Fortnite, 13 Reasons Why, Snapchat… The shifting currents of culture all play a role in shaping the teenagers you serve, and give you unique opportunities to connect the Gospel to what’s actively forming their identity.
What You’ll Find
Our Media and Culture section will give you a window into the world of teenage culture. From gaming and movies to TV and technology, we’ll provide expert advice and perspective that will help you to engage with them on a cultural level. We’ll also review the latest gadgets, tools, and tech that can help make your job a bit easier.
You can’t save the world alone. But do you even feel like saving the world at this point in your life? Those deep concepts are at play in the new movie Justice League. Months after Superman’s death, the world has become a thoroughly dark, depressed place.…
Gun violence. Prescription pill abuse. Narcotic and alcohol dependence. Graphic sexual references about “hoes.” Is this a police report from a twisted crime scene? No, our culture just has a new #1 song. With “Rockstar,” Post Malone reached the coveted top position on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart.…
Lately, Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart has been filled with some of the worst, most profane, and sexually vile songs in its history. However, the song currently parked at #3 has a completely different message. Instead of talking about drugs, alcohol, or sex, it addresses suicide…with the hope of stopping it.…
“Ma’am, this is Officer Peterson. We have your son, Adam, at the station. We’re investigating him for soliciting and distribution of child pornography with his cell phone. We need you here.” The frantic mother grabs her keys and sends a panicky text to her husband.…
You know what we can’t get enough of? Memes. Here are three of my faves. You know what’s too much of a good thing? Friendships that are primarily dependent on a mutual exchange of funny memes. I was scrolling through Instagram and this post stopped me in my tracks.…
Alcohol leaves its mark on teenagers of every generation, from legal troubles to scars to tombstones. Today’s teenagers are on track to have fewer alcohol-related incidents, which is certainly good news. But research says much work is still to be done.…
Putting cameras on cell phones has been as world-changing as putting a man on the moon. After all, millions of young people have sabotaged themselves by sharing nude photos. Fortunately, a new app helps combat this problem. So parents and youth workers can relax, right?…
If you’ve talked to a teenager recently, you’ve probably heard about 13 Reasons Why. (Alert: Spoilers ahead!) Regardless of the controversy surrounding the show, it’s impossible to deny the splash it’s made. In a few short weeks, 13 Reasons Why has left a greater impression than any other Netflix original series (yes, even Stranger Things).…
My head is spinning. Recently, a man I know—a professing Christian, and a man very involved in ministry—was sent away to prison for a long, long time. He was arrested for, charged with, and pleaded guilty to more than two dozen counts related to the sexual molestation and abuse of multiple girls, most of them tween-agers or younger, all of them were family friends.…
“Christianity is just a bunch of fairytales.” “God and science don’t really mix.” “Jesus may have existed, but the whole Messiah thing sounds like a hoax.” Early on, starting in junior high, teenagers begin to hear offhand comments like these in class discussions and even from teachers.…
