Unlearning Youth Group

Less than 5% of podcasts make it to 100 episodes.So forgive us if we take a minute to celebrate getting to this milestone.In our super self-indulgent 100th episode, we take a look back at the impact our show has made in the lives of listeners over the last four years.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI notice: our outro was created with Suno using AIThe intro theme song is used with permission from the artist. It's High School by 90's Kids. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We truly believe Christians can follow Jesus together while disagreeing on how we apply our faith to politics. We even believe we can disagree with respect and dignity.But what's happening in our current culture is making it hard to love some of our neighbors around us.And while it's the politics that we see on the surface, it's the outright mean-spirited nature driving those politics and the rhetoric around them that makes it so hard to love those neighbors.This week we have an honest conversation about where we stand, why it's so hard to love them, and what it looks like moving forward in this climate.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.Our intro/outro music was created using AI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cancers usually grow inside you without you noticing they're there. You often don't even know they exist until it's a major issue. That's American individualism within the evangelical church. In today's Evangelical Culture, many would see the Gospel-inspired collectivism of Acts 2 as socialism. We are at the point where the literal Pope had to speak up because American Christians were trying to redefine what loving your neighbor meant into a more individualist view.This week we talk about how that's impacted the church as a whole and how even the most aware people have to take part in the blame. __________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI Notice: our intro/outro music was made with Suno using AI Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If we're honest, Jesus didn't make this easy for us. There were things he did and didn't do that make following him harder. There are things he still does today that don't necessarily make sense or feel good.We're still going to choose to follow him despite those things, but if we're going to have an authentic relationship with him, we have to at least admit those things exist.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI Notice - our intro/outro music was made by Suno using AI Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We hear a lot about thoughts and prayers in our culture. But if we're honest, prayer alone isn't enough. The single biggest way God chooses to work on earth is through the action - alongside the prayers - of people.This week we talk about that reality along with how our prayer life should change the way we view the world as well as the things we care about.And we play this season's favorite game: What unChristian executive order or policy statement was said this week?!__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI notice - our intro/outro was made with Suno using AI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the evangelical church - especially the version that's so overbearing today - we're taught we have to be in lock step with every position and not question any of them. After all, the Bible is clear about them all, right?!But that's not the way actual life and faith work.In reality, there are many theological positions I wish I was wrong about. In this episode, we get super honest – and only a little bit silly – about some of those positions.After all, faith is about trusting even when we don't get it, right? Jesus never said we had to like or agree with everything, only that we trust him.And we can trust him while hoping we're wrong.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI Notice - our intro/outro music is created by Suno using AI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heads up before you press play:If you're currently processing the loss of a loved one, this episode might not be for you. To be completely transparent: this episode talks about death, dying, and losing family members. It also talks about the fears and anxieties we have around those issues as we grow older.The first 7-8 minutes or so includes some humor around death and dying, but if you can push past the immature bad jokes, there's also a really honest and candid conversation about how we know Heaven will be great, and we know one day with Jesus is better than 1,000 elsewhere, but if we're honest, we don't want to experience those things anytime soon.Hopefully you enjoy this week, but if it's not for you, we totally get it and hope you'll come back next week.PS - Jonathan is all good. Doc said it was mainly a formality and for genetic testing. __________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI Notice - our intro/outro is AI generated through Suno. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To kick off Season 12, we're introducing a series of honest conversations we think people are feeling but aren't having starting with a simple idea:I'd trust Jesus a lot more if it didn't require trusting other Christians.We know we haven't been hurt by Jesus, but many of us have been hurt by other Christians. Sometimes that hurt was intentional, but more often than not it's been unintentional because people are, well, people.__________________If you want to send in a story for our 100th episode, send them to hello@tensionpodcast.com or to Jonathan on Instagram (instagram.com/jonathan_carone).__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI Notice - our intro/outro music was created using Suno. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By every metric, the American Evangelical church is not in a healthy place. We've spent the last few months talking about how Cultural Christianity is killing the American church. So now we ask - can it even recover from Cultural Christianity?In this bonus episode, we talk about four things we believe are needed for the American Evangelical church to heal.