I heard you. Thanks to all of you who took the newsletter survey. The survey is still live and, if you’re new here or missed the first round, I’d love your input to make this newsletter the best it can be in 2023.
Free Ebook: The 10 Excuses Killing your Youth Ministry
Trends
One thing Gen Z obsesses over: fast-casual salads. A Chopt Santa Fe salad or a Panera Baja bowl is the key to our hearts. This healthy, convenient, and cheap menu item is perfect for a generation that values caring for their body. “Y’all better come up here and get one of these!”
How very ‘80s of us! Bulky headphones are all the rage again, after the hype around AirPods has begun to subside. Partially inspired by the Downtown Girl aesthetic mentioned above and partially by popular shows like Stranger Things, it is not uncommon to see campuses swarmed with young people wearing Sony and SkullCandy. Now, for what we listen to: “Un Verano Sin Ti” by Bad Bunny was one of the top albums of the year (2022). Heard at beaches and parties around the world, the album was the first Latin album to top the Billboard 200. The two combined embody every “What song are you listening to?” interview on TikTok.
Another thing Gen Z is making cool again: books. Reading was seen as “dorky” in the 2000s and early 2010s (though we were all lowkey reading the “Hunger Games” and “Percy Jackson”), but quarantine introduced an era of fearlessly pursuing our hobbies. The hashtag #BookTok on TikTok has over 93.5 billion views, with novels like “It Ends With Us” and “Red, White, and Royal Blue” finding a niche with young people online
more trends on Gen Z at JUV Consulting
Themes (Valentines)
Love thy neighbor: Take time during the month to serve the neighborhood around your church.
Lots of great ideas over at sharefaith
Articles
23 Books Youth Pastors Should Read In 2023
My Three Pillar Process For Youth Ministry
8 Qualities Kids Want In A Camp Speaker
Prayers For A Teenager Struggling With Discouragement
11 Essential Qualities of A Youth Camp Speaker
Videos
Powerful testimony from Bill Quarterback Josh Allen “God’s Real”
Great story of a call to Youth Ministry
What you say!?
Still time to get organized, feel confident and build a championship youth ministry in 2023
My Youtube Playlist of 56 Must Do Game
Need a camp speaker this summer or a retreat speaker this spring, I’d love to serve you
Resources
God, Can You Fix This? (Three Week Series)
Love: A Responsive Reading (I Cor. 13)