Live from the Pathway Studios in Johnston proper. You are live from the Path. Listening to live from the Path. We're coming to the Pathway Studios here in Johnston proper. Pathway Studios is metal. Thanks for I mean, that's not true. That's not the reality of it. Here's here's we got we're having a rough a rough go just to fire up the program around here. Technical difficulties

of which you're not aware, but I've I've I've given everything away. Here's the thing that the last week's show got kicked out with, expediency, and I listened to it, it was good. Yeah. Yeah. I I don't know if I can promise that this week. Here's what here's what we were doing, though. So we're finally gonna catch up. Well, first, we we gotta check with Dan. Dan, what did did you make any progress on church and the metaverse this week? I've I've made some some personal progress. I did not get to do the, little seminar thing because a a different appointment ran late, but I did buy a virtual reality headset and started poking around. I think I even changed my opinion a little bit from last week.

Oh, how so? Well, you know how we were making fun of the, like, the girls saying, dude, they're not really touching your boobs? Yeah. Yeah. You know? I felt well, we walked that line fairly fairly carefully and didn't descend into making fun of. Right. Right. But it was like, it's not real. Like, to get over it. You know? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. But now and I'm I'm very limited. I'm a newbie. Right? But but as I jumped in to the VR world and and did a little bit of chat room and did little, you know, different little things poking around. I thought, you know what? I don't care. I was I was a stick of butter. Right? I was a stick of butter, I'm rocking around, and people are talking, and I'm like, it was still me. Right? I mean, it was still like whatever happened even though it was not real, like, if I had a conversation, I was having a conversation with someone. Right. You know? And I thought, oh, okay. Maybe maybe I was a little too cold hearted on this poor gal who felt molested.

Obviously, she was not physically touched, but she her her her inside spirit was offended. I and that's not the word I was looking for.

Violated. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That so yeah. Yeah. I kinda thought, okay. I think I get I think I'm there. I think I'm there. I I'm more on her side than I was before. Yeah. I mean, at least there's a place it sounds like there's a there's a place for understanding where it's coming from. Like, I think we probably healthily have to continue to draw lines to say, no. It wasn't your sovereignty wasn't violated Right. In the real world. And and helping people manage that, but but maybe that that, exposure to that helps recognize what people are going through and why it feels the way it does so that you can help them Yeah. Yeah. Draw the right line. Because I tell you what, you put those goggle things on and the music's going and and the atmosphere. I mean, you are you feel like you are wherever you are. I I was a stick of butter today walking around feeding ducks. Did you choose to be the stick of butter? I did. Yeah. I did. Of all the thought, it like, were they low on options, or you thought this is me? No. I just thought I wanna be a stick of butter. But then, honestly, then I I honestly thought, you know what? I think the way some of the things people were saying to me, they probably thought I was a young kid

that was a newbie, and they they were like, hey. I think I can take advantage of this guy. Mhmm. And I thought maybe I need to change my my little avatar thing, so I became whatever it was. Somebody with You know, it Like a Rambo. Yeah. Yeah. It does kinda lean to the to the crux of of maybe the the the major question, which is people's belief like, if you believe in freedom,

then you have to also believe in the freedom of other people. Right? So, like, it's it's sometimes it's hard to say, I should be able to go into the metaverse or actually even in our physical world and I should be able to do all this stuff or say this stuff or act in a certain way, and it shouldn't produce any type of ill effects. Right? And so, like, the the and and it's not to make light of the assault question, but more of, like, if you go into a space within the metaverse of which you are assaulted, you have the right to take off your head your headset, like, now Walk away. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right now and not be there. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And so, like, do should

on its face, should the behavior have not occurred? Of course, it shouldn't. It's abhorrent. Right? But, like, I I mean, how many times have you run into that in your actual physical world where you say, this behavior is not what I want to be around. I'm just going to I'm going to leave. Right. Right. Instead of saying, change what you're doing to fit what I would what I would see as acceptable. Now, once again, if you we're moving the assault thing aside. We're just talking about Right. People's expressions of how they get to act. Right? Like and so I it it feels like we've especially in the physical world, they've turned to a space where we say, I I want this environment tuned to me, and I will not accept anything less than that. But, like, for your freedoms to be that available,

then everybody else's freedoms have to be that available, and then what to do when they start clashing. Right? Because right now, everyone feels like they should win. Like, their opinion of what is acceptable and what is not should be the winner. Yeah. And so it may I it makes that conversation within the the metaverse, I think, just all the more gray because we haven't settled that in in in our current society. There there was a a guy running around talking to people in the chat room just coming up to them saying, hey. Are you offended if I use the n word? But he didn't he actually used the word. Yeah. And and I thought, you know, I bet he doesn't do that in real life. Right. You know, he's got a little more extra boldness that, you know, because he can just take his headset off too. And I thought, if if you were, like, highly offended by that, you that it probably would stick a little longer than just taking your headset off. That that's also correct. Yeah. Yeah. That's also correct. Because I I I guess either way,

digitally or otherwise, there's an awareness that there was a person who was willingly They were trying to hurt me. Yeah. Try right. Right. Right. And and even if, even if it can't hurt you physically,

like, there's two there's two layers to it. There's a what level of offense or harassment am I having to put up with? And two, just like the revelation that there's an evil guy. Like, this is somebody trying to perpetuate intentional

evil and suck on somebody. Oh, yeah. And think about it like like if you were to strip away all pretenses and you could masquerade as a six foot tall mushroom, your go to is being horrible. That's revealing the heart of these people. That's right. Exactly. Your go to is to now here's the thing. It's like I tried on I tried on Dan's VR thing when I got here, and it had to have been a seven or eight year old kid Yeah. Shows up and, like, I I mean, his avatar is like a baby with devil horns. And then he says, hey, man. Come here. Come here. I'm like, okay. And he goes, listen. If you're new here, you're new here. Right? And I said, yeah. And he said, okay, Dan. Listen to me. If people tell you to come over and talk to them, you don't you don't do that. If they ask you to follow you into a room by themselves, you don't do that either. You need to just stay away from folks, and, you can talk to people, but don't don't go anywhere where they ask you and whatever. You know what I'm like? Well, I mean, you told me to come over and talk to you and I did it. So I already kinda broke your rules, you know? And this seven year old kid is laying out life. He's like he goes, but I had a pretext to talk to you. I had context of which I was trying to speak with you, and they don't. They have bad things in mind. I'm like, wow. This seven year old kid runs the metaverse, and I'm I'm like a like like a three year old girl walking in here, and this kid's laying the law down. You know? I mean, I I mean, I appreciate him caring enough about to tell me. Now when you think about that though,

the young generation are the ones that are there you said they're running the universe. Right? So all of us old fogies that are supposed to be teaching them and showing them how to do life, we're we don't even it's a whole underworld that's existing that we're not even involved with. That's precisely why I I thought I'm gonna buy a set, and I'm gonna get in there, and I'm gonna start learning it because I mean, I don't know if I'll do any good, but but I hope I can. I I hope. Yeah. Well, that's Somewhere along the line. Is is is especially the more it's populated by by people ages from five to 35, what that entire world lacks is wisdom of any kind. Yeah. Yeah. You know what saying? Any type of life experience that makes the random thoughts that wanna come out of their brain, whether they can be verifiable or not. You know? And, like, they don't know. They're just trying everything out. And, like, I mean, I'd, like, I don't know, five, ten different people swear at me and tell me I was an idiot and, like, you know what? I'm like and I was only in there for fifteen minutes. You know? Yeah. It's it's just it's very interesting to see, like, if I was having a conversation with my with my daughter earlier this week, and she goes, it's the weirdest thing. When I play a video game, like, I can't even convince myself to be like the thief. Right? It feels like like like one of the quests I was supposed to go on was I was supposed to kill this guy, I'm like, I just can't do it. He seems alright. I don't even know this dude. You know? What do do to me? And I'm like, here's the thing is I felt like that when I first played Minecraft and accidentally killed a villager. And I'm like, oh, no. I killed this faceless villager. I feel horrible. Right. Like, it affected me to the point where I'm like, oh, I just feel like a part of me died a little because I killed a a non player character that has no consequence at all. You know? And so, like, the the the funny part is is, like, they don an avatar of whatever they want to be, and then, like, the worst

things come out of them. It's like, that was that was the direction of their heart was to be foul and, like, you you can't do it at school because you get in trouble. You can't do it around your parents because they'll yell at you for being mad at your sister. But if you can get into the VR world as a seven year old, start popping off nasty things and trying stuff out, that's a lot of freedom that they probably shouldn't even have. Yeah. It it all it also kinda tells you maybe that this whole idea of us just teaching niceness in the school, whatever, it's not it's not there. It's not happening. That that we you know, we we don't teach Jesus because then, you know, that has this ultimate authority. Just do nice stuff. And, yeah, nobody's they're not they're not. Yeah. I mean, I think that kind of thing is Jesus wants your life. Niceness wants your attention for a little bit. Yeah. And so, you know Until they put the headset on, then I can go around and Right. Yeah. Right. You're bound by the when you're at the school, you behave how the school tells you to do, whereas you can get to go home and and do something different. Whereas Jesus kinda says, look, I'm taking up shop. I'm living I'm staying in your living room, and I'm with you wherever you go. Now what are we gonna And so it shifts. Mhmm. Okay. Alright. Well, continued continued, adventures in the metaverse with the Dan Hudson. Oh, yeah. I did I did. There was a room I went into. There were, like, three

floor pillows in there, and two people were sitting on them. Looked like they were praying. And I walked in. This is like my first time, I really didn't know what I was doing yet. And the guy said, have a seat. And I thought, I don't know what they're doing. Are they meditating? Are they he had his hands together, like a little prayer thing. I thought, maybe that's maybe there's hope for something if if that was a positive. It could have been like a total cult thing too. I don't know. But, that's that's my goal. I I'd like to figure out how to get some light into that world. So Alright. Alright. We're gonna keep checking up with Dan as he as he makes his way into the metaverse. Alright. So Is it actually the metaverse? What what Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's the meta. What what do you mean is it actually the metaverse?

