60. Reaching Generation Alpha: Discipling the First AI Generation with Dr. Shelly Melia and Shane Pruitt

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Hey everybody, welcome to the podcast.
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We are here to help you understand the unique cultural needs of Gen Z and Generation Alpha.
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I'm your host, Chuck Peters, and I'm so glad you're here today.
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This is the Etch Next Gen Ministry Podcast.
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Hey listeners, welcome to another episode of the Etch Next Gen Ministry Podcast.
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So glad to have you listening today.
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We are talking with two friends, both of whom have been on the podcast before, but never together, about a new collaboration that they have done.
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And that new collaboration is about understanding and reaching Generation Alpha.
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My guests are Dr.
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Shelly Melia and Shane Pruitt.
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And the two of them are just great friends and wonderful thought leaders in ministry.
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And we know that every generation presents unique opportunities for the gospel, right?
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But Gen Alpha may be unlike any other generation that's come before it, even Gen Z.
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Now they were born with smartphones, streaming content.
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There are AI natives.
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That's a huge new development.
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And there's been unprecedented cultural change in their lifetime.
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These kids are growing up faster, they're consuming more information, and they're facing greater questions about their identity and belonging and purpose than any previous generation before could even imagine.
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So the question that's facing churches and parents and ministry leaders is simple.
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It's how do we effectively reach and disciple Gen Alpha in this rapidly changing world?
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When most of us who are doing the reaching don't speak the Gen Alpha language.
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Well, today we're joined by these two trusted friends of mine, Dr.
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Shelly Milia, who serves as a professor of childhood education and family studies at Dallas Baptist University, and Shane Pruitt, who's the national next gen director at the North American Mission Board.
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And the two of them together have collaborated on a new book that's called Reaching Generation Alpha.
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It's about offering, uh it offers research and insights and practical strategies for understanding this newest, youngest generation and helping them develop a lifelong faith in Jesus.
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Join me now for this conversation that we've recorded at the SBC conference with Shane and Shelly talking about reaching generation alpha.
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Hey listeners, whether you are listening on the Kids Mystery Calling or on the NextGen the Mystery Podcast, we are here together.
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Janet, it's so nice to be able to co-host with you again.
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Yay, I'm so excited.
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We're at the SBC.
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We are, and it's uh we're kind of in a busy, noisy exhibit hall.
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So as you listen leaders, you hear all those things behind us.
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That's where we are, and that's why you're hearing that.
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By the way, if you're not here, you should be.
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Why not?
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We have actually some really cool things that are happening in the next gen space at the SBC.
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So in the village.
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The LifeWave Village is this amazing presence that we have.
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It's like a gigantic uh exhibit within the exhibits.
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It's huge in the middle.
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We've got adult ministries and Bibles and uh kids' ministry and student ministry, of course, our next gen team, uh, women's ministry, all in a great coffee bar.
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All the years.
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So if you are at SBC, you need to come by and get some get some caffeine to keep your energy up.
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And we'd love to have conversations with you.
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But we're also doing something that's extra cool today.
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So just really quickly, Janet, because we need to get to our guests, tell us about the micro conference that we are doing here.
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Yeah, I would love to.
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So for the first time ever, we have a kids micro conference at the SBC.
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So at the annual meeting that we have every summer in June, uh, we've never had like a kid specific kind of presence.
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And so uh we were asked to lead a micro conference because it's only two hours.
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Yeah, that's why it's called micro.
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Right.
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Um, and we have so many things to say.
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So it's been hard to kind of push it down to two hours, but that is gonna be this afternoon.
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It's sold out.
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Uh a couple hundred people will be there.
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Yeah.
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So we're gonna we're gonna get to just be with, you know, all of our SBC friends and get to talk kids ministry with the other.
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And it's so it's for kids ministry leaders.
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So whether you're preschool or kids ministry, this is to equip those leaders who are here.
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So it's a kids' conference, yeah, but it's a kids ministry leader conference, not for children themselves.
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That's true.
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Although we do have some coloring sheets in our in the Life Way Village.
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We've got kids over there.
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Lots of kids coloring all kinds of kids stuff.
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So fun.
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So, and there's also a student ministry microconference uh that's happening here as well.
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So the SBC is becoming a place not only where senior pastors are coming, right in senior leadership, but really where we as next gen leaders are increasingly finding more and more value to be here, to make connections, to network, and to interact and rub elbows with some great um thought leaders like our two guests today.
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I see what you did there.
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Yes, okay.
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We are here with our friends, our good friend Shelly Milia from Dallas Baptist University and Shane Pruitt from NAM.
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You've both been on both of our shows before.
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We just we love spending time with you.
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You guys have a new book that is out, Reaching Generation Alpha.
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Yeah.
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And that is something that is so dear to us.
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You know, our passion is for reaching the next generation.
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And we know you two have put in a lot of research and a lot of work to pull together this really phenomenal book.
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And we want to talk today about some of the things that are in there so that we can then point our listeners to go and get the whole story by reading the entire book.
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Oh yeah, that'd be great.
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So tell us how, just to get started, what inspired this partnership, right?
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Because the two of you, we all know one another, but this is the first time that you've collaborated on something.
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How did that come about?
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Well, uh, you know, I'd been speaking on Gen Alpha for a little while and then noticed that he was starting to speak on it.
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I think he came to DBU and spoke on it.
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Yeah.
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And um, I was just thinking in my head, whoa, it would be really cool to write a book with him.
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Uh, so we emailed, and then he has such great contacts here that uh he talked to them and they were interested.
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But I think it's really kind of a good um picture of how we think next gen should work too.
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Like we should be working together, yes, and we should he should know what we're passing off to him, and he should, you know, I should know all those things.
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And so I think it's a great way to kind of blend next gen ministry and get churches to be thinking about it holistically.
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So for those of you who don't already know one or the other of you, generally speaking, Shelly, you are a kids' ministry leader and influencer, professor.
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Yes, uh Shane, you've been student ministry leaning even towards college.
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We see a lot of you doing doing uh ministry, sharing the gospel at colleges and seeing all kinds of revival.
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Yeah, so we have kids and students coming together in this really cool partnership.
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Yeah, and like like Shelly has said, is like in the past, those worlds sometimes are very siloed, you know, it's like children's ministry, student ministry, college and young adult ministry.
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Yes.
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And really, I think if we're doing it well and effectively, it should just be a continual pipeline through all those.
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And so I think the more we work together, the more we build those grudges together, the more helpful it is for students and their parents and families.
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And so, yeah, like Shelly said, I we had also spoken at multiple conferences together, and I would make sure I like snuck into her session and I was just in the back taking notes, and it's like incredible.
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And so I think we always want to try to work with people smarter than us, you know.
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For me, that's not hard.
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You know what I mean?
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Yeah, um, and so when when Dr.
