Podcasts about cpyu

In a recent article from the folks at Lifeway, I was reminded of the importance of training our kids to use physical paper Bibles rather than depending on our smartphones and other screens. We do know that when we read on a screen, we read differently than we do on the printed page. Screen-reading does not facilitate the kind of line-by-line deep reading that occurs on the printed page. In the article, Tim Pollard from Lifeway offers up some helpful reasons for using a paper Bible. He says it makes the Bible physical and tangible. It minimizes distractions. The text is prevented from changing. A paper Bible doesn't run out of battery. It reinforces the sanctity of the Scriptures. Memory is enhanced. Readers can see how the canon of Scripture is organized and how the books of the Bible are structured, which provides context for what we are reading. In addition, it facilitates focus and note-taking. Here at CPYU we encourage you and your kids to use a physical, ink-on-paper Bible!

The new Netflix four-part drama series Adolescence has received rave reviews. Here at CPYU we have watched it, and we applaud the way it raises so many of the issues and problems facing teenagers and their families today. If you've already watched Adolescence, we encourage you to keep listening, and if you haven't we recommended taking the time to watch before listening to this episode of our podcast. If you care about kids, the Adolescence mini-series is one we highly recommend, and it's what we are talking about on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

If you're like me and you lament the decline in the quality of popular music since the days when you were a teenager, there's actually some new research indicating that your lament is not simply based on your personal listening preferences. Rather, there has been a change in popular music that's not something we should be celebrating. Europeon researchers recently took on the task of analyzing the words in more than twelve thousand English language songs from the years 1980 to 2020, all from a variety of genres including pop, R and B, country, rap and rock. What did they discover? Not only are songs becoming simpler and more repetitive in their construction, but there has been a decrease in positive messages, and an increase in lyrics that are self-centered, angry, and sad. Here at CPYU we say that music is both a map and a mirror. As a mirror, it tells us what's happening in the lives of our kids. As a map, it tells them how to live. Once again, we learn that our kids need the hope of the Gospel.

Over the course of our years studying youth culture here at CPYU, there are a host of films that have offered us helpful peeks into the adolescent experience. One of the most provocative of those films is 1985's The Breakfast Club. As the fortieth anniversary of the film is coming up, it's amazing how well the film still captures the realities of teenage life. Today, I chat with a couple of youth workers about how The Breakfast Club is still very moving, and in many ways timeless, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

It was back in January of 2007 that Apple CEO Steve Jobs spoke prophetic words to the attendees at the Macworld Conference. Jobs famously said, “Every once in a while, a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything.” He was talking about the smartphone, a device that has changed just about everything. Stick with us as we have a youth worker roundtable conversation about the latest findings on teens, tech, and social media, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.We begin the podcast with a fun discussion about music. Then CPYU Research Fellows and Youth Workers, Jason Engle, Kerry Trunfio, Tim McAlpine, and new CPYU staff John Barry, talk about the U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health. We take a look at some of the data it points to, as well as practical ways the insights can impact our ministries. We also look at a few trends and news stories from the world of teens and technology and discuss how to approach the issues biblically.

Here at CPYU we are always telling parents that there are three essential elements to a healthy, biblically-based response to an alarming youth culture trend. First, when we realize that something is trending, we are to exercise a prophetic influence by speaking Scripture related to the trend into our teen's life. Second, we are to exert a preventive influence by establishing borders and boundaries designed to protect our kids from harming themselves while providing for their well-being. And finally, when our kids fall prey to the trends and enter into making poor decisions that lead to bad habits and sinful behavior, we must do all that we can to help them experience recovery from the consequences of their choices while moving them to a place of repentance and restoration as they own their mistakes and experience grace. This is the redemptive influence we are called to have. Parents, fulfill your responsibility to parent well with a balance of the prophetic, preventive, and the redemptive.

One of our Research Fellows here at CPYU, Dr. Jason Engle, wrote one of our CPYU Parent Prompts on youth sports and church participation. Jason tells us that for families with young athletes, the pressure to participate in travel and club teams continues to intensify, with parents having to make difficult decisions about whether or not their child will participate on a Sunday morning. Jason offers this advice regarding how youth sports can become an idol: Jesus teaches that, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. Jesus alone stands as the only worthy object of what our hearts look to as supreme treasure. This should shape the goal of every parent for the heart of their child: to know and treasure Jesus as supreme. We fall into idolatry when we instead set our hearts' supreme affections on anything other than the One who is worthy of it. Anything that makes high demands of our calendar and our bank account can quickly pull us toward idolatry, including youth sports.

