Thought Factory Podcast

Will this generation and the next be committed to attend church beyond just their youth group?  Hosts Jeff Eckart and Jayson Brewer discuss students' commitment to the overall Church and their commitment to their youth group.  They look at both the student perspective and the adult perspective when it comes to church commitment in a student's life.  This episode dives into the numbers from the research Never The Same does about adolescence in the Church.

In a society that is so focused on accomplishing tasks, being productive, and is involved with several activities, it can be difficult to cease all these things to rest and relax one day a week, let alone teach this discipline to our students. Stress and anxiety is also prevalent in our culture.  Is there a direct link between the increase in anxiety and the lack of Sabbath? What does observing a Sabbath look like in a modern real life?  Hosts Jeff Eckart and Jayson Brewer continue the discussion on Sabbath, as well as, look at what students had to say about the practice of Sabbath in their homes and in their churches.

The Ten Commandments are set apart among all the laws of the Bible. Do not murder, do not steal or commit adultery, all these commands are pretty clear.  Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, that one is optional, correct?  When it comes to God’s main commands for his people, have we lost the significance and importance of the Sabbath?  Do we approach this command as if God doesn’t mind us not following it or it's only for those extra spiritual people?  Maybe this is God’s prescription to stress and anxiety that we experience in our daily life.  Hosts Jeff Eckart and Jayson Brewer explore the history of Sabbath and the difference between work and rest.

Mental health is a very complex issue that is impacting the lives of adolescents. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 1 in 5 youth has anxiety and 1 in 10 has depression.  Many of those who are invested in the lives of students may feel under-equipped to serve and help those struggling with anxiety.  In this episode, Jeff and Jayson discuss this epidemic and how we can best respond to those who struggle with it.

Students are under a lot of pressure.  The pressures of getting the top grades, the pressure to compete and succeed in sports, the pressure to fit in and be liked, the pressure of flawlessly managing a digital persona, the pressure of others’ expectations, the pressure to always make the right decision.  It feels like students must be perfect in all areas of their life, but who's putting that pressure on them?  All this pressure is stressful.  In today's episode, hosts Jeff Eckart and Jayson Brewer discuss the stress adolescents experience and how adults can help them handle many of the stressors of today. 

We are looking back to people, places and things that have shaped the modern American youth ministry movement. Our special co-host was an eyewitness to all of these things. His name is Allen Weed, the founder and director of Interlinc. Allen continues to be a behind-the-scenes mover and shaker in the national scene of youth ministry as well as in music and media influencers. Today Jeff talks with Allen about the most influential events in youth ministry historically. 

We are looking back to people, places and things that have shaped the modern American youth ministry movement. Our special co-host was an eyewitness to all of these things. His name is Allen Weed, the founder and director of Interlinc. Allen continues to be a behind-the-scenes mover and shaker in the national scene of youth ministry as well as in music and media influencers. Today Jeff talks with Allen about the most influential movements in youth ministry historically. 

We are looking back to people, places and things that have shaped the modern American youth ministry movement. Our special co-host was an eyewitness to all of these things. His name is Allen Weed, the founder and director of Interlinc. Allen continues to be a behind-the-scenes mover and shaker in the national scene of youth ministry as well as in music and media influencers. Today Jeff talks with Allen about the most influential people in youth ministry historically. 

In the first episode of season seven, host Jeff Eckart and guest host Phil Joel examine two critical moments that mobilized movements in history. We compare Woodstock: the music festival that took the world by storm and the Asbury Revival, a much lesser known event that was key in starting the Jesus movement. What are some key aspects of these two events that were significant enough to start movements and change the world? 

We continue our discussion on mental health, looking at some of the causes of increased student depression and anxiety - stemming from constantly comparing themselves to others online.  Since the advent of social media and in the age of likes, followers, comments, and digital connections, the mental health of a student has been impacted significantly.  Imagine being an adolescent and never feeling good enough because someone else is always going to appear better than them?  Hosts Jeff Eckart and Jayson Brewer speak to Clinton Faupel from Remedy Live, an online suicide prevention and crisis chat resource for students. They also speak with Phil Joel of Zealand Worship and Newsboys United about his new book, Redwoods and Whales: Becoming Who You Actually Are.  

