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3/3 in our Evangelism series with Evan from Axis.  If you want to get the full video series mentioned multiple times in this mini-series, go to https://virtual.axis.org/evangelism/  It's quite worth the time and money to get these conversations started now so they can build over a lifetime.  Please enjoy the conversation, wisdom, and advice from Evan and Axis. Thank you for embracing the paradox of our faith - that we must be both bold and meek in our world. Patient and filled with action. Preaching and listening.   

Evangelism #3: Why beauty and mystery persuade // Evan Barber

2/3 in this mini-series on Evangelism.  What is the Engel Scale??  We draw today from Evan's research on evangelism, some personal experiences in the church, and dive deep into one of the biggest pitfalls for conversations about faith:   - Sexuality  - Biblical interpretation  - Sexuality  - (yes, sexuality is a big obstacle in both content and communication of The Gospel for a lot of people) https://virtual.axis.org/evangelism/ 

Evangelism #2: Roadblocks and how to overcome them // Evan Barber

Episode 1/3 in a special series about the topic of "evangelism." Join Matt and Evan for a discussion that will draw topics and content from our new Parent Guide and Conversation Kit on Evangelism.  In episode #1, we go through a bit of the history of the term evangelism and all the baggage it can bring with it all the way up to putting terms and diagnosis as to how it is viewed and executed today.  https://virtual.axis.org/evangelism/ 

Evangelism #1: A history and diagnosis // Evan Barber

It's a little non-traditional episode today, but solid content and great topics:   - Mirrorworld  - How did Valentines Day affect your teen?   - The surprising stats on Millenials' devotion and confusion toward evangelism. 

Evangelism is...Wrong??? - Culture Translator Podcast #043

This week in teen culture - What does it mean to spill the tea? What is Snapchat dysmorphia? Get the Culture Translator, our free weekly newsletter, here. More resources on gossip, social media and more!    

Was Jesus Bald? Spilling the Tea, and more - Culture Translator Podcast #042

A special episode featuring the entire interview with Dr. Aaron Metzger that can give you a deep understanding and researched insight into how your relationship with your teen ACTUALLY can change their lives.  Unfortunately, it's not rules, snooping, catching them in the act or even boundaries that offer the statistical best outcome of adolescent or teen behavior -- it's good, old-fashioned relationships and dinner with the family.  Listen in for some specific ways to improve your relationships and create the time to have the important opening conversations that provide a different vision for your teen concerning thing slike drinking, smoking, or sex before marriage.  Find this interview and more like it in video, audio, and text summary at https://www.parentingrelationships.com 

Prevent High-Risk Behavior Through Relationship Nor Rules // Dr. Aaron Metzger - PRS SPECIAL #041

Today, we have something very special. This entire episode is a 1/50th excerpt of the brand new Parenting Relationships Summit releasing for free on February 14th.  To learn more about this episode, Elizabeth Behrens, or get MANY more episodes like this + the video that accompanies the audio, go to https://www.parentingrelationships.com  Thanks for listening!  We love when we can do little in-between-isodes like these!  We have 49 other subjects, interviews, and experts from the summit, and we want to send a few more of them your way!  Please email matt@axis.org if you want any specific speakers/talks from https://www.parentingrelationships.com featured on the podcast BEFORE the summit is released!  As always, feel free to subscribe so you keep getting these cultural insights dropped straight to your device so you can start conversations about them as soon as technologically possible. 

