Axis Conversations

Three Big Conversations:

Slang of the Week: "Flow State"- 5:16

In Other News: - 39:06

Mr. Beast's competition show Beast Games is back on Amazon Prime this week. The twist this time? Brains versus brawn. Will Mr. Beast commit more war crimes? Tune in to find out. The French parliament has proposed a bill that, if passed, would ban social media access for everyone under age fifteen, and ba...

Stranger Things star Joe Keery's synthpop song tops the charts, sushi is the new pizza for Gen Alpha, and the Great Meme Reset that wasn't.

Slang of the Week: "Flow State"

In Other News:

Mr. Beast's competition show Beast Games is back on Amazon Prime this week. The twist this time? Brains versus brawn. Will Mr. Beast commit more war crimes? Tune in to find out. The French parliament has proposed a bill that, if passed, would ban social media access for everyone under age fifteen, and ban phones from all schools. TikTok's Ne...

We're ready to dive into 2026 and continue supporting you in ways that matter to you and the teens in your life. As you step into the new year and start thinking about your goals for your family and how to build deeper connections with the next generation, we've put together 5 conversation starters you can use to jump-start moments of depth and honesty.

CT of the top 20 (Short and sweet)

--> The 20 Biggest Cultural Events of 2025, PART 1: Top 20-11

--> The 20 Biggest Cultural Events of 2025, PART 2: Top 10

Roundtable of the top 20 (Here...

"I have two grandchildren, both teenagers, who have had smartphones since before they were 12. I am concerned by some of the behaviors you described in your Smartphone September podcasts. When I pick them up from school, their eyes are glued to their phones as soon as they get in the car and they get annoyed when I ask them questions about their day. Since we are not the parents, we have no control or even influence regarding their cellphone use. Yet we love them and are worried about what they are accessing on their phones. Any thoughts or suggestions?"...

At the end of every year, we take a few weeks to reset and reflect on everything that happened in culture over the past twelve months. We share our reflections with you in the form of our Top 20 Annual Countdown. This week, the Top 10!

After much deliberation (heard in the Roundtable Episode) here is the list of the Top 10!

10. AI video slop (Sora, VEO3, Vibes)

9. Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show

8. The American Pope

7. Taylor Swift's engagement

6. Man's Best Friend by Sabrina Carpenter

5. Stranger Things se...

At the end of every year, we take a few weeks to reset and reflect on everything that happened in culture over the past twelve months. We share our reflections with you in the form of our Top 20 Annual Countdown. This week, the Top 10!

Listen as Evan, CJ, and Irene make their case for the top spot!

Double your impact with End of Year Giving! Every dollar you give will be mathched dollar for dollar until the end of 2025!

Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org.

Mike and Becky McNamee are the founders of Legacy of Faith, an organization dedicated to hosting retreats for grandparents who seek to leave a lasting spiritual legacy for future generations. Before founding Legacy of Faith, Mike served with the Navigators as General Manager of the Glen Eyrie Conference Center in Colorado Springs. Becky has devoted her life to being a loving wife, homemaker, homeschool mom, and proud Grammy. Together, they are blessed with three married children and six wonderful grandchildren.

---> Learn mor about Legacy of Faith

---> See upcoming retreat dates

At the end of every year, we take a few weeks to reset and reflect on everything that happened in culture over the past twelve months. We share our reflections with you in the form of our Top 20 Annual Countdown. This week, you'll receive 20-11; next week, you'll get the top ten.

After much deliberation (heard in the Roundtable Episode) here is the list of the Top 20-11!

20. Hailey and Justin Bieber drama

19. The LA Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani winning the World Series

18. The rise of smartphone bans in schools

At the end of every year, we take a few weeks to reset and reflect on everything that happened in culture over the past twelve months. We share our reflections with you in the form of our Top 20 Annual Countdown. This week, you'll receive 20-11; next week, you'll get the top ten.

Listen as Evan, CJ, and Irene discuss their top picks!

Double your impact with End of Year Giving! Every dollar you give will be mathched dollar for dollar until the end of 2025!

G...

"Our oldest is a 14 year old boy so we're still newbies to parenting teens. Our 8th grader teen seems, in mom and dad's opinion, overly concerned with materialism (things like shoes and iphone model etc). We've heard that this is pretty typical for middle school boys; do teen boys tend to become less materialistic after middle school/once they're in high school? We try to talk with him about materialism not being a healthy priority but it doesn't seem to be sinking in yet." -  Sarah

Scientific Paper --> Growing up in a Material World: Age Differences i...

 Three Big Conversations:

Song of the Week: "Santa Tell Me" - by Ariana Grande - 1:02

Click here for the lyrics.

In Other News: - 52:20

Taylor Swift will officially conclude her Eras era today, releasing a six-episode docuseries about her record-setting tour as well as "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show," both streaming on Disney+. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New...

TikTok's most-used sound in 2025 was a 63-year-old love song, Netflix and Paramount are in a bidding war for Warner Bros., and Hollywood might be having a "God moment." 

Song of the Week: "Santa Tell Me" - by Ariana Grande

Click here for the lyrics.