Okay. Aren't there other, like, distributors of alternate virtual realities other than the meta? Yeah. And I and I don't I don't I think what and meta, the way they're describing it is not as if they're the only people that get to contribute to it. They're like, the whole world should contribute to the metaverse, and and they're just they're just the people founding it and wanting people to join in.

And so Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, I I mean, there's third party, like, availability. Right? You can download apps or whatever and get in things. Yeah. They have bunch of apps that you yeah. And I assume that's third party. People develop, and and you can buy them or get the freebins or whatever. You know? Anyway, yeah, metaverse. Metaverse with Dan. We'll check-in weekly. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. This seems alright. Daniel, you feel like you might you might need a buddy. You might need to go go in with somebody holding your hand or something. Maybe maybe so. I I just I yeah. The first couple three times, I didn't say a word. I just kinda walked around like a creeper. And this time this last time, I actually spoke to people. You mean a seven year old. That's what I meant. You need to find a seven year old to help you. Yeah. Who can who can who know their way. They know their way. Now I'll tell you this before we get off the topic completely. I was I also tried it when I came in here, and I could I feel like I assaulted somebody.

Yeah. Like, completely unintentionally, because I don't even like, I was walking around like a real noob. Yeah. And, I I thought I was turning around in some something, man, lady. I'm not sure, but I ran indirectly into them, and they didn't they didn't mention it. And I thought I no joke. Because of the conversation we had last week about, like, a half a second, I thought, oh, no. What have I done?

I have Yeah. I've touched I've got gone and and and assaulted somebody and with no intent. Anyway, I worried about it. Yeah. So we we were trailing this from last week. The statistic was seventy five percent of kids left the church from ages 18 to 29. So I guess off the bat, does that ring right in your experience? I think so.

Mike, you say seventy five percent of kids 18 to 29 are are gone. They were in the church, then they walk. They walk. Yeah. I mean, I I don't know what age I think they start turning around. I think it's it's about when they start having families and, like, the previous two generations are having families later than the generations before it. And so I think that age has gotten pushed out a little bit, but, yeah, I would say so. I think that seems pretty accurate to me. Dan, what about you? I I the 75% leave the church,

that's not I haven't, like, you know, written down names and and and did the statistics, but but, gosh, that seems really high to me. I tend to be over optimistic. I'd say it's maybe 35%. But then it could be because some of the kids, like, I never figured were in anyway. You know? So I'm like, well, it's not like they left. They weren't in. You you know? They they came because they were forced. Right. Their parents were coming. They had to go to the thing. And There And were some maybe who fake it better. Those are probably the 30% or so that I go, oh, man. I didn't see that coming. Yeah. That's a good point. Adults you know adults are there voluntarily.

Yeah. Saying that, well, that that kid came to church for ten years doesn't necessarily mean at all that they had a relationship with Jesus or that they weren't coming just because their mom and dad made them. Right. And and then they they fought all the way there, and they fought going. They didn't wanna go. You know? And it was a Yeah. Big family feud, and and peace happened when they went their separate ways. Got them. Okay. Alright. So that's a good thought. So Dan says maybe maybe a third third a little bit higher. This article says 75%. Mhmm. So the question is, and this was a point Nathaniel had made, a lot of time we spend going, well, what caused the 75% to leave? And so there's some focus on that. This this infographic tried to focus on what causes kids to stay of the 25 to stay or may maybe the higher number from what Dan's experience has been. Why twenty five percent had stayed connected with Christ from, ages 18 to 29 and offered five different

behaviors Mhmm. Or situations. So let's let's hit them up. First one, ate dinner five of seven nights a week as a family. Family dinnertime

cause kids to stay connected with Jesus? Yeah. I think that's I think that's big. Yeah. Are you guys doing this? You feel like knocking this out? Yeah. Yeah. For sure. I mean, here's the thing. Especially once your kids' lives get busy. Uh-huh. Especially with extracurricular activities and sports and all that kind of jazz. Yep. Their their their influence starts to be

they spend more time away from you than they do with you. Right? They spend time getting influence from people around them and other parts of society, and that's they have to do that. You have to get your kids out living in the world, but they have to be brought back to reality, and you have to help them get there. I I I'm the better for eating with my family five to seven nights a week. Yeah. Right? I'm the better for sitting down and having dinner with my wife instead of eating in my truck on the drive home. You know what I'm saying? Like, there's a there's a a sense of community that doesn't move, a community that you can count on, and a community that doesn't change things. If a society is known for anything, it changes the way it views everything in a big old cyclical, you know, matter where things can be rehashed and turned over and all of sudden, the way we thought about something ten years ago is not the way we think about it now. And Jesus doesn't work that way, and your family probably can't either. Right? Because otherwise, they can't count on you. Right? If you if you are not dependable, this is why, you know, single single parent homes or,

you know, situations where kids have run into, you know, addiction within their family that they can't count on their parents. Right? They just that it's that's why it's hard on them is because they got nothing they can count on. Nothing that's gonna be there consistently. And so, like, even if you're even if two of those meals are at the Wendy's, even if you're eating it in the drive through on the drive home, you're all still eating together, you're all still talking and having a conversation about how the day went and whatever and all that kind of stuff. And, yeah, I think that's really important. I think that part of the key there too is probably the more you talk about what your values are and why you have them is more helpful than just talking about the weather too. I mean, you talk about the weather too, but

it seems to me that that when you're talking about why we have our faith, why we serve, you know, why we think and do the things we do, that that's helpful because then it helps kids process it better rather than just, well, you do this. Right. You know, you go to church. Why? Because I said so. That doesn't really catch anybody. You know? You're building out the world as opposed to just imposing the world. Yeah. And you're helping kids interpret

things that they agree that they're seeing as opposed to just trying to control which glasses they have on. Yeah. And and I I agree. I think that's super important. We we we gave our kids, like, full permission to ask us why. You know, if there was something they thought that was just dumb because kids do they'll think you're just dumb. It's like, well, I'll I'd be happy to tell you why. And we'd have great ex conversations and explanations. And and and I I didn't think about it at time. Thought that's what you should do. You know? And, like, later on, both of them were like, we're so glad you did that because then they got into college, and and they were like their friends had no idea why they did things. And Right. They they they could say, well, because blah blah blah. You know, they they it was just natural to them. They knew why. And that was pretty key for them anyway. Yep. Yep. Plus, mean, having those conversations

one, it requires conversations. No one's gonna sit and stare at each other every for five out of seven nights. Right? And so you get used to talking about smaller details of your life. Like, what do you do about that kid at school who's just causing you all kinds of ruckus? What's the right way to look at that Mhmm. You know, opposed to your friends are like, screw that guy. You know I'm saying? Like Yeah. And so, like, you can you can help look at teach that's how you teach how to deal with, life in general. Like, how do we handle situations like this? Like and and you can bring up comparisons to how you did it at work or something. Yep. Like, there's just all kinds of value in there. Yeah. Agreed. Alright. Nathaniel, dinner? Dinner every night? Yeah. Five out of seven. Well, yeah, the, my five and four year old can't find dinner anywhere else other than my house, so they're kinda stuck. Right now, that's really easy. Yeah. Okay. You know, we talked about,

what flavor goddess. What was the answer? Well, we were listening to the song. My son loves the song The Blessing. Yeah. And where That's an epic tune for a kid his age. Yeah. He loves it. He he loves it. And it says, may his favor be upon you. Uh-huh. So I was making it funny, and I said, what do you think his flavor is? And

my son said, it's probably lemon lime because because he's, like, shines bright. And I said, I think it's blue raspberry. And he said, maybe because he wipes Ray your blue tears. Oh, man. Yeah. You have a little cheer go down your cheek? That kid's gonna write heartbreaking poetry one day. Yeah. He is. And then he said and he started quoting. He's like, it's like the bible my my bible memory verse. And he just made something up.

It wasn't a legit memory verse. No. I said, that's not in the bible, man. I mean, it's and he said, yeah. But it sounds good. Oh, no. We can't we can't make up our own memory verse of God. That's it. He's he's gotta do dinner nine times a week. Yeah. Get this get this reigned in. Alright. So that was number one. Number two was serve with their families in a ministry. Yeah. And with the emphasis of with as opposed to either on their own or your families served in ministry. Serving with, why is that important?