How do we help our leaders become better leaders, setting them up to succeed? And how can we continue to develop them with the skills and abilities they need, as well as help them grow as a follow of Jesus? This is part 2 of Student Ministry Connection's mini-series on teams. On this episode, we talk about equipping and discipling them.  Links referenced in this episode:  DYM's Youth Ministry University - https://www.ymuniversity.com  DYM's National Day of Training - https://trainmyvolunteers.com  YM360's MyYouthMin - https://myyouthmin.com  Leadertreks - https://trainmyvolunteers.com  Axis - https://axis.org  CPYU - https://cpyu.org  Lead Small book - https://amzn.to/44HSYo7  Lead Small study guide - https://orangeleaders.com/resources/lead-small-study-guide/ Learn more about Steve's ministry with NNYM at http://nnym.org/stevecullum  Sign up to get Steve's newsletter at https://bit.ly/cullumnewsletter  Support the ministry by giving online at https://bit.ly/cullumsupport  Contact Steve about partnerships, speaking, coaching, or consulting at https://bit.ly/cullumcontact  Read Steve's blog at https://stevecullum.com  Follow Steve on Twitter: @stevecullum  Follow Student Ministry Connection on Instagram: @studentministryconnection  Follow Student Ministry Connection on Twitter: @stuminconnect   Be sure to join us in prayer for revival every Wednesday at 11am PT, 12pm MT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET.  Sponsor for this episode of podcast: G Shades - https://gshades.org (Use code CONNECTION to save $20 off your next order).  Purchase a copy of Life Through the Lens of the Gospel by Mike Haynes - https://amzn.to/432h2B5  Get 40 free credits for Coleader by following this link - https://bit.ly/coleader-steve  Get a copy of the Cards Christians Like card game and/or their brand new game, Holy Guacamole, by using the link https://bit.ly/cardschristianslike and also support Student Ministry Connection.  Note: Some of the links above are affiliate links. By clicking them, Steve may receive commission to support this ministry.  Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, including these listed below:   Apple Podcasts  Google Podcasts  YouTube  Podbean  Spotify  Amazon Podcasts  Pandora  TuneIn Radio  If you like what you hear, be sure to like, subscribe, share, and comment! Thanks, be sure to get connected, and may God bless your ministry!    

One of the trends we've been tracking here at CPYU has been the rise in childhood and adolescent obesity. Because God has created us to have bodies and called us to care for and steward them to his glory, we must be concerned not only about our own health and well-being, but the health and well-being of our kids. One of the factors related to this obesity epidemic is the decreasing amount of physical activity for kids. More and more kids sit around engaging with screens, which has resulted in less time spent playing outdoors. A new study from the UK and Europe has found that in our teenagers, sedentary time may increase heart size three times more than moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. This is a cause for concern as it's estimated that eighty percent of adolescents worldwide have insufficient physical activity per day. Parents, hear these words from the Apostle Paul: Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit? Honor God with your bodies.

As the cultural conversation regarding transgenderism heats up, I want to connect a couple of dots for you today. You need to know that according to the latest research from Piper Sandler Companies regarding teenagers and their brand preferences, Nike continues to hold its position as the number one brand for all teenagers in both the footwear and apparel categories. Over the years, Nike has mastered the art of connecting with and influencing teens spending decisions through their marketing. But as we always say here at CPYU, ads don't only sell product. Rather, their greatest power is to sell a worldview. That's why we want to connect the dots between Nike's new ad campaign featuring transgender icon Dylan Mulvaney sporting women's clothing, and your teens. You see, Mulvaney is a biological male. And the message your kids are getting is not that God designs our bodies, but that gender is a personal decision. 

Back when we first started our Digital Kids Initiative here at CPYU, I would often tell parents that they need to let their kids know that whatever they post on social media is not only available for the entire world to see, but it will remain there forever. I was warning them about the impact of their digital footprint. As time went on, kids didn't care what others saw, and they were posting all their innermost secrets so that others could see them. There are many reasons why this is so. But the fallout is now coming back to haunt them. I recently read about nine-teen-year-old Aly Drake, an aspiring college athlete who lost a potential spot on a university team when coaches scanned her social media posts and found them to be too negative. There are two takeaways from this story. First, WE need to be the ones listening to and helping our kids so that they don't have to reach out to the entire world. And second, our kids need to know that there are things best kept in the family and close friend circle of trust.