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI notice - our intro/outro music was created using AI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So the election happened...And not too long after it, we saw the wave of social media posts deify Donald Trump as God's chosen savior of our country along with any number of messages filled with mean-spirited language about people who voted for Kamala Harris.If you're like us, that's left you feeling some sort of way.In this bonus episode recorded two days after the election, we talk through a framework of how we can process what we're feeling and move forward in the tensions between how we believe we should apply our faith to the culture around us and the way a large portion of the evangelical church has decided to apply theirs.PS - the whole episode can be summed up in the final 30-seconds. We think the entire thing is good, but fast forward there if you just want the cliff notes.__________________Our definitions of cultural Christianity:Spiritually immature Christians who have been discipled more by evangelical culture than the actual Bible.and/orChristians who are more concerned with applying their Christian preferences to the culture than they are in achieving unity in Christ with those who may have different preferences.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've tried to stay fairly reserved all season, but this week some emotions came out that have been boiling under the surface.In this episode you'll see two completely different views of how the rise of Donald Trump has impacted us when it comes to our Christian faith. Whether it's the deification of the man, the hijacking of prophetic gifts, or how we view things overall, this episode shows how the current conservative political movement has hit both of us individually.You won't agree with everything - and some of it might even be a turn-off for you - but this is our raw response to where we are in today's climate.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI Notice - we use AI for our intro/outro music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you know 1/3 of all adults who grew up in church but have since left said pastoral sex scandals played a significant role in their decision to leave?Over the past 15 years, we've seen cover up after cover up within the American church. And it's all for the same reason: churches were scared of losing their cultural influence if they fired the pastor who abused his position.This week we talk about how this has impacted evangelical culture, what a healthier approach would be, and what actual restoration looks like.Content warning: we do go into some details on a few of the scandals. If that's not content you would like to hear, we suggest you skip 8:52 - 12:57.8:52 - discussion of scandals starts12:57 - details are done, you can come back__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI notice - our theme song is AI generated using Suno. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When it comes to cultural Christianity, so much of it comes down to an actual lack of trust in Jesus.If/when we trust Jesus, we believe he'll do what he says he will do and aren't so dang scared of everything.But when we don't trust him, we feel like it's up to us to protect everything and to fight for things he never told us to fight for.This week we talk about how that idea plays out in real life while somehow mentioning Wendy Peffercorn while also relating Jesus to David Hasselhoff on Baywatch.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI notice: our intro/outro music was created by AI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gen Z is the least religious generation in American history. As of 2022, 44% of Gen Z claimed to have no relationship with religion at all.In the 5th episode of our season looking at how Cultural Christianity is killing the American church, we make the case that an incomplete gospel combined with bad end times theology is the leading thing driving Gen Z to be uninterested in church.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI notice: the intro and outdo music is AI generated.__________________Resources referenced in the show:https://religioninpublic.blog/2023/04/03/gen-z-and-religion-in-2022/https://sojo.net/articles/sponsored/1-million-leaving-church-every-year-gen-z-faithless-generationhttps://relevantmagazine.com/magazine/how-gen-z-will-shape-the-church/https://unitedwaynca.org/blog/gen-z-activism-survey/https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/12/08/about-four-in-ten-u-s-adults-believe-humanity-is-living-in-the-end-times/https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/11/17/how-religion-intersects-with-americans-views-on-the-environment/https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/politics-and-religion/article/religious-ideology-race-and-health-care-policy-attitudes/C7882B114833DA3B437FEE106A14FD47 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The issue we discuss this week is a subtle, nuanced one you don't notice until a light is shined on it. What started with good intentions - telling people how Jesus has helped us - has evolved into a culture where we (unintentionally?) give off the impression we are more concerned with converting people than actually caring for them.In this episode we look at how we got to where we are today, fully acknowledge the good intentions that led to bad results, and introduce an idea for a more complete application of the gospel.