In Other News:

Taylor Swift will officially conclude her Eras era today, releasing a six-episode docuseries about her record-setting tour as well as "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show," both streaming on Disney+. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York took several big steps toward r...

Justin Whitmel Earley is the creator of The Common Rule, a program of habits designed to form us in the love of God and neighbor. He is also a mergers and acquisitions lawyer in Richmond, Virginia. Justin and his wife, Lauren, have four sons. 

Click here for The Common Rule Youth Edition: Growing Your Faith in a Distracted World.

Become a monthly donor today, join the Table.

Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org.

Click to join our Advent for the Record Listening Experience!

Three Big Conversations:

Song of the Week - "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee - 1:10

In Other News... 53:52

Oxford named "rage bait" as its word of the year and the internet immediately proved their point by fighting about it. It's officially "Wrapped" season as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Twitch, and many others put nice packaging on all the user-da...

Season 5 of Stranger Things is already Netflix's biggest English-language release, 2025 Black Friday shopping cost more but yielded less, and making sense of expensive Christmas wish lists for Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

Song of the Week - "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee

In Other News...

Oxford named "rage bait" as its word of the year and the internet immediately proved their point by fighting about it. It's officially "Wrapped" season as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Twitch, and many others put nice packaging on all the user-data the...

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone here at Axis! 

As part of our yearly tradition, instead of our normal issue of the Culture Translator, here are 15 conversation starters to help you make the most of time around the table with family and friends this year. Enjoy!

What's something you're really excited about right now? 

What's the funniest trend or meme you've come across lately? 

If you could permanently fix one issue in our culture, what would you choose? 

What's one way you've changed this year? 

If TEMU offere...

"Could you speak to the subject of gossip? As we raise 2 girls this is something my husband and I talk about often. How can we explain the difference between venting and gossip? When does sharing about your day at school cross the line into gossip? How can we teach the idea of being loyal to the absent in the way we speak about others? When friends are gossiping, how can our kids redirect the conversation? How can our words be uplifting like we are called to in the Bible?" - Autumn

Dr. Mayfield is a former pastor...

Three Big Conversations:

Slang of the Week: "Cracked" - 1:10

In Other News: - 51:04

The United States House of Representatives and Senate almost unanimously agreed to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which now awaits President Trump's signature. A new study from Gallup found that in 2025, 40% of 15- to 44-year-old women would leave the U.S. permanently if given the opportunity (a slight...

Celebrities are making cigarette smoking cool for a new generation, Wicked 2 is poised to blow the box office back to Kansas, and this year's runaway bestseller is the Bible.

Slang of the Week: "Cracked"

In Other News:

The United States House of Representatives and Senate almost unanimously agreed to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which now awaits President Trump's signature. A new study from Gallup found that in 2025, 40% of 15- to 44-year-old women would leave the U.S. permanently if given the opportunity (a slight decrease from 44% in 2024). The Game Awards ha...

This interview is with Sarah and Truman Wells, a mom and son who walked through a time of suicidal ideation together, and are now sharing their story together for the first time to help shed light on the real mental health issues that teens and parents are facing. 

Axis Resources:

Parent Guide to Suicide & Self-Harm Prevention

How To Talk About Mental Health With Your Teen

A Parent's Guide to Teen Emotion

Become a monthly donor today, join the Table.

Get your question on Ask Axis! Se...

Three Big Conversations:

Slang of the Week - "Twin" - 01:38

In Other News: - 57:18

The GRAMMY nominations were announced last week, with Gen Z and Alpha notables like sombr and KATSEYE being nominated for Best New Artist. MrBeast is launching a "Beast Land" theme park (in Saudi Arabia). The GOAT of League of Legends, Faker, led his team to their third consecutive World Championship win. The po...

The limited edition Bearista cup fosters true insanity, an article in Vogue suggests that "having a boyfriend is embarrassing," and the rising popularity of Contemporary Christian Music.

Slang of the Week - "Twin"

In Other News:

The GRAMMY nominations were announced last week, with Gen Z and Alpha notables like sombr and KATSEYE being nominated for Best New Artist. MrBeast is launching a "Beast Land" theme park (in Saudi Arabia). The GOAT of League of Legends, Faker, led his team to their third consecutive World Championship win. The portion of actress Sydney Sweeney's inte...

"I need some help! My son is struggling to make friends at his new school and is running to video games. It's hard to get him to share and open up. He's not eating a lot, I think he might be depressed. What should I do?" - Justin

Dr. Mayfield is a former pastor, award-winning author, speaker, certified master Christian coach, mental health counselor, and Assistant Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Colorado Christian University.

To see more of Dr. Mayfield's resources click here.

Click here to check out Dr. Mayfield's podcast...

Three Big Conversations:

Song of the Week - "Dracula" - Tame Impala - 1:20

Elsewhere in culture: - 58:16

The video game Arc Raiders had a  very successful launch, signaling a growing preference in gaming for the "extraction shooter."Spotify is being sued for using bots to artificially increase streaming numbers, with rapper Drake being named as an artist who benefited. Pop...

Tech company 1X debuts a $20,000 robot to help with chores around the house, changes in SNAP eligibility requirements will impact minors, and teens say luxury is a feeling, not a price tag.