Late last year, the American artificial intelligence research laboratory know as Open AI launched the ChatGPT artificial intelligence chatbot. Now if your head is already spinning over that last sentence, you're not alone. Those of you who share my technical deficiencies regarding the cascading onslaught of new digital technologies are, like me, left scratching your head over what these things are, how they function, and how they will change our lives. Let me start with this: the GPT in ChatGPT stands for generative pre-trained transformer. Still confused? Let me share one way our kids' lives are being changed by ChatGPT. Using the chatbot, a person can type in a request like the one we made here at CPYU: write an article on the Christian perspective on teen gambling. In seconds, a well-written and grammatically-correct paper came back. The concern now is that students will no longer do their own research and writing for school. Keep an eye on ChatGPT and your kids.

So today, I've got great news for youth workers! CPYU has put together a youth ministry training opportunity that we know will encourage and equip you as you look for ways to effectively minister to kids and their families. And I want to invite you to join us for four days in March to hear from sixteen gifted youth ministry trainers in five plenary sessions and your choice of twenty-eight different breakout sessions. Listen in as we introduce the Northeast Youth Ministry Summit and how to bring biblical hope to anxious hearts, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Here at CPYU, we are continually reminding you that youth culture is both a map and a mirror. As a mirror, cultural artifacts reveal the current beliefs that are shaping the behaviors of our children and teens. When you watch and listen to the music, movies, and everything else, you'll gain a clearer sense of our culture's ideological bent. As a map, what our kids interact with in today's youth culture shapes their beliefs and behaviors about how to live in the world. This is why it's important for you to know that this fall, Marvel will be introducing it's first gay Spiderman as the latest variant in the Spiderman universe. Parents, as those called to nurture our children and teens into a lifetime of living out God's will and way for his grand and glorious gift of sex and gender, we need to talk with our kids about how the cultural message on sex and gender does or does not mesh with what we are told in Scripture. These are conversations we must be having, as God will use them to shape our kids for life.

Episode 51 - The Truth about Marketing with Walt Mueller The world of marketing is one of the most powerful life shapers out there, and it's targeted at our kids! Its greatest power is not to sell a product, but to sell a worldview. Walt brings us the truth about this and emphasizes the importance of starting conversations with the kids in our lives - teaching them to think critically and Christianly about what they are viewing. Ready to hear how you can listen to both God's word and our culture? Let's go.... DR. WALT MUELLER is the founder and President of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding (CPYU), a non-profit organization with the mission to work with churches, schools, and community organizations to build stronger relationships between young people and those charged with helping them grow into healthy adulthood.  Walt has been working with young people and families for over 40 years. He has appeared on numerous media outlets internationally to discuss teenagers and their world. He writes on youth culture and family issues and is the author of ten books, including his newest book, A Student's Guide to Navigating Culture,  is a regular contributor to a variety of magazines and journals, and is a blogger. Walt's commentary and analysis on youth culture is heard on 800 radio stations across North America on CPYU's daily radio program, Youth Culture Today and is the host of the “Youth Culture Matters” podcast.  Walt and his wife Lisa live in Elizabethtown, PA and they have four grown children and six grandchildren.  Walt wants people to know that his greatest joys have come as a dad. He is not an expert on any of these issues, but rather sees himself as a fellow struggler with other parents and grandparents who are endeavoring to understand the world of kids in order to provide solid guidance and direction in the midst of a very confusing world. Resources For You: CPYU website The Simple Seven Resource CPYU Facebook CPYU Instagram CPYU Twitter Next Steps: Share this podcast with a friend Subscribe to You CAN Tell the Children Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram Explore Bible2School!

Most of us know that we should be partnering with parents, but we aren't always sure where or how to begin. In this episode, Mike talks with Walt Mueller from the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding about ways youth workers can partner with parents. Topics include: Walt shares the story about how CPYU came about as an effort to partner with parents. How can younger youth pastors partner with parents without overstepping their bounds? If parents are called to be the primary disciple-makers of their kids, what role do youth pastors play? What are some ways that younger youth pastors can co-disciple students alongside parents?  How can youth workers be agents of reconciliation between parents and students during conflicts without taking sides?  Learn more about Walt's ministry at the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding, checkout his long-form weekly podcast Youth Culture Matters, one-minute daily podcast Youth Culture Today. Walt also highlights CPYU's newer podcast, The Word in Youth Ministry, about teaching Scripture to students.  Check out Walt's books - especially his book The Space Between, which helps parents understand the internal and external influences working on their kids during adolescence. Yes, it's an old'ish book, but it's still relevant and is very accessible. Visit Youth Pastor Theologian's website Join YPT's Facebook group: @youththeologian (make sure you answer the membership questions) Follow YPT on Twitter: @youththeologian Follow YPT on Instagram: @youththeologian Please consider sharing YPT's podcast and our articles with your friends, and leave a rating/review on your podcast subscriber. You can contact us with any questions and recommend both topics and guests on our website's Submissions Page. Some links above are Amazon Associates links, which helps YPT purchase new resources for study and research. 