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Emilio reached out, I was like, that was an easy yes.
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So it's been such a joy just going through this journey, writing the book, and just really hearing her heartbeat and her her wisdom.
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Uh, she's a research guru.
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I'm sure y'all know that.
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So I quote her all the time.
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I absolutely so I just say she brought all the smarts to the book.
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I just brought some stories and illustrations.
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You know, smarts and stories are really great together.
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Yeah, yeah.
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You guys are a great team.
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So thanks for doing this.
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Um, Gen Alpha is one of our favorite topics to talk about.
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And I have to keep reminding myself that it's no longer Gen Alpha is in kids' ministry and Gen Z is student ministry.
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We've moved on from that.
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Gen Alpha is very much into student ministry now, too.
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So I think for anyone listening or watching, it's important to remember that when we talk about Gen Alpha, we're talking about preschool, absolutely, kids, and students.
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I know Gen Z starts up at age 16 right now.
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And so they're more of our upperclassmen and our Gen Alpha are entering into high school, certainly in middle school.
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So I think that's important to frame before we really get into this.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, and I think we've we often, probably over the last four or five years, there has not been a whole lot of new data on Gen Alpha.
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So they've been lumped in with the research that's been done on Z, right?
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And so now we're getting kind of a first glimpse to see how are they distinct, what what areas are similar?
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And there's a lot of similarities, they're all digital natives, but there are some things that really distinguish alphas from Zers.
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And as ministry leaders, we need to have awareness of that because we can't just do the same thing for both audiences.
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So, Shelly, let's start with you.
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Okay.
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What would you call out that you all have found that is something that that sets alphas apart from our Gen Zers?
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Sure.
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I like to think about it in terms of um, you know, technology, social media.
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We read about how it's rewired uh Gen Z's brain.
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So it's kind of changed the way that they it's changed everything.
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And we know the negative effects now.
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It it took a while for us to figure that out.
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But I think with Gen Alpha, it's it's actually forming their brains, it's actually forming their worldviews, and that's a big difference than changing something versus forming it.
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So right alongside them, they have uh technology that is feeding them algorithms, shaping their worldview, their identity, all of those things.
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So you take it up a level with Gen Alpha, and I think that's one of the things you have to sort of wrap your brain around and understand that it is discipling our kids.
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Like it's literally forming, discipling them in a way that I think no other generation has experienced at such an early age, right?
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Right.
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Yeah, I completely agree.
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And um, and you talk about student ministry as it's a very unique time in student ministry when you think of like here's these student ministries that are having to minister to two distinct generations at the same time.
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Gen Z, Gen Alpha.
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And um, you know, I think just like you know, millennials were like on the kind of tail end of some things, and then Gen Z were like fully immersed in that.
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I think you're seeing the exact same thing with Gen Z, where it's like Gen Z is like, oh, like even artificial intelligence, right?
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That that kind of came on board during Gen Z.
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And so like that change, but Gen Alpha will mainly only know a world uh that is like let almost use the word dictated.
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I hope we don't get there, you know, but is definitely influenced by you know artificial intelligence.
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So I think even artificial intelligence is a main major change in that too.
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Shelly, I quote you often saying Gen Z are digital natives and Gen Alpha are AI natives.
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They've never known a world, they'll they will never know a world without artificial intelligence.
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And what does that mean?
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Yeah, I mean, I think it means a lot, right?
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We don't even know it, they're a real-time experiment with uh with artificial intelligence.
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And you know, we won't know the full effects for a few years, but I think they could move towards AI addicts too.
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Like I think even we become more and more dependent upon it.
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And if you can imagine being a young child, young teenager, and having the opportunity to ask it everything, yeah.
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You would who wouldn't?
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Right.
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I mean, who wouldn't?
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Yes.
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I mean, I find myself doing that.
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So we were sharing before we started recording about just a couple ways that we are beginning to experiment with AI.
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One of the ways that I've used it is to help me do some research, you know, for some Bible Bible history and things that I want to incorporate into a teaching or into an article I'm working on.
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And and I've found because we have uh a license of co-pilot that is uh that's a corporate license, I find it quoting me to myself.
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It says, You wrote this about this topic.
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And and here, and it'll say, This is how you might say this thing in your voice.
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And it's it's like it knows me.
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It is.
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And so for those of us as adults, we can kind of filter that and we can say, we know this is artificial, we know it's not really intelligent, but it can be really easy to get caught up in that.
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And and we start to get you can see how people could have a relationship with AI and begin to trust it, right?
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Yeah without really discerning whether that's good or not.
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Yeah, even at the North American Mission Board, we recently uh just created and will promote here at SBC, but an AI tool that helps you practice sharing the gospel with people.
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So you literally can put in a 25-year-old, you know, student, grad student in Boston.
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Play that role.
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Yeah, that is, you know, just they're in Ivy League school, they're brilliant, and they're an atheist.
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Uh, I want to share the gospel with them and just interact back and forth.
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And you can even put the level like, you know, easy, medium, expert, extreme.
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I'm still working on like stating that uh, you know, like Ivy League student on the expert level.
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Yeah, you know, so it's far, but but even AI now using it to like train us how to share the gospel and stuff like that.
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Yeah, so there's a lot of good applications, AI, right?
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It's not, it's so hard to say anything is just good or bad or good or evil uh in this in the technology realm.
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It's really about how do we interface with it and what do we use it for.
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Yeah, the concern would be that Gen Alpha is going to be so comfortable with AI that they trust it.
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Shelly, you had said doctors may not have much of a future, right?
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We might lose our general practitioners because people would consult AI rather than go to a physician.
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Yeah, yeah.
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And I think with kids, I mean, all of those things are true.
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But for me, one of the things too is just the way they're looking to it for relationship, the way they're looking to it for affirmation.
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Um, there's lots of stuff out there right now in the news.
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Uh, 60 Minutes did a special on virtual companions and how easy it is for them to get sucked into a virtual relationship.
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Uh, and that's dangerous, right?
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And so when kids are lonely, when they don't fit in, they're very vulnerable.
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And so they're going to trend towards something.
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And so I think that's something that's going to catch parents by surprise.
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In the same way these phones caught us by surprise of what they did.
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I think some of this virtual companionship, in addition to are they really learning anything?
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I mean, at the higher ed level, we're trying to figure out how do we assess authentic learning.
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So, you know, with Gen Z and COVID, it was okay, how do we teach them when they're not in the room?
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With Gen Alpha, it's how do we assess them?
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How do we really know that they know this?
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Because they can cheat, they can get around the system, they're smarter than we are about these kinds of things.
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So it really opens up Fandora's box.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, and I think, and on the student ministry level too, I've had a lot of youth pastors say, they already got students question them like in the pornography realm.
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Is it really pornography if it's AI generated?
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Is it really sin if it's not real people?