Song of the Week - "Dracula" - Tame Impala

Elsewhere in culture:

The video game Arc Raiders had a very successful launch, signaling a growing preference in gaming for the "extraction shooter."Spotify is being sued for using bots to artificially increase streaming numbers, with rapper Drake being named as an artist who benefited. Popular and problematic AI chatbot site character.a...

The Big Conversation:

It is Mental Health November and we're releasing a whole suite of content aimed to helping parents and caring adults enter into conversations about mental health with wisdom for the next generation. Look in this feed for many more episodes with resources regarding this topic! 

Click here for A Parents Guide to Anxiety

Click here for Dr. Preston Sprinkle & Laurie Krieg on Helping Kids Navigate a Sexually Broken Culture

Become a monthly donor today, join the Table.

Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your qu...

Three Big Conversations:

Song of the Week - "The Fate of Ophelia" - Taylor Swift -

Click here for the lyrics. - 

Elsewhere in Culture: - 

For the first time since 1990, there are no rap songs on the Billboard Top 40—marking the end of a 35-year streak. K-pop sensation BTS will end their three-year hiatus next year, embarking on a tour and releasing new music. ...

The new Frankenstein movie hits theaters, a deep-dive into the pornography-obsessed subculture known as "gooning," and why high-potency marijuana use is landing some users in the ER.

Song of the Week - "The Fate of Ophelia" - Taylor Swift

Click here for the lyrics.

Elsewhere in Culture:

For the first time since 1990, there are no rap songs on the Billboard Top 40—marking the end of a 35-year streak. K-pop sensation BTS will end their three-year hiatus next year, embarking on a tour and releasing new music. A high school teacher went viral...

"My daughter was given a deck of tarot cards. She says that they are simply self refelction tools but there is a lot of information that says they are a dangerous form of divination. Can you elaborate on this and other popular practices that seem like witchcraft?"

Click here for the book - The Gift of Being Yourself

Click here for the Parents Guide to Hearding From God

This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org.

Become a monthly donor today, join the Table.

Three Big Conversations:

Resource of the Week -  Conversation Kit on Miracles - 02:18

Elsewhere in culture: - 52:54

Colleen Hoover, the #BookTok author of It Ends With Us, has another movie adaptation coming out this week called Regretting You. Twitch streamer Emiru was forcefully grabbed by a large man at TwitchCon, and has sworn off futur...

Why TikTokers are talking about being in "Group 7," a decrease in the number of young people self-identifying as trans and nonbinary, and what it means that over half of the internet's articles are now written by AI.

Resource of the Week -  Conversation Kit on Miracles

Elsewhere in culture:

Colleen Hoover, the #BookTok author of It Ends With Us, has another movie adaptation coming out this week called Regretting You. Twitch streamer Emiru was forcefully grabbed by a large man at TwitchCon, and has sworn off future participation in their conference because of ho...

After earning a journalism degree at the University of Missouri, Strobel was awarded a Ford Foundation fellowship to study at Yale Law School, where he received a Master of Studies in Law degree. For fourteen years he was a journalist at the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers, winning Illinois' top honors for investigative reporting (which he shared with a team he led) and public service journalism from United Press International. He is a New York Times bestselling author whose books have sold millions of copies worldwide. We'll be talking today primarily about his new book Seeing the Supernatural: Investigating A...

Three Big Conversations:

Meme of the Week: "The lion does not concern himself…"

The phrase "the lion does not concern himself with [thing X]" has been gaining popularity on TikTok and Instagram over the last few weeks. The phrase itself entered the lexicon thanks to Game of Thrones. However, in recent days, it's turned into an ironic way to justify personal preferences (Ex...

#WitchTok is upset at Crock-Pot for not releasing a cauldron, new studies about how spiritual yearning changes with age, and Sora becomes the most-downloaded free app in the Apple App Store.

Meme of the Week: "The lion does not concern himself…" 

The phrase "the lion does not concern himself with [thing X]" has been gaining popularity on TikTok and Instagram over the last few weeks. The phrase itself entered the lexicon thanks to Game of Thrones. However, in recent days, it's turned into an ironic way to justify personal preferences (Ex. "The lioness does not conc...

"My daughter has been trying to wear the gothic style in her clothes and makeup. I have explained several times the roots of this fashion but she doesn't believe me. How could I help her to understad and to follow the Bible messages about all this stuff?" - Laura

Become a monthly donor today, join the Table.

For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations:

Resource of the Week: The Conversation Starter, Just One Weird Trick to Manifest Your Dreams And Ruin Your Life - 2:00

Elsewhere in culture: - 55:36

Lebron James baited the world by announcing a "Second Decision" which ended up not being his retirement, but just an alcohol promotion. Sean "Diddy" Combs was sentenced to ov...

The AI-generated "actress" Tilly Norwood sparks controversy in the film industry, the band HUNTR/X from Kpop Demon Hunters makes its live debut, and our review of Taylor Swift's newest album The Life of a Showgirl.

Resource of the Week: The Conversation Starter, which is all about the difference between manifesting and prayer.

