177 - Re-Solution w/ Ben Bennett

You're listening to the Pure Desire Podcast, your safe place to find hope, healing, and freedom from sexual addiction, betrayal, and relationship issues.

What's up, people?

I'm your host, Trevor Windsor, and you're listening to episode 177 of the Pure Desire podcast. Here, joining me as always, my co host, Nick Stumbo.

Oh, hey. Sorry, I was. I was checking the sports. Good to be back. Evidently, the Seahawks are going to be a lot better on DC Defense now that they've had a bye week. That's what I found out. Yeah.

Yeah. Well, the bye week didn't work well for my packers, so just in case. What's funny? This is coming out in like weeks and weeks and so people are just be like, they didn't have a bye.

What are they talking about? Anyway, we're in the moment. That's just who we are. We're in the moment.

We're in the moment and we know.

How much our producer, Justin loves sports. So we just wanted to have a little sports talk this morning.

It's not sports, it's the sports. He loves the sports.

Yeah, he's sleeping over there.

Again, a great reason. I feel like I'm just going to have to publicly, through the podcast, continue to push that. We want you to have a mic during these, just so one day, you know, you'll get 35 emails saying, we want you on the podcast.

Okay.

We have. Justin, we have an awesome podcast with Ben Bennett that we'll talk to you about in just a second. Few things real quick. First, subscribe to the podcast. If you're not, do it, man. Stitcher, Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, what I mean, anything else we've got, we're on all the platforms there. And if you are a subscriber, if you. And I know we say this, but seriously, people find the podcast because of the reviews. And I do this. I go on, I'm like, kind of interested in a podcast. And I see. Well, it's rated a 2.6 out of 5. Okay, maybe I won't. But like, I'm pretty sure Our rating is 5 out of 5.

We're like an 8 tons. Wait, is that not possible?

Maybe. I don't know. Maybe it's a new algorithm iTunes is working on.

Yeah, we've got a great review. Yeah.

And it's so cool. And so please, if you write a review, it helps other people see it. And it means a lot to us to know that this stuff's meaningful. Second, follow us on social media, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. We are earedesirepdmi and if you like to consume video content, some of the clips from these episodes are up on YouTube. Just go to Pure Desire Ministries. Just search us there. Okay, so we want to talk about real quick. The last thing before we get into the episode. We have started a new giving campaign that we are titling. Stories of healing.

Yeah, and you just mentioned it. Even, like, with the reviews. We have the privilege here at Pure Desire of hearing from people every week about how a podcast changed their life, an interview they heard sent their marriage on a different trajectory. A group they were involved in rescued them from something. It's amazing to see how God has used this ministry. And as excited as we are about every single one of those stories and the way that it fuels us to keep doing it, we know we're only scratching the surface. I mean, the numbers that are out there when it comes to our sexual addiction and sexual brokenness, and particularly during this season of COVID are honestly worse than ever. And we just have this burden where we say, there's so much work to be done. Lord, would you equip us and help us have the resources to reach more people? And so we're kind of putting a call out to all of you that listen and would say, in some way, this ministry has touched my life. And the Stories of Healing is our invitation to say, join with us. I mean, you're already with us in terms of your words and your encouragement, but would you be willing to take a little piece of your finances and partner with us on a monthly basis to say, I want to be a part of someone else experiencing healing in the way that I have or my family or my loved ones. And so we see how even when you make a small donation, I mean, a small donation made monthly adds up over time. And so you might be listening, feeling, like, what? I don't have much to give. I don't have a big, huge savings pot that I can just drop down 20 GS on some.

Yeah, well, me neither.

Yeah, almost no one does, but I'm guessing we could say 20 bucks a month. You know, you multiply that over years and decades, you can make a difference. And more than just making a difference, it's how you feel like you're then a part of the mission, because you really are entering into this work with us in your support, in your prayers, and our ability then to track with you as you're a monthly donor. We will send updates and kind of keep you in the. In the news, so to speak, of what's happening, how God's using people's donations. So we just want to ask, wherever you're at, whether it's a small amount or a large amount, if you would jump in with us as a monthly donor, you could be a part of the next Stories of Healing. And we really believe that God can use all of us together to make a difference in this world.