I think it lends legitimacy to what you're doing. Like, if if if you're, as a parent, if you're serving the church just looks to your kids like you're just not there. Right? It's just another reason for you not to be with them or spending time with your family. That can create a lot of issues. Right? Like and we talked about that. What's that pastor, man, couple three weeks ago that we were talking about where he says we basically came down to he said, like, don't sacrifice your family on the altar of the church. Right? And so, like, he he didn't spend the right amount of time

balancing his family life with the thing that God has called him to. And so, yeah, I think it create a lot of a lot of resentment, a lot of holes, and like as a parent, I know I felt that, like when we used to go to church and and have to get up early to play in the band or something, and then like my family wouldn't show up till like two hours later, and then I don't get to drive home with them in the car. And you're like, it sounds so silly, but, like, I love that time. I love the time being in the car with them on the way up. I love being in the car with them on the way home. And, you know, and so, like, if you're just out there studying it, you know, and you're you're my wife and kids are driving home on their own and I'm right behind them driving by myself, I don't know. Like, it just seems like it's such a missed opportunity to be around your family and talk about how it went or what happened, what went good, what went bad. And, yeah, I I think if they start to see that, like, you're always serving the church,

which is a good thing, but you're never inviting them to do it with you, then all they do is see it as another reason you're not there. They already have work that calls you away or other social obligations, and so it's just one more thing on the pile. You know, I think it also helps instill, at least at a younger age, to have less of a in some capacity, less of an inward focus and more of an outward focus to service. Like, if all they do is see you serving other people, then and they're not ever serving anyone else, and they don't have that experience of of looking outwards towards,

serving other people. Yeah. Right. Because otherwise, they're just another group of people you're serving Yeah. Even as a parent. Yeah. That's true. That's true. Yeah. Well, plus it's it's just a normal thing in life to say, look. If I want my kid to have experience doing this, I'm going to take them along with me to go pick it up. It's like you're running an apprenticeship. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And, like and it it starts frankly, I think it starts to help them to see people differently. Their their relationships are

you know, a kid to adult especially can be shallow, but, like, if you're in the process of you get to be able to serve people, like, it's one step deeper than, hey, how's it going? That you can get to know people so it kind of broadens the span of of people that you're willing to interact with and allows them to creates good good relationships and tell helps them figure out how to talk to people of different age ranges and different circumstances or whatever. And frankly, I think, they get to see you in a different light as a parent because they whenever whatever capacity that you are in, it I think to somewhat, Mike, what you were getting at is that where it feels like they are if you're gone, you're just gone from them. Anytime you're let's say you're serving at your own house, like, feels like, well, that's the responsibility

as a parent. They're supposed to do that. But to see that same thing done outside of your home in a different context with different people, I think, frankly, allows your kids to see you differently. It humanizes a little bit of your relationship, but I think they start to appreciate it later on. And I think they get to see the fruit of of what you're doing. You know? Like, I know, our kids bring this up, but, like like, somebody's parent had had a heart attack and and was in the hospital,

and they wanted to go see their parent, but they their vein was in the shop or something. And, like, we found out about it, and my wife turns around and goes, hey, someone needs our van. And we just put, like it was Valentine's Day, and there was candy and candles, and we were doing it upright, you know, and the food had just become ready. And and my wife got this phone call, and she goes, hey, someone needs our van. I feel like we got some Jesus stuff to do. This dinner's gonna have to hold. And the kids are like, yes. Yes. And they still bring it up to this day. It's like, if my whole life could be that Yeah. Then that's what I wanna do. Mhmm. I wanna do I wanna be able to do that because you got to you you just got up and you did a thing and you got to be generous and everybody piled in one car on the way home after we dropped ours off, and, like, no one complained about the cold dinner. No one complained because the candles you know, we had to blow them all out and then light them all back up again. And, like but months later, they're still like, I wish we could do that kind of thing every day. That's what I want to do with my life. And I'm like, that's the stuff that that they get to learn and see the output of of having a servant's attitude towards other people. And if, like, you don't give them the privilege of that, you're kinda robbing them of something very cool. Yeah. Definitely. Yeah. Yeah. They're and maybe that's the a key thing is that, like, wherever it is that you may feel like your kids would hinder your ability to serve, I I guarantee it's the opposite that will happen. Now it'll make some physical things a little bit more difficult certainly at times. We in fact, we were we helped,

some neighbors of ours over the weekend where the tornadoes had come through, within a mile or so of where we lived. You know, there's it's a farm it's farm country. And so the the roof blew off these people's houses, and it blew into a field that the our neighbor was is farms.

And, like, you can't just run the combine whatever through there and dig the place up. Like, you'll ruin the super expensive machinery hitting shingles and rafters and all kinds of jazz. And it was like 40 acres. And so, you know, he he had started there's no other way to do this. Like, you've all the good things we've got machinery for. Like, you can't just vacuum a field. Yeah. And so he's out, like, walking it, like, walking up and down and, like, it was taking forever. And so he, you know, he asked, you know, can somebody people come out and help? And so we we went out to help. And for the first half of the day, it was just my wife and I, and then we brought the kids. And we're like, I know they're probably not gonna be as much of a help, but, like, we want them to come out and do something. And so, like, the three year old's out there picking up garbage, and, like, the six year old's a rock star. She's she's awesome. And and,

and my oldest and, actually, the two older girls both did a really good job. And, and so it it was just the ability to to be part of something, of which, like, you felt, I don't know, like, you felt like you accomplished. So a lot of things were praying for people and and things like that, and it doesn't feel sometimes it doesn't feel super tangible. But to be able to walk a field, pick up, like, act of God refuse out of there, and and be part of cleaning it all up. And, like, all all the there were some older older

grand grandparent ish, age folks running machines and stuff, and, like, they're just jazz. They love it. They love to see oh, yeah. I love to see the kids out here picking up or whatever. And so, like, yes, it was more difficult trying to keep an eye on the the three year old to make sure he didn't get in front of the the the skid loader or something. But, like, we got more out of it. They did some work, and they did a good job, but, like, it brought joy to people that were around them, and they got to be part of something tangible that got to help people. And we I mean, frankly, that would have been a disaster for a neighbor. His life is much better for people having shown up. And so yeah. Agreed. And but I think that width is important. Don't just send them out there on their own, although there's gonna be an an element of this here coming up in the next one. Doing it with you, I think, builds all kinds of good relationships with you, with other people. It it opens up their world in a good way that you can help show them. Think think about it. There is

a couple possibilities of how families might approach their relationship with their children and the church. There's the the family that that gets in the car and drives home, and the whole time they're talking about, well, Sally didn't talk to me, and I didn't like did you see what that person was praying? And preacher's sermon was really just boring today and long, and I hate that one song. Why did they why is it too loud? You know, it's all a bunch of complaints and and and being critical. That that does not you know, who who wants to grow up and keep doing that? I mean, it's like, it sounds horrible. Or you're going home and and and you're like, hey. We're going to the Sally's tonight because her pipe busted, and we're gonna go help her clean up the basement or, you know you know, whatever. Yep. Or we're we're we're gonna we're gonna serve donuts this Sunday at at church, and you get to see all the people and help them pick donuts out. You know? You can have some fun with it. Yep. It's a completely different way of of how you approach church, and and you're teaching your children by what you're doing. So I love I love the idea of serving

we we always encourage our families to serve together in some type of ministry. Yeah. Alright. Right on. Number three was had one spiritual experience in the home during the week. I assume this means like prayed together. That's the one that is so vague. Yeah. Scripture together. I don't How do you not have spiritual experiences? I don't

Yeah. I don't know. I mean I mean, here's the thing. This is where this is where church the idea of church or the idea of a youth group, it will fail if you are not Yeah. Reinforcing that at home. Like, I mean, there's just no possible way. Here's the thing. It's like kids kids grab validity through

consistent offerings and consistent seeing that it's true. Right? So, like because the same thing we're fighting culture against where we say, look, just because some wackadoo friend of yours said that this is the deal. Right? Like, it doesn't mean you just believe it hook, line, and singer. But if if your youth leader is the only person saying this and this about Jesus and it's not being mirrored at your house at all, now the youth leader's the wackadoo. Right. Or if you or if you don't allow your kids to join any other type of spiritual community and it's just your house, then you're the wackadoo. Right? And so like, it it really does help to have spiritual spiritual connection points especially at home because once again, when your your pastor's gonna say, you know, when you're praying this week or when you're reading your Bible this week, think about XX, whatever. And they're like, I don't do that.

I I don't I don't I don't read the Bible by myself. You know what I'm saying? I don't go home and read the thing, and my family doesn't talk about it. And we don't talk about at dinner time, you know, what Jesus was doing during the day for for our interactions with our friends. And so if you're not doing that, then, yeah, you're introducing a a nut job. Right? You're you're counting on spiritual authority or people who are preaching and teaching to to grab a weight that, like, your kids aren't even thinking about picking up because it doesn't make any consistent sense to them. Yeah. You're teaching them to compartmentalize their faith. You know, Sundays, church time, spiritual time, and the rest is free time Right. And work time or whatever. And, yeah, that that's not a healthy

I I have to remind myself sometimes that that people don't do do live that way, though. I mean or they wouldn't be saying that. Oh, and here's the thing. It's like, I there's nothing sounds more crazy to me. Yeah. Like what like like why you would you would put all this effort into getting up on your on your your only day off and rolling in here and listening to a guy tell you about a thing that you don't care about and have no plans to implement only so you can be part of a church culture and then leave and then not enjoy any of the fruits or the joy of knowing who Jesus is and the grace of walking around knowing that you have a God and king that loves you, and you're like, why? What are you even doing here? Yeah. Yeah. Like, I don't I don't know if there was ever an ambulance or an emergency vehicle that we didn't pray for, you know, or an airplane. Like, well, just pray that that engine keeps going, you know, and they land well and, you know, whatever. Just just just being alert while you're driving, praying for people, or we'd stop and say, wow. Look at that. Let's pray for those people.

We we by ourselves, we wouldn't go stop them. Or or praying for meals or or talking about scripture or praying for their friends. Music. Like, sitting down and praying for their friends by name. Right? That means a lot. That means a lot to them. We did devotions all the time. Like, I mean, you know, they might have been simple, but as they were young, but then they we kinda trusted them on their own later. But we built that foundation so that every night there was prayer time and bible time. Yeah, the whole the whole bringing up of the kids with a spiritual experience. So And once again, like, if if you're not gonna teach them how to do this, who is? Right. You know what I'm saying? Like Disney? Your preacher teacher, man, his job is to is to is to parlay truths out of the Bible, and yours is to show how they implement in individual lives and how do we handle these and these things throughout what's going as you grow up and that kind of thing. And so, like, you are yeah. You're really abdicating that, to either being considered not legitimate,

or when they leave your house, they don't actually know how to do it. And so they just go, well, I guess I'm just gonna sail, and we'll see how this goes. Yeah. Alright. Number four was kind of I don't know. It's it's a blend of a few of them. So it was entrusted with responsibility in ministry at an early age. So if number two was, you know, you're gonna serve with your family in ministry, number four was you entrust them with a responsibility in ministry Yeah. In their As opposed to being an event, you know, they can break the neighbor's house.