With summer fast approaching, many parents and youth workers are considering which summer activity options are the best ways to promote spiritual growth in children and teens. I believe one of the most valuable experiences we can give to our kids is time away from normal life and a chance to unplug and power down. Perhaps the perfect place to see this happen is at a Christian camp. Here at CPYU we are so excited about the benefits of Christian camping that today, we talk with two long-time camp directors, Greg Anderson and Nate Parks, on this episode, of Youth Culture Matters.

Recently, we expanded our social media presence here at CPYU by reviving our dormant Instagram account. While this has allowed us to communicate more effectively to a wider audience, it has also afforded us opportunities to see trends in the kinds of photos folks post on the Instagram social media platform. Not surprisingly, Instagram, like all other platforms, is a place where our kids fish for affirmation by posting photos of themselves that shout “Hey look at me!” These photos clearly intend to generate positive comments and likes. Sadly, if you spend any amount of time on Instagram you will see that a growing number of adults are doing the same thing. Among other things, we show off clothing styles, new haircuts, before and after weight loss pictures, and videos intended to brag up the fact that we exercise. All of it adds up to expose our insecurities. Let's not forget what the Lord said to Samuel: People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

Founder and president of CPYU, Walt Mueller, joins the podcast to discuss his latest book A Student's Guide to Navigating Culture. Kyle, Linda, and Matt pick his brain on why he wrote the book, ask questions about the "World, Word, Walk" paradigm the he lays out in the book, and discuss the role of relevance as youth workers balance being biblically but also culturally informed.

Kyle, Linda, and Matt discuss theological concepts regarding heaven and hell and how to best teach these subjects in our youth ministry settings. We look at what Scripture says about heaven and hell and we also provide very helpful suggestions about questions we can ask students to make these topics applicable in the here and now. Is heaven something that we long for? How do we help students live their lives with an eye toward eternity? Join this great discussion in Episode 16 of The Word in Youth Ministry.

Listen in on a conversation with Walt Mueller, Founder and President of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding, as he discusses how we can help children navigate the cultural soup they swim in every day. We encourage our listeners to visit CPYU.org for more resources!

According to new research from our friends at the Barna Group, eighty-two percent of Christians between the ages of thirteen and eighteen say that it's important for them to share their faith with others. And instead of embracing many of the older hard-line confrontational strategies for evangelism, these teens want to embrace a more conversational approach with their friends, allowing them to share their faith more naturally over time. In a day and age when research points to a decline in the number of those who embrace Christianity, this is a trend we can celebrate! Here at CPYU we want to recommend that parents and youth workers fuel this trend by engaging kids in deliberate Christian education and faith formation as they grow up, thereby ensuring that the faith that they share with others is truly biblical in nature. Don't be afraid to teach and talk about the Bible and theology with your kids. Set the bar high. Respect their cognitive abilities. And pray for their spiritual growth.

Way back in 1678, John Bunyan wrote the classic book, The Pilgrim's Progress. The allegory brings to life the difficulties followers of Jesus face in navigating the challenges of living to God's glory in this broken world. Even though the story is almost three hundred and fifty years old, Bunyan's young protagonist, Christian, is not unlike our children and teens today. How can we equip our children and teens to navigate the unique set of pressures, dilemmas, challenges, choices, and expectations they face in today's youth culture? Are there ways to facilitate the development of Christian wisdom and skills in cultural discernment that will serve them well for the rest of their lives? Join as we chat with two youth workers about a new resource from CPYU designed to help kids navigate today's culture to the glory of God, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

When we first started monitoring youth culture here at CPYU, smartphones did not exist. Kids who spent time in front of a screen did so with televisions. It was long before there were connections being made between time spent watching television, and obesity among kids. Now, researchers are looking at the relationship between smartphone use to diet and weight among adolescents. One recent study found that even moderate smartphone use may influence the dietary choices and weight of teens. Kids who used a smartphone more than two hours a day were significantly more likely to eat more junk food and fewer fruits and vegetables that those who spent less time on their phones. Teens who spent more than three hours a day on their phones were significantly more likely to be overweight or obese. Parents, there are many reasons to monitor online time. Because our teens need to learn to steward their God-given bodies, we must intervene to make sure they are exercising and eating wisely.