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.Our intro/outro music has been AI generated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you know only 7% of people who had an abortion felt comfortable talking to *anyone* at church before making their decision? If that's not bad enough, only 3 in 10 believe the Church is a safe place to discuss pregnancy options (including parenting, abortion, and adoption).Why don't people who have had an abortion feel comfortable in the American Church? What is it about us that makes them feel unsafe?This week we continue our look at how Cultural Christianity is killing the American Church by discussing how the way we talk about abortion within the Church is hurting those who have been impacted by it the most.Articles we reference:https://www.focusonthefamily.com/pro-life/abortion/survey-women-go-silently-from-church-to-abortion-clinic/ https://deeperstill.org/roe-triggers/ __________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI notice: the song at the beginning and end of the episode is AI generated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here's a stat for you: since 2008, moderates have left the Southern Baptist Convention at a 40% higher rate than the overall decline of the SBC.This season we're looking at how cultural Christianity is killing the American Church. In this week's episode, we dive into how moderates - both politically and theologically - have been pushed out of the American Evangelical church.Articles we reference:https://www.prri.org/research/religious-change-in-america/https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/the-state-of-the-southern-baptisthttps://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/southern-baptists-are-more-conservative__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI notice: the song at the beginning and end of the episode is AI generated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The American Church is in decline. Since 2013, the percentage of Americans claiming to be religiously unaffiliated has risen by 5%. During that same time, the percentage of Americans who said religion is either most important or among the most important things in their life dropped from 72% to 53%.So what's causing the decline?In the newest season of Tension, we make the argument that Cultural Christianity is what's killing the American Church. In this episode, we lay the groundwork for the next seven episodes where we'll discuss an element of Cultural Christianity each week and talk about how it's having negative impacts on the American Church.Articles we reference:https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-04-07/trump-s-brand-of-christian-conservatism-is-driving-people-from-churchhttps://www.prri.org/research/religious-change-in-america/__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.threads.net/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.threads.net/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.AI notice: the song at the beginning and end of the episode is AI generated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You've heard it said by Christian influencers and hyper partisans: you can't be a Christian and vote for a democrat.We don't agree with that. We believe the Gospel doesn't fit into one American political party and that Bible believing, Jesus loving people can disagree on how we apply our faith to government.In this episode, we walk through a Biblically focused grid to show how we came to the conclusion that we would be voting for certain democrats this fall. This episode is not to convince you that voting Democrat makes you more of a Christian or that voting Republican makes you less of a Christian. It's simply to show how an honest look at the Bible can result in different applications.NOTE: this episode was recorded before the assassination attempt of President Trump. That shouldn't impact any of the content, but we wanted to clarify for anyone who may have wanted that context. __________________Timestamps:9:04 - We all negotiate our faith10:48 - Step 1: Determine what the role of government is from a biblical perspective.14:49 - Democracy and forms of government in the Bible18:14 - It is not your religious duty to vote31:55 - What does the Bible say about taxes?40:56 - Step 2: Determine the issues you believe most accomplishes the role of government.41:59 - Jonathan's answer to what most accomplishes the role of government43:47 - Eric's answer to what most accomplishes the role of government51:51 - Step 3: Determine which candidates align with your priorities to accomplish the role of government.1:00:18 - How the Bible says we should approach those with a different political preference__________________Andy Stanley sermon Eric references:https://youtu.be/vga6t63XGcQ?si=ph0X-HLuOOLWRmmD__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712Email us:Hello@TensionPodcast.com__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.__________________The music in this episode was AI generated using Suno.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many of us who are trying to live in the tensions of our faith, we have come to places where what we're learning today is different from what we've learned in our past. In the final episode of season ten, we talk about how it's okay to change your mind on issues as you learn new things and come to new understandings. We also discuss the amount of bravery it takes to approach your faith in a way that asks the hard questions.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712Email us:Hello@TensionPodcast.com__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This one is either going to alienate all our viewers or finally give words to what many of you are feeling.Building on last week's episode about studying scripture in its original context, this week Jonathan shares his journey of how studying the pro-life scriptures he was taught growing up in their full context led him to becoming pro-choice. It's a nuanced conversation but one that feels culturally relevant for many of us trying to figure out how to apply our faith to the culture around us.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712Email us:hello@tensionpodcast.com__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let us go ahead and say it up front: this one gyat a little thick on the back end. We may have packed in a little too much junk in the trunk.All booty puns aside - this week we're sitting down (sorry!) to talk about one of the biggest issues we face today: pulling scripture out of its original context to justify our personal preferences and beliefs.We use the click bait of the title to pull you in before shifting to a conversation we really think you'll enjoy.