“We have to be the resilient ones. We are the ones who have to be resilient in order to fight through the obstacles on behalf of our next generation.” -Dr. Tanita Maddox

Gen Z is navigating a landscape that is vastly different than the one most of us grew up in. These "digital natives" live in an online world with cultural norms and language they speak fluently—one that many older folks often struggle to learn.

Whether you’re a parent, teacher, employer, or anyone else interacting with young people born between the years 1997 to 2012, this episode is for you! My good friend, Dr. Tanita Maddox, lets us into her research on the questions Gen Z is asking about life and faith. What she shared brought us both to tears at different points—because Gen Z needs us to show up for them, no matter how uncomfortable we feel.

As Tanita shared in this episode, “If it’s hard, it doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It’s just hard, period.” I hope this episode equips and inspires you to fight for connection with a generation that needs us, just as much as we need them. Listen in as we talk about things like:

• What sets Gen Z apart from previous generations, especially in their relationship with technology
• The 7 big questions this generation is asking, and what's underneath each one
• What Gen Z wants to know about life and faith—and why it's important to admit we don't have all the answers
• Why mental health isn’t about feeling good and happy all the time
• How our listening needs to change if we want to communicate with digital natives effectively
• Questions we can ask to connect with our kids in a way that makes them feel heard
• Why we need to be the resilient ones to fight on behalf of our next generation

Born and raised in Arizona, Tanita now serves with Young Life as the Interim Spokane director and as the national director for generational impact. Since 1998, she has worked directly with adolescents and young adults, still serving as a volunteer Young Life leader. She completed a Masters of Christian Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary and Doctorate of Ministry at Phoenix Seminary, where her doctoral thesis was in sharing the gospel with Generation Z. She has been married to W. Ashley since 2005, and they have two sons. Their family enjoys watching major league baseball, and their favorite team is the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Pre-order What Gen Z Really Wants to Know About God: Seven Questions About Life and Faith
• Connect with Dr. Tanita Maddox at tanitamaddox.com or on Instagram @drtanitamaddox
• The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathon Haidt
• The Emotional Lives of Teenagers by Lisa Demour, Ph.D.

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