Here at CPYU, our online Digital Kids Initiative continues to grow in an effort to help parents guide their kids into safe and wise use of God's good gift of technology. Two of the terms I've been using as I talk about technology are digital immigrants and digital natives. These helpful titles were first coined by Marc Prensky back in 2001. Those of us who are adults are digital immigrants. We weren't born into a world filled with social media, smartphones, and technology. We somehow arrived here and have had to learn how to navigate this new landscape. Our kids, on the other hand, are digital natives. Social media, smartphones, and technology are familiar to them because they've always been part of the world of the younger generations. One of the dangers of being a digital native is that you might not be aware of the dangers that lurk in the world of technology. Parents, don't be ignorant. Your job, difficult as it may be, is to learn what you can in order to help your kids engage wisely with technology.

Over the course of the last twenty years, I've been especially interested in tracking with youth culture trends that are related to the emergence of a host of new technologies and technological tools. A new study of Japanese college students has revealed that writing on a physical piece of paper can actually serve as a better path to information recall than writing on a tablet or smartphone. It seems that when writing on paper as opposed to a screen, the human brain engages in ways that are more complex, thus leading to improved memory. In addition, it was found that taking notes on paper is actually about twenty-five percent faster than taking notes on a screen. Could it be that old-school paper is more effective for note-taking than our screens? Yes. And that goes against what many believe to be the case. Here at CPYU we encourage balancing the use of physical paper and books for reading and writing, with reading and writing on screens. Encourage balance in your kids.

The Word in Youth Ministry podcast from CPYU continues with a look at biblical literacy among teens. Kyle, Linda, and Matt discuss how to help students learn to engage Scripture on their own.

Parenting in today’s world requires that some of the most uncomfortable conversations we anticipate having with our kids are now necessary to have at younger and younger ages. One of those conversations needed today centers on kids sending nude photos to one another through their smartphones. According to one survey that’s actually a bit dated, sixty-six percent of teens and young adults have received a sexually explicit image, and forty-one percent have sent one. Here at CPYU, we’ve heard stories of smartphone-toting kids as young as elementary-age requesting or sending nudes. Social media and parenting expert Mandy Majors offers these three suggestions to parents. First, use teachable moments to plant seeds with your young children. You can teach them that taking pictures of people without their clothes on is wrong. Second, create family screentime guidelines, including no phones in bedrooms or bathrooms. And finally, teach your kids to protect their hearts and minds. 

An introduction to the Word in Youth Ministry podcast from CPYU. In our pilot episode you'll get to meet our 3 hosts, Kyle, Linda, and Matt and hear about why the whole team is excited to launch this brand new resource.

Jordan and Dan take a look at the 3D Guide from the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding in this week --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/flyoverministry/message

In today's podcast we talk about the state of Youth Ministry:What Has Changed?What Hasn't Changed?One thing we have learned along the way?The Challenge:Analyze what is working and what isn't working in your youth ministry.Resources:Youth Culture Matters by Walt Mueller - https://cpyu.org/resource_category/podcast/CPYU 3(D) Media reviews, helping with discernment - https://cpyu.org/resource_category/3d-media-reviews/Duffy Robbins How to build youth ministry that builds disciples-https://www.amazon.com/Building-Youth-Ministry-Builds-Disciples/dp/0310670306Music:Bensound Music: Creative Minds https://www.bensound.comIntro and Outro-Just Smile by LiQWYD https://soundcloud.com/liqwydCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/-just-smileMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/lMGw8bTCBww

Here at CPYU we endeavor to keep you up-to-date on the latest trends regarding teenagers and drugs. While we lament the reality of any teenager abusing drugs and alcohol, there is a positive trend which is somewhat encouraging. Researchers at Washington State University have found that between 2004 and 2017, that average age for first use has been trending upward. The age at which teens started drinking alcohol and smoking rose from sixteen to seventeen. The age of first use for those trying heroin rose from seventeen to eighteen. And for first use of cocaine it went from eighteen to nineteen. Researchers believe that this positive trend is evidence of the fact that drug and alcohol prevention efforts are working. The take away for us as parents is to keep working to warn our kids about the physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual toll that drug and alcohol use exacts. Teach your kids to rely on God’s Word, and to carefully steward the gift of their brains and bodies.

Jason Soucinek is the Executive Director and founder of Project Six19. Dedicated to talking honestly about matters of sex, sexuality and relationships. Jason has spent almost two decades engaging audiences of all ages and backgrounds. He is an internationally recognized seminar and conference speaker and published writer on issues surrounding sexuality and youth culture. He can be heard on the following podcasts: DriveTime, Sex + Christian Parents, and CPYU’s podcast “Youth Culture Matters”.Jason and I focus largely on the purity movement and where it went wrong. But we did linger on the question of modesty for a bit, which lead to some back and forth pushbacks on each other's opinions. Learn more about Project Six19 hereWatch this conversation on YouTubeConnect with PrestonTwitter | @PrestonSprinkleInstagram | @preston.sprinkleYoutube | Preston SprinkleCheck out his website prestonsprinkle.comIf you enjoy the podcast, be sure to leave a review.

