olympics were any indication, teens will probably be fascinated by the athletes and their respective social media presences. A new platform called Moltbook is designed to be a Reddit-style social media forum for AI bots to publicly chat with each other. The Lunar New Year is coming up soon, which brings a new Chinese zodiac. 2026 is the year of the Fire Horse, and people on TikTok are freaking out about it. Iron Lung, a sci-fi horror film that stars YouTuber Markiplier (who also wrote, directed, and financed it), was a surprise box office success that almost beat Disney's Send Help in its opening weekend.

The Grammys offered a chaotic celebration of modern music, "Etsy witches" are getting kicked off of Etsy, and sports betting looms large over Super Bowl LX this Sunday. Song of the Week: "Aperture" by Harry Styles Click here for the lyrics. In Other News: "She's free" is a TikTok trend where friends line up, clap and shine phone flashlights as someone walks a celebratory runway after a breakup.  The 2026 Winter Olympics in the Italian cities of Milano and Cortina begin today. If the 2024 Summer Olympics were any indication, teens will probably be fascinated by the athletes and their respective social media presences. A new platform called Moltbook is designed to be a Reddit-style social media forum for AI bots to publicly chat with each other. The Lunar New Year is coming up soon, which brings a new Chinese zodiac. 2026 is the year of the Fire Horse, and people on TikTok are freaking out about it. Iron Lung, a sci-fi horror film that stars YouTuber Markiplier (who also wrote, directed, and financed it), was a surprise box office success that almost beat Disney's Send Help in its opening weekend.

Nick Stumbo is the Executive Director of Pure Desire, an organization that exists to provide hope, freedom, and healing from compulsive sexual behavior and betrayal trauma through Jesus Christ. Their work at Pure Desire is clinically informed and biblically based. As a third-generation pastor, Nick Stumbo started his ministry career at the East Hills Alliance Church in Kelso, Washington, where he observed the fallout of sexual brokenness and devastation in the lives of men and women in the church. Confronted with his own addiction to pornography, Nick and his wife, Michelle, found hope and healing through the counseling and group ministries of Pure Desire, which, again, he is now the Executive Director of.  --> Check out Pure Desire Ministries → Become a monthly donor today, join the Table.

Three Big Conversations: TikTok has a new US owner, which users worry is muddying the platform's approach to censorship. - 10:16 Data shows that sad and angsty songs are ruling the streaming charts. - 29:28 It's official: our algorithms are making us lonelier. - 40:12 Emoji of the Week:

TikTok has a new US owner, which users worry is muddying the platform's approach to censorship; data shows that sad and angsty songs are ruling the streaming charts, and it's official: our algorithms are making us lonelier. Emoji of the Week:

Jenna is a writer and content creator based in Orange County, California. She works at Axis as a content specialist. She is currently working on a Master's in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care at Talbot School of Theology. She also runs a Substack publication called "Jenna's Column" where she writes about faith from a Gen Z perspective. In her free time she loves to read (preferably at the beach) and hang out with her husband Parker and their cat, Dolly. Check out our updated Parent's Guide to Teen Slang Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: Nostalgia for 2016 hits social media. - 8:54 Some hopeful, if complicated, mental health statistics about college students. - 24:40 Teens would rather send a voice note than make a phone call. - 38:08 Slang of the Week - Ragebait - 1:48 In Other News: - 54:22 The Indiana Hoosiers won an electrifying College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday, punctuated by an iconic, fourth-down touchdown run from Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. BookTok's beloved People We Meet on Vacation, an Emily Henry book-to-movie adaptation, has debuted at No.1 on the Netflix film chart with 17.2m views. A new trend on TikTok involves impersonating owls. "Bringing random items to school" is a TikTok trend where kids pull increasingly unhinged objects out of their backpacks purely for laughs. The tremendous success of a stationery store in Chicago is being hailed as indicative of the "return to analog" trend, as the popularity of journals, calligraphy, and sending snail mail letters surges. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Nostalgia for 2016 hits social media, some hopeful, if complicated, mental health statistics about college students, and teens would rather send a voice note than make a phone call. Slang of the Week - Ragebait In Other News: The Indiana Hoosiers won an electrifying College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday, punctuated by an iconic, fourth-down touchdown run from Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. BookTok's beloved People We Meet on Vacation, an Emily Henry book-to-movie adaptation, has debuted at No.1 on the Netflix film chart with 17.2m views. A new trend on TikTok involves impersonating owls. "Bringing random items to school" is a TikTok trend where kids pull increasingly unhinged objects out of their backpacks purely for laughs. The tremendous success of a stationery store in Chicago is being hailed as indicative of the "return to analog" trend, as the popularity of journals, calligraphy, and sending snail mail letters surges. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

A question on "camp skits not aging well." Libby asks, "We generally have just substituted current pop culture references into old skits to bring them up to date. But it's so necessary right now to help kids engage with culture instead of vilifying it. A recent skit we were planning made it seem like the student was nailing Jesus to the cross by going to a party, hanging out with friends instead of staying home with Jesus—and we want our kids to socialize with real people more! But we are also finding way more extreme drug and alcohol content at parties for the kids who do socialize IRL. How to navigate?" - Libby This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. And for more resources, go to axis.org.  