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And students are already asking that question.
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We're like, yeah, well, the issue is with the heart and lust, obviously.
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But I don't think if we went back three, four years ago, we would have ever thought we would have had students asking those that kind of question, exactly.
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Yeah.
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So let's talk about you you brought up student pastors.
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What does this mean for discipleship at church, knowing about Gen Alpha?
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Yeah, you know, there's a term um that can sound derogatory, but I think we know what it means is there's a new term now for teenagers called screenagers.
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Yeah, yeah.
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And so, and and so what we're seeing, I think, especially with teenagers, is very comfortable on a screen, very articulate on a screen, can navigate that so well.
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Uh, it reminds me of Linus from Charlie Brown.
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You know, he had his blue blanket, yeah, and it was his security blanket.
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Yeah.
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So we wrote a whole chapter in reaching generation alpha.
00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:13.519
The book and the chapter is called Gen Alpha and their security blanket.
00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:14.879
And we're saying it's screens.
00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:16.159
So we've seen it.
00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:17.519
I see it in my own kids sometimes.
00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:20.320
Very comfortable, very articulate on a on a screen.
00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:28.639
Um, they can, you know, I think of like my 14-year-old who's very outgoing, who started a Bible study at a public, you know, school, very outgoing.
00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:32.879
But she can be very comfortable with her friends on FaceTime, playing video games together.
00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:36.080
They do homework together, but then we we kind of joke.
00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:43.440
If they run into each other in the wild, in the wild, unplanned, yeah, they're like, I'm like, hey, there's so and so.
00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:44.960
And they're like, I know, Dad, just keep walking.
00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:48.159
I'm like, well, you just on FaceTime with them for like three hours.
00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:50.639
You're like, Dad, quit being so cringy, you know?
00:16:50.720 --> 00:17:02.399
And so we found very comfortable, very articulate, very confident on a screen, but that in-person, face-to-face interaction, let's just be honest, a little awkward, a little weird.
00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:09.519
Uh, young people now almost at large have a hard time looking you in the eye, holding a conversation, shaking your hands.
00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:17.519
Um, and so where that could hinder what we do in our churches and in our ministries to go, okay, Colossians three, bear one another's burdens.
00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:18.720
And you're like, are you kidding me?
00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:20.079
I can't even talk to people.
00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:22.720
Uh go share the gospel with the lost person.
00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:23.200
What?
00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:26.640
I can't even run into my best friend in the wild unplaying, you know?
00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:35.440
And so I think really one of the futures of student ministry, children's ministry, I think we tend to think digital, got to figure out AI, got to figure out digital ministry.
00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:36.160
That's true.
00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:47.680
But I think one of the best things we can do to cut through the noise is to really disciple kiddos and teenagers, young people to know how to do real life with real people in the real world.
00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:55.359
Because what's gonna happen to a generation is they're gonna miss the beauty of the real world around them because they're obsessed with a fake one online.
00:17:55.519 --> 00:18:03.359
So I think really, as the church, that's where we can step in and go, here's how you have real relationships, real people really know how to interact with real people in the real world.
00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:05.680
And we've been talking about our artificial intelligence.
00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:05.920
Yeah.
00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:12.720
I think we have generations now, Gen Z and Alpha and Beta coming after, who are gonna have artificial relationships.
00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:13.039
Yeah.
00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:13.359
Right.
00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:16.000
And so I think that's so key for us in ministry, right?
00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:30.240
Is we we know that our kids for many reasons, COVID with the isolating and separating and distancing and all that stuff, kind of broke that social um uh timeline for them of development, right?
00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:35.200
Relational development with real people, and it's been replaced with these artificial relationships.
00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:41.680
Social media hasn't helped because we have all these friends that we've never met or that we don't really know.
00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:46.880
Everything is filtered and curated so that we're only showing our very best to the world.
00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:52.480
And that we we know that well, that there's good things about those kind of connections that they're not authentic.
00:18:52.640 --> 00:19:06.240
Yeah, and we in order to reach a generation with that is desperate for real connection, we have to, as the church, be the place where they find those real relationships with friends and peers, but also with leaders, right?
00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:07.759
So that we can have relationships.
00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:09.599
Discipleship happens in relationships.
00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:10.480
Yeah, absolutely.
00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:14.880
And I and it'll be interesting to see if it's temporary or if it's ongoing.
00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:20.559
But there does seem to be, especially with Generation Alpha, this kind of all in wonder of the physical again.
00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:24.640
You know, um, I've shared this on multiple of our interviews, uh, Dr.
00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:31.200
Millie and I is uh again, I my 14-year-old and then my 12-year-old, they discovered a cassette tape player.
00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:32.960
Oh, and it went to the city.
00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:33.440
Yeah, yeah.
00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:38.240
Yeah, and it's like, but it was like, you know, the small one that clips on your belt loop, you know, and they'll walk around.
00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:41.039
They'll walk around with that with physical headphones.
00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:46.960
And so one of our favorite hobbies recently has been to go to Half Press Books and find old cassette tapes for$1.99.
00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:48.799
And they think it's fantastic.
00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:51.440
And all their friends are like, what is that?
00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:57.599
You know, and then it's kind of like going back to like even some of the like old video games and stuff, you know.
00:19:57.680 --> 00:20:01.839
Like I pulled out my old Game Boy the other day with the green screen, like Tetris.
00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:07.119
This is amazing, you know, like they just discovered the Ark of the Covenant or something, you know?
00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:12.480
And so it seems like there is this kind of awe and wonder of physical things that get, you know.
00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:14.480
And I hope that parents catch on.
00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:16.079
I want you to talk about that, Shelly.
00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:17.599
Of what can they do?
00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:19.839
I think parents are read-in now.
00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:22.720
I mean, for a while it felt like everybody was sounding the alarm.
00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:26.960
Jonathan Hyde, anxious generation, like we've got to figure something out.
00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:32.880
Um, and parents seem to be more read-in on the dangers of screen time and all of that.
00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:38.640
Um, but what can the church offer in the real world to these families as they're seeking to do that?
00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:43.359
Yeah, I do think parents are very well read in, as you say, with phones.
00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:51.200
And they're, you know, I think some of our Gen Z parents, certainly our millennial millennial parents, are trying to do some things different with their kids.
00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:53.519
And, you know, we applaud that.
00:20:54.079 --> 00:21:02.079
Um but I think whenever we surveyed, uh we surveyed like 714 people and asked them about awareness.
00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:05.440
What kind of awareness do parents have on certain issues?
00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:11.039
And the two lowest uh were AI and pornography.
00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:19.680
And so perhaps one of the things that we can help parents understand is to say, hey, let's not make the same mistakes we made with our phones.
00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:27.279
Let's really think about AI because it is attractive for parents too, because it has tools, you know, we can make our grocery list, we can do all kinds of things.