Elsewhere in culture:

Lebron James baited the world by announcing a "Second Decision" which ended up not being his retirement, but just an alcohol promotion. Sean "Diddy" Combs was sentenced to over four years of prison, wrapping up (at least i...

Melissa Dougherty is a Christian apologist best known for her YouTube channel with over 285,000 subscribers and counting. Her videos, which primarily cover New Age and New Thought, have been viewed over 18 million times. Melissa is highly regarded and connected in the apologetics community. She has a bachelor's degree in religious studies from Southern Evangelical Seminary, where she's also pursuing her master's degree in religious studies. We'll be talking today primarily about her new book, Happy Lies: How a Movement You (Probably) Never Heard of Shaped our Self-Obsessed World.

Click HERE for Melissa's New Book.

Click H...

Three Big Conversations:

Slang of the Week - "Bread" - 1:33

Elsewhere in Culture: - 57:22

K-Pop group HUNTR/X, of KPop Demon Hunters fame, will debut as a live band on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon this coming week. Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco are officially married, with Vogue unveiling their first set of breathtaking we...

Mr. Beast chains two exes together for 30 days, a new study finds increasing amounts of cognitive decline in young people, and what terms like "sneaky links," "zombie," and "breadcrumbing" mean in the Gen Z dating landscape.

Slang of the Week - "Bread"

Elsewhere in Culture:

K-Pop group HUNTR/X, of KPop Demon Hunters fame, will debut as a live band on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon this coming week. Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco are officially married, with Vogue unveiling their first set of breathtaking wedding photos. Young people had many opinions ab...

"My 21 year old is battling screen addiction. How can we help reach our now adult child's heart in order for him to see the garbage he is seeing on his phone? We know he is batteling porn but he feels helpless. How can we raise our other boys to respect the dangers of these devices?"

Click to check out Porn Free Radio.

Click to check out 7 Pillars of Freedom Group.

Click to check out Protect Young Eyes.

Here is Irene's Video about What Social Media Steals From You.

Become a...

Three Big Conversations:

Song of the Week - "Man I Need" by Olivia Dean - 1:46

To read the lyrics, click here. 

Elsewhere in culture: - 42:12

Fourteen-year-old influencer Zuza Beine from the Glow House passed away this week after an 11-year battle with leukemia.  

Robot umpires are officially coming to Major League Baseball in 2...

RaptureTok reacts to the failed prediction of the rapture happening this past Tuesday, the R-rated anime movie Demon Slayer debuts at #1 in theaters, and ways parents can find solutions to the problem of parental loneliness.

Song of the Week - "Man I Need" by Olivia Dean

To read the lyrics, click here. 

Elsewhere in culture:

Fourteen-year-old influencer Zuza Beine from the Glow House passed away this week after an 11-year battle with leukemia.  

Robot umpires are officially coming to Major League Baseball in 2026. 

The Summer I Turned Pret...

Dr. Jean Twenge is a professor of psychology at San Diego State University, and is the author of more than 190 scientific publications and several books based on her research, including Generations, iGen, Generation Me, and her latest book 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World, which we'll be talking about today. Her research has been covered in Time, The Atlantic, Newsweek, The New York Times, USA TODAY, and The Washington Post. She has also been featured on Today, Good Morning America, Fox and Friends, CBS This Morning, Real Time with Bill Maher, Meet the Press, and NPR. She l...

Three Big Conversations:

Song of the Week - "Back to Friends" - sombr - 1:36

To read the lyrics click here.

Elsewhere in culture: - 1:01:26

As of this past Sunday, Turning Point USA had reported 54,000 new inquiries from people wanting to start chapters of the organization Charlie Kirk helped to cofound. The game Borderlands 4 has been released, but it ha...

The wilted rose emoji is the new broken heart emoji, a new study about why the so-called "unhappiness hump" of midlife is shifting, and the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk shooting.

Song of the Week - "Back to Friends" - sombr

Elsewhere in culture:

As of this past Sunday, Turning Point USA had reported 54,000 new inquiries from people wanting to start chapters of the organization Charlie Kirk helped to cofound. The game Borderlands 4 has been released, but it has several performance issues on gaming consoles. So-called "green witchcraft" is now trending, which is s...

"We are very strict with our daughter about her presence on social media. However we often find that friends help her create accounts with Instagram and Snapchat on their phones and tablets. Just this morning I discovered an account (it isn't hard to find them) on Instagram where she was chatting with a boy from Miami she has never met. She was talking about how strict we are. He told her she needs to break free from her prison. The topic came up because he was wondering why she didn't have any photos of herself up. He also asked...

Three Big Conversations:

Song of the Week - "Dead Dance" - Lady Gaga-2:22

To read the lyrics click here.

Elsewhere in culture: - 56:10

This week, Apple announced the next generation of iPhone, as well as new Airpods that feature live language translation. Ariana Grande is opting not to use dynamic pricing for her upcoming shows, ensuring tickets remain the same price regardless of deman...

Sabrina Carpenter's new album pushes predictable buttons, why Gen Alpha loves throwing up peace signs, and why some people think online age verification is a dangerous idea. 