Three Big Conversations: Gen Z heads to trade school en masse - 05:14 The controversy around Grok's creation of deepfake images - 21:26 Fiber is the new protein - 42:00 Slang of the Week: "Choppelganger" - 20:20 --> Check out the definition in our resource The Parent Guide to Teen Slang In Other News: - 55:06 Harry Styles just dropped a mysterious website called WeBelongTogether.co filled with crowd footage and the words "We belong together," and fans are losing their minds trying to decode what it means. The year in anime is kicking off with a bang, with new episodes of popular on-going shows like Jujutsu Keisen, Freiren: Beyond Journey's End, Fire Force, and premieres of highly anticipated newcomers like Sentenced to Be a Hero. The Golden Globes awards declared KPop Demon Hunters 2025's best animated film, and Gen Z favorite Timothée Chalamet won best actor for his turn in Marty Supreme. Survey data from Talker Research found that 63% of Gen Z now intentionally carves out screen-free windows in their days, a higher percentage than any other generation. Popular comedian and influencer Druski has been bouncing around the internet this week because of his skit poking fun at (or perhaps critiquing) the over-the-top production and performative pastors of some mega-churches. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! Click to check out The Pour Over Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Gen Z heads to trade school en masse, fiber is the new protein, and the controversy around Grok's creation of deepfake images. Slang of the Week: "Choppelganger" --> Check out the defenition in our resource The Parent Guide to Teen Slang In Other News: Harry Styles just dropped a mysterious website called WeBelongTogether.co filled with crowd footage and the words "We belong together," and fans are losing their minds trying to decode what it means. The year in anime is kicking off with a bang, with new episodes of popular on-going shows like Jujutsu Keisen, Freiren: Beyond Journey's End, Fire Force, and premieres of highly anticipated newcomers like Sentenced to Be a Hero. The Golden Globes awards declared KPop Demon Hunters 2025's best animated film, and Gen Z favorite Timothée Chalamet won best actor for his turn in Marty Supreme. Survey data from Talker Research found that 63% of Gen Z now intentionally carves out screen-free windows in their days, a higher percentage than any other generation. Popular comedian and influencer Druski has been bouncing around the internet this week because of his skit poking fun at (or perhaps critiquing) the over-the-top production and performative pastors of some mega-churches. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! Click to check out The Pour Over Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

"I recently had a conversation with my teen son about how words he (and everyone else) uses regularly were not considered ok when I was growing up. Can you speak to how language has changed and what is and isn't acceptable? I generally go back to the Bible saying not to use coarse or filthy language (Ephesians and Colossians) when redirecting him but when everyone is using it maybe it's not how I view it anymore? We also discussed how much more we're exposed, essentially desensitizing us. When you're looking at reels or shorts you can't tell if it's coming. I think I said something along the lines of, "My phone is always swearing at me!" My family says I'm sensitive but it just bothers me where we are now. Why can't we just use appropriate language? And is there a good way to handle this?" - Christal Click Here --> A Parent's Guide to Profanity This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. And for more resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: Stranger Things star Joe Keery's synthpop song tops the charts - 12:55 sushi is the new pizza for Gen Alpha - 22:46 the Great Meme Reset that wasn't.- 31:18 Slang of the Week: "Flow State"- 5:16 In Other News: - 39:06 Mr. Beast's competition show Beast Games is back on Amazon Prime this week. The twist this time? Brains versus brawn. Will Mr. Beast commit more war crimes? Tune in to find out. The French parliament has proposed a bill that, if passed, would ban social media access for everyone under age fifteen, and ban phones from all schools. TikTok's New Year trend is punch cards for resolutions, making goals feel tangible and within reach. Now that they're all back from South Korea's mandatory military service, the K-pop band BTS has officially announced their fifth album, which is set to be released on March 20th. Videos saying "Your sign to not bring your boyfriend with you to watch The Housemaid" are drawing attention to an explicit scene with Sydney Sweeney and the male lead, Brandon Sklenar. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Stranger Things star Joe Keery's synthpop song tops the charts, sushi is the new pizza for Gen Alpha, and the Great Meme Reset that wasn't. Slang of the Week: "Flow State" In Other News: Mr. Beast's competition show Beast Games is back on Amazon Prime this week. The twist this time? Brains versus brawn. Will Mr. Beast commit more war crimes? Tune in to find out. The French parliament has proposed a bill that, if passed, would ban social media access for everyone under age fifteen, and ban phones from all schools. TikTok's New Year trend is punch cards for resolutions, making goals feel tangible and within reach. Now that they're all back from South Korea's mandatory military service, the K-pop band BTS has officially announced their fifth album, which is set to be released on March 20th. Videos saying "Your sign to not bring your boyfriend with you to watch The Housemaid" are drawing attention to an explicit scene with Sydney Sweeney and the male lead, Brandon Sklenar. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

