Is Gen Z okay? A student minister on purpose, sports betting, self-image & deadpanning | Ep. 88
In this week's Brief: What are today's teenagers and young adults really wrestling with? Conner is joined by Cole Travis, a Student Minister with a decade of youth ministry experience, for a candid look at the good, the bad, and the ugly facing Gen Z and Gen Alpha in today’s world. This conversation is for young listeners seeking guidance and older listeners who want to learn how they can best minister to these generations in a challenging, digital-first culture.
They start with the question so many young people are asking: "What's my purpose?" From there, they dive into the concerning trends Cole sees most often — self-image among young women; lust, online sports betting, and NIL pressure among young men — along with how teen brain development shapes enduring suffering and how screens have changed the way they communicate (Cole even decodes Gen Z "deadpanning"). And Cole also shares what gives him real hope for these generations.
Plus, the guys debate iced coffee at job interviews, open the mailbag on college football, discuss two attempted terrorist attacks this week, and preview the MLB Wild Card round.
Topics
- (0:00) Introduction
- (0:46) Why Gen Z matters
- (4:38) Identity, calling, assignment
- (6:51) Three career questions
- (14:59) Cultural struggles overview
- (16:04) Porn and gambling
- (20:34) Girls' self-image
- (23:32) NIL pressure on athletes
- (27:43) Youth sports industry pressure
- (28:21) NIL laws and boycotts
- (30:15) Gen Z communication: deadpanning
- (33:31) Teen brain and suffering
- (38:05) Hope for next generation
- (40:56) Iced coffee interview debate
- (44:19) Terror plots and plane hijack
- (48:10) Conclusion
Resources
- Send us your thoughts, questions, and topic ideas: culturebrief@denisonforum.org
- Culture Brief Instagram
- Watch on Youtube
- Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribe
About Conner Jones
Conner is the Managing Editor of Denison Forum, host of the Culture Brief podcast and author of the In The Know newsletter. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 and has spent his career at the intersection of faith, culture, and current events. Outside the office, he can usually be found at the movies, watching sports, or traveling with his wife, Raigan, and their sons, Nolan and Nash.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.
All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.