Yep. And so just ask yourself this question. If I were to financially give to Pure Desire, what stories of healing could I create? So if you want to give, whether it's monthly or if you do also want to just give a one time gift, go to PureDesire.org stories okay, so we had Ben Bennett, who's a friend of ours, works under the umbrella of Josh McDowell Ministry and crew, started this new movement called Resolution, this new ministry and initiative. And we've been talking to him about it for a while, but it's now up and running. And we just sat down with him and had a conversation about the ministry he's doing.

Yeah, they really took their time to really create the structure and to position themselves to be ready to launch. And I think that's something that you can see throughout Josh McDowell's ministries, that they want to do things well, they want to do it right. And so it's exciting for us to just watch how a very large ministry like CRU and Josh McDowell really are recognizing the need for young adults to have the valuable tools and resources to help them understand mental health issues and addiction and pornography and the things that really are assaulting this generation like never before. And I think rather than just relying on their old paradigm, which is primarily an event campus model, you know, big event speaking kind of thing. And Ben does that and would do it very well, but seeing that they need to get where people are at and that's on their phones and their devices and these and clips and sound bites and articles that a young person can connect with and read and really think deeply about the things they're struggling with. And I think as someone hears from Ben today, they're going to understand why that's so valuable because the perspective he brings and the approach they're taking, I really believe is going to impact this younger generation. And for those of us that are not in the younger generation or maybe wondering what's in this podcast, for me, I. I think it really speaks for all of us to the need for connection, to a sense of belonging and purpose. And whether we're building that in our own life or looking how do we play a role in helping our kids or young Adults that we are connected to find that in their life. So I think it'll be a good challenge and encouragement for everyone. And it's always, always great to hang out with Ben.

Yeah. And you got to hang out with him personally just a couple days ago, which I'm not jealous of at all. Yeah. Ben is a great guy and this is going to be a really helpful episode, whether you are a young person or someone who just wants to have a voice in their life. So enjoy. All right, we have the living legend with us, Ben Bennett. Thanks for being back, man. Appreciate it.

Hey, good to be back with you guys.

You guys saw each other last weekend?

This last weekend, yesterday. I guess it was like three days ago. Now we got to hang out in the big D. And I do mean Dallas.

Yes, yes. Okay.

Yes. That is what it's called.

Okay.

So Ben doesn't like that nickname for.

The city, I don't think.

Is it mildly inappropriate?

Mildly is put mildly.

I am all for a protest and a rebrand. We'll see what happens.

There we go.

There we go.

So we actually had our first in person event since COVID hit. We were in Dallas. As far as I know, no outbreaks happened. Everyone came back in one piece. We'll have to check the evaluations to see if anybody got Covid. But, uh, either way, we are excited to have Ben, you back on. Since the last time we had you on the podcast, you launched a new ministry. Um, and I, I think if you go back to some of the episodes we've done with you, there was some allusion to it. We were talking about what was going on, but it's officially now up and running and it's called Resolution. And we want to hear all about it. Talk about what you've been up to really since its launch. So I know even before we started recording the show that you were saying you're a one man show. So I know that you're running and gunning and doing a lot. So we're excited to have you on.

Yeah, thanks for having me back. Yeah. Before, I mean, it was like this mystical unicorn. Like, what's it going to be called? What's it going to look like? Is it going to be digital? Is it going to be just in person stuff? So it's now up and running. Been about six months. The Resolution. Movement. Resolution. But sometimes we add on movement, you know.

Sure.

Sounds a little cooler.

Yeah, does Sounds legit. All right, so let's start with this. When creating or founding a ministry or really an initiative, which is Just sounds exhausting. Titles can be a huge deal. So I know we even talked a little bit pre show about this, but why did you choose the name Resolution? Talk us through that.