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.  Depression and anxiety are gripping adolescents and there is no easy pill to swallow to eradicate this from their lives.  Someone cannot just simply “cheer up” or “snap out of it” to solve the problem. Twenty percent of youth between 13-18 live with a mental health condition and that number seems to continue to grow each year.  Jackie Sheppard, who has over 50 years of study and research in this area of science and medicine, discusses the connection between the gut and the brain.  Issues start in the gut, which affects the brain, and the body affects the mind, will, and emotion of a person.  Could the solution to overcoming mental illness be more than just taking medication? Could it be found in replacing the things we've deprived from our bodies? 

Dr. Michael Wolff is a co-owner of Brains, an organization that is about maximizing the potential of families through understanding the complex relationship between the brain, the body, and real life. He is a Neuropsychologist and Diplomate, and a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Neuropsychology.  Since the advent of the iPhone in 2007, middle school students are the first generation that has never known a world without the device.  How does the smartphone affect the development of an adolescent brain and how can we prevent students from becoming addicted to screens?  

Julie Morgenstern is an organizing and productivity consultant, New York Times best-selling author, and speaker. For over 30 years, Julie has been teaching people all around the world and at all stages of life how to overcome disorganization to achieve their goals. Her mission is to free each individual to make their unique contribution to the world—by helping them design their own systems for managing time and space that feel natural and are easy to maintain.  Today, students are busier than ever. They’re overwhelmed, and it’s affecting them in more ways than one. What if there was a way to experience breakthrough in how they manage their schedules so that they’re not filled with anxiety?

Today's guest is Jack Easterby, former New England Patriots' Character Coach (now with Houston Texans), who is widely praised within the team and a part of the last three Super Bowl winners.  He discusses the significance of sports in a student's life and encourages us to recognize what the most important thing is.  As leaders and parents, how can we help them balance their faith and their commitment to sports?  Sports are a mainstay in students’ lives and provides numerous benefits.  But, it appears sports has only demanded more time and commitment in students’ schedules.  So, how do we not see sports as a competition with our faith, but to see how our faith can be present in our athletic competitions?

No one is exempt from sleep.  We must succumb to its embrace each day, even if we resist embracing it back.  But, has the advent of the smartphone and other digital devices in our bedroom distract us from what we need?  Sleep.  Does the lack of sleep have greater affects in other areas of our lives?  We hear directly from students about their sleep habits, if they are up late on their phones, and how it can affect their daily activities.  We also discuss the current culture of surrendering the need for a sabbath and how we can begin to reclaim it in our lives.

Nick is a 7th grader who was born in South Africa.  He moved to the United States when he was 7 years old.  He provides a unique and, at times, a profound perspective on the topic of race in America, coming from a different culture.  Just like any adolescent, he is trying to figure out where he fits in, both racially and ethnically.   Racism is not an adult issue, but can be experienced regardless of age.  Are we willing to take the time to listen to students to hear their perspective on tough topics like this?

Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream over 55 years ago, but was that dream merely poetry or was it prophecy?  This is a story about two grown men, Will Ford & Matt Lockett, pursuing their connection to the past which caused them to face injustice and racial reconciliation that went beyond their imagination.  Their personal dreams brought these two men together which turned into a fulfillment of a historic dream.  Now their dream together is to actively work toward the ending of the next great injustice in this country, the injustice against the unborn.  Their desire is to see the legal ending of abortion.  Will and Matt have recently written a book together called The Dream King, found where books are sold. Originally released March 17, 2017 https://neverthesame.podbean.com/e/302-a-dream-fulfilled/ To learn more, go to http://bound4life.com/.  To learn more about their story, go to http://www.thegodofprovidence.com/blog/. 

Marginalization can come in many different forms.  We can recognize the external factors that may cause people to become marginalized, but how do we go beyond just identifying those who are experiencing marginalization but instead speak to a student’s identity to say they are significant and they are believed in?  When a student feels believed in, not just being noticed, there is a different level of trust that you build. Nicole Smithee, founder of Iridescent Women, joins us to share her story and the importance as leaders to recognize those who are marginalized, to say there is a great future for them and how we can cheer them on toward that future.  

Steve Carter, former lead teaching pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, joins the Thought Factory Podcast to discuss his journey in ministry, as well as, some of the thoughts, the emotions, and the aftermath he experienced while navigating the transition of leadership at Willow Creek, when the church's founder, Bill Hybels, stepped down amid sexual misconduct allegations and the ensuing investigation.

We continue the conversation about our life online with Chris McKenna, founder of Protect Young Eyes, and how he used his voice and passion to confront Snapchat about some of the X-rated content Snapchat was willing to present to their users without any age restrictions.  A caution to any parent or adult who are disengaged and passive about their child going online.