00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:45.759
But to really, you know, not sound like the sky is falling to them, but to say, look, you really have to be aware that uh kids are using AI, you want your kids to learn, you you don't want them to have virtual companions, and then also the stuff that kids are doing with pornography, I think parents aren't aware of.
00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:47.759
So we have to get them aware, right?
00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:53.839
Right, and then we have to help them understand that whoever has their child's attention is who's gonna disciple them, right?
00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:54.160
Right.
00:21:54.319 --> 00:22:01.519
And so if we let uh the world, if we let sports, if we let whatever it is, whoever has Their attention is going to disciple them.
00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:10.079
And so I hope and pray that one of the results of this book would be sort of doubling down to say we have to prioritize our kids.
00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:14.160
We know we work with children's ministers and student ministers.
00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:20.000
I don't know very many of them who have plenty of volunteers, who have plenty of committed people.
00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:20.400
Right.
00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:22.559
We're all struggling.
00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:30.720
And how sad is that in the sense that if we could just make the most of what we have, we might be able to sort of turn the tide on this.
00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:38.559
So I think part of it is reaching their parents and just saying, hey, you know, here's some of the things we're concerned about, here's the things we're excited about.
00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:40.640
And let's all be on the same team.
00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:44.960
And I and I think there is a collective movement with the phones.
00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:45.279
Right.
00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:48.960
So let's let's keep it going and step into that space.
00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:49.920
Yeah, absolutely.
00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:56.799
And one thing that we even try to do with our kids and really encourage other parents to do with their kids too is we embrace the awkward conversations.
00:22:56.880 --> 00:22:57.039
Yeah.
00:22:57.200 --> 00:23:00.160
You know, because especially as they get older, they're going to be curious.
00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:02.400
They're going to have questions.
00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:06.319
And I think a lot of times as parents, we don't want to have those awkward conversations.
00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:08.880
And so we just kind of avoid them at all costs.
00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:19.279
But if young people have questions, they don't feel like they can go their parents or their ministry leaders, they'll go ups well and we're not going to like where they where they go.
00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:23.920
You know, and so we we embrace the awkward conversations like bring us your awkward conversations.
00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:25.440
Nothing's off the table.
00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:34.640
And of course, we respond, you know, age appropriate, but bring us your awkward conversations because I'd much rather you be, you know, discipled by the gospels than the Grammys.
00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:37.759
I'd much rather you be discipled by truth than TikTok.
00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:50.079
And so it'd say, as parents, is like, it might feel awkward, it might feel weird, but embrace those awkward conversations because you know, even and my parents were great parents, super involved, loving parents, healthy marriage, still is.
00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:56.559
But I the birds and bees talk for me was literally coming home after basketball practice when I was about 14.
00:23:56.640 --> 00:24:08.079
I just walked in my room and there was this weird book on my bed that described it using animals, you know, and it was but what was weird is my my mom and dad never even mentioned it.
00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:10.000
Not even, did you read the book?
00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:15.119
Do you have questions to stroll in there and never to be mentioned of again?
00:24:15.279 --> 00:24:19.200
And that was the question, you know, and those are and so I was like, I don't think we can do that anymore.
00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:23.200
There's if if we don't disuper our kids, the world is more than happy to.
00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:24.559
And we gotta lean in.
00:24:24.880 --> 00:24:28.559
So okay, so there's something really, really practical here that I want to make sure we don't miss listeners.
00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:33.440
So whether you work in preschool, kids, middle school, high school, beyond any college ministry space, yeah.
00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:35.440
Parents are desperate for help.
00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:35.839
Yeah.
00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:38.400
Because these parents, not that they don't care, right?
00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:39.599
They're overwhelmed.
00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:42.880
They're they're they don't they don't feel well equipped to answer these questions.
00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:45.200
They don't know how to have that awkward conversation machine.
00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:47.440
They want to leave the book on the bed and step away, right?
00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:48.799
Let the book do its thing.
00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:50.160
What book do I leave on their bed?
00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:51.039
Yeah.
00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:54.559
But they're looking for someone to come alongside and help them.
00:24:54.640 --> 00:25:04.559
And I would say, from what everything that we've heard, parents are very open to having their children's ministry leader, their student pastor, offer them help.
00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:06.640
They're looking for help and they want that.
00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:14.640
We need to turn our minds increasingly more away from ministering to kids and students as our primary role, to ministering to the whole family.
00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:15.039
Absolutely.
00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:24.400
And that when we have a parent meeting or a parent training, it's not just to say, here's the rules and here's what's going to happen, but or here's what maybe what we're going to be studying.
00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:28.240
But listen, we are here to be available and accessible to you.
00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:42.880
We want to walk with you and maybe even to offer some training sessions that deal with some really practical issues like this, where we can guide that conversation for our parents, knowing that they are the primary influence in our own kids' lives.
00:25:43.039 --> 00:25:46.880
And if we don't equip them, their kids are going to find those answers somewhere else.
00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:47.200
Right.
00:25:47.359 --> 00:25:51.519
So we really need to step up in how we engage and interact and train up parents.
00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:51.920
Yeah.
00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:52.319
Yeah.
00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:56.160
And I think that most parents want to do that.
00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:58.319
But there's things that get in the way of that.
00:25:58.480 --> 00:26:00.559
You know, maybe they didn't have a model.
00:26:00.880 --> 00:26:02.960
Maybe their parents didn't do that to them.
00:26:03.039 --> 00:26:19.440
And so they're like, I don't know how to do a family worship, you know, or um, you know, maybe they feel uh like they aren't qualified because of their own lives, you know, maybe they think, well, I'm not really worthy to do this because I just yelled at you over here, or whatever.
00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:27.279
I mean, I think we talk ourselves out of that role because we don't think we're good enough, and because we've sort of had this culture where let the professionals do it.
00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:27.519
Right.
00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:27.759
Yeah.
00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:29.119
That's the outsourcing mentality.
00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:36.319
And and I think that we just need to get really specific with parents and say, this is how you do it.
00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:38.000
Instead of just saying, go do it.
00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:39.440
It's this is how you do it.
00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:40.960
Hey, it's not always gonna go great.
00:26:41.119 --> 00:26:48.400
There's gonna be times when it doesn't go well, but sort of normalize the struggle of it because when we're in ministry, it comes naturally, right?
00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:52.480
It came naturally to me to say, hey, we're gonna have family time.
00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:54.079
That's that's what we do.
00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:57.359
But think of all the parents that doesn't come naturally too.
00:26:57.839 --> 00:27:02.079
Um, and you know, Satan likes to make us think we're not able to do that.
00:27:02.160 --> 00:27:03.599
So I do think there's a disconnect.
00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:05.440
They want to do it, they don't know how to do it.
00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:06.400
They don't know how to do it.
00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:07.759
And so that's what I would say.