Song of the Week - "Dead Dance" - Lady Gaga

To read the lyrics click here.

Elsewhere in culture:

This week, Apple announced the next generation of iPhone, as well as new Airpods that feature live language translation. Ariana Grande is opting not to use dynamic pricing for her upcoming shows, ensuring tickets remain the same price regardless of demand. MTV's Video Music Awards hap...

Clare is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where she directs EPPC's Technology and Human Flourishing Project. Prior to joining the EPPC, Mrs. Morell worked in both the White House Counsel's Office and the Department of Justice, as well as in the private and non-profit sectors. She is the author of The Tech Exit: A Practical Guide to Freeing Kids and Teens from Smartphones, which we'll be talking about today.

Click here for Clare's book: The Tech Exit: A Practical Guide to Freeing Kids and Teens from Smartphones

Learn more about Clare: Duration: 00:44:11

Three Big Conversations:

Resource of the Week - The Table

Elsewhere in culture:

Sabrina Carpenter said that her new album Man's Best Friend was "not for any pearl clutchers," as reported by The Hollywood Reporter (strong language and sexual content). Memes about Wal-Mart's recall of "radioactive shrimp" started trending. Episode 1 of the new season o...

A solution to the problem of what to do when our kids have friends we don't like, why some high school and college students are giving up the use of AI, and the aftermath of the tragic shooting at Annunciation.

Resource of the Week - The Table

Elsewhere in culture:

Sabrina Carpenter said that her new album Man's Best Friend was "not for any pearl clutchers," as reported by The Hollywood Reporter (strong language and sexual content). Memes about Wal-Mart's recall of "radioactive shrimp" started trending. Episode 1 of the new season of The...

"I'm sure people are asking this but I am overwhelmed with technology. I have put into place the parental controls on the iPhone and my 15 yr old hacks around it. I bought him a bark phone now. But I can't seem to make him "get it". To know and feel integrity and make wise choices when nobody is looking. It seems no matter what I do, the tech outsmarts me and I feel like a failure as a parent that my son has somehow gotten addicted to porn behind my back. I hope you can address this in a...

It's Smartphone September, and we're releasing a whole suite of new content aimed at the glowing rectangles that dominate so much of our lives, and how families can navigate these devices with wisdom. 

Click here for the Everything Smartphone Guide on Amazon

 Or experience it here.

Donate today through The Table.

And for more resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations:

Slang of the Week - "41" (language) - 1:40

Elsewhere in culture: - 53:40

The music-streaming app Spotify will soon roll out a direct messaging function for app users. Forrest Frank created a video offering forgiveness to the other Christians—particularly Cory Asbury—who have been making parody videos about his back injury. A Ca...

Roblox is getting sued for failing to protect children from online predators, jazz-pop musician Laufey sings about self-worth on her new album (language), and what the celebration of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement says about our culture.

Slang of the Week - "41" (language)

Elsewhere in culture:

The music-streaming app Spotify will soon roll out a direct messaging function for app users. Forrest Frank created a video offering forgiveness to the other Christians—particularly Cory Asbury—who have been making parody videos about his back injury. A California family is suing OpenAI for Chat...

I'm here today with Dr. Preston Sprinkle and Laurie Krieg, the President and Director of Parent Programs respectively for the Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender. Preston is a New York Times–bestselling author who's written over a dozen books, and got his PhD in New Testament from Aberdeen University. Laurie has a master's in evangelism and leadership from Wheaton Graduate School, and hosts the Hole in My Heart podcast with her husband Matt, with whom she also co-authored the book An Impossible Marriage, and the upcoming book Raising Wise Kids in a Sexually Broken World with Matt Krieg. Today we...

Three Big Conversations:

Slang of the Week - "6-7"- 1:20

Elsewhere in culture: - 57:30

Europe's premiere gaming conference, Gamescom, kicked off this week, with new games being detailed and announced, including a new Lego Batman game. Christian musician Forrest Frank has surpassed Drake in terms of monthly listeners on YouTube Music. The Cambridge Dictionary has officially added the words skibidi and delulu. Educator and influencer Hank Green...

The Queen of RichTok makes $500,000 necklaces seem boring, back-to-school trends come with a Y2K flair, and AI researchers are preparing for the worst.

Slang of the Week - "6-7"

Elsewhere in culture:

Europe's premiere gaming conference, Gamescom, kicked off this week, with new games being detailed and announced, including a new Lego Batman game. Christian musician Forrest Frank has surpassed Drake in terms of monthly listeners on YouTube Music. The Cambridge Dictionary has officially added the words skibidi and delulu. Educator and influencer Hank Green helped create a successful productivity app called...

"How do you think artificial general intelligence will affect our children? How do we prepare our families for AGI's advent in 2 to 3 years?" - Christina

Ai will change what it is to be human. Are we ready? - Article

This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org.

And for more resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations:

Slang of the Week - "Dogwater" - 01:25

Elsewhere in culture: - 53:06

Taylor Swift announced (on her boyfriend's football podcast) that her 12th album will be titled The Life of a Showgirl, and available for pre-order soon. Popular TikTok couple Nick and Cassie, featured on @cassiesbooktok, are breaking up—and the video announcing it has almost 8 million lik...