Yeah, honestly, it took us two and a half years and really overthinking things and looking back when you're changing, when you're like choosing a name for something, I would say it's important to think through the name, but you can definitely overthink it and spend two and a half years trying to come up with a name and going back and forth and picking about picking. And I mean what we did was we went through a expansion process of, with a company and just what are all different potential names? And we were working with them on branding and what's this ministry initiative going to be about? And all of that. And we narrowed it down to like 20 names and did a bunch of surveys with pastors and youth leaders and then got down to like three names and went with one name uprising for about five months and then for various reasons decided to rebrand. Um, but, but that was, that was really in the pre launch phase. So it only took a couple of months to go through the rebrand, but we landed on the, the, the name resolution. It used to be. And that went through different phases as well. It used to be re Colon solution. Kind of like we're resolutioning people with solutions to mental health. Um, porn addiction, hurts. What is life all about? Uh, and then we combined, we got rid of the colon and it was capital R, lowercase E, capital S, elution. So Resolution. Um, and then we went with all caps resolution, but you can also pronounce it resolution. And, and it's the, the same part that people try so many things, as you all know, to find help for their anxiety, their depression, their loneliness, their porn addiction, their hurt, and they hear all kinds of things. And that was part of my journey as well. And we really want to, on a mass level, resolution people with answers to their hurts and struggles and help them start thriving in life. And we want to do that through biblical truth, through brain science, through psychologically informed solutions. That's how we landed on the Resolution Movement. Or the Resolution Movement.

Yeah, well, yeah, lots of iterations to clarify what you do, who you're trying to help and create that awareness so that people come in contact with those solutions that you guys are working towards. So just talk us through a little bit more about the mission of resolution. Who are you trying to reach? How are you trying to help them? Like give us kind of the framework for resolution and what you guys really want to accomplish in this world for the glory of God.

Yeah. Our focus is young people. So teenagers, college students, and then their leaders. So as far as young people, teenagers, college students, Christians or non Christians, we speak in a way and present things in a way that whether you're familiar with Jesus or not familiar with Jesus, that it can be understandable and not have clinical jargon or Christian jargon, because so many people are struggling, and we want to reach people where they're at. And, of course, just because you're a Christian doesn't mean you're not dealing with mental health issues or porn addiction or whatnot. And then we recognize that so much starts and ends in the home. And that's why we focus on the leaders of youth, too, like the youth pastors, pastors and parents, because what an opportunity, especially teens have for, if their parents are also engaged in church or getting healthy, to walk alongside youth for several years and really heal the relationship or help support them if it already is a good relationship. So those are a couple of the demographics we go after with the movement.

Yeah, I think it's so important what you're talking about, because I remember as a teenager, and I think this is still common in youth culture, that the home is not the place. We tend to bring up some of those hard conversations or our questions. And sometimes there's a fear of what will our parents think? Or if I ask this question, will they assume that I've done it and that I'm now trying to figure things out? And so often those conversations, like I said in my own life, would happen outside of the home with peer groups or maybe a trusted youth advisor, and that can be healthy. But at the same time, if people don't feel equipped in their own home to lead their young adult or teenager into deeper conversations and processing life and hurts and wounds, I think it actually perpetuates some of the hurts that are happening because the home is so critical to be that place that either creates health in us or creates some of those negative pathways. So I like that you've got that focus in addition to just the messaging and reaching the young generation.

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

So I have experience as a youth pastor, and this is. This is just kind of my assumption. I've seen two different types of youth pastors. One who gets into ministry, and this is training ground or a stepping stone, if you will, in their desire to either, you know, be a senior pastor or to be a care pastor or something, some other position inside the field of pastoral ministry. And then there's this other camp where it's just like, no, you've been called to youth for the rest of your life. And the fact that I'm not a youth pastor, I think tells you which one I am in those two. But I've just noticed that there are people who are so passionate about young people and have just a heart for them and reaching them. And, Ben, you're one of those people. And so why is that? Where does that heart and that passion for young people, the next generations come from?

Yeah, I would say that comes from my own journey. Thinking back on it, it's like I've been in youth or. Yeah. Working with young people since I was a young person, back to when I was in high school, when I was involved in ministry and volunteering and whatnot, and just kind of stuck there and went on to college ministry for several years. Several years. But it's always been with, I think there's just such a unique developmental age or period in people's lives. Teenagers, college students, those age periods where people are figuring out, like, for themselves, why do I believe what I believe? Do I believe what I've thought I've always believed? And they're looking for answers and guidance and exploring things. And I know in my own life that's there was a lot of exploration in my teenage years with faith. And do I actually believe in Christianity or do I just believe this because it's what I was told? And figuring out on my own that why I believe that Jesus is God and died and rose again and all of that. And so seeing through my own journey, then working with young people for years and seeing the shifts that can happen, the life change that can happen, getting to a point where people actually want to, I think, put in the work, so to speak, for to find the healing and freedom that they desire. I would say it's just in years of working with young people, some of those shifts start to happen a little bit later on in life. And of course, we know that the early developmental years and parenting is so, so important. But there's really, you know, this other opportunity in with. With teenagers, with college students, to come alongside them and to serve them and as a guide in their journey and help them heal and help them thrive and help them find solutions and answers.