How to Reconcile and Reengage with "Others" // Elizabeth Behrens - PRS SPECIAL #040

1. NewsGuard What it is: A web browser extension that aims to detect fake news not via algorithm, but by having real humans review an article, the site, and even the company behind it. Why it’s a step: With unreliable sources given prominence on social media because of their ability to increase user engagement, it’s good that some are dedicated to combating the problem. Their color-coding system and “Nutrition Label” make it easy to see why a site is given its rating. However, as good of a tool as it can be, it’s important to realize that it’s not a solution because it doesn’t solve the real problem: our lack of discernment. This simply moves our trust from proven-corruptible orgs to another potentially corruptible org. So rather than using it as our or our teens’ filter, let’s treat it as one of many tools we can use to grow discernment and critical thinking skills.   2. Roo What is it: On Thursday, Planned Parenthood launched their new chatbot Roo, which seeks to “get young peoplepersonalized answers to their questions on topics that are often stigmatized.” Why it’s revealing: The chatbot is “meant to help Planned Parenthood give information to hard-to-reach audiences like teenagers who don't receive sex education or are receiving abstinence-only education.” This exposes two possibilities: 1. In our efforts to encourage a Christian view of sex, we’ve neglected actually teaching teens about what’s happening to their bodies; and 2. For whatever reason, teens are afraid of or unwilling to ask parents their burning questions about sexuality. And while it’s smart to keep kids from getting sexual advice from who knows who on the internet, we parents should make our kids feel safe enough to come to us, not a chatbot, with their questions—no matter how uncomfortable. Check out our Parent's Guide to Tough Conversations for help. 3. Meme & Theme What it is: Teens and tweens, particularly girls, are curating Instagram accounts that merge aesthetics and memes into one. Why it’s more than just images: Taking advantage of Insta’s carousel, the accounts look like mood boards at first glance. But swiping left reveals a bunch of memes underneath, offering not just protection from prying eyes, but also the ability to more fully express themselves: “‘The theme is like the outside of me, then the memes [are] my inside self,’ said [16-year-old] Esther.” Users also admit that it’s “ultimately just ‘a way to get closer to people.’” Social media appeals to all of us where we are most vulnerable: in our ongoing search for identity and significance. Every teen is asking these very normal, first-half-of-life questions: Who am I? What makes me special? Does anyone notice me? If you can help them find answers through Scripture, they have an incredible opportunity to let go of their overdominant ego and embrace this paradox of identity: We’re all both incredibly ordinary and eternally significant. Parent Guide Spotlight: Ever wondered how we do what we do? Ever wanted a simple process to help you start discipleship conversations with your kids around the topics that matter most to them? If yes, check out our newest Parent's Guide to Discipling Teens. In it, we walk you through how we think about teen culture and use it to start Christ-centered conversations about sexuality, technology, media, and entertainment.

Sex Ed from an App? - Culture Translator Podcast #039

1. Gen Z & the “L” Word What it is: Pew Research believes today’s teens may be the “most liberal” generation to date. Why it’s maybe not what you think: If you were raised in the culture war era, words like “conservative” became synonymous with morality, while “liberal” was akin to evil. But if we strip away the political baggage associated with these words, their meanings might change. Pew believes Gen Z is “liberal” because they are far more open and inclusive of racial and ethnic diversity while simultaneously supporting larger government involvement in climate care and societal problems. Webster Defines liberal as “one who is open-minded” and “marked by generosity.” Ask your teens if they think of themselves and their friends as liberal and if that word still carries the same negative stereotypes for today’s generation. Why or why not? Read through the characteristics listed by Pew and see if they resonate with them.   2. Phickle Phriend What is it: A letter from a psychologist to teens delves into the science behind why we long for popularity. Why it’s worth reading: Social media has commodified popularity, transforming it from a nebulous target you were never quite sure you’d hit to a quantifiable goal measured in likes, followers, reposts, streaks, etc. But as the letter shows, popularity isn’t exactly all it seems to be, nor does it actually pay off in the long term. Yet because it’s now a number staring us in the face day in and day out, it’s hard not to become focused on—if not obsessed with—it. Whether your kids are already entrenched or yet to enter the new popularity race, it’s worth reading the letter together. What do they think about it? Does it help them understand what’s happening when they engage with social media apps? Why or why not? 3. Expert Advice Awaits What it is: Our brand new online Parenting Relationships Summit starts soon! Why it’s worth your time: What’s the key to deeply connecting with your child’s heart? Are there best practices? How do you teach your teen to follow God in the midst of our loud culture? By joining the FREE summit, you’ll learn from 50 Christian experts who teach and discuss the key role relationships play in answering all of these questions and raising your teen with a vibrant faith in Jesus. Reserve your free spot today and make sure to put it on your calendar! Parent Guide Spotlight: Speaking of Gen Z, are they really just “Millennials on steroids”? Or do they have their own unique hopes, dreams, fears, influences, and identity? What makes them Gen Z? Check out our brand new Parent's Guide to Generation Z to get a better understanding of them as a whole and how they differ from other generations so that you can better connect with and relate to them.

