Small Groups for a Doomscrolling Generation | Why Students Don't Talk Anymore

Send us Fan MailStudent ministry has always adapted to changing culture.The message never changes.Sometimes the methods need to.In this episode, Zac Workun and Chad Higgins ask an important question:Today's students aren't disengaged...they're simply communicating the way they've been formed to communicate.From AIM away messages and Facebook walls to Snapchat, group chats, Twitch streams, and endless scrolling, every generation learns differently because every generation communicates differently. That reality matters when we gather students into circles and ask them to process the deepest questions of life in real time.Rather than criticizing technology, Zac and Chad explore what youth pastors can learn from it.You'll hear practical ideas for creating healthier discussions, reducing unnecessary social pressure, helping students observe Scripture before performing knowledge, and equipping small group leaders to become guides instead of answer dispensers.The conversation also explores why Twitch and creator culture may actually reveal something hopeful: students still want to learn—they often learn first by watching trusted people model wisdom before stepping into it themselves. That's why one of the greatest opportunities in youth ministry today is inviting students to move beyond consuming content toward creating, teaching, serving, and leading within the life of the church.If you're leading teenagers today, this episode will help you think more carefully about attention, communication, discipleship, and what faithful ministry looks like in a digital age.Episode HighlightsWhy today's communication habits matter for discipleshipThe hidden social pressure inside traditional small groupsAsynchronous communication and why students hesitate to answerPractical discussion techniques that increase participationObservation-first Bible studyWhy co-leaders model wisdom better than lecturesWhat streamer culture teaches us about learningDeveloping student leaders instead of passive spectatorsDiscussion QuestionsHow has technology changed the way your students communicate?What parts of your small group environment create unnecessary pressure?How could you help students ask better questions instead of only giving answers?Where could students move from observing ministry to actually leading it?If this episode encouraged you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another youth pastor or volunteer. Every share helps more ministry leaders find practical, Gospel-centered encouragement for leading the next generation.Support the showJoin the community!