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What Questions Are Teens Asking?

Interview With Joe and Tiffany Williamson

What are the most pressing issues facing teens and young adults today? What questions are they asking about life, purpose, and religion? Joe and Tiffany Williamson work in youth ministry at Thousand Hills Church in Hickory Creek, Texas. They joined the Know Why Podcast with firsthand insight into the questions young adults ask, what support they need, and why.

A Lonely Generation

Joe said mental health is a top problem for today’s teens and young adults—particularly loneliness. “There’s a loneliness with this generation right now, and it doesn’t matter who the kid is,” he said, noting that even students who are popular and seem to be doing well on the outside could be struggling with depression and thoughts of suicide.

Despite being “connected” over social media, many of today’s youth lack real connection with other people. Tiffany attributed part of the problem to the changing landscape of social media. Today’s teens and young adults are constantly
“on” with no reprieve.

Alone in Their Faith

That’s why in-person connection, including through local church bodies, is so critical to teens. But it can also be difficult for teens to attain, since many of those who come to church are the only Christians in their families. Without spiritual community and guidance at home, many teens and young adults are left with no where to turn for advice, answers to tough questions, or to express doubts.


“This generation has the heart of Jesus, they just don’t necessarily know him yet.”

Joe Williamson

Joe encourages members of his church to mentor youth and young adults in their lives. He told the story of an 80-year-old church member who volunteered to serve in youth ministry. The result has been “life-changing” for the girls she mentors, he said.

An Unstoppable Generation

Tiffany is hopeful about the next generation, saying that when they “get it” and are committed to God, they are unstoppable. Joe said that many of the concerns and causes of young adults today are aligned with Jesus, but they don’t know much about him. That’s why they’re eager to learn.

“This generation has the heart of Jesus, they just don’t necessarily know him yet,” he said.

Make a Difference

If you would like to help support more conversations on issues relevant to young adults that point them to truth, you can make a donation here.

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Best of 2023

What do Know Why listeners want to know about?

We looked at our most-downloaded episodes of 2023 and compiled the highlights here. Listen for excerpts from five of listeners’ favorite episodes of the year, with selections from every Know Why Series series of 2023!

In this episode, you’ll hear snippets of the following interviews (click to listen to the full interviews or read more):

1. Is Social Media Robbing Me of a Richer Life? Know About Healthy Tech Habits: Interview with Dr. Brad East

2. Are All Pro-Lifers Religious? Know About Pro-Lifers Series: Interview with Monica Snyder (Part 1)

3. What Does the Bible Have to do with the Israel-Hamas War? Interview with Dr. Gary Frazier

4. Why is the Black Community Overrepresented in Abortions? Know About Pro-Lifers Series: Interview with Cherilyn Holloway

5. Can I Avoid Burnout at Work? Know About Thriving at Work: Interview with Dr. Eddy Brewer

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Why is Jesus’ Birth Significant?

Interview With Joshua Barnes: Part 2

Joshua Barnes of the popular YouTube channel The Bible Explained is back! He demonstrates why Jesus’ birth is unique compared to the origin stories of ancient mythical gods. Josh also highlights intriguing prophesies that predicted the details of Jesus’ birth hundreds of years before it happened. 

Is Jesus’ Birth Story Unique?

You may have heard claims that stories about Jesus’ birth and life are remarkably similar to other stories about ancient mythical gods, including Mithra, Horace, and Dionysus. Joshua explains key differences in these myths compared to the historical accounts of Jesus’ life in the New Testament Gospels. “If you look at any of those myths, you can’t find any evidence that any of these things were believed about these mythical gods before Jesus came on the scene,” Josh told Know Why.

“The intricate fulfillment of prophecy in the Christmas story is mind-blowing, and it should excite every Christian, because it shows that we’re not just closing our eyes and believing the things in the Bible—we actually have evidence.”