Liberal Teens, Popularity, Jacob and Esau - Culture Translator Podcast #038

1. Teens Fight Back What it is: Meme accounts on Instagram, many of which are run by teens, are spamming certain hashtags to thwart child p*rnographers’ efforts to reach more people. Why it's innovative: The hashtags in question are seemingly innocuous ( #dropboxlinks, #tradedropbox), but the teenagers discovered that p*rnographers would covertly advertise “young boys” or “young girl links” in their posts, then DM links with illicit images to anyone who commented on the posts or used the hashtags. When reported, Instagram initially responded by saying that their Terms of Use had not been violated, so the memers banded together to overwhelm the hashtags with memes, thus making the p*rnographers’ posts harder to find. We love their ingenuity and willingness to take action, but it’s clear that we need to talk with our kids about this sad reality and what to do if they come across it. (Instagram has since deactivated some hashtags, but that just means new ones will be used.)   2. Danger on Discord What it is: Free messenger apps are increasingly being used by terrorist groups like ISIS to disseminate info and recruit new members. Why it's concerning: In the past, terrorist orgs have tried to set up websites and use platforms like Tumblr, but they kept being hacked or shut down, so they’ve begun turning to smaller, less well known, and less regulated apps like Telegram, RocketChat, Viber, and gamer-specific Discord. Of course, the chances are slim that your kids will ever be contacted by ISIS or another terrorist cell, but they’re not the only predators on these apps, and all of them capitalize on users’ lack of awareness, young ages, and hesitancy to tell others about something questionable. Have you created an environment where your kids feel safe enough to talk with you if something strange or threatening comes through one of their apps? Our Parent’s Guide to Discord can help. 3. Live Listen What it is: ICYMI, Apple has a feature called “Live Listen” that allows you to use your iPhone or iPad like a microphone and your AirPods as the receiver. Why it can be creepy: It only works with iOS 12 and AirPods (other headphones don’t work) and was designed to turn AirPods into hearing aids by magnifying sound. But as this Instagram post (may have to log in) shows , it can be used to spy on someone in another room without them knowing. All they have to do is leave their phone in the room with Live Listen activated and walk away. Two things: 1. Please don’t use this against your kids. As tempting as it might be, good relationships are built on trust, not secrecy and control. And 2. If your kids have the ability to use the feature, have a conversation with them about why you won’t use the feature on them and how you hope they’ll show others the same courtesy. Did you know we also create in-depth Parent Guides on a weekly basis to aid you as you disciple teenagers? We’ll be featuring one each week in the new section below in order to better serve you! Let us know what you think. Parent Guide Spotlight: As Billboard’s Artist of the Year for 2018 and Spotify’s most-streamed artist in 2018, Drake has massive influence, not just on culture, but also on music lovers. Our brand new Parent’s Guide to Drake will help you better understand him and his influence so you can disciple teenagers to be thoughtful and intentional about who and what they listen to.   The Humans Trafficked In Our Homes Today, January 11, is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day and the entire month of January is dedicated to raising awareness to end modern slavery. Today’s slavery is radically different from the Atlantic slave trade that brought millions of Africans to work the plantations of the antebellum South. Present-day slaves are mostly women, young girls, and even boys coerced into commercial sexual exploitation. Experts believe as many as 4.5 million people are currently trapped in sex slavery. The average annual profit from a woman forced into sexual slavery is $100,000, meaning this black market is a lucrative business. While this all sounds horrible, you may be wondering just how it touches your family. If pornography is being consumed in your home—which, sadly, is likely; of the most-visited websites in the US, numbers 6, 7, and 8 are all porn sites, beating out eBay, Instagram, and Twitter—then in very real ways that act is aiding and enabling the sex slave trade. Porn and sex trafficking go hand in hand: 49% of women rescued from the industry said pornography was made of them while they were in bondage. Here’s a disturbing, yet informative video on the inextricable link between porn and trafficking. So what can your family do? First, have honest conversations about the porn pandemic. There are no innocent users. The industry is filled with victims and perpetrators, and viewers become complicit, fueling supply and demand. Second, harness your child’s passion for social justice by raising awareness online or by starting a trafficking club at their high school. Third, get involved with local or national groups actively engaged in the fight to end modern slavery. Here’s a great list to choose from! Finally, check out our three-part Parent’s Guide to Pornography detailing how porn appeals to and impacts both boys and girls. Editor’s Note: Axis links to many different sources within this e-newsletter; a link does not equal an endorsement. We cannot guarantee the content of each site (especially its ads). Please be forewarned. Also, we highly recommend something like AdBlock.