00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:16.240
Yeah, and you know, you think of even generationally, as we talk about generation alpha, is the majority of generation alpha's parents are millennials.
00:27:16.559 --> 00:27:21.839
Yeah, and you know, some older Gen Z, some younger Gen Xers, but the majority are millennials.
00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:30.640
And if you remember, kind of looking back a little bit in church history, is really the first kind of generation to kind of leave the church in a big number were millennials.
00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:36.400
Now, many of them have gotten married, now they have kids, they're bringing their kids back to church, and praise the Lord for that.
00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:43.200
But that means there was a pretty significant part of their life where they were not in Christian community, being discipled, maturing.
00:27:43.279 --> 00:27:49.839
And so now you have, I think, you know, some millennials that love Jesus, but they've missed those kind of discipleship years themselves.
00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:53.039
And so we just have to remind ourselves as the church of that.
00:27:53.279 --> 00:27:53.920
I love what Dr.
00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:59.680
Emilia said is, you know, a lot of times at conferences uh or on social media, it sounds real good to go.
00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:03.440
All right, hey, parents, we're not your kids' primary disciplers, you are.
00:28:03.599 --> 00:28:03.680
Right.
00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:06.880
So no parents would go on, nah, not interested, right?
00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:08.160
They're like, I don't know what to do.
00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:09.039
That's like great, yeah.
00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:09.759
How do I do that?
00:28:10.079 --> 00:28:17.680
So, you know, I love that there's a great church that to change the culture, what they did is ask one diagnostic question.
00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:24.079
So uh the way that church is set up, uh, the family pastor is over all next-gen ministries, right?
00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:32.160
And so he said to change the dynamic and the paradigm shift of that thought process in their church, he just started asking all the ministry teams one question.
00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:39.519
So a children's ministry team would come to him and say, Hey, we want to do this thing, whatever it is, he goes, Great, how are we gonna utilize that to equip and empower parents?
00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:42.880
Student ministry team would come, hey, we want to do this event, great.
00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:46.160
How are you gonna do that to equip and empower parents?
00:28:46.400 --> 00:28:58.720
And he said, just over time, just asking that one question over and over and over again, it just was a paradigm shift to where now the children's ministry team comes and says, Yeah, we want to do this thing, and this is how we're gonna use it to equip and empower parents.
00:28:58.799 --> 00:29:03.759
Now they're already thinking through it in any planning process, and I think that's just the beginning point right there.
00:29:03.920 --> 00:29:04.319
Yeah.
00:29:04.640 --> 00:29:12.480
As we're talking, I'm this is a quick plug for Etch, but I'm thinking of several different breakout topics that we're gonna have this year in October.
00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:15.920
Uh, listeners come to Etch, we'll give you the link.
00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:23.680
Um, but like one of them is having the hard conversations about pornography with kids, students, and parents.
00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:30.640
Like, talk to your parents about how to do that and provide some of these tools that we're talking about that intimidate parents.
00:29:31.119 --> 00:29:37.680
Um, and then um the other one, well, Shelly, you're talking about bait, here come the beta.
00:29:38.160 --> 00:29:40.000
So definitely check that out.
00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:40.319
Right.
00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:47.279
And then we've got a couple on AI and what does that mean for uh kids ministry, student ministry, discipleship in general?
00:29:47.759 --> 00:29:49.519
So that's good to think about.
00:29:49.599 --> 00:30:01.039
Um, if you're thinking about coming to a conference, Etch is really thinking through, intentionally putting together training that you know accomplishes these specific things that were that we have felt needs about.
00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:07.440
So, yes, please do come to the ECH next gen ministry conference in Nashville, just south and it is fantastic.
00:30:08.160 --> 00:30:08.559
Five stars.
00:30:09.359 --> 00:30:14.079
Shane and Shelley, you will both be there this coming October in presenting and speaking again.
00:30:14.480 --> 00:30:18.720
We've had both of you on the main stage, both read pre-conference sessions and breakouts.
00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:28.720
So, listeners, it's a this is a great opportunity not only for you to come just for all the other things you get, but also to meet folks like like Shane and Shelly in person and to be able to interact with them directly.
00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:31.200
So, etchconference.com is the place to go.
00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:34.400
Yes, and the event is this October 5, 6, 7.
00:30:34.640 --> 00:30:35.920
Yes, you know how to remember that, right?
00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:36.400
It's five.
00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:38.880
Goodness gracious.
00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:40.960
That's so old, Joe.
00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:43.680
That is old, that is old.
00:30:44.319 --> 00:30:44.559
Okay.
00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:57.680
Well, that's so let's talk a little bit more about how do we effectively reach Gen Alpha with the gospel and disciple them in light of all the things that we've learned and all that we know, their need for those IRL relationships, right?
00:30:57.920 --> 00:31:05.200
How do we go about reaching them and how are there nuanced differences between what we might do with Gen Zers and our alphas?
00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:18.960
Yeah, you know, I think with Generation Alpha coming up is we've kind of hit on this a little bit, but I think one thing we just got to remind ourselves of, you know, used to, whenever I was a youth pastor, we would always kind of do diagnostic, you know, assessments of the student ministry.
00:31:19.039 --> 00:31:22.000
And then go, all right, what percentage of our students are being discipled?
00:31:22.079 --> 00:31:23.519
You know, is it a quarter of them?
00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:25.359
Can we, can we raise it to half of them?
00:31:25.519 --> 00:31:27.119
Can we raise it to three fourths of them?
00:31:27.200 --> 00:31:29.519
What percentage of our students are being discipled?
00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:40.000
Well, now because of social media, AI, phones, tablets, we uh really need to change the mind shift to go, no, a hundred percent of them are being discipled.
00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:42.240
Every single one of them are being discipled.
00:31:42.400 --> 00:31:43.759
So the question isn't, yeah.
00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:46.000
So the question isn't, are they being discipled?
00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:46.400
They are.
00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:48.799
The question is who or what is discipling.
00:31:49.039 --> 00:31:54.079
So now we got to enter into that space, you know, and I'm just saying stick to the word of God.
00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:55.440
You know, like preach the word.
00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:58.799
I think sometimes we overthink it so much we forget the basics.
00:31:59.039 --> 00:32:04.319
Now, here's what I've seen with Generation Alpha, which I think is also similar to Gen Z.
00:32:04.480 --> 00:32:06.319
We saw a shift in Gen Z.
00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:09.680
Uh, I think Gen Alpha is all already all the way there.
00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:13.279
It's like this love for the real, the truth, right?
00:32:13.359 --> 00:32:14.720
Because now they're questioning everything.
00:32:14.880 --> 00:32:16.319
Like, is this video even real?
00:32:16.400 --> 00:32:18.000
How do we know it's not AI generated?
00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:20.000
Is this picture even real?
