We're kicking off a a series about Music so it's only natural that we begin with 90s Christian Music. We welcome our old friend Bill back to the show because the three of us went to many, many shows together. These two episodes are a cross to Caleb's other Podcast - The Album Anniversary Podcast. So our listeners get to hear the real Caleb in this one! Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com...
Oct 17, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 25
With about 20 episodes under our belt and many of them being interviews, we decided to discuss what we've learned so far. What themes have we noticed and what has surprised us. This is a slight pause in our interview style episodes. Next week we're back start off a string of interviews discussing Christian music, starting with Worship. Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com...
Oct 10, 2024•42 min•Ep. 24
We get the chance to talk with Erica on this fun episode which is equal parts funny and insightful. Erica was a few years behind us so we talk about the anticipation leading up to becoming part of the youth group and whether or not it lived up to the hype. We appreciated her honesty in answering these questions about her journey! Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com...
Oct 03, 2024•58 min•Ep. 23
We get the chance to reconnect with our old friend Leah on this episode. Leah was an integral part of our youth group at 5 Oaks. We really appreciate the thoughtfulness in her answers - you will find it very much enhances the episode! Hey, did your youth pastor send you to the mall with the instructions to tell a stranger about Jesus? Asking for a friend. Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com...
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 22
Part two with Meleah & Troy! We round out the conversation about their younger, youth group selves and dive into their experience with the 5 Oaks youth group as volunteers. Their perspective sheds light on how prolific that 5 Oaks youth group was at the time. Tune it to find out how Troy (eventually) checked all of Meleah's boxes for a spouse! Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com...
Sep 19, 2024•41 min•Season 1Ep. 21
This week is the first of a two part interview with our dear friends Meleah and Troy. These two have a fun story meeting at 5 Oaks (Scott takes full credit for this marriage) after independently surviving their own youth group experiences in the 90s. This first part will mainly be their stories about youth group and Part 2 will be more about their relationship and how 5 Oaks contributed to it. Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com...
Sep 12, 2024•54 min•Season 1Ep. 20
When was the last time you had some big shoes to fill? Tim B took over the Five Oaks youth group in the early 2000s and the youth pastor there for over 10 years. We talk about youth group transitioning form the 90s into the 2000s, what it means to be welcoming, and the importance of giving kids the chance to lead. Don't let Tim fool you - he says that he didn't know how to be a youth pastor but he was actually really good at this job. Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.co...
Sep 05, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 19
A special episode for this pod, we get to chat with Caleb's sister Bethany. It's an honest, vulnerable conversation about how life can come at you fast but Christ still remains constant. There are lots of laughs to be shared in this one but the love and admiration these two have for each other is heartwarming. Consider this episode an homage to good parenting! Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com...
Aug 29, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 18
In our mid-40s, you would think our tongues would have been tamed by now. Quite the opposite, actually. We dive into a discussion about the real implications of swear words, vulgarity, and taking the Lord's name in vain. Find out why, on this topic specifically, 90s Scott would be heckin' mad at grown up Scott. This episode is edited to actually be family friendly. All swear words are beeped out. The phrase "Oh my god" is not bleeped out and used a few times. Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvi...
Aug 22, 2024•41 min•Ep. 17
We break the mold to talk to Alex who survived Youth Group in the 2000's! Alex takes us on an insightful and often hilarious journey that reveals his deep commitment to Christ and equally serious journey through questions, doubt, and change. Disclaimer: Scott got confused on some of the timelines in this episode but he still led a couple of groups when Alex was in High School. Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com...
Aug 15, 2024•58 min•Ep. 16
What was more scary to a 90s youth group kid? Finding out the world might older than 6000 years or realizing that Left Behind was actually terrible fiction? This week we discuss how fear of cultural takeover motivated us to defend our faith at all (well, most) costs. Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com
Aug 08, 2024•53 min•Ep. 15
Another survivor of youth group in the 90s, Brant joins us to talk about his tender coccyx as well as other important topics such as returning to the church his parents help found (find out how he almost burnt it down), the utility of a historical Job, and why he bought the home of his childhood best friend. Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com...