OpenAI released GPT-5 and users hate it, the "Nicki Minaj stiletto challenge" encourages influencers to film themselves balancing on one stiletto-clad foot, and why time (unfortunately) flies when we're using social media.

Slang of the Week - "Dogwater"

Elsewhere in culture:

Taylor Swift announced (on her boyfriend's football podcast) that her 12th album will be titled The Life of a Showgirl, and available for pre-order soon. Popular TikTok couple Nick and Cassie, featured on @cassiesbooktok, are breaking up—and the video announcing it has almost 8 million likes and numerous comments, each with hundreds of...

After earning a journalism degree at the University of Missouri, Strobel was awarded a Ford Foundation fellowship to study at Yale Law School, where he received a Master of Studies in Law degree. For fourteen years he was a journalist at the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers, winning Illinois' top honors for investigative reporting (which he shared with a team he led) and public service journalism from United Press International. He is a New York Times bestselling author whose books have sold millions of copies worldwide. We'll be talking today primarily about his new book Seeing the Supernatural: Investigating A...

Three Big Conversations:

Survey of the Week - The Miraculous- 01:18

Elsewhere in culture:- 58:28

Gen Alpha now drives almost half of household spending, at least in the US.
Vodka seltzer company High Noon recently issued a recall after some of their vodka products...

The Summer I Turned Pretty is back for its 3rd season and is taking over Amazon Prime, what it means that 40% of 18 to 29-year-olds get their news from TikTok, and why it feels like most people aren't paying attention to the same parts of culture this summer.

Survey of the Week - The Miraculous

Elsewhere in culture:

Gen Alpha now drives almost half of household spending, at least in the US. Vodka seltzer company High Noon recently issued a recall after some of their vodka products were mistakenly labeled as Celsius energy drinks. T...

Pheba writes in to say: "Hi! I'm excited about the podcast. I'd like to hear about navigating body image issues with teen girls."

This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org.

And for more resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations:

Slang of the Week - "Chopped"

Elsewhere in culture:

A TikTok creator named Lewky takes idiotic dating app exchanges and turns them into musical skits, the social media app Tea which allows women to share red flags about specific men gets hacked, and Marvel's Fantastic Four explores the power of family bonds in the face of total annihilation. Welcome to the Roundtable.

Slang of the Week - "Chopped"

Elsewhere in culture:

After 20 years in the corporate world (with IBM, Pepsi and Goldman Sachs), Roland Warren spent 11 years as president of the National Fatherhood Initiative before joining Care Net in 2012 as president and CEO. A graduate of Princeton University and the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, Roland is an inspirational servant leader with a heart for Christ and a mind for business. His new book is called The Alternative to Abortion: Why We Must Be Pro Abundant Life. 

For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations:

Song of the Week - "Big Poe" (feat. Sk8brd) - Tyler the Creator -1:12

Elsewhere in culture: - 1:02:46

Netflix officially announced an Assassin's Creed live-action series, IGN said the new Donkey Kong Bananza game is "shockingly good," Superman may have...

The term "septum theory" is being used online to suggest that women with septum piercings make trauma their whole personality, what the Coldplay Kiss Cam footage going viral says about our culture, and why short-form videos are going from social media to news outlets and other publications.

Song of the Week - "Big Poe" (feat. Sk8brd) - Tyler the Creator

To read the lyrics click here (language).

Elsewhere in culture:

Netflix officially announced an Assassin's Creed live-action series, IGN said the new Donkey Kong Bananza game is "shockingly good," Superman...

Eric writes in with this question: "We have had issues with seeking to encourage the type of free play that Jonathan Haidt discusses in the Anxious Generation with children AND their parents who have not done the moral formation to know what is appropriate on the playground or in free spaces. When parents haven't done the formative work, those kids seem to struggle the most with free play with others. Would love to know more about how to square that circle of less oversight when kids don't have the "chests" to use Lewis' language of moral character and formation."<...

Three Big Converserations:

Song of the Week: DAISIES - Justin Bieber - 0:24

Click here for the lyrics.

Elsewhere in culture: - 13:54

An AI-generated pr...

Generations are debating why Gen Z so often blankly stares at people who ask them questions, the new Superman movie is celebrated for its sincerity, and what it means that the AI chatbot Grok went rogue and started praising Hitler.

Song of the Week: DAISIES - Justin Bieber

Click here for the lyrics.

Elsewhere in culture:

An AI-generated protest song called "Dust on the Wind" is trending on Spotify, the 2025 Emmy nominees were announced with the show Severance receiving a 27 different nominations, people online debated whether giving girlfriends the "princess treatment"...

Dr. Tim Mackie serves as the lead scholar and creative director for BibleProject. Tim's spiritual journey began when, as a teenager, he met a group of skateboarders who were creatively communicating the story of the Bible. With his brand-new faith, Tim enrolled at Multnomah University. After taking classes in biblical studies, he became fascinated with the Scriptural story of Jesus. Determined to deepen his understanding of Jesus' cultural and historical context, Tim went on to pursue a degree in theology at Western Seminary in Portland, and a PhD in Hebrew Bible and Jewish Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison. In...