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712Email us:hello@tensionpodcast.com__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's been a lot of talk recently about the femininity of the American church. In this week's episode of the podcast, we answer an important question a listener sent in:What the heck does Biblical masculinity look like?__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712Email us:hello@tensionpodcast.com__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is it so dang hard for people to love their neighbor? It seems like on of Jesus's easiest commands. But if 'love your neighbor' is so easy, why do we suck at it so often?This week we look at two ends of the pendulum for why it's hard to love our neighbor and try to find a way to get better at it.Article referenced in the show__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tupac told us only God can judge us.But does the Bible actually say that?This week we expand on how we love people like Jesus and look at what the Bible says about "judging" other people.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You hear it all the time - we just wanna love people like Jesus.But what does that actually look like?This week we look at the tension between speaking truth and loving people and look at how Jesus did both as our example moving forward.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's got cooler clothes and a better marketing plan than the prosperity gospel we grew up around, but it's potentially just as dangerous.In the opener to Season 10, we talk about how the American church has swung the pendulum from young, restless and reformed all the way to the other side and how we live in the tension between the two.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month we're not tackling anything controversial or hard hitting. Instead, we talk about what it looks like to find contentment in the midst of life's anxieties and how a simple biblical phrase can take on new meaning.And we give you an update on the future of the show.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you know only 12% of evangelicals cited the Bible as their primary influence when thinking about immigration? Evangelicals turn to the media to form their views on the topic more than they rely on the Bible, their local church, or Christian leaders - combined.So how should Christians approach the southern border crisis and immigration? This week we talk through three basic ideas straight from the Bible so we all can live in the tension between loving God's people and supporting political policy.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712Email us at Hello@TensionPodcast.com.__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you grew up in the evangelical movement, you've heard it said that Christians vote Republican. The only problem with that is 86% of Black Christians vote Democrat. So which is it?In this month's episode, we talk about why we believe it's not theology that influences our view of government, but rather something else and how ultimately it's okay for followers of Jesus to disagree on political issues.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712__________________References and Sources:Holy Post: Why do White Christians vote Republican and Black Christians vote Democrat?PRRI: Exploring the diverse religious and political affiliations of Hispanic AmericansPew: Religion and PoliticsNYT: Trump is connecting with a different type of evangelical voterPew: More White Americans adopted than shed Evangelical label during Trump PresidencyHumankind: A Hopeful History - Rutger Bregman__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You all sent in so many amazing questions for our Culture War Mailbag that we couldn't get to all of them in that Q&A episode. We're back this month with a bonus episode answering:(10:04) What's the role of apologetics in our faith and how do we keep from turning into debate bros?(19:41) How do we approach those who hold different Christian beliefs than we do?(35:20) What do we do with the teaching of former pastors who have now left the faith?(43:40) How do we respond to a church leadership change that impacts the DNA of the church?(49:48) How do I find a new church in today's climate?Plus Jonathan goes on a rant about barbecue and sings a college fight song for some ungodly reason.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712Email us:hello@tensionpodcast.com__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This isn't the bonus episode we thought we'd be making this week but it's the one we felt like we needed to make.This week, as we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, we wanted to pull back the curtain and have a candid conversation about mental health and some of the stigmas around it, especially in the church. In this episode, Jonathan opens up about the anxieties he's been dealing with and all the emotions he's gone through while processing that. We also talk about how we can better respond to those who trust us with what they're going through.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.tiktok.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.tiktok.com/@ericw712Email us:hello@tensionpodcast.com__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eric has been asking to do this episode for two dang years. So in true Halloween fashion, he's playing the role of host and Jonathan is playing the role of Eric.But seriously - this is a topic people always talk about each year. You've probably already read at least one rant on Facebook about it. This week we close out season eight with a conversation about how Christians should view Halloween, the freedom we have in Jesus, and more importantly how Jesus has come to redeem and restore everything - even Halloween.