We're ready to dive into 2026 and continue supporting you in ways that matter to you and the teens in your life. As you step into the new year and start thinking about your goals for your family and how to build deeper connections with the next generation, we've put together 5 conversation starters you can use to jump-start moments of depth and honesty. CT of the top 20 (Short and sweet) --> The 20 Biggest Cultural Events of 2025, PART 1: Top 20-11 --> The 20 Biggest Cultural Events of 2025, PART 2: Top 10 Roundtable of the top 20 (Here how we picked our favorites) --> The 20 Biggest Cultural Events of 2025, PART 1: Top 20-11 --> The 20 Biggest Cultural Events of 2025, PART 2: Top 10 Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

"I have two grandchildren, both teenagers, who have had smartphones since before they were 12. I am concerned by some of the behaviors you described in your Smartphone September podcasts. When I pick them up from school, their eyes are glued to their phones as soon as they get in the car and they get annoyed when I ask them questions about their day. Since we are not the parents, we have no control or even influence regarding their cellphone use. Yet we love them and are worried about what they are accessing on their phones. Any thoughts or suggestions?" - John Axis Resource --> An Experience on Everything Smartphone Podcast Episode --> What do we do about smartphones?!?! Click here --> for the Everything Smartphone Guide on Amazon   This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. Double your impact with End of Year Giving! Every dollar you give will be mathched dollar for dollar until the end of 2025! And for more resources, go to axis.org.  

At the end of every year, we take a few weeks to reset and reflect on everything that happened in culture over the past twelve months. We share our reflections with you in the form of our Top 20 Annual Countdown. This week, the Top 10! After much deliberation (heard in the Roundtable Episode) here is the list of the Top 10! 10. AI video slop (Sora, VEO3, Vibes) 9. Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show 8. The American Pope 7. Taylor Swift's engagement 6. Man's Best Friend by Sabrina Carpenter 5. Stranger Things season 5 4. A Minecraft Movie 3. 6-7 2. Videos of the assassination of Charlie Kirk on social media 1. KPop Demon Hunters   Double your impact with End of Year Giving! Every dollar you give will be mathched dollar for dollar until the end of 2025! Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

At the end of every year, we take a few weeks to reset and reflect on everything that happened in culture over the past twelve months. We share our reflections with you in the form of our Top 20 Annual Countdown. This week, the Top 10! Listen as Evan, CJ, and Irene make their case for the top spot! Double your impact with End of Year Giving! Every dollar you give will be mathched dollar for dollar until the end of 2025! Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Mike and Becky McNamee are the founders of Legacy of Faith, an organization dedicated to hosting retreats for grandparents who seek to leave a lasting spiritual legacy for future generations. Before founding Legacy of Faith, Mike served with the Navigators as General Manager of the Glen Eyrie Conference Center in Colorado Springs. Becky has devoted her life to being a loving wife, homemaker, homeschool mom, and proud Grammy. Together, they are blessed with three married children and six wonderful grandchildren.   ---> Learn mor about Legacy of Faith ---> See upcoming retreat dates Double your impact with End of Year Giving! Every dollar you give will be mathched dollar for dollar until the end of 2025! Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

At the end of every year, we take a few weeks to reset and reflect on everything that happened in culture over the past twelve months. We share our reflections with you in the form of our Top 20 Annual Countdown. This week, you'll receive 20-11; next week, you'll get the top ten. After much deliberation (heard in the Roundtable Episode) here is the list of the Top 20-11! 20. Hailey and Justin Bieber drama 19. The LA Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani winning the World Series 18. The rise of smartphone bans in schools 17. Forrest Frank breaking his back 16. The fall of Sydney Sweeney 15. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle 14. Labubu Dolls 13. Adolescence 12. The Coldplay concert cheating scandal 11. Season three of The Summer I Turned Pretty   --> Check out our Conversation Kit on Miracles Double your impact with End of Year Giving! Every dollar you give will be mathched dollar for dollar until the end of 2025! Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

At the end of every year, we take a few weeks to reset and reflect on everything that happened in culture over the past twelve months. We share our reflections with you in the form of our Top 20 Annual Countdown. This week, you'll receive 20-11; next week, you'll get the top ten. Listen as Evan, CJ, and Irene discuss their top picks! Moving 10 up and moving 10 down - 0:41 Ranking 20-11 - 27:55 Here is the Top 20-11: 20. Hailey and Justin Bieber drama 19. The LA Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani winning the World Series 18. The rise of smartphone bans in schools 17. Forrest Frank breaking his back16. The fall of Sydney Sweeney15. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle14. Labubu Dolls13. Adolescence12. The Coldplay concert cheating scandal 11. Season three of The Summer I Turned Pretty Double your impact with End of Year Giving! Every dollar you give will be mathched dollar for dollar until the end of 2025! Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.    