Joshua Barnes

Odd Details and Prophecy

“The cool thing that we often just forget is that the Gospel accounts are historical documentation,” Josh said. But why do many of the details recorded in the Gospels—from the Roman census that led Jesus’ mother to Bethlehem, to the fact that she was a virgin—really matter? Listen to the episode for a discussion of the religious and historical significance of these details, which were foretold by prophecy hundreds of years prior to the events.

“The intricate fulfillment of prophecy in the Christmas story is mind-blowing, and it should excite every Christian, because it shows that we’re not just closing our eyes and believing the things in the Bible—we actually have evidence,” Josh told Know Why.

Read the passages of Scripture Josh mentions in the episode by clicking below, and check out the previous episode recorded with Josh, “Does Christmas Have Pagan Origins?“

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Does Christmas Have Pagan Origins?

Interview with Joshua Barnes

Have you ever heard that Christmas has pagan origins? Does the date we celebrate Christmas—December 25th—have anything to do with ancient holidays like Saturnalia, Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, or even the Winter Solstice? Are traditions like caroling and decorating trees borrowed from other religions? Find out in this interview with Joshua Barnes, creator of popular YouTube channel The Bible Explained.

Questions and Misconceptions

Did the Christian Roman emperor Constantine adapt pagan celebrations and attach them to Christmas?

Is Christmas celebrated on the same date as ancient pagan feasts that came before it?

Why did Christians choose December 25th to celebrate the birth of Jesus—and does it matter?

Is the tradition of decorating Christmas trees tied to the cult of Asherah (and forbidden in the Bible)?

Is decorating one’s home with mistletoe a Druid practice?

Should Christians celebrate holidays that aren’t mentioned in the Bible?

Did the Puritans ban Christmas in America, and if so, why?

Joshua answers these questions and more in this episode of the Know Why Podcast, citing primary historical documents that tell the true story. You’ll hear some myths busted and gain a clearer understanding of some similarities between Christmas and other celebrations that are often referenced by critics of Christianity.

“Singing, giving gifts, decorating…these are things that, in the ancient world, were part of every celebration. So the fact that they’re part of Christmas and other things is not evidential.”

Joshua Barnes

Learn more by listening to the episode and following the links below. Don’t miss next week’s episode for a discussion on whether Jesus’ birth story is unique compared to ancient mythology.

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Should Chatbots Scare Me? Know About Healthy Tech Habits

Interview With Kate Lucky (Part 2)

Chatbots can be problematic, but can they also be useful? If artificial intelligence can do everything we can do, what makes humans unique? Back to think through tough questions like these is Kate Lucky from Christianity Today. She shares insight from her recent feature piece, “AI Will Shape Your Soul,” a deep-dive into what theologians and tech experts are saying about AI chatbots. Don’t miss part two of this interview, the final episode of our #KnowAboutHealthyTechHabits series! Listen to part one here.

Embodiment

Kate believes that everyone innately recognizes the importance of embodiment. “We feel that there’s something important to our bodies, to our humanity,” she told Know Why. Kate says this points back to the truth of the Christian tradition, which teaches that God took on a human body in the person of Jesus Christ. “It’s a really exciting place for a lot of these theologians, who are finding that the tech world is asking a lot of these questions about embodiment, for example,” she said.

Another question many are wrestling with considering the rapid advancements of AI: what does it mean to be human? If artificial intelligence can do things like converse and create art, what makes humans unique?

“We are more than any capability that we might have, any gift, any function that we can perform.”

Kate Lucky

Kate also points to Christian faith as providing peace in a time when many people worry about these questions. In short, our humanity doesn’t depend on our performance. “We are more than any capability that we might have, any gift, any function that we can perform,” Kate told Know Why. “We’re made in the image in the God just because we’re made in the image of God, and that’s that.”

Perks of New Technology

While we should think carefully about how our interactions with chatbots affect our habits and even our mental health, there could be helpful perks to the new technology. It’s not something to completely reject or accept without critical thinking, Kate says. “AI, for Christians, is always a starting point … it’s always just one piece of the puzzle.”

