Cultural Phenomenas occur “when certain individuals behave a certain way merely because other individuals do as well.” It also occurs when something or someone gains widespread popularity. When I was a child and teen we had things like Cabbage Patch Kids, Furbes, Bart Simpson or Beverly Hills, 90210. More recent examples of this would be Pokemon Go, Fortnite, and the Jonas Brothers reunion album.
Cultural phenomenas are really important to identify for student ministers as they can really take hold amongst the tween and teen-aged students. It is particularly important to note as a Student Minister what is trending now because the more you can know about what the students are watching, listening to or experiencing, the more effective you will be at reaching them for Christ.
So what are the current cultural phenomenas happening right now that you should be aware of? Here are some.
Stranger Things 3. Stranger Things is a smash hit show on Netflix that doesn’t just impact tweens and teens but has adults talking as well. It’s a little sci-fi, a little horror and thriller all wrapped in one show. And, if you are blessed enough to have lived through the 80s you would definitely love all the references, stores and music selection that you see and hear throughout the show.
Tik Tok. This app has taken the tween and teen world by storm. Formerly Musical.ly, it is an Android and iOS app that allows people to create and share short videos. According to Tech Crunch, “while it’s true that TikTok is home to some standard lip-syncing, it’s actually better known for its act-out memes backed by music and other sound clips, which get endlessly reproduced and remixed among its young users.” Tik Tok videos are easy to create, edit and share where its features take parts of Instagram, Twitter and SnapChat to make a great experience for teens. In Oct. 2018 it was the most popular App in the App Stores and continues to draw tons of attention amongst teens and tweens.
eSports. Gaming isn’t just for “losers”. People are making big bucks off of gaming and teens are watching a TON of YouTube videos of people streaming their gaming experiences. Whether they are playing Xbox, Playstation or the Nintendo Switch, gaming is very popular and can also be a great tool for student ministers to reach students.
Cultural Phenomenas happen on a regular basis. The key for student ministers is to be aware of what is trending with students and be able to use these phenomenas as ministry opportunities. The more you can identify what is popular amongst tweens and teens, especially your students, the greater the chance you can use them in how you minister to students. For example, using the 3 current examples above, maybe you can use Stranger Things as a series topic, create a Tik Tok challenge amongst your students or even put a Nintendo Switch at your Youth Table on Sunday mornings as way to engage students and meet new ones.
The possibilities to use these cultural phenomenas for ministry uses are great. If you are not aware yourself, ask your students or the volunteer leaders what is popular. Then work to integrate it into your ministry in some way, not just to be “culturally relevant” but in hopes that you can reach more students for Christ. After all, reaching as many students for Christ should be a main goal of our ministries.
What do you think? What cultural phenomenas are you seeing in the world today? Share them and how you ministering to students using them. You can share below or on social media using #ymsidekick.
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