"Our oldest is a 14 year old boy so we're still newbies to parenting teens. Our 8th grader teen seems, in mom and dad's opinion, overly concerned with materialism (things like shoes and iphone model etc). We've heard that this is pretty typical for middle school boys; do teen boys tend to become less materialistic after middle school/once they're in high school? We try to talk with him about materialism not being a healthy priority but it doesn't seem to be sinking in yet." -  Sarah Scientific Paper --> Growing up in a Material World: Age Differences in Materialism Scientific Paper --> Effects of Materialism on Adolescents' Book Reference --> The Emotional Lives of Teenagers by Dr. Lisa Damour Axis Resource --> A Parent's Guide to Teen Identity   This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. Double your impact with End of Year Giving! Every dollar you give will be mathched dollar for dollar until the end of 2025! And for more resources, go to axis.org.  

 Three Big Conversations: TikTok's most-used sound in 2025 was a 63-year-old love song - 8:40  Netflix and Paramount are in a bidding war for Warner Bros. - 22:38 Hollywood might be having a "God moment." - 35:52 Song of the Week: "Santa Tell Me" - by Ariana Grande - 1:02 Click here for the lyrics. In Other News: - 52:20 Taylor Swift will officially conclude her Eras era today, releasing a six-episode docuseries about her record-setting tour as well as "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show," both streaming on Disney+. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York took several big steps toward resolving 1,300 sex abuse claims against clergy. Australia's blanket ban of social media for all users under 16 took effect on Wednesday. Pop-folk artist Noah Kahan is dropping hints about his next album, and considering the popularity of his 2022 release Stick Season, it could be one of the biggest releases of 2026. Pantone named "Cloud Dancer"—a shade of natural white—as its color for 2026, stating that the shade represents "a calming influence in a frenetic society." Double your impact with End of Year Giving! Every dollar you give will be mathched dollar for dollar until the end of 2025! Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

TikTok's most-used sound in 2025 was a 63-year-old love song, Netflix and Paramount are in a bidding war for Warner Bros., and Hollywood might be having a "God moment."  Song of the Week: "Santa Tell Me" - by Ariana Grande Click here for the lyrics. In Other News: Taylor Swift will officially conclude her Eras era today, releasing a six-episode docuseries about her record-setting tour as well as "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show," both streaming on Disney+. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York took several big steps toward resolving 1,300 sex abuse claims against clergy. Australia's blanket ban of social media for all users under 16 took effect on Wednesday. Pop-folk artist Noah Kahan is dropping hints about his next album, and considering the popularity of his 2022 release Stick Season, it could be one of the biggest releases of 2026. Pantone named "Cloud Dancer"—a shade of natural white—as its color for 2026, stating that the shade represents "a calming influence in a frenetic society." Double your impact with End of Year Giving! Every dollar you give will be mathched dollar for dollar until the end of 2025! Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.  

Justin Whitmel Earley is the creator of The Common Rule, a program of habits designed to form us in the love of God and neighbor. He is also a mergers and acquisitions lawyer in Richmond, Virginia. Justin and his wife, Lauren, have four sons.  Click here for The Common Rule Youth Edition: Growing Your Faith in a Distracted World. Click here for The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.    

Three Big Conversations: Season 5 of Stranger Things is already Netflix's biggest English-language release. - 09:08 2025 Black Friday shopping cost more but yielded less. - 29:30 Making sense of expensive Christmas wish lists for Gen Z and Gen Alpha. - 29:30 Song of the Week - "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee - 1:10 In Other News... 53:52 Oxford named "rage bait" as its word of the year and the internet immediately proved their point by fighting about it. It's officially "Wrapped" season as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Twitch, and many others put nice packaging on all the user-data they gathered this year. Sabrina Carpenter and the White House have beef. On Monday, the White House social media team posted a video of ICE agents making arrests with Carpenter's song, "Juno" playing in the background. Carpenter responded with disgust. Do you know the band Geese? Some are calling them "Gen Z's Nirvana" and the generation's "first great rock band." On TikTok, the word "genuinely" (language) has now become a comically overused way to emphasize anything and everything. Click to join our Advent for the Record Listening Experience! Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Season 5 of Stranger Things is already Netflix's biggest English-language release, 2025 Black Friday shopping cost more but yielded less, and making sense of expensive Christmas wish lists for Gen Z and Gen Alpha.   Song of the Week - "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee   In Other News... Oxford named "rage bait" as its word of the year and the internet immediately proved their point by fighting about it. It's officially "Wrapped" season as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Twitch, and many others put nice packaging on all the user-data they gathered this year. Sabrina Carpenter and the White House have beef. On Monday, the White House social media team posted a video of ICE agents making arrests with Carpenter's song, "Juno" playing in the background. Carpenter responded with disgust. Do you know the band Geese? Some are calling them "Gen Z's Nirvana" and the generation's "first great rock band." On TikTok, the word "genuinely" (language) has now become a comically overused way to emphasize anything and everything. Click to join our Advent for the Record Listening Experience! Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.  