You know, we. We hear it all the time from men and women who are in group who talk about their teenage and young adult years, and they look back on them with, I think, a lot of regret or remorse or the what ifs or I Wish I would have. And particularly if they're in a group because of sexual brokenness or addictive kind of issues, they'll look back and say, if only there would have been some health in my early adult years, if someone would have helped me understand this, I would never have ended up in the place I am. And so that's one of the many reasons, Ben, that we love what you're doing, and we love that emphasis on bringing many of these principles that you learned in your journey as a young adult about where does health come from and how do we break out of addiction with the help of Christ and using tools and psychology and piecing all that together, and then looking at how do we, you know, really put this on a platter to be able to serve to a teenager who maybe isn't. They're not at a place where they're able to process at the depth of someone that's 30 or 40 years old, but they're in the middle of those experiences that are shaping their brains and could potentially be the very trauma that leads them off the rail. So really encouraged to see that happening. And, you know, in your role, being a part of Josh McDowell ministries and working with a lot of different leaders and speakers and organizations, I would imagine that provides a lot of unique insights into youth and teen culture. And as you've been involved in that, what kind of encouragements or insights would you give the church today about working with the younger generation? Where do we need to maybe learn and change our approach in light of where today's youth are at?

Gosh, where. Where do we start with? With that? Yeah. So many things, I think. And I've been on, let's see, the past year, two different projects with Crew, because with Josh McDowell Ministry, we're a Ministry of Crew some may know as previously named in the US Campus Crusade for Christ. Biggest college ministry in the world on most major campuses. So I've been working on two projects with Crew, and we've just been researching Gen Z, doing interviews, all kinds of things. Because there's Gen Z people born between 1999, some say, and 2015. Some of the dates range, depending on who you ask, what research company. But they're growing up with a different spiritual address than previous generations, like millennials and whatnot. I mean, only 4% of them have a biblical worldview, unlike millennials. Instead of being, like, leaving the church and being angry at the church, a lot of Gen Z just have a blank slate. Like they're asking, what is Jesus about? What is Christianity about? As an example, one of my friends who's a youth minister said that, like, five years ago, to walk through the message of Jesus, the Gospel, it would take one conversation 30 minutes. Here's what he's all about. Now it takes four weeks of sitting down, of explaining, like, point by point, what it was all about, because it's just so, so new. So we actually, we have to start with where people are at and ask and answer questions that they're actually asking. Like, they're no longer asking, how do I get to heaven or, or, or how do I have a relationship with God necessarily. Even they're asking, what is Christianity all about? How does the, how does Jesus. And they're using different language than this, but how does Jesus change life here and now? And, you know, thankfully, Jesus has a lot to say about the here and now. And, um, you know, when he, when he walked this earth, he was bringing about change and healing people and saying, the kingdom is here, here and now. So that would be one shift. Another one is addressing the felt needs that, that people, people have and starting there. Because, you know, we can't just preach that like, this life has gone to hell in a handbasket and, and, you know, repent now and hang out at the rapture rest stop, just waiting to come back and like, get your salvation card and then escape this world. No, this generation. And I think we as Christians should be talking about life here and now and improving, but working to the betterment of our city. And so how do, how do we talk with people, whether they're Christians or non Christians, just about dealing with anxiety or mental health or addictions or hurts. And so that's a lot of what we do. Look for the pain point, look for, look for the felt need and then talk about Jesus and how in your personal story, how is Jesus, of course we can get to, like, heaven and hell and salvation and all of that, but we've got to start where people are at in the questions they're asking. And that's, how does life get better here now? And yeah, one of my friends, Greg Steer, he's a evangelist and speaker. And one of the things in a conversation he said to me, which clicked in a different way, was the way they present the gospel is eternal life starts now. And it's like, that's for some, like, for so many, it's like, get your salvation card or whatever, get saved because you want to go to heaven. And that's so much about the next life. But what if eternal life, thriving, healing, wholeness started here and now. And it just got better and better until eternity and Jesus comes back and restores all things. And that's the Christian message. So that's what we need to be preaching.