Yeah. That's the thing. It's not just not just a job title at the church. Right? Like, you're the guy that sweeps up after everybody or something. Not that. But, like, you have an active role in ministry where you are displaying the heart of Christ to other people on your own. Right? Like, not without any support, but obviously not holding your hand either. Right? Like, you start to because once again, I mean, you're you're on you're on the hook for doing this on your own. You're on the hook for following Jesus on your own, and, like, our job is to teach you how to do that. And the wiser we get as parents, the older that we get, the more we've seen our own our own screw ups and failures. And then, like, you partake that and take that wisdom and put it onto your kids and say, well, here's been my experience with this. Here's where I fouled it up when I was your age, and so I can kinda, you know, suggest that maybe you go this other route. But, like, yeah, the whole goal is to get them standing on their own two feet. Well, yeah. Because, mean, like, every kid that like, as you grow up, you're gonna meet the moment when

you move out of your parents' house or go off, you know, go on campus to live for college or something like that. And you're gonna get all settled in, and you're gonna sit on the edge of your chair, and you you get a choice to make with your this newfound freedom. You get to say, hey, man. Do I do I eat eat well tonight like I know that I should and that I've been doing for quite a while, or do I just go buy a mess of fudge rounds in my freedom Yeah. And fudge round it up all night because I can. Fudge rounds are good. And, like like, everybody has a has a has moments like that. And and where you're more grounded in

right behavior that you not only saw at home, but you saw in other people and that you participated in. Like, you cooked the dinner that had the broccoli in it and stuff like that, and you've been doing it for years. Once you get to college, it's not like you have to start over to learn to do the good things. Yeah. You know how to do the good things. It's a continuation of good things. I I I think we put such an undue pressure on kids to come up through the church to get kid level

theology stuff, understanding of the world. And then, I mean, think of all the most of these kids are going through much heavier stuff than I'm currently going through. My life is leveled out for the most part. I might be given advice and and and trying to talk and pray and deal with, like, different things people's existence, and they get messy as you get older and as your dad has, know, seen a a fair share of it. But, like, the the weight of which you feel it and, like, the complications that used to just happen to, like, 40 year old parents are happening to, like, 16 year old kids. And so, like, for all those things happening and to wear heavy,

boy, we're just doing a a disservice to to to not hand them off into a prepared world where they've had a chance to practice living in a complicated life. And so I I think this one is important in that, you know, it's it's we expect their faith to hold them up, but my goodness. Can't we give them a chance to to try that while we still got a hold of their hands? Yeah. And and to give them and not just say, well, I'm gonna do it for them or not even just say they will only do it with me, but, like, to give your kids some level of responsibility at home or within a ministry by the time that they're 15 or 16. Like, when they're 18, they could go do it on their own. They don't have to have you. They've practiced. They've learned. They've cried. They've asked the questions,

and they've kinda worked through it while you're there to help. Like, it just makes it makes all kinds of sense. I just don't I don't know what holds folks back. Like, they feel like maybe the kids aren't ready, but they're not ready because we're not helping them be ready. Yeah. And I and, actually, I mean, I can attest to this list being true. Right? I left the church when I was 18, 17, 18, or whatever, and I I don't think I came back till I was 25, 26. You know? And, like, of the five of the four things that we've talked about so far, none of those were true for me. Yeah. None of them. So, you know, I mean, I can't say that that proves the point in, in its absence, but I can say it's true for me so far.

Alright. Number five. Final one. Unless I know these all sniffing right, Nathaniel, from your perspective? I don't know. Like, I I can say that I didn't leave the church, and all these were true for me. Yeah. But, like, I also have siblings that have left the church, and I would say that in a large part, maybe they were missing one.

Maybe two. But they had I mean, they had similar things. Yeah. Yeah. That's true. I mean, I suppose it can't be like this is a formula. Right? Put in x x and x and blah blah blah. But I suppose if their goal is to say instead of saying the 75% left, y, and we're saying, what are some common characteristics that float to the top? I mean, are you still gonna have, like, these these folks that are that are sucked in by the world and and, you know, get confused and decide they're gonna haul off the other direction for a while? Yeah. You're probably still gonna have that. Yeah. Free choice looks that way, and it kinda sucks. You know? But, like, just because you can't you can't basically throw your laundry into the in the washing machine, throw some spaghetti sauce in there, and then be upset that it came out dirtier than it was when it went in. So, like, having an inkling of how it is supposed to be done and and at least a guide path on how to do it correctly is probably better than going, I don't care. It's just up to the whiz bang mystics on whether a kid decides to follow Jesus once they leave this church or not. Right. Right.

So so we'll tuck the list up. Number five, this was a reason why 25% of 18 to 29 year olds stayed in their relationship with Jesus. The last one was having an adult or had at least one faith focused adult in their lives other than their parents. Yeah. Why is that important?

Well well, one, it goes back to that validity thing that we talked about earlier, where, like, once again, if you have just one spiritual thing going on in their lives or one person that's doing this, you've set up a wackadoo. Right? And that's it's it's just no good. It's no good. I I wouldn't here's the thing is I wouldn't believe it. I believe Jesus is true because I've seen him not only work in my life but in people around me. If he just worked in my life, I could convince myself that I'm making it up because no one else is finding this to be true. Right. You know what I'm saying? And so, like, if if if I call my neighbor and say, man, it's really it's really raining here, and he goes, well, it's not raining here at all, then my mind starts to go, well, I have a leaky pipe then. Right? I start to think the thing that I believe to be true and it turns out that it's not happening to anybody else, well, then obviously, I have a different situation going on. Right. And so, yeah, I think it's really important. On top of the fact is, like, as your kids age, I would say, especially around 15, 16, 17, they need to be they need to have someone that they can talk to about issues with you. About you. Yeah. About you. Yeah. Right? Like, there's there's a there's a push pull as your as your kids get older, and and we're preparing them to go out and be on their own, which means they're gonna have some some opinions on things that you're not gonna see completely eye to eye on. And most of them, like, if we're agreeing on Jesus, these are form and function things. Right? And you had complete control of that, and you're learning to let go while they're learning to pick it up, and they need to be able to talk to somebody

about the struggle in the middle. And I think that's completely valid and fair, and you as a parent have to start taking a big deep breath, and hopefully they pick somebody that you could both agree is a pretty good person to have good counsel with. But, like, yeah, they get to say, I feel like my dad's overreacting. And, their counsel person gets to go, your dad is overreacting, but let's have some grace for him. You know who he is, and and we we make some mistakes. You've overreacted before. Right? So your dad's a fallible human, which you realize more as you get older, and so they need to be able to talk talk to somebody about that, and and I think that's completely legitimate.

Yeah. Yeah. I I think as as as people's worlds as your kids' worlds gets get bigger, they start to check whether you sold them a bill of goods on it. And so the more that you're what you tried to teach them is reinforced by people around them, the the better shape you're gonna be in. And so having people that they can be close to, people that would otherwise say without agreeing with you holistically, like, on absolutely everything, but who would affirm that, hey, man. Your your parents weren't just trying to get you to to lean into this thing and know it, because it helped them control you. It's a real thing. It's a true thing. Here's my life. I'm I committed my life to it. I think, yeah, I think it's a it's a valid it's a valid witness, and and I think provides that support structure that you were talking about. Yeah.

Yeah. That was it. Yeah. That's a five. That's how that's how you keep them in. Can you think of any that we should add that that you could add to that list? I mean, I would say and maybe this goes to the one that said about the spiritual doing the spiritual thing in your house.

And maybe I think it ties together a bunch of principles. But, like, I I mean, I would I would have my kids start to learn to to to to read the scriptures Oh. And to pray and to, like, lead in in prayer. Again, and with the chance to to to actually do it on their own without just be ending up in the dorm room and saying, alright. Well, now that's the first time I got a my dad always read the Bible to me, and now here I am. Well, Genesis one, I guess. Like,

without otherwise trying to make them be adults when they're not red like, when when, my wife and I have been talking about this because, like, you know, as your kids start to get older, I wanna see them do things that may be, yeah, good patterns in life. But, like, I mean, I I just I found those some of those patterns super valuable, but it's been within the last five, ten years. And so trying to overforce that pattern upon a kid that's 16 who or 15 or whatever who doesn't

like, there's just not enough life for them to have grabbed on to some of this stuff and go, I I super know why this is important. Like, they're still doing things because you tell them to do them, and that's great that they trust you. But, like, without forcing it on them, I I I do and making them live, like, whatever you've learned over the last twenty years trying to make them live it and learn it, like, within their fifteen. But, like, having them practice that and walk through what it looks like that may in a way that makes sense for them. Again, I I just make sense to to to give them a shot at what their life should probably look like within the next few years. Let them try it out while they're home and guide them and lead them in it. And what do I do when I have questions, or what do I do if I thought this was boring? Or what do I do if, like, I can't think of anything to pray about and I just want to be over so I can go do something else? Like, okay. Great. Let's let's beat you on that. Yeah. Mhmm. So, yeah, some maybe some of those, I hate to say spiritual disciplines because it it sounds harsher than it is, but, like, things like that, outside of just does our family do it and outside of service and ministry, I think maybe what does it look like for them to to develop a personal relationship that's outside of things that we're guiding? Yeah. I I think oh, go ahead. Yeah. I think I think, like, developing the habit of not just, like, maybe reading the Bible, but, like, thinking critically about what you're reading on your own. Yeah. And then also having that person that's not your parents to come to and say, hey.