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone here at Axis!  As part of our yearly tradition, instead of our normal issue of the Culture Translator, here are 15 conversation starters to help you make the most of time around the table with family and friends this year. Enjoy!   What's something you're really excited about right now?  What's the funniest trend or meme you've come across lately?  If you could permanently fix one issue in our culture, what would you choose?  What's one way you've changed this year?  If TEMU offered you $2,000 to represent their brand on your platform, would you do it?  What band or musician do you think is seriously overrated? What about underrated? Has anything you've watched, read, or listened to changed you this year? What was it and how did it change you?  What's one show that you think more people should watch?  Are there any new skills you're trying to develop, or want to try to develop? What's something you're looking forward to in 2026?  If you could be a social media influencer known for only one thing, what would that be?  Serious question: why do you think so many people started saying "67" this year? Why did that catch on?  Does a hot dog count as a sandwich? Why or why not?  When the history books mention 2025, what do you think will be included? What won't be?  How would you describe your relationship with God at this point in your life? Click to sign up for  our audio Advent experience, for the record—that launches on Sunday, November 30!   Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

"Could you speak to the subject of gossip? As we raise 2 girls this is something my husband and I talk about often. How can we explain the difference between venting and gossip? When does sharing about your day at school cross the line into gossip? How can we teach the idea of being loyal to the absent in the way we speak about others? When friends are gossiping, how can our kids redirect the conversation? How can our words be uplifting like we are called to in the Bible?" - Autumn Dr. Mayfield is a former pastor, award-winning author, speaker, certified master Christian coach, mental health counselor, and Assistant Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Colorado Christian University. To see more of Dr. Mayfield's resources click here. Click here to check out Dr. Mayfield's podcast - Mental Health Made simple This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. And for more resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: Celebrities are making cigarette smoking cool for a new generation - 9:50 Wicked 2 is poised to blow the box office back to Kansas - 26:54 This year's runaway bestseller is the Bible. - 37:28 Slang of the Week: "Cracked" - 1:10 In Other News: - 51:04 The United States House of Representatives and Senate almost unanimously agreed to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which now awaits President Trump's signature. A new study from Gallup found that in 2025, 40% of 15- to 44-year-old women would leave the U.S. permanently if given the opportunity (a slight decrease from 44% in 2024). The Game Awards has announced its nominations for 2025, with the turn-based role-playing game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 receiving 12 total nominations, more than any other game. Gaming company Valve has announced that it will release its own console, the "Steam Machine," which many expect to become a significant challenger to Xbox and PlayStation. The man who jumped the rope to embrace Ariana Grande at the Wicked: For Good movie premiere was sentenced to nine days in prison. Click to join the Pour Over's Newsletter We'd love to hear from you, fill out this form to share your Axis story. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Celebrities are making cigarette smoking cool for a new generation, Wicked 2 is poised to blow the box office back to Kansas, and this year's runaway bestseller is the Bible. Slang of the Week: "Cracked" In Other News: The United States House of Representatives and Senate almost unanimously agreed to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which now awaits President Trump's signature. A new study from Gallup found that in 2025, 40% of 15- to 44-year-old women would leave the U.S. permanently if given the opportunity (a slight decrease from 44% in 2024). The Game Awards has announced its nominations for 2025, with the turn-based role-playing game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 receiving 12 total nominations, more than any other game. Gaming company Valve has announced that it will release its own console, the "Steam Machine," which many expect to become a significant challenger to Xbox and PlayStation. The man who jumped the rope to embrace Ariana Grande at the Wicked: For Good movie premiere was sentenced to nine days in prison.   Click to join the Pour Over's Newsletter We'd love to hear from you, fill out this form to share your Axis story. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

This interview is with Sarah and Truman Wells, a mom and son who walked through a time of suicidal ideation together, and are now sharing their story together for the first time to help shed light on the real mental health issues that teens and parents are facing.  Axis Resources: Parent Guide to Suicide & Self-Harm Prevention How To Talk About Mental Health With Your Teen A Parent's Guide to Teen Emotion   Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.    