Yeah. I recently read a book by John Ortberg called Eternity is now in Session. And the line I'll never forget is, he said that the point of salvation is not to get you into heaven, it's to get heaven into you. And, you know, as you're sharing this, Ben, I'm thinking, you know, Gen Z and the generations after that are coming. They're gonna want more and more of that. But what's ironic to me is that the generation like Gen X and millennials, and I would say even I'm at this is where I'm not a researcher. So just any generation that's alive is actually looking for or searching for or yearning for the here and now effects of Jesus. But some of us have subscribed to that whole salvation card or have been taught that this is the way that we do it. And so what's funny is, like, even if your church were to adopt a model where we are talking about how it affects life right now, how it affects your anxiety or your addiction or how you parent your kids or what school your kids go to or whatever it may be, we all actually want that deep down. And you're gonna reach more people than just Gen Z and younger. You're actually gonna reach everybo and start to put some handlebars on the gospel. And this is where I just feel like I could go off forever. And I know we all could, but I just think that so many of us actually want that. And I'm just. I'm totally with you. I think that salvation is about the here. And it's already started, it's already going on, and more of us need to be talking about that.

Yeah. And I feel the need to say something now. Think about if. If eternity and heaven is about being with Jesus and, like, thriving forever. And the idea of being with him now doesn't sound appealing at all to somebody because of the message we're preaching. It's like, why would I want to be in heaven forever if it feels like hell? And that's because we're. The reason it feels that way to people is because we're shortchanging the gospel and the message, when Jesus is about so many things, healing and justice and relationships and thriving, and we should be proclaiming the whole gospel and the implications of the gospel and not just, you know, escape this earth and get out of it and go to heaven.

Yeah, that's great.

Yeah. I feel like I've heard more than one pastor jokingly say, I feel like I'm answering questions nobody's asking. You know, we get up and preach. And to me, that is sad, because it's like the Bible is so relevant. And if we feel like we're answering the questions people aren't asking, we haven't yet applied that beautiful truth to where people are at. And so I really appreciated how you said that, Ben, that for young people, I think there can be a temptation for those of us that are Gen X and older to look at the young generation like, well, we know what they need, and if they would just do this or if they only had that, or if they would quit worrying about this or get off their phone or whatever our issues are with. With teens and youth today. And we feel like if we could just tell them and get them to do that, they'd be fine. When we're trying to answer questions for them, that really isn't what's on their heart and mind. And so, yeah, there's a place for teaching and wisdom and parenting where you do maybe tend to tell people more something. But I think for a youth culture, there need to be more loving, caring adults in their life that just say, what questions are on your heart and mind? What are you dealing with? What's confusing to you? And just let people talk and share so that we are trying to answer the questions that are actually on their heart. So that was really well said.

Yeah. So, Ben, you've already talked about this a little bit. Why younger generations. And I mean, this can apply to millennials, too, who I think we can say statistically are leaving the church. And then you go to Gen Z and, you know, they're not even going, or they don't even realize it's a thing to be doing. Why else do you think that is? Like, what are some things just kind of in your. As you go been, you know, starting this ministry, and you've been speaking and doing a podcast and having conversations with leaders. Why else do you think that people are leaving the church or just not even really thinking it's a valuable part of life?