How NOT to spy on your kids - Culture Translator Podcast #037

The year is wrapped, put under the tree, pulled out, and unwrapped again -- time to reflect, and look back on the biggest cultural developments for teens in 2018.  Today, we go through the top 10 of 2018 and look forward into 2019. It's a fun, action packed episode today as we try to sum up an entire year!  PS - There's a bit of fun discussion about New Year's Resolutions and what can be learned from them. We wish you a belated but Happy New Year and encouragement with your goals and resolutions.  May your family thrive and adversity be met with patience, grace, and love this year.  In Christ, the Axis team. 

Top cultural events of 2018 - Culture Translator Podcast #036

Axis challenges parents, leaders, and teens to think critically about the culture and their faith - and the way the two interact with one another.  We tackle 3 or 4 big cultural moments that happen within the week and publish a translation for those who don't live in teen culture every moment - because teens speak a different language and live in a different world, am I right?  Let this week's translation and discussion on Lauren Daigle and homosexuality, major developments for content creation on Youtube (site where users spend the most internet time, hands down), and how to discuss/rationalize doubts and subjective truth with "Biblical truth" in an empathetic way that loves the other.  Love the idea of "culture translation??" Subscribe to the podcast - we would love to give you weekly updated like this one with the occasional focused series. Look for the 3 pt. "Shame" series... You can get the "print" version of The Culture Translator in your inbox, instantly, every Friday by subscribing to the email.  