Three Big Conversations: The limited edition Bearista cup fosters true insanity. - 06:34  Article in Vogue suggests that "having a boyfriend is embarrassing,". - 15:04 The rising popularity of Contemporary Christian Music. - 35:50 Slang of the Week - "Twin" - 01:38 In Other News: - 57:18 The GRAMMY nominations were announced last week, with Gen Z and Alpha notables like sombr and KATSEYE being nominated for Best New Artist. MrBeast is launching a "Beast Land" theme park (in Saudi Arabia). The GOAT of League of Legends, Faker, led his team to their third consecutive World Championship win. The portion of actress Sydney Sweeney's interview with GQ where she was asked to apologize for her American Eagle ad has been turned into a meme format. Dictionary.com has announced its "Word of the Year," and we regret to inform you that it is "67." Click here to see Savannah Bananas - Your Way's Better Dance Click here for our Conversation Kit on Miracles. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

The limited edition Bearista cup fosters true insanity, an article in Vogue suggests that "having a boyfriend is embarrassing," and the rising popularity of Contemporary Christian Music. Slang of the Week - "Twin" In Other News: The GRAMMY nominations were announced last week, with Gen Z and Alpha notables like sombr and KATSEYE being nominated for Best New Artist. MrBeast is launching a "Beast Land" theme park (in Saudi Arabia). The GOAT of League of Legends, Faker, led his team to their third consecutive World Championship win. The portion of actress Sydney Sweeney's interview with GQ where she was asked to apologize for her American Eagle ad has been turned into a meme format. Dictionary.com has announced its "Word of the Year," and we regret to inform you that it is "67." Click here to see Savannah Bananas - Your Way's Better Dance Click here for our Conversation Kit on Miracles. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

"I need some help! My son is struggling to make friends at his new school and is running to video games. It's hard to get him to share and open up. He's not eating a lot, I think he might be depressed. What should I do?" - Justin Dr. Mayfield is a former pastor, award-winning author, speaker, certified master Christian coach, mental health counselor, and Assistant Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Colorado Christian University. To see more of Dr. Mayfield's resources click here. To check out Dr. Mayfield's click here. And for more resources, go to axis.org.  

Three Big Conversations: Tech company 1X debuts a $20,000 robot to help with chores around the house. - 18:30 Changes in SNAP eligibility requirements will impact minors. - 39:17 Teens say luxury is a feeling, not a price tag.- 48:24 Song of the Week - "Dracula" - Tame Impala - 1:20 Elsewhere in culture: - 58:16 The video game Arc Raiders had a  very successful launch, signaling a growing preference in gaming for the "extraction shooter."Spotify is being sued for using bots to artificially increase streaming numbers, with rapper Drake being named as an artist who benefited. Popular and problematic AI chatbot site character.ai ended the ability for teens to chat with bots, a restriction that is likely to be ineffective, based on… all of internet history. Popular publication Teen Vogue is being absorbed into Vogue, but Axis will continue to help you understand teen culture, fear not! The LA Dodgers won the World Series this week as viewership for America's pastime surged back after weaker numbers in previous years. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.  

Tech company 1X debuts a $20,000 robot to help with chores around the house, changes in SNAP eligibility requirements will impact minors, and teens say luxury is a feeling, not a price tag. Song of the Week - "Dracula" - Tame Impala Elsewhere in culture: The video game Arc Raiders had a very successful launch, signaling a growing preference in gaming for the "extraction shooter."Spotify is being sued for using bots to artificially increase streaming numbers, with rapper Drake being named as an artist who benefited. Popular and problematic AI chatbot site character.ai ended the ability for teens to chat with bots, a restriction that is likely to be ineffective, based on… all of internet history. Popular publication Teen Vogue is being absorbed into Vogue, but Axis will continue to help you understand teen culture, fear not! The LA Dodgers won the World Series this week as viewership for America's pastime surged back after weaker numbers in previous years. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

The Big Conversation: It is Mental Health November and we're releasing a whole suite of content aimed to helping parents and caring adults enter into conversations about mental health with wisdom for the next generation. Look in this feed for many more episodes with resources regarding this topic!  Click here for A Parents Guide to Anxiety Click here for Dr. Preston Sprinkle & Laurie Krieg on Helping Kids Navigate a Sexually Broken Culture Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: The new Frankenstein movie hits theaters. -  Deep-dive into the pornography-obsessed subculture known as "gooning,". - Why high-potency marijuana use is landing some users in the ER. -  Song of the Week - "The Fate of Ophelia" - Taylor Swift - Click here for the lyrics. -  Elsewhere in Culture: -  For the first time since 1990, there are no rap songs on the Billboard Top 40—marking the end of a 35-year streak. K-pop sensation BTS will end their three-year hiatus next year, embarking on a tour and releasing new music. A high school teacher went viral with a post on TikTok that showed the extreme way students reacted to his instruction to write a five-sentence paragraph.The as-yet-unidentified jewelry robbers who pulled off a heist at the Louvre were the topic of this week's social media fascination. YouTube is adding more content restrictions to better protect minors from encountering two types of content: online gambling and video games that depict graphic violence.  Check out our Ask Axis episode "How do I talk to my adult son about porn and screen addiction?" Check out Fight the New Drug for teens. Check out Pure Desire for adults. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.  