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How Will Chatbots Affect My Soul? Know About Healthy Tech Habits

Interview With Kate Lucky (Part 1)

Are you prepared for a world where AI bots have replaced customer service workers, tutors, and even therapists? Do we lose part of our humanity when inconvenient, messy conversations with people are replaced by streamlined, efficient chatbots? Here to think through this with us and provide some answers is Kate Lucky, senior editor of audience engagement at Christianity Today. She shares insight from her recent feature article, “AI Will Shape Your Soul,” a deep-dive into what theologians and tech experts are saying about AI chatbots. Listen to part one of this interview now!

Something Different

Kate points out that Artificial Intelligence has been around for a long time and has many helpful uses. But a more recent development in AI technology are chatbots like ChatGPT, released by OpenAI last year. These systems can generate poetry, replicate art, and carry on convincing conversations. While fascinating, the humanness of such chatbots made many people uncomfortable, Kate says.


“We feel that there’s something important to our bodies, to our humanity. We feel that there’s a difference when we’re on a zoom call and when we’re sitting around a meeting table in person.”

Kate Lucky

Some people are enthusiastic about the potential uses for these kinds of chatbots, but Kate warns that we will miss out on life’s “richness” when authentic human interactions are replaced by AI. “A chatbot won’t pushback on you, won’t challenge your perspective on something,” Kate told Know Why. “You can’t really learn humility from a chatbot.”

To learn more about how our interactions with chatbots have the potential to form our habits and our souls, listen to Part 2 of Kate’s interview next week. You can also see the resources below.

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Are My Kids Having Too Much Screen Time? Know About Healthy Tech Habits

Interview With Jane Shawcroft

How can problematic technology use hamper a child’s emotional development? How can you tell if a child’s relationship with media is problematic? Answering these questions and more on the Know Why Podcast is Jane Shawcroft. A PhD student at UC Davis, Jane studies the effects of media and technology on children and adolescents. Whether you have kids, work with kids, plan to have a family in the future, or are simply curious about how media is impacting all members of the family, you’ll want to hear Jane’s insight.

Examining the Evidence

Jane co-authored a study published in Technology, Mind, and Behavior in 2023 title “Structures for Screens: Longitudinal Associations Between Parental Media Rules and Problematic Media Use in Early Childhood.” She explains some of the findings of the study with Know Why Podcast, including the effects of unrestricted tablet use.

“What we kind of have evidence for is that parents are forgetting about tablets when they set rules about media use, and that was associated with more problematic media use overtime,” she said.

Media Use and Emotional Regulation

Jane also discussed the importance of filling out young children’s “toolbox” with the tools they need to deal with everyday emotions. When media is overused, it robs children of tools they may need to regulate their emotions down the road.

“It’s not that giving a phone or letting them watch some videos because they’re upset is necessarily bad,” she told Know Why. “It becomes a problem when that’s all children are doing and that’s the only way they know how to calm down.”

“When kids use media to regulate a lot, they end up needing it more and more.”

Jane Shawcroft

What about families that haven’t implemented screen time rules in the past, but want to start? Jane acknowledges that technology restrictions are a difficult terrain to navigate, since today’s parents don’t have the benefit of recalling how their own parents regulated tablets or social media time; so much of what parents deal with today is new. Jane offers advice for introducing new media rules as a family, and also gives some practical tips for knowing whether your child has had too much screen time in a day—or whether they have a problematic relationship with media in general.

There are actions everyone can take in helping to foster better habits and norms for children and technology, Jane said. “Children are spending so much time online and with technology, and it’s really a space that was not designed for children,” Jane told Know Why. She encourages listeners to learn about relevant laws such as online safety laws and child media regulations in your state, and to advocate family-safe policies by contacting your elected officials. Find links to do so below.