00:32:20.160 --> 00:32:23.279
You know, um, so now they assume the fake.
00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:26.720
So let's bring in the real and the truth, and that's the word of God.
00:32:26.960 --> 00:32:34.640
And they have this hunger for the word of God, they have this hunger even for doctrine and theology on you know, a level they can understand.
00:32:34.799 --> 00:32:42.720
So I would say, you know, when I even look at my own kids, so Gen Z, 20, Gen Alpha, 12 and 14, and then we have others that are younger.
00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:46.079
Um, I would I I tell next gen communicators this all the time.
00:32:46.160 --> 00:33:04.400
It should have never been this way, but the fact that it was, on some level, it was is to go, all right, the days of in the setting, you know, of a gathering, uh, the days of opening your Bible, reading some Bible verse out of context, setting your Bible to the side and telling a bunch of goofy and emotional stories for 30 minutes, those days are over.
00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:07.599
Yeah, like nobody will reject that faster than young people.
00:33:07.680 --> 00:33:13.119
Like my 20-year-old and my 14-year-old and my 12-year-old hate that stuff, you know.
00:33:13.599 --> 00:33:19.759
So it's like stick to the word of God, stick to the Bible, um, and preach the word, teach them the word.
00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:23.519
There's a hunger for truth, deep hunger for truth.
00:33:23.920 --> 00:33:26.960
And we have the greatest truth there is Jesus Christ and his word.
00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:31.279
So, I mean, and that's a that's a relatively obvious and simple answer, right?
00:33:31.440 --> 00:33:34.559
Because I think what we what we tend to do is we want to we complicate things.
00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:35.200
We do.
00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:40.400
Like we need to do something big or fancy or different, or we need to figure out how to leverage technology.
00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:43.279
And you're saying no, and I think we would say the same, right?
00:33:43.440 --> 00:33:47.359
What what what they really need is people, people, relationships who care about them.
00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:48.000
Yeah, right.
00:33:48.079 --> 00:33:54.000
We I talk about five C leaders, leaders who are uh consistent, connected, right?
00:33:54.480 --> 00:33:57.680
Who are who have a Christ-like character, who care about kids.
00:33:57.759 --> 00:34:09.360
Yeah, we when we have people with the right character to to to build relationships, uh, that's that's even more important as we develop leaders now than how well can you uh teach a Bible study.
00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:20.719
We we can help you teach, that's what we do, but we need leaders who are willing to connect and invest in relationships, yeah, so that they can be the kind of leaders who, you know, like Paul said, it imitate me as I imitate Christ.
00:34:20.800 --> 00:34:23.840
We need to have leaders in their lives who are influencers.
00:34:24.239 --> 00:34:25.360
So that's another word, right?
00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:36.159
We pull from the social world and apply it to the real world when we say we need people who are walking with Jesus and living for him so that kids can see that modeled and then follow after them.
00:34:36.320 --> 00:34:41.199
Yeah, I know a lot of uh student ministries too, and uh, I'm sure children's ministries are as well.
00:34:41.360 --> 00:34:47.280
Kind of going back to the physical again, as they go, okay, bring a physical Bible.
00:34:47.360 --> 00:34:48.880
Yes, bring a journal.
00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:59.280
Open like I know even like uh my daughter's college ministry, and I know that's Gen Z, but I'm seeing that like trickle down too, where there are college pastors and there's college ministries exploding.
00:34:59.519 --> 00:35:03.280
One year went from around 75 to almost 500 in one year.
00:35:03.440 --> 00:35:04.000
Grew.
00:35:04.159 --> 00:35:11.679
Uh Stanton, the college pastor, goes, All right, on the screens, I'll put my major points, but I'm no longer putting verses on the screens.
00:35:11.760 --> 00:35:16.079
You need to be able to find those in your Bible, bring a physical Bible.
00:35:16.239 --> 00:35:19.920
And if you don't have one, we're gonna have a plethora of them to give to you.
00:35:20.079 --> 00:35:21.519
Physical Bible, physical journal.
00:35:21.599 --> 00:35:23.280
And gosh students are like loving that.
00:35:23.360 --> 00:35:27.280
I know student ministries are like, no more, physical Bible.
00:35:27.360 --> 00:35:32.159
And so, shout out CSB, which is my favorite translation, my preaching translation.
00:35:32.320 --> 00:35:37.599
So I think there is even a return to that to go, we're not, you know, because I think even that, and we saw it in adults, right?
00:35:37.679 --> 00:35:41.679
We just start putting everything on screens, and even adults stop bringing their Bibles with them.
00:35:42.159 --> 00:35:48.480
So physical Bible, you know, and I've seen even a return of that in with student ministry as well and young people.
00:35:48.719 --> 00:35:49.119
Yeah, yeah.
00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:54.880
And you guys talk a lot about going beyond the screen and helping parents try to live life beyond the screen.
00:35:55.039 --> 00:35:57.840
I know we hear about that from Anxious Generation as well.
00:35:58.079 --> 00:36:12.639
I think that that's such an urgent and cool opportunity for the church to provide those real life experiences, help families live life together, because that's gonna be such an important thing to be able to live in a countercultural way.
00:36:12.800 --> 00:36:15.039
I mean, hasn't that always been the strategy?
00:36:15.199 --> 00:36:25.360
But now more than ever, how can even kids ministry leaders and student leaders help families find one another and live life intentionally in a counterculture?
00:36:26.079 --> 00:36:26.320
Yeah.
00:36:26.480 --> 00:36:32.000
I think that's the that is the the neat thing about this generation is I think their parents are wanting that.
00:36:32.159 --> 00:36:32.400
Right.
00:36:32.639 --> 00:36:39.039
Because they have lived the outcome of they they feel the stress, they feel all the things that technology does.
00:36:39.199 --> 00:36:47.440
And so, you know, in the same way that I think we've had a collective response to get phones out of schools, I wish we would get phones out of churches.
00:36:47.760 --> 00:36:48.480
Churches, right?
00:36:48.719 --> 00:36:49.440
Uh at camps.
00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:53.679
We can do to make that an expectation that we clarify.
00:36:54.000 --> 00:36:55.360
Because we're all addicted to them.
00:36:56.000 --> 00:37:00.559
Um, but we our parents want our kids to have a camp because they want to know if they're okay.
00:37:00.800 --> 00:37:04.320
But they can't feel belonging unless they actually talk to somebody.
00:37:04.800 --> 00:37:07.440
Uh and belonging is a pain point for every single person.
00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:07.760
Yeah.
00:37:08.159 --> 00:37:14.480
And so you're not gonna create belonging with me if I'm just in a room with 500 people with a really cool speaker, right?
00:37:14.639 --> 00:37:16.400
I'm gonna think, oh, he's really cool.