The new Frankenstein movie hits theaters, a deep-dive into the pornography-obsessed subculture known as "gooning," and why high-potency marijuana use is landing some users in the ER. Song of the Week - "The Fate of Ophelia" - Taylor Swift Click here for the lyrics. Elsewhere in Culture: For the first time since 1990, there are no rap songs on the Billboard Top 40—marking the end of a 35-year streak. K-pop sensation BTS will end their three-year hiatus next year, embarking on a tour and releasing new music. A high school teacher went viral with a post on TikTok that showed the extreme way students reacted to his instruction to write a five-sentence paragraph.The as-yet-unidentified jewelry robbers who pulled off a heist at the Louvre were the topic of this week's social media fascination. YouTube is adding more content restrictions to better protect minors from encountering two types of content: online gambling and video games that depict graphic violence. Check out our Ask Axis episode "How do I talk to my adult son about porn and screen addiction?" Check out Fight the New Drug for teens. Check out Pure Desire for adults. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

"My daughter was given a deck of tarot cards. She says that they are simply self refelction tools but there is a lot of information that says they are a dangerous form of divination. Can you elaborate on this and other popular practices that seem like witchcraft?" Click here for the book - The Gift of Being Yourself Click here for the Parents Guide to Hearding From God This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. And for more resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: Why TikTokers are talking about being in “Group 7”. - 9:00 A decrease in the number of young people self-identifying as trans and nonbinary. - 17:30 What it means that over half of the internet's articles are now written by AI. - 33:20 Resource of the Week -  Conversation Kit on Miracles - 02:18 Elsewhere in culture: - 52:54 Colleen Hoover, the #BookTok author of It Ends With Us, has another movie adaptation coming out this week called Regretting You. Twitch streamer Emiru was forcefully grabbed by a large man at TwitchCon, and has sworn off future participation in their conference because of how Twitch handled it. The massive power outage at AWS (Amazon Web Services), impacting the functionality of apps, banks, and alarm clocks (just to name a few), is sparking new conversations about the potential dangers of tech monopoly. MrBeast reportedly filed a trademark application for “MrBeast Financial,” leading many to suspect that Jimmy Donaldson's newest stunt might be starting his own bank. A trending meme uses a drawing of the White Rabbit (from Alice in Wonderland) pointing at a clock to joke about how much time people do (or don't) have left. Click here for the Interview Dr. Jean Twenge on 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Why TikTokers are talking about being in “Group 7,” a decrease in the number of young people self-identifying as trans and nonbinary, and what it means that over half of the internet's articles are now written by AI. Resource of the Week -  Conversation Kit on Miracles Elsewhere in culture: Colleen Hoover, the #BookTok author of It Ends With Us, has another movie adaptation coming out this week called Regretting You. Twitch streamer Emiru was forcefully grabbed by a large man at TwitchCon, and has sworn off future participation in their conference because of how Twitch handled it. The massive power outage at AWS (Amazon Web Services), impacting the functionality of apps, banks, and alarm clocks (just to name a few), is sparking new conversations about the potential dangers of tech monopoly. MrBeast reportedly filed a trademark application for “MrBeast Financial,” leading many to suspect that Jimmy Donaldson's newest stunt might be starting his own bank. A trending meme uses a drawing of the White Rabbit (from Alice in Wonderland) pointing at a clock to joke about how much time people do (or don't) have left. Click here for the Interview Dr. Jean Twenge on 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

After earning a journalism degree at the University of Missouri, Strobel was awarded a Ford Foundation fellowship to study at Yale Law School, where he received a Master of Studies in Law degree. For fourteen years he was a journalist at the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers, winning Illinois' top honors for investigative reporting (which he shared with a team he led) and public service journalism from United Press International. He is a New York Times bestselling author whose books have sold millions of copies worldwide. We'll be talking today primarily about his new book Seeing the Supernatural: Investigating Angels, Demons, Mystical Dreams, Near-Death Encounters, and Other Mysteries of the Unseen World. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: #WitchTok is upset at Crock-Pot for not releasing a cauldron. - 07:50 New studies about how spiritual yearning changes with age. - 21:35 Sora becomes the most-downloaded free app in the Apple App Store. - 38:33 Meme of the Week: “The lion does not concern himself…” The phrase “the lion does not concern himself with [thing X]” has been gaining popularity on TikTok and Instagram over the last few weeks. The phrase itself entered the lexicon thanks to Game of Thrones. However, in recent days, it's turned into an ironic way to justify personal preferences (Ex. “The lioness does not concern herself with onions on her In-N-Out burgers.”) or avoiding basic responsibilities (Ex. “The lion does not concern himself with folding laundry.”). Elsewhere in culture:  Streamer and political commentator Hasan Piker sparked controversy in the streaming world after he appeared to use a shock collar on his dog while streaming. The new EA game Battlefield 6 is having a very successful first week, setting it up to potentially dethrone Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 as the go-to first-person-shooter this holiday season. Popular shonen anime My Hero Academia begins its final season this weekend. In fact, it's a big season for season premieres of popular anime in general. Swifties are up-in-arms over Taylor Swift's alleged use of AI in her promo videos for her new album The Life of a Showgirl. Instagram announced a policy going into effect later this year that attempts to limit teens' accounts to only show content that would appear in PG-13 movies, a rating system Meta called "familiar to parents.” Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