As 2020 draws to a close, the Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast was blessed to spend time with Drs. Mike McGarry and Walt Mueller. These youth ministry practitioner-scholars spent time evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of youth ministry throughout the last 20 years, as well as forecasting what's coming down the pike for the future of youth ministry.

Covenant's Upper School Dean, John Hayward, and Dr. Walt Mueller, founder and President of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding (CPYU), discuss how to raise children to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ in today's youth culture. CPYU is a non-profit organization serving schools, churches, and community organizations in their efforts to strengthen families. Visit cpyu.org for some very helpful parent resources.

When I was engaged in full-time local church youth ministry, it was obvious to me that my greatest youth ministry asset was my volunteers. They were nothing short of awesome. One of the mistakes we make in today’s youth ministry world is believing that the best youth workers are those who do it full-time with large budgets and lots of kids. That’s just not true. Here at CPYU, we believe that part-time youth workers, volunteers, and bi-vocational youth workers are essential and effective. That’s why we’re focusing today’s conversation on answering some of the unique youth ministry questions being asked by those who aren’t full-timers. Stick with us as bi-vocational youth worker Jordan Martin picks the brains of veteran trainers Duffy Robbins and Marv Penner, on this episode of youth culture matters.

For this episode, our co-hosts were joined by Walt Mueller and Kutter Callaway to talk about discerning media in a Biblical manner. They discuss some practical tools you can use to prepare for Biblical media discernment, how to pay attention to the narratives found in the stories of our culture, and ways to communicate these truths to our kids and ultimately equip them to discern for themselves.Resources our guests from this episode recommend:CPYU.orgHow To Use Your Head To Guard Your Heart3(D) Media Reviews from CPYU3(D) Leaders Guidekuttercallaway.comWatching TV Religiously bookResources we recommend: Project Six19 - New WebsiteThe Very Good Sex Talk Questions, comments, feedback, suggestions for future episodes? E-mail us!

Several years ago here at CPYU we began what we call our College Transition Initiative. This initiative was our response to the concern parents, youth workers, and pastors were expressing regarding the growing percentage of youth group kids who had been raised in Christian homes, but had then gone off to college and pushed either the pause or stop buttons on their faith. It was as if they were jettisoning everything they had learned while growing up, in order to live what’s now seen as a normal college life void of Christian commitment. We realized that perhaps we aren’t nurturing or discipling young people correctly, leaving them with a mutation of the Christian faith that at the very least is just an ad-on to the rest of life, or at the very worst not even Christian faith at all. Parents, we are called to nurture our children and teens in the faith, teaching them the truths of God’s word and trusting God’s spirit to change their hearts. Stick with us all week, as we look at barriers to lasting faith.

Dr. Walt Mueller, the founder of CPYU (the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding) shares his thoughts, insights and hopes for the future of NextGen discipleship post-COVID-19. 

Here at CPYU we endeavor to keep you up-to-date on the latest trends regarding teenagers and drugs. While we lament the reality of any teenager abusing drugs and alcohol, there is a positive trend which is somewhat encouraging. Researchers at Washington State University have found that between 2004 and 2017, that average age for first use has been trending upward. The age at which teens started drinking alcohol and smoking rose from sixteen to seventeen. The age of first use for those trying heroin rose from seventeen to eighteen. And for first use of cocaine it went from eighteen to nineteen. Researchers believe that this positive trend is evidence of the fact that drug and alcohol prevention efforts are working. The take away for us as parents is to keep working to warn our kids about the physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual toll that drug and alcohol use exacts. Teach your kids to rely on God’s Word, and to carefully steward the gift of their brains and bodies.

Over the years I’ve learned that difficulty and suffering serve us in positive ways when they peel away the layers of distraction that keep us from thinking about the things that really matter. Suffering and difficulty are great teachers. Dr. Carl Trueman believes that our current pandemic is doing us a favor by offering us a window into realizing that very few of us have been prepared well to face our own mortality. How can families, youth groups, and churches equip young and old alike to grapple with that gnawing inevitable reality that we all work so hard to avoid? Stick with us for an encouraging, practical, and yes. . . winsome conversation with Carl Trueman and Duffy Robbins about the opportunity we now have to learn how to live in the shadow of our mortality, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Recently released research from the CDC offers more evidence that getting enough sleep not only leads to better mental and physical health, but to better educational outcomes for our children and teens. It seems that high school students who had the least amount of sleep were also reported to have the lowest grades. Those high school students who averaged eight point one hours of sleep a night scored mostly A’s, while those teens who averaged seven point three hours of sleep a night scored mostly C’s. Here at CPYU, we consistently remind parents that the motivation for better school performance should not be rooted in parental pride, living vicariously through our kids, or to see one’s self as better than one’s peers. Instead, our motivation to do our best should be rooted in seeing educational pursuits as an act of worship that will glorify God. Getting the right amount of sleep will not only facilitate our best, but it also serves as a way to steward the good gift of our bodies. 

