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. But first:
Slang of the Week – “Twin”
Twin: A person who you enjoy being around and see eye to eye with—like your other half. See also: sis, queen, bestie. Ex: “Your drip is heat, twin!” (Meaning, your outfit rules.)
And now for our three conversations..
1. The Starbucks Cup
What it is: Starbucks dropped a limited-edition holiday “Bearista” tumbler made of glass, shaped like a little bear—and it sold out in minutes.
Why it’s blowing up: Fans camped out in front of stores as early as 1 a.m., and TikTok quickly flooded with footage of shoppers pouring into stores and even breaking into fights over limited stock. Walmart has already jumped on the “Bearista” bandwagon, quickly listing their dupe for $24. There’s something about “limited edition” that seems to short-circuit common sense. Scarcity sells, but it also exposes how easily we confuse want with worth. Starbucks apologized for “any disappointment,” though disappointment might be the point. Maybe the empty shelves are a reminder that what we truly need this season isn’t more merch, but more peace.
Continue the conversation: What’s something you’ve wanted just because it was rare, and did it actually make you happier?
2. No Man’s Land
What it is: A viral article in Vogue suggested that it’s embarrassing to have a boyfriend—or really, that a certain type of fondness for male partners is out of fashion. A wave of TikToks agreeing with, or disputing this take, immediately followed.
What young people are saying in response: Behind the inflammatory headline (which the author probably did not select), there’s a lot to this conversation. Lots of TikTokers jumped in to defend having a boyfriend, while others said that, actually, those people were missing the point. It does seem like the societal “clout,” as it were, of having a boyfriend, has significantly diminished. Perhaps now more than any time in human history, being a single woman is perceived as an achievement—the pinnacle of independence and sophistication. As a result, the male/female partnership has become polarized and even political, to the point where a woman dating a man can be seen as controversial.
Continue the conversation: Do you think having a boyfriend or girlfriend changes your social status?
3. A Joyful Noise
What it is: Christian music has been rising in popularity (paywall) as artists like Forrest Frank and Brandon Lake pursue broader audiences on modern platforms like social media.
Why it’s connecting with teens: About two weeks ago, Brandon Lake performed his song “Hard Fought Hallelujah” with country artist Jelly Roll and Grammy and Oscar winner Jon Batiste at the Dove Awards. It was a surprising collaboration and evidence of the rising influence of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). One example is Forrest Frank, who had a massive year, partly because of a dance that went viral set to his sunny song “Your Way’s Better” (see: the Savannah Bananas doing it) and his story of his broken back being healed (something we highlight in our Conversation Kit on Miracles). There’s also Josiah Queen, who blends a folk-adjacent sound to emulate popular secular artists like Noah Kahan.
Let’s translate this one further…
For a few years, I had the opportunity to lead the student worship program at my church. It was one of the greatest joys and honors of my life, and it taught me how much young people connect to Jesus through music.
Instead of personally writing out a bunch of thoughts about this trend, I reached out to a couple of high school seniors (talented musicians in their own right) about the rising popularity of artists like Forrest Frank and Josiah Queen.
One of the seniors concluded that part of the reason these artists are popular right now is because he feels like there’s an “unspoken confinement of creativity in the Christian music scene… so when someone steps outside of that and makes music that combines modern creativity with the truth of the Gospel, it becomes very appealing to our generation!”
To prove that no generation is a monolith, the other student said flat-out that they “find next to no quality in CCM” and that he finds Forrest Frank’s sound “atrocious.” Okay, so maybe not all teens love this sound.
Because both students are heavily involved in my church’s adult and student worship, I also wanted to know why worship music connects with their generation, why artists like Abbie Gamboa and SEU Worship are secretly some of the most influential musicians for Christian teens.
The teen who didn’t like Frank’s sound said, “I personally think worship in a congregational setting blows every other music out of the water and don’t really find much worth in any other attempt at ‘music for God.’ It just seems like they want more of Christians’ money.”
It’s a strong take—but we hope it creates a conversation, inspiring questions about how Christians should think about worship, the purpose of music and social media, and how Christian art can (or cannot) effectively spread the Gospel.
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:
- What do you think of artists like Forrest Frank and Josiah Queen?
- How would you define worship?
- What type of music do you think Christians should sing at church?
Parenting together,
CJ Fant and the Axis Team
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 interview with GQ where she was asked to apologize for her American Eagle ad has been turned into a meme format.
Dictionary.com has announced its “Word of the Year,” and we regret to inform you that it is “67.”
PS: Know someone who could use our conversation starters with their teens? Share the CT with a friend!