#WitchTok is upset at Crock-Pot for not releasing a cauldron, new studies about how spiritual yearning changes with age, and Sora becomes the most-downloaded free app in the Apple App Store. Meme of the Week: “The lion does not concern himself…”  The phrase “the lion does not concern himself with [thing X]” has been gaining popularity on TikTok and Instagram over the last few weeks. The phrase itself entered the lexicon thanks to Game of Thrones. However, in recent days, it's turned into an ironic way to justify personal preferences (Ex. “The lioness does not concern herself with onions on her In-N-Out burgers.”) or avoiding basic responsibilities (Ex. “The lion does not concern himself with folding laundry.”). Elsewhere in culture:  Streamer and political commentator Hasan Piker sparked controversy in the streaming world after he appeared to use a shock collar on his dog while streaming. The new EA game Battlefield 6 is having a very successful first week, setting it up to potentially dethrone Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 as the go-to first-person-shooter this holiday season. Popular shonen anime My Hero Academia begins its final season this weekend. In fact, it's a big season for season premieres of popular anime in general. Swifties are up-in-arms over Taylor Swift's alleged use of AI in her promo videos for her new album The Life of a Showgirl. Instagram announced a policy going into effect later this year that attempts to limit teens' accounts to only show content that would appear in PG-13 movies, a rating system Meta called "familiar to parents.” Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.  

"My daughter has been trying to wear the gothic style in her clothes and makeup. I have explained several times the roots of this fashion but she doesn't believe me. How could I help her to understad and to follow the Bible messages about all this stuff?" - Laura Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: The AI-generated “actress” Tilly Norwood sparks controversy in the film industry. - 9:48 The band HUNTR/X from Kpop Demon Hunters makes its live debut. - 24:44  Our review of Taylor Swift's newest album The Life of a Showgirl. - 39:00 Resource of the Week: The Conversation Starter, Just One Weird Trick to Manifest Your Dreams And Ruin Your Life - 2:00 Elsewhere in culture: - 55:36 Lebron James baited the world by announcing a “Second Decision” which ended up not being his retirement, but just an alcohol promotion. Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to over four years of prison, wrapping up (at least in terms of verdict) a very public and very scandalous trial. OpenAI's video tooI, Sora 2, is out in the world, and it's full of slop and copyrighted material. The meme phrase “The lion does not concern himself with…” followed by (usually) an innocuous task someone doesn't like to do has been rising in popularity on TikTok. Netflix has renewed One Piece through season 3, keeping the Straw Hat Crew's story of loyalty and found family alive for its growing teen fanbase. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

The AI-generated “actress” Tilly Norwood sparks controversy in the film industry, the band HUNTR/X from Kpop Demon Hunters makes its live debut, and our review of Taylor Swift's newest album The Life of a Showgirl. Resource of the Week: The Conversation Starter, which is all about the difference between manifesting and prayer. Elsewhere in culture: Lebron James baited the world by announcing a “Second Decision” which ended up not being his retirement, but just an alcohol promotion. Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to over four years of prison, wrapping up (at least in terms of verdict) a very public and very scandalous trial. OpenAI's video tooI, Sora 2, is out in the world, and it's full of slop and copyrighted material. The meme phrase “The lion does not concern himself with…” followed by (usually) an innocuous task someone doesn't like to do has been rising in popularity on TikTok. Netflix has renewed One Piece through season 3, keeping the Straw Hat Crew's story of loyalty and found family alive for its growing teen fanbase. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Melissa Dougherty is a Christian apologist best known for her YouTube channel with over 285,000 subscribers and counting. Her videos, which primarily cover New Age and New Thought, have been viewed over 18 million times. Melissa is highly regarded and connected in the apologetics community. She has a bachelor's degree in religious studies from Southern Evangelical Seminary, where she's also pursuing her master's degree in religious studies. We'll be talking today primarily about her new book, Happy Lies: How a Movement You (Probably) Never Heard of Shaped our Self-Obsessed World. Click HERE for Melissa's New Book. Click HERE for Melissa's Youtube Channel. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. For more parenting resources, go to axis.org.