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We invited you to send in your culture war questions and goodness, you did.In this week's episode, we're talking Israel, former President Trump, cultural marxism, churches who have been politically co-opted, something about Hobby Lobby, and Eric goes on another rant.Plus we discuss how we approach our church's leadership if we feel they've gone too far one way or the other, how to support friends who may have fallen down the Christian nationalism rabbit hole, and cultural marxism.There's a lot in here this week.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are pastors who have done terrible things. There are Christian organizations who have engaged in horrible practices. But despite those things, they have still produced things that were good - strong, biblical based teaching; engaging mission work; great music.What do we do with those things though? Do we have to throw them out because of who was responsible for them? Or can we still engage with them?This week we talk through how we should approach the good "fruit" from people and organizations who have done terrible things.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're in or around the church space in America, you've heard of all the scandals that have happened in recent years. From Driscoll to the Duggars, Hillsong to Harvest, there have been scandals, cover ups, and all sorts of general yucky-ness.But why do these keep happening?How does the same story play out over and over and over?This week we use our background on church staffs to look at three reasons church scandals and cover ups keep occurring.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've all been taught our culture is at war with Christianity. But what if it's not? What if our culture doesn't even care about Christianity anymore? How does that change things?This week we talk about what we believe is the real enemy of the church today and how that perspective shift impacts how we interact with the culture at large.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.__________________References:https://careynieuwhof.com/why-andy-stanley-is-right-about-reaching-post-christians/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On one side of the aisle, you have Christians who want to ignore the things going on around us in the name of "just preaching the Gospel."On the other, you've got Christians who want to ignore core tenets of church history while focusing on "just loving like Jesus."But what if both sides of the tension had some truth in them?And what if we all were honest about our biases going into these conversations?This week we talk about how dishonest the entire conversation around "woke" Christianity has become and try to find the way forward in the midst of the culture war going on around us.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you've been in the church for any length of time, you know we've been boycotting things since before boycotting was considered canceling. After all, the evangelical boycott of a company and the secular canceling of a person is essentially the same thing.But where did boycotts originate from? And is there a better way to approach how we interact with the world around us?This week we talk about the hypocrisy surrounding our current boycott culture and give you a new way to look at how you support companies and entertainers in our society.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.__________________References:https://relevantmagazine.com/current/nation/the-forgotten-history-of-the-american-churchs-most-successful-boycott/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our culture, we have two groups on the extremes who are at war with each other. One side is waging war against anything that doesn't explicitly promote white, evangelical Christian fundamentalism. The other views any type of religious conviction as bigotry and hatred.This week we talk about how people trying to authentically follow Jesus survive this war.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons.__________________References:https://providencemag.com/2023/02/a-tale-of-two-culture-wars/https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/march-web-only/russell-moore-ct-culture-wars-woke-evangelicals-scripture.htmlhttps://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/april-web-only/holy-week-good-friday-cross-christ-evangelical-culture-wars.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The way we view church has changed. The average "committed" church goer attends less than two Sundays per month and that number is quickly approaching only once per month. On top of that, of the people who *do* go to church, 40% are now going to a different church than they went to before the pandemic.That begs a few questions:Do we even need to go to church?What's the point of going if I can watch online?How do I find a new church?We close out season 7 looking at one perspective shift that will help answer all those questions and give all of us a different view of what church should be than many of us were taught growing up.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.tiktok.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.tiktok.com/@ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk a lot about the problems in the evangelical church in America. In today's episode, we dive into the root of so many of those issues and give you a perspective shift that will change how you read the Bible and view Christianity.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.tiktok.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.tiktok.com/@ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If the last few years have taught us anything, it's that we're all walking around with layers of grief we aren't processing. We've lost loved ones in the pandemic. We've lost friends to the changes in our culture. We've lost ... you fill in the blank.And as Christians, we're never really taught what to do with our grief. Most of us are taught to just give it to Jesus and move on. But is that healthy? Is that biblical?This week we look at the tension between wallowing in our grief and simply moving past it while seeing how Jesus processed losing his own loved ones.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.tiktok.