I was reading this. What do you think? Because I can remember several times. Like, maybe this is the difference. I don't know. But like, I my parents, I asked for it, but they back when iPods were new Yeah. They had this like they they sold this iPod that all it had on it was the Bible. Oh, yeah. Because I hate reading. Yeah. And I said, hey. I want that. And because my parents love Jesus, they said, sure thing. Yeah. We'll do it. So, like, I would I would just listen to the Bible at night. And there were, like, several times where I'd be like, okay. This is this is a gotcha verse. This is this is all fake. And I would, like, bring it up to Dan or whatever, and I'd be like, hey. What do you think about this, preacher man? Yeah. And he'd be like, you're being a doofus. You know? Like, explain it. And it's like, oh, yeah. That makes sense.

Of course, you would say that, pastor. Jerk. Yeah. You're one of them, ain't you? You earned your twenty eight fifty this week, David. Yes. So, like, just having that ability, like like, look at things critically, And then if you have legitimate questions, bring them up to people Yeah. That aren't your parents. Yeah. I I think I think that the peer

development is critical too. Like, whether it's, you know, the youth group experience, the camp experience, Christian camp experience, the retreats and stuff that you do, where where you're you're also journeying

going on this journey with people your own age that are going through the same thing. And you can't rely fully on that, but but but, boy, sure, it's helpful if you have friends that are like when all your other friends at school are experimenting with all the things that you have friends going, yeah, we're just I'm really gonna do that. You know? And and and it's like, okay. We can be cool and and not do that. It's good it's good to have that Yeah. For your for your children, definitely as well. Yeah. I had, in fact, I was at,

was at church this weekend, and I was trying to convince my one of my kids to go do something, and they were I've been giving me the sass back. They're like, no. I don't I don't think we should do that. I'm like, yeah. You definitely need to go do that. Now go do it. I just don't know. Blah blah blah. And and one of their friends was in the room and looks over at this kid and goes, hey. You you how about you just say, yes, sir? I'm like, who's this kid? I like this kid. That's 10. I'll pay it directly. That's some sweet medicine over to you. Say it again, friend. Yes, sir. What what brilliance. My kid looks like looks at me and goes, yeah. Right. Who would ever do that? I'm like, they would do that. No. Get out there. Do the thing I said. But, like, I thought, boy, I'm just glad they got I like these friends. And honestly, I I think this

that nobody can do this like the smaller church. You know? Yeah. The larger the church becomes, it's When I was in high school, I attended a big old megachurch, and I just didn't connect at all with the kids. I was just like, everything was a big thing, and it turned me off. Was like, whatever. And I was talking to someone, like, within the last two weeks. They had moved here from New Mexico, and they were at a larger church then, and they were like, do we wanna they they've been really liking it here.

And I don't know, I had mentioned somewhere in there, attendance, that definition has changed over the years. It used to be like every week, then it was like every other week, then it was like once every six weeks. And the mom was like, there, that's it. The church they had been to before was very large, and they wanted their children to make friends, but

those people that he'd go to Sunday school with were only there once every six weeks, so he never met anybody. There was a strange new group every week. So there was a lot of them, and they thought that was good, but then there was no relationship built. And I'm not trying to slam the big church. I'm just saying I think it's easier for the smaller church because generally it's a core of people that are in, you know, and they're they're

growing together. Atlantic, hundred years ago, we had a group of kids in elementary school. The parents got together and said we're gonna call this we're gonna get this group. Was beyond youth group, beyond everything the church was doing. It was just a parent run thing. They called it the God Squad. And once a month, they just did fun stuff. And it was kinda cool to see those kids grow over a number of years. They're still close friends. They're all in their thirties now. Yeah. And it was just because the parents saw the value of them developing those relationships. Yeah. I think that's I think that's true too. I I I think if I would add something to the list I I I just have this thing in mind where I'm like,

our job is to make disciples and send them out into the world, though. So, like, if you get an opportunity to like, when you're having some conversations with some people, you know the ones they don't belong in, but there's there's ones they can be in. Right? There's ones that they can be a part of and just sit there and listen to you talk to somebody else about Jesus. And, like, shielding you just gotta be careful not to shield

them completely from the harsher things that that go on And the harsher things because Jesus belongs there just as much as he belongs in the here's our praise for the week, you know. And so, like, if I think if I had to if I had to give any advice that I would add to that, I would like, just be honest with your kids about what's going on to the level appropriate of whatever age they are, but, like, especially the older they they get, tell them what you're thinking. Tell them where you're struggling with what God's going on got going on, or, like, you don't quite know what to do and you're praying on it and God hasn't answered, and that's okay. But I'm struggling with his non answer on this thing. Right? Yeah. I think all that stuff is is is okay because eventually, like, you want them to be having that same conversation with five other people, and those five other people having that conversation with five people of their own. Like, that's the whole point is to get people to know who this Jesus is, not to create a good church attender.

You know what saying? Right. Right. Yeah. And so, like and I'm not saying that list was pointing to that, but, like, we can teach kids to show up at church and we can teach them to show up at youth group and, like, fit this pattern, but, like, we're we're missing what the end goal is. The end goal is, like, we know a thing. We know a thing and and and and a guy, and his name is Jesus, and, like, we really want other people to know that. And so they do need a little bit of practice on what it looks like to tell a hard thing to somebody and say, hey, man. You're stepping outside of where God's got you, and you're gonna feel that. And that's what this feels like. That's what you're going through. And like, if they don't ever go through the experience of either you telling them that or you listening to you tell somebody else that,

they're they're too scared to do it. Right? They feel like that's it wasn't wasn't necessary. And even when they're feeling pulled, they're like, hey, man. Sin is causing all this issue. They're like, but I I just didn't know. Like, that's the kind of stuff we say to people. I mean, it is if you love them. So, like, if you get a chance to involve your kids in having conversations like that, I'd I'd let them. Or at least tell them about it afterwards. Here's what I said to them. You know, teach them about confidence and or or doing things in confidence. Like, I'm gonna tell you what so and so and I were talking about, but you have to realize this is why I'm telling you, and it's not for anybody else to know, but here's this. Right? Like, I don't know. I I found it's been really helpful with my kids. Like, I'm very honest with them about some really, really crappy things. And, like, because of that, I have a giant group of youth group kids come over to our house on Thursdays, and they talk about all the things that, like, they haven't told their parents. And my kids go, well, we just tell my parents. Right? Like Right. So, like, we get to have that conversation even if it's crappy because they know that we're gonna have crappy conversations and good ones too. And so, like, I would I really encourage I know I don't feel like you don't want to them to see a a bad side of you, or or a side of you that's struggling with your faith, but, like, once again, it's like those it's like those couples that, like, don't ever fight in front of their kids. Don't do that. If you're gonna fight, fight in front of your kids. You know, I'm not like weird, crazy, violent fighting, but right? But, like That's how they learn how to fight as adults. That's right. Your kids better know that, like, marriage is not a cakewalk. They should know that you and your wife are gonna disagree on some stuff and what it looks like to talk through it and and raise your voice a little and then make an apology and go, I overreacted and I'm, you know, I'm sorry. It's okay for them to see that because you want them to see what a marriage actually is instead of getting married when they're 22 and going, this marriage is hard and I had no idea. Like, this really sucks. You know? Like, they gotta know that you can work your way through that and what it looks like and and your walk with Christ and your your way of of spreading the gospel to other people through families or situations or emergencies or whatever, like, yeah, as much as you can let them be privy to all that, I would I would encourage you to do it.

Alright. So real quick, and then we'll do some advice and and be out of here. There was a an article on the Christian Post that seemed to kind of relate to what we were talking about, and it was an interview with someone from Youth for Christ, ministry director who says how this is how churches should reach out to the youth. So, like, I I I wonder if we should we are gonna see themes here on churches encouraging the types of things that we saw in the in the article or in the infographic as part of how they're reaching out to youth or whether they're trying different things. And, frankly, I don't know what whether that should change or not. And so this person said based on her experience growing up in a youth group and through what she has seen serving in youth ministry, Olsen said she believes churches tend to oversimplify

Sunday school lessons. A lot of the students don't know the basics of how to read the bible or theology. I think a lot of times people will say, oh, that's too big for young students. But I find myself telling kids all the time, the Bible is made up of books, and in those books are the chapters, and not all of them are the same. Some of them are historical, some are poetry. I think because of the Internet and their access to other people telling them what they should believe about the church, it's made them want real answers. But sometimes churches want to talk topically and share specific stories that they think would be enticing to youth instead of just being honest and talking about what they want to talk about. I dude, I totally get this because there's a I I there is a concern of mine that the like doing certain things in the bible just feel like they're boring for kids.

And you're like, if it's not if it's not not not like, hey, I wanna keep them entertained, but you're like, boy, I just don't want them to walk away with from scripture with a belief that this is boring simply because that's what we were talking about this week. You know? But but I also think that what she said is is relevant. In my experience, kids can handle way more than what you think. They can handle I don't mean, like, deep and unnecessarily

nerdy. I mean, like, the Bible is talking to a very holistic life and all kinds of situations and and and odd circumstances and imperfect people all over the place, and maybe you gotta be sensitive with the words that you use, but, like, I just there's a lot of humanity going on in there, and they're seeing it earlier and earlier ages and to not give it to them and allow them to see how God has used humans to progress goodness and rescue into the world, you know, and just just to to give them phrases and things like that, they won't they won't hold up.

Like, they they start this is the more and more generations are earlier and earlier being very aware that they're being advertised to. Slogans are advertisements. They're not substantive, and they know that. And so some of the things were like the whiz bang words that we may have come up with that that hit adults because they get all the context. Kids just look at it and go, you're trying to advertise to me. You're trying to pass off an idea to me. And so, you know, I get it. There there's a notion of age appropriateness. I often have to change what words I use. Like, I'll try to rephrase something. But for the most part, I I've not run into a situation where I felt like the kids couldn't handle it or frankly that whatever thing you've you felt like you had to do to change it so that the kids could understand it and the words that you used, that the adults probably needed to.