And I think that's a great question. And I think a lot of people are asking that, especially people who work at the church and just being in ministry for, I don't know how long it's been now, including when I was a teenager, 15 years. It's like there's so many throughout the years I've had I've heard people have so many assumptions about why, and they've almost held. Held to it as truth. But one of the things that has become so important to me in recent years is research. Like, am I going to base my theory for why people are leaving the church or how to reach people based on my thoughts or assumptions? Or am I going to look at studies and data and all of that? And so I would. I would go to that. And one of the. There was a significant study that lifeway did in 2017, but they released the results last year on, you know, it was so good, you should look it up. If you haven't, just Google, like, Lifeway. Young people leaving the church. And I'm gonna try to remember the numbers exactly, but it was 60. They found that 66% of teenagers, when they graduate high school, leave the church. And they ask them why. Why are they leaving the church? There's a couple reasons. There was five. I remember there's five top reasons. And I'm going to try and get the order right. One was they just went away to college. It's like, okay, they went away to college. It's kind of hard to adjust to a new church. Maybe you get involved in the campus ministry or maybe, you know, new friends or whatever. Maybe you think, ah, I'm gonna just go back to church later. Another one was the judgment and hypocrisy they saw in the church. And all these were like, this is like 34%, 33%. So basically a third of those people who left the church, it's like college, judgment, hypocrisy. And a fourth of them said, political issues or social issues we don't see eye to eye on. And then another percentage of them said, relationships just don't really have any meaningful relationships there. So I think we could assume that, like, judgment, hypocrisy, like, I've heard that in so many conversations, like people feel judged or condemned or like church is a judgmental place. But what was interesting about the study was a third of them, a third after a year or so, started going to church again, and then another third, and that was like, pretty frequently another third, like at least once a month were going to church of the people who left the church. So that just speaks to me of the vitalness of how do we bridge that gap with young people between high school and college and really come alongside them and set them up well and help them get plugged in the Christian community. But aside from that, I think the judgment thing is huge. The lack of meaningful Relationships is huge. And then. So those are two things that we really need to wrestle with as a church.

Yeah.

And what I hear you saying, Ben, is just how significant connection is for. I mean, for all people, but young people in particular, that if just leaving to go to college is that significant of a disruption. I think that speaks to anyone who moves, relocates. You're somewhere new, and you're just trying to kind of find, where do I fit in, where do I belong? And if you feel a sense of connection, you're going to gravitate towards that. And so whether we are leaders in a church or just have young people that we care about, I think finding ways to facilitate good connection to a faith community, to a church home, is going to be absolutely crucial, because even though they are the most connected society ever, with all our devices and phones, that true connection, I think, is really what grabs and holds on to people. And so as. As I heard you say that, I just. I think about my daughter, who's 16 now, and her thriving circle of friends and activities, and if she's to go somewhere else for college, which I think she will, she's got all these interests and desires and plans, and wherever she lands, she will be looking for that way to connect. And probably depending who that group is, will be a huge influence around whether or not she's really committed to a church community. Because if the place where she feels connected, you know, spending every weekend out hiking and visiting other cities, which she would love, church would just become less important. But if the group that she really connects with has that as a regular part of their life, she would too, because she values it. So I just see connection being so key, and I guess for us that are not in the young generation to ask the question, how can I help facilitate that kind of connection for the young people that I care about?

Yeah.

Yeah. And I would add to that, that's a key part of discipleship and what we need to be teaching the next generation, because so many are growing up lonely. But. And we think that loneliness is a lack of friends. But. But it's not. It's a lack of meaningful connection. We have to teach people how to meaningful, fully connect with one another and build relationships and not just wait for people to text you or to reach out to you, but to. To go get it and to go after it and to build this relational life that you want. And in doing so, if you know that so many other young people are dealing with loneliness, you're going to be helping solve their loneliness. But, you know, One of the problems, and you all know this, is the lack of connection between parents and their kids. And the deficits there can, for whatever reason, can lead to so much hurt and so much, well, even addiction, so really so much can be solved by parents connecting and being transparent and vulnerable with, with one another and then doing the same with their kids and teaching them to do that with others.