Youth culture is changing at such a rapid pace that keeping up with the times is nearly impossible for any youth worker. Yet it’s clear that having a framework for understanding how we ought to engage with our culture is more important than ever. So how do you go about understanding what teenagers are facing today without having to start a TikTok account or watch a bunch of Twitch streamers? How can you empower the youth in your ministry to become more thoughtful with how they interact with culture? Learn more about Walt Mueller at CPYU.org. Or subscribe to the Youth Culture Matters Podcast or Youth Culture Today Daily Podcast. We want to hear from you! Submit your youth ministry question at youthministry.team.

If there’s been a rising chorus of lament over young people in the church, it’s been the rate at which young people are graduating from high school and leaving the church. For several years now, research projects have identified this post high school exodus as a growing concern. But in their recently released book, David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock share research that helps us understand why those who stay, decide to stay. What are the youth ministry practices that build resilient disciples of Jesus Christ? What can we do to turn tide on this discouraging trend? We’ll talk to our friend Mark Matlock about the new book, Faith for Exiles, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Christian parents and youth workers over the years, it’s that they want the best for their kids. One area where many of us have struggled to teach God’s best is in the area of God’s grand and glorious gift of sex and sexuality. That struggle has played out in the church in a variety of ways, including the fact that for our evangelical teens and young adults, sex outside of marriage has become increasingly morally acceptable. What is the extent of premarital sexual activity among our unmarried young people in the church? And, how can we respond to these current trends in ways that effectively teach kids to both glorify God and experience sexual flourishing? We’ll tackle these and other matters as we chat with sociologist and researcher Dr. David Ayers, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Walt Mueller is the founder and President of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding and has been working with young people and families for over 35 years. As a result of his work with CPYU, Walt has become an internationally-recognized speaker and author on contemporary youth culture. He has written extensively on youth culture and family issues and is the author of the following books: 99 Thoughts for Parents of Teenagers (Group Publishing, 2010); The Space Between-- A Parent's Guide to Teenage Development (Zondervan, 2009); Opie Doesn't Live Here Anymore: Where Faith, Family, and Culture Collide (Standard Publishing, August 2007); Youth Culture 101 (Zondervan, June 2007) and many others. He is also a regular contributor to numerous journals and magazines. A graduate of Geneva College (B.A.) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Walt earned his doctorate at Gordon-Conwell in “Ministry to Postmodern Generations.” Walt has served in ministry with the Coalition for Christian Outreach and as a youth pastor in churches in Johnstown, PA, and Philadelphia. Walt's wife Lisa has served behind the scenes since day one as CPYU's secretary. A graduate of Geneva College who has a background in radio, Lisa's voice can be heard on CPYU's daily Youth Culture Today radio spot. Walt and Lisa live in Elizabethtown, PA and have four children, and three grandchildren. Navigating Today's Cultural Waters Episode Highlights: Why is it so important to understand what our culture is doing to the attitudes and actions of our young people today? How can parents do a better job of keeping their influence over digital technology's influence on their kids? Why aren't more pastors speaking to the issues of digital technology's effect on the spiritual well-being of their church's youth? Ways that churches can more effectively reach young people Why are so many kids compartmentalizing their faith today, and what can parents do to help them live their lives with more integrity and consistency? Picture via: Pixabay

Walt Mueller is the founder and President of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding and has been working with young people and families for over 35 years. As a result of his work with CPYU, Walt has become an internationally-recognized speaker and author on contemporary youth culture. He has written extensively on youth culture and family issues and is the author of the following books: 99 Thoughts for Parents of Teenagers (Group Publishing, 2010); The Space Between-- A Parent's Guide to Teenage Development (Zondervan, 2009); Opie Doesn't Live Here Anymore: Where Faith, Family, and Culture Collide (Standard Publishing, August 2007); Youth Culture 101 (Zondervan, June 2007) and many others. He is also a regular contributor to numerous journals and magazines. A graduate of Geneva College (B.A.) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Walt earned his doctorate at Gordon-Conwell in “Ministry to Postmodern Generations.” Walt has served in ministry with the Coalition for Christian Outreach and as a youth pastor in churches in Johnstown, PA, and Philadelphia. Walt's wife Lisa has served behind the scenes since day one as CPYU's secretary. A graduate of Geneva College who has a background in radio, Lisa's voice can be heard on CPYU's daily Youth Culture Today radio spot. Walt and Lisa live in Elizabethtown, PA and have four children, and three grandchildren. Navigating Today's Cultural Waters Episode Highlights: Why is it so important to understand what our culture is doing to the attitudes and actions of our young people today? How can parents do a better job of keeping their influence over digital technology's influence on their kids? Why aren't more pastors speaking to the issues of digital technology's effect on the spiritual well-being of their church's youth? Ways that churches can more effectively reach young people Why are so many kids compartmentalizing their faith today, and what can parents do to help them live their lives with more integrity and consistency? Picture via: Pixabay