Yeah. They they they need to catch it at that level as well. Like, I always just give me can you boil it down for me so I know how to react to this? Because most of the time, the adults are struggling in acting and trusting God with the simp more simply defined things than they are like, oh, this was just so dense. I can't possibly put it together. No. And here's the thing. It's like, whatever you're not willing to speak to, their friends certainly are. Their their friends are willing to speak to it. And so, like, you really don't wanna have a hat in that ring at all? You don't wanna put God's perspective out there to be for up for consideration? I think you should definitely talk about it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. She also said there are a lot of inaccurate preconceptions among many youth about the Christian faith. Now from youth group work, Nathaniel Mike, would you agree?

Yeah. Is that your experience? Yeah. Yeah. I would say the the I have more unchurched folks than church folks in my youth group, and their opinions of both God and Christianity are largely based on a heavily religious relative Oh. That they don't see well. So we wanna oh, that's interesting because we tend to reach for the

the bogeyman of it's the it's the culture. It's the video games. It's the social media. It's the other kids that are bad influences, but you're talking like phariseeism. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's the thing that makes the culture and

the Internet and, like, all the other sources of information more palatable. Because, like, the hardest thing to do even as adult is to accept true things from a jerk. You know what I'm saying? And so, like and a kid, he got no he got no suffering for that. As soon as a jerk says something, then it was a jerky thing to say, and it came from a jerk. And, like, that's all they need to know. But, like, as an adult, our job is to sift through even if some kind of jerk says, hey. You need to do this, and you're like, how dare you? But that's actually true. I do need to do that. Right? And so taking taking true true things

from someone who doesn't have God's heart when they say it, kids don't got no time to be parsing through that. They just assume that the heart belongs to the saying, and, god is not a god of love. He's a god of judgment and penalty and do as I say or I will separate you from me. Right. So she also said, you also have a lot of people saying, here's why Christians are wrong. The bible is wrong or contradicts itself. And so you see a YouTube video of a TikTok or someone ranting about, this is why I know, but very few people are going to and look into that review or even just Google. Is this in the bible? So it's easy to say you're gonna make an effort to buy American products. Well, no, not something else. Never mind. Amid all the preconceived notions, also said youth must be willing to explore what they heard or read online about Christianity instead of presuming it to be true.

That could be pretty hard because when people hear something once, they like to believe that's the truth, she said. Pretty hard to combat all the negativity that's out there on the Internet that kids see before they see anything encouraging or thought provoking that would be a positive for the church. I think that actually is a is a very interesting way to have phrased it and I think powerful to say that it should be thought provoking. Because sometimes I think we almost get frustrated because we offer kids, especially

kids who have not had experience in church, and we're like, hey, man. Here's here's the thing. Here's Jesus died for you, and you may you can live forever if you accept him into your heart, blah blah blah. And the kids and the kids not raising their hand. You're like, well, why the heck not, man? Jesus said, yeah. So Yeah. But now what are you gonna do? Listen to what I offered. And so Yeah. Yeah. But but, like, that's the thing is that, you know, we we've we we were sold on what we said because we already knew it all already. We had, like, years and years. I was just I was thinking about this the other day where a a lot of the structure that I had had in my life fifteen years ago, I don't have anymore. Like, I was there was some the the the accountability meetings I have with guys look different. I'm doing more of them, but I'm doing them less often. And the structure of my bible reading, is more actually within my own family than it is with a with an outside group of fellas. And there's a few other things that, like, I just don't do as much anymore,

or in the same way, and it's fine. And everything's going just fine about it, but it wouldn't be had I not gone through that in the structured way 15 ago. So, like, the foundation that was laid in those means actually, I thought the same thing. I went to go subbed in for Mike at youth group once, recently. And, and, Dan, I I I'm sure this is a relevant experience for you. Like, you've taught most of the bible. And so Right. If someone shows up and goes, hey. We're we're on, you know, Matthew 13, you just open it up, take a quick read, and you're like, okay. Okay. I got this. I can teach the bible. Yeah. And so, like but that's not that way because I'm smart. It's that way because I read the bible, and we talked about it. And, we're in here every Monday night pulling stuff apart. And so that means that I can go into a youth group and not feel like I'm shortchanging the lord's work by showing up and reading it and going, okay. Got it. I think I I think but we can we can bring this thing home. And so, I say all that to say that, like,

oftentimes, our what we're trying to get kids to believe and how we're trying to get them to believe it, we're totally sold on. We think we made a slam dunk case. And, like, that is thought provoking, but, like, it wasn't to them. They don't have all that background and context and pulling apart and stuff. And so, like, you gotta you gotta be willing to meet them, you know, where they're at, but it's not dumb. It's the it's not dumbing it down. It's not making it less than what it is. It's just ignoring your own context and going, look. If I were hearing this fresh, how would I hear it? What questions do I have about it? And then knowing what you know that kids are having to deal with on a day to day basis, like, I use frankly, I use the word,

rescue a lot. Because I think it I I think it's like God's rescue for the world sound like, I think it has a better, I think hits people better than salvation. Because but most people don't walk around going, I need res I need saved from this thing. Mhmm. I need to be saved. Like, I'm not drowning. But, like, the the notion of rescue, someone where you need help and someone shows up with help, that that hits differently. Now the type of help is important, and it is a life thing, and, like, we can we can fill we can get all that out. But, like,

the word just hits different than salvation does. But, like, if you were to say rescue to me or, you know, another person that's ten years older than me or twenty years older than me, they're like, what are they what are we talking about here? You mean salvation. Oh, okay. Yes. Okay. Good. And that hits right. Like, you feel it because that's what you grew up. You know? Yeah. And so, anyway, I I just it it's I think it's important, to not presume that that that younger folks are are arrogant, stubborn, or dumb because they're not picking up what you're laying down. The scriptures are thought provoking. Provoking. Almighty God is thought provoking. Let's make sure you're not underselling the thing by, you know, just trying to to to ride around on your own words.

Yeah. And here's the thing is I don't know that it hurts for them. They they need to find you legitimate. They need to find like, some kid brought up to me a couple weeks ago. They're like, I was watching this YouTube clip about this guy that says the Hebrew actually says this and this and this. And I said, well, let's have a look at that Hebrew, and let's let's take a look and see what that Hebrew actually does say. And and, like, they're one, they know me more than they know the guy on YouTube. That's that you have to do. Right? They have to know you and know that they like, you're the it's it's the consistency thing. It's like if there's one thing that I think is a huge problem for our youth, it's consistency.

Right? Like, you draw the thinnest blackest line that you can, and they always know that they can come back to it. And they're gonna gray their way around it, and they're gonna fuzz in and out of it, but like they will they will know that that black line exists and they can always come back to it. It's like a safety net for them. Yeah. Right? And so like, if they know that they can trust you and they know that you love them and you have no motivation to lie to them about the the Hebrew, That guy does. The guy on YouTube does because he wants you to do a thing or think a thing or join him in a thing. Right. Right? But, like, I don't want you to join me doing nothing. I want you to join Jesus. I know nothing but Christ crucified. This is what I know. Yeah. I got no life advice outside of it. And so, like, they they have to

and I I think this is where the the maybe they're gonna get to it, but, like, the the thing that you that I find to be most impactful is, like, they have to know that they can trust you and that you're dependable and that you love them and you're involved in their life. Right? You're not waiting for them to show up on Wednesday night. Right? You knew they had a track meet on Friday, and you checked in with their mama and say, how'd that track meet go? Ask ask so and so how the track meet went. I just wanna know. Right? Let's say you don't have text messages with a 15 year old kid, but you text their dad, go like, hey, man. Old Tom was telling me he's got a track meet today. Can you tell me how it turned out? Let him know that I was I was just interested. You know? And, like, they have to know that you're invested in them, not in your youth group. You're not invested in, like, how many people are going to it's just like church. Right? Like like and it's and you're not you're not playing it. It's not a it's not a a a numbers game for you. Like, it's a, well, I met Tom and Tom told me a thing. I'm gonna check-in with Tom. Right? Because I do actually care about you. Yeah. Right? And then when you say the Hebrew doesn't actually mean that and here's why, like, it carries way more weight than this weird YouTube guy, you know, who's obviously trying to pander to him. Yeah. Right. And they do touch on this later on in the article. She says, that's why it's so important to reach youth as a trusted adult, as someone who can be their friend and care for them and love them, and that might be the first time they'll have an adult in their lives that they can trust and help them not only in their spiritual life, but in their ability to grow emotionally in general. Looking back, she thinks about how she ended up working in ministry with middle schoolers for Youth for Christ, and she feels that the vocation found her rather than she found it.