Three Big Conversations:

Resource of the Week - The Conversation Starter (Youtube) - 0:25

Elsewhere in culture...

An animated film called KPop Demon Hunters is dominating both music and video streaming charts, A new supreme court ruling could pave the way to federally mandated ID verification on all pornographic sites, and mourning the tragic losses in Texas's Camp Mystic after their historic flash floods.

Resource of the Week - The Conversaton Starter (Youtube)

Elsewhere in culture:

A new report claims that TikTok is building a U.S.-based app to launch in September, a 14-second video featuring Howie Mandel telling a 4-year-old that he is the "yo...

"How do you get your tween daughter to talk and share things about her day, her friends and school?" - Erin

This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org.

And for more resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Converserations:

Resource of the Week - The Pour Over- 9:07

Elsewhere in culture:

A new TikTok trend involves saying the phrase "bacon avocado" as a prelude to your actual message, Jurassic Park: Rebirth debuts in theaters this week, the humanoid robot Neo is learning how to do laundry and walk up stairs, a Supreme...

A new cooperative game called Peak requires players to climb a mountain together, the psychological thriller We Were Liars has teens weeping on TikTok, and posts about going #monkmode are romanticizing the minimalistic life of the monastery.

Resource of the Week - The Pour Over

Elsewhere in culture:

A new TikTok trend involves saying the phrase "bacon avocado" as a prelude to your actual message, Jurassic Park: Rebirth debuts in theaters this week, the humanoid robot Neo is learning how to do laundry and walk up stairs, a Supreme Court ruling will allow...

Molly Worthen is a professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a freelance journalist. She teaches courses on North American religion and politics, global Christianity, and the history of ideas. She writes on these themes for The New York Times and has contributed to The New Yorker, Slate, The American Prospect, Foreign Policy, and other publications. She has also created video and audio courses on the history of Christianity and the history of charismatic leadership for the Great Courses and Audible. Her new book is called Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from t...

Three Big Conversations:

Song of the Week: "Manchild" - Sabrina Carpenter - 0:35

Click here for the lyrics.

Elsewhere in culture: - 12:38

AI-generated "Would You Rather?" videos involving fruit with special powers began trending on TikTok, the live-action How to Train Your Dragon movie continued to be a theatrical success, Netflix's "Trainwreck" antho...

AI-generated videos of people cutting and sometimes eating glass fruit are trending on social media, the movie 28 Years Later makes the 28-numbered zombie saga worse, and TikTokers are reminiscing about 90s summer—whether or not they actually experienced it. 

Song of the Week: "Manchild" - Sabrina Carpenter

Click here for the lyrics.

Elsewhere in culture:

AI-generated "Would You Rather?" videos involving fruit with special powers began trending on TikTok, the live-action How to Train Your Dragon movie continued to be a theatrical success, Netflix's "Trainwreck" anthology landed documentaries about Astroworld and the...

"I've been struck lately about how much teenage boys are getting into poker and gambling, even from good Christian families. Unfortunately, some of them are doing well, and gaining money doing it… I feel that is dangerous. Is it just something fun to do, or is it a bad habit that will develop into something else? These boys come from very well to do families, so I feel that they don't know how to work for money, or would prefer to just gamble in poker, or in the stock market to get their money." - Anita

This po...

As we broaden the scope of this podcast to include some fun new things, you will see this feed has changed to Axis Conversations!

This will be the schedule you can expect:

Interviews - Every other Tuesday

Ask Axis (Our new show!) - Every other Tuesday (Alternating) 

The Culture Translator (CT Audio) - Every Thursday

The Culture Translator Roundtable - Every Friday

 We are excited to continue to provide engaging resources including our new show Ask Axis premiering tomorrow! 

For more Axis resources, go to...

Three Big Conversations:

Slang of the Week - Blackpill- 01:20

Elsewhere in culture: - 11:40

19-year-old Kane Parsons signed on to direct a horror movie for A24 based off his YouTube series "The Backrooms," AI-generated ASMR videos of people cutting glass fruit began trending on social media, TikTok got another 90-day extension, the third and final season of Squid Game was announced for next Friday...

Summertime provides new opportunities connet talk with teens, TikTokers are enjoying something they call "fridge cigs", and some people think ChatGPT is giving them access to the spiritual realm.

Slang of the Week - Blackpill

Elsewhere in culture:

19-year-old Kane Parsons signed on to direct a horror movie for A24 based off his YouTube series "The Backrooms," AI-generated ASMR videos of people cutting glass fruit began trending on social media, TikTok got another 90-day extension, the third and final season of Squid Game was announced for next Friday (June 27), and our newest episode...

New episodes in this feed every other Tuesday!

Have you ever wished that you had a personalized parenting podcast based on the questions you were having about your own family? A place where you could ask experts and get guidance about what the Bible actually says about how you're raising your teen in today's world? 

That's why we are launching our new podcast show, which we're calling Ask Axis, so we get a chance to hear from you.

We'd love to hear from you! Submit your questions at ask@axis.org.