00:37:16.639 --> 00:37:23.840
But if you know my name, if you notice me, if you begin to know my story, then I'm gonna gravitate towards you.
00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:31.119
And so, but the thing is that anything that we do well takes a sacrifice, and we haven't been real good at that, right?
00:37:31.199 --> 00:37:45.920
We we have not really wanted to sacrifice our weekends for to have those consistent leaders, and but I really, I really wish that we would find ways to set the phones aside and just sit and talk, um, and just sit and get to know each other, even intergenerationally.
00:37:46.000 --> 00:37:55.679
Uh, I think there's such a need, and uh there's such a longing for that, that that could be something that sets churches apart too, is just to say, hey, we're gonna do the same thing here.
00:37:55.840 --> 00:37:57.599
Uh, we wanna we wanna actually get to know you.
00:37:58.239 --> 00:38:04.400
And I think all that really takes is just a little bit of courage for the leader to say, listen, when we go, and maybe it's a small step, right?
00:38:04.480 --> 00:38:07.519
When we get to our small group time, yeah, that's a no-phone zone.
00:38:07.679 --> 00:38:14.079
Once once we get in that the little circles, we're gonna move out of the big room where we're in rows, we're gonna move to our little circles for discussion and application.
00:38:14.239 --> 00:38:17.760
We're gonna have a little basket, everybody puts their phone in that basket until we're done, right?
00:38:17.840 --> 00:38:26.800
And we can just begin to take small steps into creating creating that kind of environment, and kids will receive that um if we set the guideline.
00:38:26.960 --> 00:38:31.760
I think a lot of us are soft because we want to be liked or because we don't want to make it.
00:38:33.360 --> 00:38:33.920
Right, right.
00:38:34.079 --> 00:38:35.440
We just need to take that step.
00:38:35.519 --> 00:38:36.480
That's a great piece of advice.
00:38:36.800 --> 00:38:48.559
And we've seen it even in our own home, is where okay, adults have to set the example, make the initiative, but then the young people embrace it, and then I kind of joke, they become the hall monitors of it.
00:38:48.800 --> 00:38:50.559
You know, and so it's like, hey, get off your phone, dad.
00:38:50.800 --> 00:39:01.199
Yeah, so what we so what we put in play about six months ago is like technology-free meals, you know, so no tablets, no phones, uh, whether we're eating at home or we go to a restaurant.
00:39:01.440 --> 00:39:04.159
And uh at first, it was like, are you serious?
00:39:04.320 --> 00:39:08.400
You know, and then we almost started turning our meals into like interviews again.
00:39:08.480 --> 00:39:13.440
All right, you can ask dad any question from the day, or you ask mom any question from the day, or what do you want to know?
00:39:13.920 --> 00:39:14.719
How did y'all meet?
00:39:14.880 --> 00:39:17.840
You started thinking, it was like our kids have probably never asked us that.
00:39:18.320 --> 00:39:25.760
You know, and and so it's almost like really getting to know each other even on a deeper level, and that's family, the most intimate relationship.
00:39:25.920 --> 00:39:33.599
But what's funny now is now that we're months in, if I feel my phone vibrate and I happen to pull it out, the just just make they're like, Dad, put the phone away.
00:39:33.760 --> 00:39:38.320
You know, because like you guys have been, and then now it's extended to grandparents.
00:39:38.400 --> 00:39:43.360
So, you know, we were just with Nina and Jeep Paul a couple of weeks ago, and we're like, all right, technology free.
00:39:43.519 --> 00:39:52.480
So and what's crazy is I think it's easy for us to go, oh, the kids are addicted to screens, but all generations are and so Nina and Jeep Paul were they go, Nina, put your phone away.
00:39:52.639 --> 00:39:54.000
Jeep Paul, put your phone down, you know.
00:39:54.320 --> 00:39:55.760
Grandparents, yeah.
00:39:56.079 --> 00:40:06.800
Yeah, so but you know, it's like, okay, we set the example, the kids kind of you know moaned for a bit, but now they've fully embraced it, and now that's their expectation.
00:40:06.960 --> 00:40:07.599
So I agree.
00:40:07.679 --> 00:40:16.400
I think it's just take that initiative, and I think the young people will embrace it because they know they they know that oh man, this the real feels so different than the screen.
00:40:16.480 --> 00:40:19.599
The screen is normal, the real is now an adventure, you know.
00:40:21.119 --> 00:40:28.320
We're we're running short on time here as we wrap this up, but I want to give you each an opportunity to answer one big question, one big question at the end.
00:40:28.480 --> 00:40:29.920
Uh, do you put makeup on in the car?
00:40:30.239 --> 00:40:31.119
No, we're not doing this.
00:40:31.519 --> 00:40:32.719
Another inside joke.
00:40:32.800 --> 00:40:33.199
Here we go.
00:40:33.760 --> 00:40:34.880
So it's this, okay.
00:40:35.039 --> 00:40:46.719
If you could give one piece of advice to that next gen ministry leader, uh, whether it be preschool, kids, middle school, high school, what bit of advice would you give to everyone listening?
00:40:46.880 --> 00:40:50.480
What would that big takeaway be from your research, from the book?
00:40:50.719 --> 00:40:52.960
What is that one big thing you would want them to hear?
00:40:53.280 --> 00:40:55.440
Wow, nailing it down to one thing.
00:40:55.519 --> 00:40:57.039
That is tough, Chuck.
00:40:57.199 --> 00:41:02.239
Um, you know, I think God's word is good for all generations.
00:41:02.559 --> 00:41:07.599
Uh, we don't have to worry that we're not gonna be able to uh reach them.
00:41:07.920 --> 00:41:09.920
We just need to do our part.
00:41:10.239 --> 00:41:18.719
Uh and knowing a missionary when they go into a foreign mission field, they're not just gonna show up and try to reach them.
00:41:18.960 --> 00:41:24.239
They're gonna do their homework behind the scenes, they're gonna learn their culture, their language, the pain points, all those things.
00:41:24.480 --> 00:41:33.280
And so I think it is important to understand sort of the big picture, to know what's going on in the life of Alpha, what's going on in their homes.
00:41:33.440 --> 00:41:41.199
Uh, but at the end of the day, we just have to be faithful and uh plant God's word in their heart and do it to their very best of our ability.
00:41:41.360 --> 00:41:50.559
Uh, and so I think that that's the encouraging thing is that when we follow God's call in our life, when we are obedient to him, when we rely on the Holy Spirit, he's gonna do his work.
00:41:50.639 --> 00:41:53.440
Um, but we have to be faithful to prepare to do that work.
00:41:53.920 --> 00:41:54.880
Yeah, I love that.
00:41:55.039 --> 00:42:04.800
And I I would go the direction, just kind of capping everything we talked about of uh relationships, real world, you know, and I've said this for 20 years.