An honest look at homosexuality - Culture Translator Podcast #035

**Subscribe and leave a comment about your experience with Advent. Were you raised talking about it, just hearing of it now, or was a weird thing someone tried to introduce you to with candles and wreaths?    1. Social Media Is...Good? What it is: New stats from Pew reveal that the overwhelming consensus among US teens ages 13-17 is that social media is a largely positive force in their lives, though they’re willing to acknowledge some of its drawbacks. Why it's interesting: 81% of teens agreed that “social media makes them feel more connected to what’s going on in their friends’ lives,” while only 43% said they feel pressure to post content that makes them look good. So case closed. Let them have free reign! …..Or not. Pew’s research contradicts a recent studyfrom the UK that found that only YouTube had a net positive effect on teens’ mental health (Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram had net negative effects). This could indicate that UK teens are less healthy...or that they’re more willing to be honest. It could also indicate that US teens want social media to be good for them, so they go easy on it. No matter the reason, we need to keep the conversation about social media and its effects going.   2. Palessi What it is: The newest high-end shoe brand that social media influencers can’t wait to get their hands on. Why it's crazy: Though it’s only been around for a short while, the brand has made waves, with influencers lining up for their invitation-only pop-up in LA, spending hundreds on a pair of their shoes. One problem: It doesn’t exist. Payless created a fake website and fake Instagram to “rebrand” their discount shoes and prove that people don’t know the difference between luxury and bargain. Their experiment is an opportunity to not only talk with your teens about the power of branding, image, and presentation, helping them avoid the pitfalls of consumerism, but it’s also a chance to talk about quality. Is there a difference between Payless’s $20 shoes and Jimmy Choo’s $1,000 shoes? Is it actually as big of a difference as the prices suggest? Is it ever worth paying more for “handcrafted” or better materials? Could there be a negative side to both bargain and luxury? 3. Are You Influential? What it is: Speaker Josh Shipp’s newest FB video is something anyone who works with teens should watch. Why it’s an important reminder: Let’s face it. Between teenagers’ rolling eyes, their incredulous gasps that you don’t know what “yeet” means, and our own insecurities and negative self talk, it’s easy to wonder why we even wanted to be parents/educators/pastors/youth volunteers in the first place. “What’s the point? I have nothing to offer, and they don’t even listen to me because I’m not ‘cool’ enough. Besides, why should they listen to me when I have no idea what I’m doing?!” We all go through periods of self-doubt, and his video speaks truth to encourage us, give us perspective, and remember that these teenage hearts are worth it.   Patience and The Promise of Advent Sunday is the first day of Advent, a four week season of patient expectation as we await not only the promised Christ-child, but the eventual return of Christ the king. Advent also reminds us that things are not as they one day will be: that although war, poverty, sickness, and injustice remain, God is making all things new. Just not quite yet. As Mary labored delivering Jesus, the world itself is laboring through birth pains as the present order passes away and a new creation is born. Our task therefore is to embrace the tension between patience and promise, to live with hope in the midst of despair, and to never grow weary of doing good because we trust in the God who will “rend the heavens and come down” to save us. One day. Maybe not tomorrow or the next, but someday soon. We hope. So, for the next four weeks lean into the promise of Christ with patience. To help you do so, read this prayer with your family every Sunday of Advent as we await the Christ-child… “In our secret yearnings we wait for your coming, And in our grinding despair we doubt that you will. And in this privileged place we are surrounded by witnesses who yearn more than do we and by those who despair more deeply than do we. Look upon your church and its pastors in this season of hope which runs so quickly to fatigue and in this season of yearning which becomes so easily quarrelsome. Give us the grace and the patience to wait for your coming to the bottom of our toes, To the edges of our fingertips... Come in your power and come in your weakness in any case come and make all things new. Amen.” -Walter Brueggemann

Social Media Makes Teens Happy?? - Culture Translator Podcast #034

It was a brief week for culture translation, and we have a quick conversation about the difference between "thanks" and "gratefulness" this week.  The big highlight, of course, is that WE'RE HIRING!!!  Our Apprenticeship Program is designed to expose young adults to public speaking situations, non-profit-ministry-related responsibilities, student mentorship interactions, and team-centric ministry. We’re looking for people who have completed at least two years of college credit and are passionate about discipling teens and resourcing adults. If you know anyone in your community who may be interested, send them to apply.axis.org for more info and shoot any questions to apprenticeship@axis.org WE LOVE applications. Well over 50% of our staff have joined full-time because of their experience as part of our live teams. Almost every speaker heard on the podcast is one of those people, and I, myself (Matt) traveled and spoke with Axis after taking this Apprenticeship for almost 2 years! 

We're Hiring!! - Culture Translator Podcast #033

We look into teen culture every week and pull three things that parents need to know if they want to take conversations to the next level. We serve you because every generation needs a translator.

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