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.tiktok.com/@ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the martyr obsession of the late 90s to the culture war fighters of today, the church - especially in America - has this weird obsession with being persecuted.But are we actually persecuted? Or does the culture at large just no longer represent us in the majority? In this week's episode, we talk about how we live in the tension between a society that is no longer predominately Christian while still holding to our beliefs and convictions.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.tiktok.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.tiktok.com/@ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We can't do a season without hitting on Purity Culture at least once!Boys who grew up in church were taught to bounce their eyes when looking at girls because, y'know, every girl is a sexual temptation just by existing.How do we stop viewing the opposite sex as sexual first as opposed to just a fellow human since 99.9% of the humans on this planet are not going to be the person you are supposed to sexualize? __________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.tiktok.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.tiktok.com/@ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week is the three year anniversary of George Flloyd's murder that kicked off a summer of racial unrest. During that time we all lived in the tension of one side saying to support police no matter what and the other side saying all cops are bad.But what does the Bible actually say about policing?How do we balance advocating for reform and equal protection for all people with supporting law enforcement?__________________Watch on YouTube:https://youtu.be/4e3mp1_m7HwFollow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.tiktok.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.tiktok.com/@ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the church, we often focus on the mind (knowledge) or on our actions (behavior) but never about the thing that influences those two (emotions).Because we should cling to the truth of scripture, we were taught to completely ignore the the idea that people make decisions based on the way they feel. This week we look at the two extremes (knowledge is everything on one side with behavior being supreme on the other) before looking at how we can process our emotions in the tension between Biblical knowledge and Christ like behavior.__________________Watch on YouTube:https://youtu.be/23mdPUJC8foFollow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.tiktok.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.tiktok.com/@ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group for the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we begin to take a fresh look at our faith, it's easy to go from the religious fundamentalism we grew up around and turn that into fundamentalism against Christianity.In the first episode of our new format, we look at the tension between deconstructing our faith and deconverting from it and how we have to decide if we're deconstructing the toxic parts we grew up around while trying to find Jesus or are we trying to leave the people who hurt you and are doing things we disagree with.__________________Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.tiktok.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.tiktok.com/@ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712__________________Tension was called Unlearning Youth Group in the first six seasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After our episode on Christians and alcohol last season, we got a lot of questions about cannabis use as Christians. Today we attempt to tackle that topic while also giving you a gigantic, life altering announcement about the show.If you don't care about weed but want to hear about the announcement, fast forward to 24 minutes.Love you, bye.__________________Watch on YouTube:https://youtu.be/gcRMkb4QHwU Get merch: https://unlearningyouthgroup.com/Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.tiktok.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.tiktok.com/@ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712Show theme song: High School - 90's Kids Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The church is supposed to be a place of refuge - one where we can follow Jesus together with other believers.But unfortunately that isn't always the case.This week we give four responses for you to walk through as you begin to process the hurt you've experienced.For a FREE week of Better Help (not sponsored): http://www.unlearningyouthgroup.com/helpPS - a couple four letter words slipped out in a phrase towards the end. Nothing major - and none of the *bad* ones - but wanted you to be aware before you jumped in.__________________Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-x3gAiRHh4cGet merch or share your funny youth group stories: https://unlearningyouthgroup.com/Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.tiktok.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.tiktok.com/@ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712Show theme song: High School - 90's Kids Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It seems like everywhere we look, people are talking about how they've been hurt by the church. Many of us have experienced it ourselves.But how should we respond when someone tells us the church has hurt them?This week we give you three ways to respond when you're having those conversations.__________________Watch on Youtube:https://youtu.be/dFJ2GOASNN8Get your merch or submit a funny youth group story at: https://unlearningyouthgroup.com/Follow us on social:http://instagram.com/jonathan_caronehttp://instagram.com/ericw712https://www.tiktok.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.tiktok.com/@ericw712https://www.twitter.com/@jonathan_caronehttps://www.twitter.com/@ericw712Show theme song: High School - 90's Kids Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.