She also talked about how COVID hit and the outlets of which kids like, kids are spending more time online, and they're taking in a bunch of different thoughts. And they just don't like, without a trusted someone to help ask questions of the things that you're looking at or or that you're you're pondering about, then the YouTube guy becomes the authority because he's the only guy talking. And so, like, just presence is super important. Accessibility, availability,

genuine care for the for kids. You know? It's and, again, these kids are not dumb. Like, they're they're they're growing adults. Like, everybody's moving up, and they're having to take on stuff earlier. And so this is not like that you're having to live their lives for them or stay on top of them. It's like if you're available and have an interest in helping them, I they'll take advantage of it because they are curious. Well, and and that's the thing is, like, they they they love honesty just like everybody does. Everybody loves honesty. And so, like, if you're running up it depends on what ages your youth groups are. Right? But, like, especially if you're talking 14, 15, and up. Right? Like, if the bible's talking about sex, say sex. Right? Like, if they're talking if a wiener came out because of Moses and they had to cut it off and touch the tip to the foot, I'd say so. Right? Say it. Don't, like, dance around it and go, hey. We're gonna skip that part. Right? Like, they will appreciate the fact that they don't believe that you're trying to hide something from them that they're not ready for. They already know. They're already way more involved. They just got the wrong end of the stick on the thing already, and they've had it for two years. Yeah. And so your unwillingness to talk about it in a frank, open, and honest manner, you're gonna have to talk to some parents,

and you're gonna have to make sure it's legit. You say, look. I'm when the when sex comes up, I'm gonna talk about it, and it's not gonna be graphic or crude, but we're gonna talk about it. We're gonna talk about all kinds of things. And whatever God wants to talk about, that's what we're gonna talk about. And so, like, I think sometimes we step away from that with, like, that's a parent some parents go, well, that's my job to teach them. I'm like, your kid's 19. You ain't done it. What are you doing to him? You're ruining your child. You're gonna send him out there to land with slaughter. Right? They're like, they're yeah. They're innocent as doves, but you forgot the shrewd snake part. Like, they don't know anything. And then they get out there, and then they're just taken over by random thoughts of a guy who's willing to smile and tell them they're great. And then all of sudden, they believe this completely wrong thing because you didn't wanna say the word penis in front of them. And that's that's right. That's the part that makes me nervous is that there are as soon as you open the door that says, look. My parents hid things from me. I I think it runs the risk of you then going, well, what what else? What else were they willing to not tell me the truth on because they think I couldn't handle it? And, you know, you know who's saying things that feel like super adult and things you've never heard before in your life? That that weird kid on your on your dorm room floor or that enticing person of the opposite gender. Like, these people got all kinds of information. You're like, boy, the world is really opening up. And, you know, I'd prefer that my kids be able to go, you know, look. I don't I don't know all these details of what you guys are talking about, but I I I know enough. I've already seen some of this stuff and, like, no. I I'll pass. Yeah. I I'm not enticed by any of this, thumbs down. Yeah. Yeah. And and and, like, that just doesn't apply to the sex parts. Right? But, like, it's all the things that you wanna you wanna move past. Like, I mean, there's there there's rape in the Bible. You're gonna have to talk about it. Talk about it like it happened, and talk about it holistically, and talk about it well, and talk about God's heart on the whole thing and how he is disgusted and angry and would never want such a thing to happen. Like, you need to talk about it instead. And just I mean, once again, I realized that that, like, you're gonna kids are gonna get to a sensitive age and you're like, that's not the youth leader's business to tell my kids that. I'll handle that. I gotta be real honest with you. I feel like most people are abdicating that responsibility. You're not actually doing it. Right? Otherwise, when I say wiener, I don't have a bunch of kids going, he he. Right? Like, we should be able to have conversations about stuff like that and have it well because it's reinforcing the thing that you already told them. So your youth leader's not trying to force your hand here, but, like

mean, if your kid's getting 16, 17, and you're still skipping parts of the bible you think are too sensitive for them, you gotta knock that off. Yeah. I think there's a prudence thing on the ages, but I once you're in youth group territory, I'd you know? Right. I mean, if you start your youth group at 11, I mean, you should watch yourself. You know what saying? Like, you have full guns blazing here. But, like, honestly, there if especially if they go to public school, even if they go to homeschool and they still get together with other homeschool kids, there's always one in the group. There's always one guy that are they're saying all kinds of stuff and trying to introduce him to things and, like, just address it. If, I mean, you're getting outgunned by another 11 year old who's got more stones than you do. Or the seven year old in the metaverse. Like, I yeah. I just parents, you gotta be on this thing. You gotta be on this thing. And, like, I there's age appropriate ways to talk about stuff, but, like, I think not talking about it is to their detriment. Yeah. I agree. Okay. Let's do some advice, and then we'll get you to hop on out of here. Yeah. Here we go.

Dear woah. Dear and I from the past, I once hosted a holiday dinner for which I had made a ham and a turkey with all the sides and three different pies. I even made a special mince pie for one of the guests. The guests, my brother-in-law, my brother and his family of four, and his mother-in-law,

all showed up carrying empty Tupperware. Mhmm. At the end of the day, all I had left was dirty dishes. The same family then invited me and my husband for a holiday dinner. My husband wasn't feeling well and couldn't go. When I asked my sister-in-law if I could take a plate home for him, she said, nope. If he doesn't wanna come to the house, he can't have any of the food. Yes. She was serious. My sister-in-law cooks the most cooks the meat she received as a gift from her employer, and the rest of the guests prepare the sides and desserts. I never go empty handed. At the end of the meal, she transfers any leftovers to their own Tupperware and gives us back the cleaned bowls. If I ask for the little something to take home, she protects her leftovers like they were her children. What's your take on leftovers?

Is asking for a little fruit salad off limits? Is relieving your host of the burden of storing all their leftovers out of line? Are there rules of etiquette here? Oh, boy. We're gonna fail this one completely. Not the first time that we've had to talk about this leftover problem. Yeah. This like, I I just did not realize as a society that we're struggling with this. I'm trying to think of what people normally do. Like, if I bring a sweet side let's say I nailed it, and it was the hit of the holiday. People will be like, hey.

That was delicious. And then my wife will reply, well, I can leave you a little bit. You want me leave you some so you can have some a little later this week, and then we'll take the rest home. Yeah. Right? Like, once again, it's the it's the addict conundrum where they leave you with only one option. Either I get it all or you'll get it all. You know what I'm saying? Like, can we split it? Or maybe you take some, and I'll take some. Yeah. Yeah. They're just not even being friendly to each other. It just Yeah. This doesn't sound like you actually have other people in mind. You're you're looking etiquette takes the place of otherwise good, kind hearted people. Right? Like, I don't have to have a rule if I was gonna do the right thing in the first place. True. And so, like, I will only asking for etiquette because I wanna be I wanna be proved right. Where if I would say, hey, man. We bought, like, a 10 pound turkey, and there's quite a bit of turkey left. I can only eat turkey sandwiches for so long. Anybody wanna make up some baggies? I could send some baggies home with you, and people will say yes. And you make them up some little baggies, and you got yourself two days worth of turkey, and they got themselves one extra meal, and everything's solid. Yeah. If someone's gonna presume upon your grace,

of your leftovers at your house by bringing Tupperware, which is real weird That is weird. That's real weird. I mean, you can half solve the problem by just giving it to them, and you invite them in and and and say, hey. I see you guys bought Tupperware. That's great, man. Take whatever you want. I'm glad to serve you. Now I hate that because I hate to I hate these people. Hate their attitude. I hate the way they are. They're just wrong.

That's just wrong. But I'm saying I'm saying there is you can solve it that way if you can let it go. I don't know if I could let it go enough to not say anything. I might I I'd like here's the thing, though. If I've invited them up, this is their family. Right? Mike, if you showed up to my house with Tupperware, I'd be like, dude, what'd you what'd you go to Tupperware over here for? And what would you say? I was gonna take some leftovers. Yeah. I mean, don't you think that's a little presumptuous? I mean, I've been your brother for forty years. There's some pie left over. You're gonna eat no six slices, fatty. Give me some. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. You can have a bit. Were you planning on taking a whole pie? No. That's out of bounds. Okay then. I mean, that's the thing. It's like, I I I think the normal etiquette is if you bring a pumpkin pie and people ate two of the pieces, then I mean, your plan is to take the pumpkin pie back home with you. Yeah. But you ask the host or anybody, like, can I leave a slice or two? We don't need these four pieces at my place. You know? The whole point was to take it there for people to enjoy. If they'd eaten the whole pie, you wouldn't have gone, well, dog on it. Shucks. I can't believe there's no pie. I'm super angry. You'd been like, good. That's why I brought it. But now all of a sudden that it now exists, you're like, well, it's all mine now, and then you run away like Gollum. Right. These are not the occasions for ulterior motives. Right. Like, you you wanna make a pie, you give a pie away, you you assume that it's gonna be gone. The only reason you'd be upset is because you presumed

that maybe it wouldn't all be gone and you might be able to take some. Like, make us take two pies. Don't even bring the second one. Eat it at home like a slugger. That would doesn't matter to you. I mean, that's just practical living. You know I'm saying? Like, if, man, if they eat all this pie and I don't get any, I'm gonna be upset. I should make two pies and keep one here. I got all the stuff out already. I should just put two in the burner. Yeah. I just I I I'm leaning heavy on how you react to it because I just don't know how much the confetti person brings their own temperware just waiting to snake all your all your eats after a meal. I'm just not sure they can be talked out of it. Yeah. Unless you're willing to blow up the world on it. Nathaniel, do you take, leftovers from your holiday gatherings at your parents' house? No. My mom makes I mean, just at any it it doesn't you've been over to her house. Yeah. She orders too much food. She makes too much food. There's too much food. She get and she gives it away freely. Absolutely. She says, take this. Take this. Take this. Like like, she's trying to get rid of it. Yeah. And I say, yes, ma'am. I will. Yes. I will take some. Yeah. Dan, when you're having the kids, grandkids over, you you say, and take this stuff with you, man. Oh, yeah. We're always sending this stuff out. Yeah. We we don't wanna be stuck with it all. See? Your family stinks. Yeah. We don't need etiquette here. You just need better family. Yeah. Okay. Secular says, if you would like the living, breathing definition of presumptuous guests and ungracious hosts, look no further than your in laws' contact file. The fault, however, may not lie solely with them. If this has happened more than once and you cannot summon the courage to tell these greedy folks to put away their Tupperware and help with the dishes, you can't blame them for assuming you don't mind being imposed upon in this way. As to the sister-in-law who refused to allow you to bring any of your food to your sick husband, I wouldn't blame you if you chose not to grace her table again after telling her the reason why. Boy, that is pretty harsh. And and not here's the deal. Not only for that personal offense, but, like, in general, I don't know. Why do you wanna hang out with these people?