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Is Social Media Robbing Me of a Richer Life? Know About Healthy Tech Habits

Interview With Dr. Brad East

When college students enter Dr. Brad East’s class at Abilene Christian University, they’re often spending six hours or more on social media per day. Then he challenges them to give it up. Listen to this episode as Dr. East shares what young adults gain when they give up their screen addiction—and what you lose when your life is spent staring at your screen. And if you’re brave enough, take Dr. East’s 60-day challenge!

Giving Up Bad Tech Habits For Something Better

In a recent article at Christianity Today, Dr. East argues that certain tech habits are important factors in retaining one’s faith in college. For instance, students should forgo online church services and attend a local house of worship, even if they go to a Christian college or university.

“God is our creator and he knows what we need, and what we need is actual, flesh-and-blood, in-person community,” Dr. East told Know Why, adding, “The community is not a kind of ‘extra’  that might help you in your personal journey of faith—it’s actually essential. It’s actually the thing that God, from the beginning, has been doing and continues to do—calling and forming a people in the world.” 


“God is our creator and he knows what we need, and what we need is actual, flesh-and-blood, in-person community.” 

Dr. Brad East

Dr. East also recommends that college students’ faith will stay stronger if they delete social media in college. As shocking as that seems to many of his students, those who participate in his 60-day challenge are often surprised by the multiple benefits they experience afterward.

What could you gain from developing better tech habits?

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What Does the Bible Have to Do With the Israel-Hamas War?

Interview with Dr. Gary Frazier

What does an ancient story about a father, two sons, and a promise have to do with the Israel-Hamas war?

In this episode, Know Why Podcast interrupts its series on Healthy Tech Habits to discuss a current and important world event—the war between Israel and Hamas that began with Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Specifically, this episode addresses the history of conflicts surrounding Israel, which stretch back thousands of years.

“This conflict is ancient. It’s 6,000 years old. And unfortunately and regrettably, it’s still going on.”

Dr. Gary frazier

Dr. Gary Frazier joins Know Why sharing his insight as a frequently-sought after speaker and author on Israel, current events, and biblical prophecy. The founder of Discovery Missions International, Dr. Frazier has visited Israel 187 times throughout his life.

While 82 percent of Americans describe themselves as religious, spiritual or both, fewer and fewer Americans are aware of everything the Bible contains. Listen to hear how ancient stories from Scripture illuminate the events unfolding around the world today.

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Are Screens Stealing Our Autonomy? Know About Healthy Tech Habits

Interview with Doug Smith

Are you in control of your screen time… or is it the other way around? Listen as Doug Smith helps kick off Know Why’s series Know about Healthy Tech Habits. In the episode Liberty and Doug discuss his recent book, [Un]Intentional: How Screens Secretly Shape Your Desires and How You Can Break Free, written from his perspective as a former software developer. Doug offers insights that are both sobering and hopeful—you don’t want to miss them!

Identity

Identity is a big question many people wrestle with. Who am I? What do I like? What do I want? What do I believe? We’d like to think that we are fairly autonomous in determining our identity. But Doug argues that isn’t the case.

“We end up thinking we’re constructing a unique identity when we’re just constructing an identity that’s been formed for us and tends to lead us to a bad end,” he told Know Why.


“They’re exploiting weaknesses in our behavioral psychology and neurology to teach us to make decisions that are most profitable for them, but often harmful to us and certainly against our God-given purpose.” 

Doug Smith

What’s forming our identity for us? Our screens—or more precisely, the companies, algorithms, and technology behind them.

Reclaiming Our Habits

There is hope for reclaiming our identity and decision-making willpower, but it involves developing new habits that aren’t centered on screen time. In his book, Doug points to the Bible as helpful in this journey.

“We are learning a lot in terms of the details about how the brain works,” he said. “But what we continue to find is that these truths are just confirming what we’ve already learned in ancient wisdom, especially in the Bible.”

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