Three Big Conversations:

Resource of the Week - Parent's Guide to TikTok - 0:18

Elsewhere in culture: - 2:12

AI renderings of Bible characters as influencers went viral, TikTok's most-followed influencer Khaby Lame was detained (and released) by ICE, an apparent trend of using no-contact orders to avoid conflict on college campuses started catching on, Apple's WWDC 25 conference mostly focused on upcoming design changes and AI tweaks for their devices, and pop star Sab...

A new game on Roblox called "Grow a Garden" takes off, Gen Z enjoys wearing nautical-themed knitwear in the summer, and as Father's Day approaches, an article about how young men need heroes to look up to.

Resource of the Week - Parent's Guide to TikTok

Elsewhere in culture:

AI renderings of Bible characters as influencers went viral, TikTok's most-followed influencer Khaby Lame was detained (and released) by ICE, an apparent trend of using no-contact orders to avoid conflict on college campuses started catching on, Apple's WWDC 25 conference mostly focused on upcoming design...

Nathan studied Preaching Ministry at Lincoln Christian University, and served on staff at two churches in New England, while attending the New York Film Academy in Boston, where he discovered his passion for filmmaking and storytelling. In 2005, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film and entertainment, and ended up getting a job at Disney, where he worked for 16 years, most recently as an executive in Cinema Partnerships, leading in-theater marketing campaigns for Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Disney films. Then, in January of last year, he joined The Chosen as their Head of Marketing Strategy...

There's a brand new Nintendo console out in the world, Gen Z is beginning to reject that narrative that pornography is empowering, or good at all, and a story in the New York Times talks about the joy and exhaustion of grandparents being the primary caregivers of their grandkids.

Resource of the Week: Anime + Manga: What parents NEED to know (YouTube)

Elsewhere in culture:

A song by Brendan Abernathy was relentlessly mocked on TikTok this week, rumors are swirling about the SEC potentially leaving the NCAA, a cooperative Elden Ring spinoff called Nightreign...

Three Big Conversations:  A new trend involves young men calling each other to say goodnight (11:22) A supposedly haunted doll named Annabelle is blamed for a plantation burning down (33:20) Gen Zers explain why they would give significant restrictions on technology to their own kids (48:28)

Meme of the Week: "Holy Airball" (0:26)

Elsewhere in culture (5:02):

A new trend involves young men calling each other to say goodnight, a supposedly haunted doll named Annabelle is blamed for a plantation burning down, and Gen Zers explain why they would give significant restrictions on technology to their own kids.

Elsewhere in culture:
Lilo & Stitch had a bigger box office opening than the new Mission: Impossible movie, a newly published study from JAMA found that social media use can predict depression but that depression doesn't necessarily predict social media use, Transformers Director Michael Bay plans to direct a Skibidi Toilet movie, Dr. Jordan Peter...

Jake is a professional artist and is certified as one of only nine Master Penman in the world. He is self-taught in each of his disciplines (calligraphy, painting, drawing, woodworking, and engraving). While he typically works with private clients, he has also worked with Apple, Inc., Crossway Books, and Biola University, has spoken from countless stages including Tedx and Q and was featured on PBS Television. His new book is called Old Soul, New Creation: Experiencing God Through A Life of Art and Faith.

Oxford Academic publishes an analysis of an infamous subreddit's moral dilemmas, TikTok releases a 10pm bedtime meditation, and Netflix's adaptation of "Forever" unpacks teens' desire for romantic intimacy while still needing the support that parents provide.

Song of the Week: "What I Want (feat. Tate McRae)" by Morgan Wallen-0:30

To read the lyrics, click here.

Check our new Youtube video - "Why Did Teens Cry When TikTok Was Banned?"

Other Trending Topics: -12:22

Oxford Academic publishes an analysis of an infamous subreddit's moral dilemmas, TikTok releases a 10pm bedtime meditation, and Netflix's adaptation of "Forever" unpacks teens' desire for romantic intimacy while still needing the support that parents provide.

Song of the Week: "What I Want (feat. Tate McRae)" by Morgan Wallen

To read the lyrics click here.

Check our new Youtube video - "Why Did Teens Cry When TikTok Was Banned?"

Other Trending Topics:

Pope Leo XIV becomes pope with a social media timeline, young people are using Reddit to help quit Zyn tobacco pouches, and our take on the second season of the Star Wars show Andor.

Slang of the Week - Aura Farming - 0:17

The Top 3:

Other Trending Topics:

For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.<...

Pope Leo XIV becomes pope with a social media timeline, young people are using Reddit to help quit Zyn tobacco pouches, and our take on the second season of the Star Wars show Andor.

Slang of the Week - Aura Farming

Other Trending Topics:

For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Dr. West is a Harvard and Johns Hopkins-trained oncologist and researcher, and has advanced cancer care and research for over three decades. As a native of Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. West founded the West Clinic there in 1979, growing it from a single practice into a network of five locations with 25 physicians and 273 support staff, treating 300 to 400 patients weekly. As a Christian and lifelong member of one of the largest Methodist Churches in the U.S., he has lectured for more than forty years on the myth of science and faith being at odds, believing they support one another and that...