Yeah. True. They seem terrible. Yeah. Hey. Yeah. Your husband's sick. No way, man. If he didn't show up, he can't have any of the food. Like, what is this? The sizzler? I'm out on this. It is I guess I it depends on where you're at with your like, how long you've been married and if you got kids or whatever. You know? But, like, it was just me and my wife, as as just a a single couple with no kids and she fell ill,

that would prevent us from going to a dinner her to going to dinner at her mom and dad's house, I would graciously say, we're gonna stay home, like, as a teen. Yeah. Yeah. Don't know that I would voyage out on my own to my in law's house. I mean, I would now. Like, I've known him forever. But, like, I I just it seems odd that, like, your husband fell ill and it's his family, and you're like, well, we're going. You're here on your own. Yeah. And can I bring some food? And his brother's like, nah. Or his wife's brother. Yeah. She's an in law too. Yeah. Yeah. Your family's not fun because even if there was a rebuttal, I'll be like, look, man. I'm taking some meats for them. That's what's happening right now. Yeah. Your attitude is terrible. K. One more. Ready? Yeah. Final. Dear life from the path.

I'm an adopted 17 year old high school senior, and I live with four people who all have a disability. I want to move out when I'm 18 if I'm able to. I have several older brothers and sisters, but they each have a family to take care of. My oldest brother is in his sixties and my youngest in his forties. Yikes. Wow. I don't wanna seem selfish for wanting to live independently, but I don't know how to tell them. I don't know how to tell them anything because in the past, they haven't listened to me. If you have any advice on how to tell them, I would be very grateful. When he says tell them, is it the the siblings or the parents? I think it's Or the people with the disabilities. With four people who all have a disability. I'm assuming that the oldest brother in his sixties

lives there, and the one in the forties lives there. Like, the parents both have a disability, and the brother and the sister have a disability. So is the question the is is it boiling down to, like, I don't wanna be tied to this boat anchor. I wanna go out and live a little bit of life, but these people still need taken care of. And I feel guilty for leaving? Right. Is it my responsibility

to stay? Yeah. You can't stay forever. No. I mean, at some point, you gotta make that break. I'm assuming because they you were allowed to be adopted into this family that it's there's at least one or two people in the house that are not it's not a mental

disability. Right? Like, someone is able to think and process and whatever. And so if that's true, they probably should have seen this coming and and made some preparation for the day when you would no longer be there. I mean, unless they figured, hey. We adopted you into this family. You you owe it to be here for us and and love us the same way we loved you. I don't know. I don't know, Nathaniel. What what does he say? It seems like it the they they I don't know. They they don't want him to go,

but, you know, he's 17, can be 18. And if he's, you know, gonna get out of there, then there's not really, like, too much they can do. You know? Just say, hey. I'm leaving. I mean, it'll coup But I'm not, like you know? I'm I'll be around. Yeah. I mean, it'll create awkward feelings, and people will be upset at them. Yeah. I mean, it puts him in a weird spot because, like, he he certainly get can go if he wants to, but, like, he cares about the people that are around him, and so he doesn't wanna feel like he's leaving him in the lurch. He it's he's a George Bailey. Yeah. But he didn't create the lurch. Yeah. I mean, how much responsibility can you take for the lurch? He sent Harry Bailey to college. Yeah. And he He stayed home and ran the building alone. And he did say, it's a wonderful life.

I mean, after he had all the heartbreak and trouble. That's how that's how god causes us to see it almost all the time. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I I I think it's so it's okay. There's not, this goes back to a similar concept that we've talked about before, which is there's not only one answer. It's not only you have to stay or you get and and take care of everybody or you get to go and don't have any contact. These aren't the only options. I think this is the right time to bring it up with them and say, look. Here's where I'm planning. I'm planning to go to school. I'm planning to move out. I'm blah blah blah. I wanted to give you a heads up now so that we can think through the best way to to make sure everything is kinda taken care of around here where I'm gone because we got about six or eight months. Yeah. Like, that's totally fine. And part of the solution might be, hey. You're still gonna swing over on Thursdays and, you know, eat the lasagna and sort the laundry. Yeah. Maybe you can't go to school in Sacramento like you want. Maybe you gotta go to Syracuse. You know, you gotta go close to closer to home to be able to make it back and forth. And, like, I think that's unfortunate, but I don't know that it's actually taking a lot of joy out of your life. Like, everybody has to make concessions and and decisions. Like, you weren't born a unicorn with wings and you can just do whatever sparkle thing comes to your mind. Right? You do have outstanding circumstances, and they do get to affect the decisions that you make.

But I don't think, as Ben said, like, there's not just one solution here. And so you don't just get to go, oh, well, they need me or they don't want me to go, so I guess I'll stay. Now you're sacrificing your own life because some folks who should have well known better didn't plan to to make any thought on on what you would do. They it's completely selfish mindset on theirs. It's like, you're gonna stay. You're gonna take care of me. Like, that's that's not actually a a loving relationship. Right? Like, the person in the house would go, I'm so sorry that this burden is placed on you. Do do do what you need to do, you know, and we we'll figure this out. Yeah. It's hard to think of someone, like, with a disability taking advantage of someone else, but, like, totally possible. Yeah. It totally can happen. Mhmm.

Secular says, I wish you had mentioned when you will be turning 18 because at that point, you will be legally entitled to live wherever you wish, and your parents and siblings will have to, quotes, listen to you. Because you are determined to move, it is crucial that you start preparing now. You'll need to find a job so you can afford a security deposit and pay for rent, food, etcetera. You may also have to find roommates, and you can afford a place that is all your own. A counselor at school may be able to guide you, particularly if you plan to continue your education. This was not his problem. How do I do basic things in life? Yeah. No. We're talking about leaving a family of disabled people. Jeez. Yeah. Yeah. I think you totally missed the heart of the question, or we did, I guess. But, I I I find that unlikely. Yeah. Dear life from the path, I don't have any idea how to move out. What are my next steps? Yeah. Yeah. Put butt on porch. Yeah. Walk. You've been listening to live from the path. Thanks for hanging out with us tonight. I don't I don't know about, the rest of the fellas in here. I'm about I'm about dying, tired. Is it because it's hot? It's

it's toasty in here. I got drained playing the VR. I'm telling you. That seven year old really brought me to some stark realities that I didn't see coming. That one kid I didn't talk to very many people, but that one kid comes in and said, I was looking for a pencil because I wanna draw a penis on my dad. And I thought, I don't I don't even have the wits to sort out what this kid is talking about. One, like, is this like a virtual pencil? Yeah. Yeah. And is it a virtual dad? You can do a three d drawing in there. I was I was using one. You drew a you you drew a man. Any body parts, though. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Anyway, I didn't I didn't know I proposed, and he said his dad was gonna beat him. And, again, it's not clear to me. Is this a virtual beating? See, here's the thing. It's once again, it's the metaverse. Like, no seven year old would ever say this to you. So then when you're faced with this stark reality where a seven year old kid says, can I borrow a pencil? I wanna draw a penis on my dad's face. You're like, I don't even know how to begin to address Yeah. All the things that were just said right here. Yeah. Like, okay. I mean, where's your dad at? Let me speak let me talk to him. Yeah. And then I'll come in. He probably, I mean, maybe he's got a Maybe he's got freckles or whatever. If you did a connect the dot, it just comes out to be a wiener. I don't know. Yeah. I wouldn't know what to do if I walked in and saw him and he had a Johnny come lately typed all all over his face. I'd be like, I don't I guess your kid got here before I did. Anyway,

I don't know. I can't sort it out. Dan's Dan's gonna have put this There's benefits to having a a a society that has morays and and and ways and means that people would feel uncomfortable saying crap like that out in public. And I don't know that it's completely healthy to get rid of all those fences so a guy feels like he can his opening gambit to somebody's never bet is, can I borrow a pencil? Wanna draw a wiener. Yeah. That's true, man. That's that's true. Like, this is society like, crowds do drive morays a bit. Yeah. And, there's something very uncrowdable within the metaverse because of the, you know, there's just tons of space, and people just don't feel the same constraint. Yeah. So you see the guy with the with the the the metal T shirt going, anarchy. That's what it's like, dude. Get on the metaverse. It's a kid wanting to draw wieners. Right? That's that's what's happening. And so, like, I I I don't know what you think anarchy actually looks like, but it's actually very childish. I mean, there's 15, 16, 25 year old kids in there just walking up bebopping around saying, hey, blah, blah, and something stupid. And you're like, this is what you did with your freedom? You got to lose all you got anonymity,

you can do whatever you want, and they go, weird. I had I had a very large rooster offer to insert particular body parts. No. Yeah. And I was just like, no. I'm I don't think I'm really interested. Thank you. Oh, yeah. So one kid was like, hey. Can I touch your head? I mean, I guess. I don't know. Why? Do you feel better? Okay. Yeah. Here's what I'm gonna recommend. You stay out of that metaverse till Dan's got it sorted out. Till Dan's got the the holiness. Turn on the light in there. Yeah. The holiness shows up. Hey.

Thanks for hanging out with us this week. We really do appreciate it. You can give us a call on the live from the path, Bob Eisenhower complaint line. That's 51551700855155170085. That's call or text. We'd love to hear from you on the, live from the path complaint line. And it's primarily designed for complaints because we assume that's what you would be doing. But maybe you love the show and different parts of it, and you need to talk to somebody about that because your life's going poorly. You can call that line too, we we'll be here for you. And we'll do the best you can. Nathaniel's an excellent counselor, especially late at night. Yeah. So we'll we'll draft you over his way, and and he can help you out. And, I think that's all we got for this week. So in the meantime, be faithful in the means. God will handle the ends. You've been listening too live from the back.