00:42:04.960 --> 00:42:11.280
I'll I'll say it until Jesus comes back or he calls me home, is I think just remind ourselves, young people have been bought by the blood of Jesus.
00:42:11.360 --> 00:42:15.119
They have the Holy Spirit of God, they're not the future of the church, they are the church right now.
00:42:15.280 --> 00:42:22.000
And so I would say, even in that relational aspect of the real is uh mobilize young people to be the church right now too.
00:42:22.239 --> 00:42:25.840
And I would say, even get them serving, get them living on mission in your church.
00:42:26.000 --> 00:42:34.159
And I think often when we think of serving, we tend to think, okay, we want to get kids to serve the children's ministry, or we want to get teenagers to serve the youth ministry.
00:42:34.239 --> 00:42:34.960
Yes and amen.
00:42:35.119 --> 00:42:37.440
I'm saying get them to serve the church as a whole.
00:42:37.679 --> 00:42:51.440
Some of my favorite churches to preach in is when you walk up on Sunday morning and you see the eight-year-old, the 15-year-old, the 40-year-old, the 80-year-old all greeting together, all ages taking up the offering, all ages serving.
00:42:51.599 --> 00:42:54.960
And so I think that also helps them move through those different dynamics.
00:42:55.039 --> 00:42:59.840
You know, we talked about, let's not silo, let's children's ministry, student ministry, college ministry all work together.
00:43:00.079 --> 00:43:09.679
I think the best way to help students, you know, young people move through all those changes without falling through gaps is to make sure we're not running our ministries like little churches within churches.
00:43:09.760 --> 00:43:21.840
You know, I think in the past, that's what would happen, is they would graduate out of that ministry and then they're having to go, in a sense, join a new church that just meets at the same address, but they have no relationships, no idea, no vision.
00:43:22.079 --> 00:43:25.840
So, like, let's get students mobilized in the church as a whole.
00:43:25.920 --> 00:43:28.239
And I think that's sticking power for young people too.
00:43:28.320 --> 00:43:28.480
Yeah.
00:43:28.639 --> 00:43:29.039
That's good.
00:43:29.280 --> 00:43:29.679
Yeah.
00:43:29.920 --> 00:43:31.280
Oh, do I get to go to you?
00:43:31.440 --> 00:43:32.480
You would you like to?
00:43:32.800 --> 00:43:35.599
Go ahead, tell us what's your what was your being takeaway, man?
00:43:36.000 --> 00:43:57.199
Well, I don't know how to say it any better than Shane and Shelley just did, but I'll just I'll just add kind of what I was saying earlier about um this is an urgent opportunity for churches to look at how can we help families go beyond the screen, invite them into real biblical community and uh and living life together in the word and with one another.
00:43:57.360 --> 00:44:02.719
I think this is a good opportunity to do that because we have their attention, they're seeking that.
00:44:02.880 --> 00:44:05.199
How can we be there in this time?
00:44:05.760 --> 00:44:06.079
Great.
00:44:06.239 --> 00:44:08.320
Yeah, and I would say yes and to all those things.
00:44:08.480 --> 00:44:15.039
Yes, and um, I heard you say multiple times teach the word, preach the word in season and out, right?
00:44:15.360 --> 00:44:16.719
And it will not return void.
00:44:16.880 --> 00:44:23.119
So we we need to I would say it like this the we need to remember that our goal is not success, our goal is faithfulness.
00:44:23.920 --> 00:44:32.320
We need to be faithful to teach the word uh with high fidelity, uh, with high biblical accuracy and a high view of scripture.
00:44:32.559 --> 00:44:35.440
Those physical Bibles are such a great thing, putting the phones aside.
00:44:35.599 --> 00:44:43.039
I love that trend that Jen and I have been tracking this of moving away from digital back towards the analog and towards the real.
00:44:43.199 --> 00:44:51.199
Yeah, and then remembering about in it all that the content we teach needs to be done in a context of connected, trusted relationships.
00:44:51.440 --> 00:44:52.320
Yes, absolutely.
00:44:52.800 --> 00:44:54.000
Shelly, Dr.
00:44:54.079 --> 00:44:55.199
Shelly Million, Shane.
00:44:55.440 --> 00:44:57.280
Thank you guys so much for the time.
00:44:57.519 --> 00:45:02.639
But this new book, you guys, Reaching Generation Alpha, we'll put links in our show notes where folks can find that.
00:45:02.800 --> 00:45:06.239
It is a BH book, which is a LifeWay imprint.
00:45:06.400 --> 00:45:11.039
So you can, listeners, you can find this on LifeWay.com or wherever you find books.
00:45:11.119 --> 00:45:12.400
Uh, but please check that out.
00:45:12.480 --> 00:45:14.960
We would encourage you to check out Reaching Gen Generation Alpha.
00:45:15.039 --> 00:45:18.159
And it'd be a great book for you to read as a leader, but also to share with your team.
00:45:18.559 --> 00:45:20.719
Read through together, even with a group of parents.
00:45:21.280 --> 00:45:28.400
It's great information that reaches beyond the needs of ministry leaders to that of everyone who engages with with Jen Alpha.
00:45:29.039 --> 00:45:29.840
Thank you both for your work.
00:45:30.159 --> 00:45:30.800
And thanks for your time.
00:45:30.960 --> 00:45:32.719
We appreciate your friendship, and we're so glad to have you.
00:45:32.880 --> 00:45:33.760
It's great to be here always.
00:45:34.000 --> 00:45:34.559
Yes, thank you.
00:45:34.880 --> 00:45:38.639
This is a conversation that is that is so needed right now.
00:45:38.719 --> 00:45:44.480
And so I'm excited that Jenna, that you and I are able to be at the table to host this kind of talk.
00:45:44.559 --> 00:45:46.960
And listeners, don't feel like you're behind.
00:45:47.119 --> 00:45:48.079
You're you're not behind.
00:45:48.159 --> 00:45:57.360
You may actually be early as we start to think about what we can do strategically to reach Generation Alpha, as they're now stepping out of kids' ministry into student student ministry.
00:45:57.760 --> 00:45:59.599
This is an important time for us to get it right.
00:45:59.920 --> 00:46:01.679
So this is the right time for you to be thinking about.
00:46:05.440 --> 00:46:25.199
This episode of the Next Gen Ministry Podcast was brought to you by our incredible production team, executive producer Angie Elkins, producer Nikki Hogan, edited by Trey Garza with sound engineer Donnie Gordon, and recorded in the Lifeway Podcast Studios at Lifeway headquarters in Brentwood, Tennessee.
00:46:25.440 --> 00:46:27.039
I'm your host, Chuck Peters.
00:46:27.119 --> 00:46:28.159
Thanks again for joining us.
00:46:28.239 --> 00:46:34.239
We'll see you back again soon for another episode of the Etch Next Gen Ministry Podcast.