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 14
As we got deeper into interviews we realized a lot of the reminiscing is - naturally - positive and funny. However, in this disclaimer episode we talk about how things weren't always rosy and how shame was common for 90s youth group kids. Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com
Jul 26, 2024•19 min•Ep. 13
A youth group kids in the 90s we were very tempted to judge the faith of others. Some things really haven't changed! Today we are joined by our old/new friend Alex as we discuss, with trepidation and sadness, how Christians call each other fake for a variety of issues. We talk about partying and politics and why ultimately we feel deeply that the church needs to work at regaining trust. Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com...
Jul 11, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 12
The third installment in our politics series takes issue with the difference between American and Christian Freedom. While very different, our hosts discuss why its hard to watch the church conflate the two. How much distinction of those two ideas should be discussed in a sermon around July 4th? And why does one lean so heavily on the other? If you've ever been to a church on July 4th that has an American fly on stage, this episode is for you! Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup...
Jul 04, 2024•55 min•Ep. 11
Continuing on in our politics series, Caleb and I bring the conversation to today and how things have changed for us but more importantly why. We know its a heavy topic but we hope you can stick with us as we try to keep it pretty light-hearted. By the end of the episode, you'll realize that neither Caleb nor I are very manly whatsoever so all of those Braveheart references never landed well for us. Also, be very careful summoning the ghost of Mark Driscoll.
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 10
This is the 1st installment of our summer mini-series on politics. We'll have a total of three episodes talking about what we learned about politics in the 90s from youth group, where our hosts Caleb and Scott believe today, and what does Christian Freedom actually mean. We start out by talking about the subversive message of politics in 90s youth group. It's not as bleak as it sounds! Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com...
Jun 20, 2024•43 min•Ep. 9
A quick preview and disclaimer about our upcoming mini-series into politics.
Jun 18, 2024•5 min
Rounding out the core friend group we talk to our best bud Mike who has never, ever been afraid to beat people up in the name of Jesus. When he wasn't doing that he was beating us in basketball or driving us around town. Mike was invited to youth group in 1995 and has never left the church since. We talk about what keeps him going there and how he watched his own kids grow up in the same youth group he helped create. If you get a chance, please support Mike's struggling ice cream business. I bel...
Jun 13, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 6
How many of you have a smoking hot spouse? Well one of hosts' wife does and the other does not. You'll only find out who the hot one is if we ever go live on YouTube. Caleb and Scott dive into the topic of Divorce (and Marriage) and discuss how that was taught in the 90s. No, youth group is not marriage counseling but it did have tremendous implications on our understanding of relationships and commitment. Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com...
Jun 05, 2024•45 min•Ep. 5
Our very good and longstanding friend, Bill, joins us as we do our best to avoid nostalgia and talk about where he’s at now. Bill is one of the most faithful and sincere people we know and only became our friend because Caleb was cast in a female role in the high school play. Apologies regarding the audio, especially towards the end. This was actually our first interview done months ago and therefore the audio can be rough. Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com...
May 29, 2024•58 min•Ep. 4
Did you play Jesus or Satan in the Champion? Caleb definitely played Satan. We’re back to talk about the events pulled from the Youth Pastors’ Handbook that we took part in for the sake of drawing kids into our youth group. @SurvivedYG on Twitter isurvivedyouthgroup@gmail.com
May 22, 2024•48 min•Ep. 3
Our good friend Jakki joins us this week to talk about her faith journey from the 90s to today. Once a youth leader, now the church building manager, Jakki talks with us a lot about how being a kid today requires less connection and whether or not that is a good thing for their faith. Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com
May 09, 2024•59 min•Ep. 2
Where you’re at now is more compelling when you remember where you came from. Our debut episode summarizes our recollection of how our 90s youth group came to be. Apologies for some shoddy audio. We’re working on it! Twitter: @SurvivedYG ISurvivedYouthGroup@gmail.com
Apr 28, 2024•49 min•Ep. 1
Thanks for joining us for a quick preview episode. Every 90's youth group experience was a unique one but at 5 Oaks Community Church in Woodbury Minnesota it was downright weird. At one point the kids attending the youth group outnumbered the people attending the church. These experiences undoubtedly left a fascinating impact on the kids who were involved. What happened after everyone grew up and moved on? In this podcast we want to reminisce, but more importantly we want to hear where people en...
Dec 16, 2023•22 min
