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. But first:
Slang of the Week: “Cracked”
As surely as the sun rises and sets, humans create slang terms for sex. “Cracked” is the newest such word. Simply put: “cracked” or “getting cracked” means you had sex. While the term sounds degrading or even violent, the phrase is meant to denote the experience of satisfaction and joy from the act. To make things more confusing, “cracked” has other slang meanings, including someone who is highly skilled at something (i.e. “they’re cracked”) or that you have broken someone’s shields/armor in games like Fortnite or Arc Raiders.
And now for our three conversations..
1. Cigfluenced
What it is: Pop stars and influencers are posting more and more photos of themselves smoking cigarettes. It’s sparking an online debate: are cigarettes cool again?
Why it’s taking off: Anyone who lived through the ’80s and ’90s can remember the graphic ads and messages from former smokers speaking through voice boxes warning others to stay away from the “cancer sticks,” but more recent public health messaging has focused on the dangers of vaping. Meanwhile, pop stars and Hollywood’s elite have begun treating cigarettes like a classy status symbol. Beyoncé puffed a (fake) cigarette throughout her Cowboy Carter tour, and Sabrina Carpenter posted a photo on Instagram of her smoking while wearing a corset… made of cigarette boxes. The Instagram account @cigfluencers has curated 450+ posts of stars—including Justin Bieber, Channing Tatum, Charli XCX, and Sabrina Carpenter—smoking cigarettes. (Note: This story was reported and written by our friends at The Pour Over, the Christ-first news resource. We recommend their free newsletter to stay current on the news cycle—sign up here.)
Continue the conversation: What ways have celebrities influenced you?
2. Wicked: For Good-ish
What it is: Wicked: For Good picks up right where the first movie left off, aiming to give fans that huge, emotional ending they’ve been waiting for all year.
Why it’s losing some of its magic: As soon as the lights go down, the film surrounds you with dazzling colors, stunning sets, and costumes that make you want to change your whole wardrobe. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s voices are still magical, but the story takes some unexpected turns that sometimes get in its own way. The movie really tries to connect itself to the classic 1939 Wizard of Oz, bending the plot so much that a few story beats feel forced. Characters we thought we knew, like the Tin Man, show up with brand-new personalities; he’s suddenly furious about everything, which is pretty impressive for someone who doesn’t even have a heart to get worked up. Meanwhile, Elphaba’s shift from passionate activist to lovesick romantic feels a bit sudden. By the end, the movie still delivers some emotionally stirring moments, but the magic feels a little different this time.
Continue the conversation: Who in the movie made the most relatable bad decision?
3. A Good Word
What it is: YouVersion, the world’s most popular Bible-reading app, has reached 1 billion downloads.
Why it’s incredible: We are in the midst of a spiritual vibe shift, and the Bible is having a moment. Sales of the Bible surged by 11% this year, with 18 million sold. Last month, the Pew Research Center found that 31% of Americans say that religion is gaining influence in public life. Weekly Bible reading, driven by trends in Millennial and Gen Z habits, is now at 42%. The moment of revival that many Christians have prayed for, for decades, seems to be within our reach. How can we make the most of this opportunity?
Let’s translate this one further…
Over the past few months, we’ve had the privilege of speaking with dozens of stakeholders in the youth discipleship space, including youth workers, nonprofit leaders, pastors, and Christian educators. And what they’re seeing is absolutely thrilling.
Young men are showing up at church in numbers we haven’t seen in decades. Interest in attending Sunday services is also on the rise. And, according to data from Barna’s 2025 State of the Church survey, today there are 30 million more Americans who have committed to Jesus than there were in 2021.
This certainly merits a massive celebration. But after years of flagging funding and cultural capital, will the church be equipped to disciple these people? A deeper dive into the numbers suggests that an ongoing faith formation framework, like this one developed by TENx10, is as crucial as ever. As Barna’s CEO David Kinnaman put it, “Engagement is outpacing conviction. People are opening the Bible more often, but they’re still wrestling with what they believe about it. That gap between reading and trusting is worth paying attention to.”
We are excited and inspired by YouVersion’s massive milestone. (We’re also humbled to have contributed today’s Guided Scripture, on Isaiah 43:2, to the YouVersion platform—we hope you’ll check it out!) As the cultural conversation about discipleship continues to develop, YouVersion has managed to equip over 1 billion people with access to scripture in their pockets, and the word of God never returns void.
For more context and nuance, check out our Roundtable podcast on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. In the meantime, here are three questions to help you continue the conversation with your teens:
- Do you think you will see a religious revival in your lifetime? Why or why not?
- Do you prefer reading the Bible on an app, or the physical Bible?
- What’s the balance between understanding scripture in context and allowing God to speak through it to us?
Parenting together,
Kate Watson and the Axis Team
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 has announced its nominations for 2025, with the turn-based role-playing game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 receiving 12 total nominations, more than any other game.
- Gaming company Valve has announced that it will release its own console, the “Steam Machine,” which many expect to become a significant challenger to Xbox and PlayStation.
- The man who jumped the rope to embrace Ariana Grande at the Wicked: For Good movie premiere was sentenced to nine days in prison.
PS: Know someone who could use our conversation starters with their teens? Share the CT with a friend! And if Axis has been a blessing to you or your family this year, we want to hear about it! Please use this form to share your story.