28: Two Public High School Students Discuss Their Faith Walk

Ryan Pfendler and Jill Devine invited the next generation to sit down and chat about the faith of the next generation. Audrey Fleetwood and Jenna Smith are two public high school students who opened up to Ryan and Jill about their faith walk, what they want from adult ministry leaders, and what they want their parents to know and understand about them.

Ryan is the Director of Student & Young Adult Ministry at Messiah St. Charles. Ryan’s ministry believes that following Jesus is the way young people grow into the best version of themselves. He wants every teenager to belong to a community of faith where they can learn who Jesus is, and discover the purpose He has for them now and as they grow.

Highlights from the episode include:

*Stepping away from Christianity

*The Public & Private School divide

*Being called the “Jesus Girl”

*Loneliness

*Parents need to let their teenager experience hurt

*Multiple reasons for teenagers being stressed

*Knowing trends is not necessary to connect (Example: ASMR - Autonomous sensory meridian response)

*Adults need to make their faith personal to teenagers

Messiah Middle School Website: https://messiahstcharles.org/middle-school/

Messiah High School Website: https://messiahstcharles.org/high-school/

Normal Goes A Long Way Website: https://www.normalgoesalongway.com/