The summer of 2019 has come to an end. If you’re like most, you were able to take some time off and enjoy a vacation. But youth culture didn’t take a break over the summer. What are some of the summer youth culture trends we should be aware of, track , and respond to? Do any of these developments offer us insights into our kids, what they believe, and how they behave? Stick with us as we look at what youth culture did over summer vacation, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

When it comes to our calling to love God and love neighbor, one of the most heated discussions taking place in the culture at large and in the church these days is how to fulfill this calling in response to the LGBTQ issue. If you’re like me, you wonder about how to navigate these unfolding realities in our homes, our youth groups, and our relationships. And, as with all issues, we run the risk of listening more to the Spirit of the times than we listen to the Word of God. What does it mean to remain faithful to God’s will and way regarding sexuality and gender? One voice addressing these questions is Rosaria Butterfield, a lesbian activist who experienced a radical and unexpected conversion to Christianity that turned her life upside down. Join me as I chat with Rosaria Butterfield about her conversion, along with how to understand, address, and navigate issues of sexuality and gender, on this episode of Youth Culture Matters.

Our Fourth Legend -- Walt Mueller It was 1989. The internet wasn't invented yet. George HW Bush was president. The Berlin Wall came down. The Cosby Show, Rosanne, and Cheers held the top spots on TV. Madonna, Phil Collins, and the Bangles topped the charts. Morgan Freeman was Driving Miss Daisy. And a little-known youth pastor from Pennsylvania got a crazy idea to start a resource ministry to help youth workers and parents navigate the travails of youth culture.   That was Walt Mueller, and his brainchild was the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding (CPYU). For the past 30 years--through books, podcasts, workshops, speaking engagements and tons and tons of online resources--CPYU has been a key player in the youth ministry world. For many veteran youth workers, Walt and his team at CPYU have been like a soundtrack to a life in youth ministry.    During our talk with Walt, we learned about his call to begin CPYU, the spiritual challenges of being a researcher into an often discouraging and even depressing youth culture, and his heart to bring solid theological and practical help to today's youth workers. We also heard some great stories from Youth Specialties conventions of the past, including a near-sparring episode that ensued one year during a panel discussion on rock music.   Through it all, Walt has remained relevant, faithful, and available to all of us, and for that we are thankful. Walt Mueller is the founder and President of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding and has been working with young people and families for over 35 years. As a result of his work with CPYU, Walt has become an internationally-recognized speaker and author on contemporary youth culture. He has written extensively on youth culture and family issues and is the author of the following books: 99 Thoughts for Parents of Teenagers (Group Publishing, 2010); The Space Between: A Parent's Guide to Teenage Development (Zondervan, 2009); Opie Doesn't Live Here Anymore: Where Faith, Family, and Culture Collide (Standard Publishing, August 2007); Youth Culture 101 (Zondervan, June 2007); I Want to Talk With my Teen About Movies, Music & More (Standard Publishing, September 2006); Engaging The Soul of Youth Culture: Bridging Teen Worldviews To Christian Truth (InterVarsity Press, February 2006); and the critically acclaimed Gold Medallion Award winner, Understanding Today's Youth Culture (Tyndale House, 1994). He is also a regular contributor to numerous journals and magazines. A graduate of Geneva College (B.A.) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Walt earned his doctorate at Gordon-Conwell in “Ministry to Postmodern Generations.” Walt has served in ministry with the Coalition for Christian Outreach and as a youth pastor in churches in Johnstown, PA and Philadelphia. Walt's wife Lisa has served behind the scenes since day one as CPYU's secretary. A graduate of Geneva College who has a background in radio, Lisa's voice can be heard on CPYU's daily Youth Culture Today radio spot. Walt and Lisa live in Elizabethtown and have four children.   Mentioned on today's episode: Center for Parent/Youth Understanding CPYU has too many resources to mention. Check out their podcasts, blogs and nearly limitless articles of interest on youth culture and trends. It will make you look smarter than you are!