So this is just kind of interesting and I like when the Lord does this where he kind of connects some things that aren't necessarily connected. I remember stepping into youth ministry. One of the things that I heard from a good friend of mine who was also a youth pastor at the time, said that discipleship is not sitting down and just reading your Bible and having conversations. Discipleship is inviting people into your life and then talking about life and Jesus and faith while you do it. And this last weekend we went to a service for my wife's aunt and she had been battling cancer for a long time. And one of the things that really stuck out to me was every person that got up there and spoke about her said she treated me as if I was her own kid or her own sibling or her own family member. And there was this. And I didn't get to hear it all because we have two young kids that just tends to get in the way of a lot of things sometimes. But they had a recording from her husband, basically what he wanted to say to her before she died. And one of the things he said was just that he had struggled. He just drug his feet. He didn't want to invite people in. He didn't want to have these people over, put out all this energy. But she was gracious in understanding that, but also kept pushing to know we are going to have people here, we are going to like. My wife said that they used to drive three hours to go to her volleyball games and would like grab one of the cousins or someone from church like, hey, just come with us. And what's really cool is I'm seeing, and I'm seeing it more practically now. That is actually discipleship is inviting someone into your life and allowing them to see not only the like, you know, really clean and, you know, Christian like things, but also seeing what that three and a half hour car ride probably looks like if you're arguing with your spouse or you miss a turn or, you know what I mean? And I think that that's something that so many people yearn for, is not just a, I don't need you to just sit down and teach me about theology and teach me about grace and Jesus. I need you to actually just do life with me, walk alongside me, and I will learn about those things as I sit and do life with you and walk through it. So I just think that there's. I mean, that's just what I've seen be so impactful.

Yeah. I got to admit that while we were at your wife's aunt's funeral, I wasn't sure how that was going to connect to youth culture, but you did it. That was good. That was a good story.

Thanks. Thank you.

Like, how are we getting from a funeral back to the young people?

But, yeah, I had a plan.

How do we do life with people? Invite them into it, even into our imperfection and our brokenness.

Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And I mean, it's so true. It's like, how did we get to the point where we thought that Christianity was about all of this intellectual stuff rather than like, living, like, living and being and following in the way of Jesus? And it's, as I've Learned from Josh McDowell, he talks about the difference between Hebrewistic and Hellenistic, just ways of learning. And Hellenistic was the Greek influence. Very intellectual. And, um, that's how a lot of our churches are set up. It's like the preaching on Sunday and then you discuss the sermon in your small group. And it's like, read the Bible and pray and do all these things as opposed to the Hebrewistic way. You know, about Sabbathing and experiences and feasts and doing life together. And there's got to be both. And I think that's what that is what Jesus is about. He's about to both. Both proclaiming the word, but also living it out. Not just reading the Bible, but doing the Bible. And as we know, like from a neuroscientific level and just how God created humans. Experiences are what shape people for better or for worse. You know, whether it's. Whether it's hurt or whether it's good experiences. Healing happens experientially, not just intellectually. So really, God designed it that way. God designed Christianity to be about thriving and, you know, after the fall, healing and restoration and that to happen experientially.

Yeah, it's good.

So, Ben, you've spent the last several years really preparing for this launch for resolution to be a ministry that can impact the lives of the young generation. You did research, you read research. You. You interviewed people. What were maybe some of the things that you've really been surprised by, or what would you say are some misconceptions? And we've maybe Already talked about a few. But what do you think are misconceptions we have about Gen Z and young people today that we just, we need to change the way we think in order to be able to be more helpful in reaching out to them?

Yeah, I think one thing to realize is there they have more opportunity and they're more motivated because of the education, the connectedness they have. They have such a drive to change the world and want to change the world and on their own, rallying around social causes and making change. So how do we leverage that and encourage that and help them be healthy? Because at the same time it's, it's like they're growing up with a disconnection either with their parents or friends. Lack of meaningful connection, overstimulated with social media and whatnot. 70% of teenagers say anxiety and depression are major issues amongst their peers, according to Pew Research. I think that was a 2019 study. So it's like there's all this opportunity and all this drive and at the same time all of this struggle and we need to enter in to, to that struggle and talk about Jesus and healing and, and all of that. So I think, and one thing that kind of just hit me the other week I was speaking at a small in person college retreat and we're doing a Q and A session and one of the other guys was sharing about, one of the other speakers were sharing about his mental health journey and struggles and whatnot and, and just said, will you stand up if you've been diagnosed with some kind of mental condition? And 80% of the people stood up and that was, I was like, not just thinking they're struggling, but actually diagnosed. And that's a problem that people are not just struggling, but actually it's gotten to the point where they're being diagnosed and these issues aren't just random. It's, there are environmental factors, there's growing up factors, there's things that are, you don't just see a generation, you don't just see like people go from like no mental health issues to all of a sudden new generation somehow biologically changed.

Right.

You know, there, there are things like technology, lack of connection, all these things that are contributing to these struggles. And if we don't answer those questions, those felt needs, just think about who are our future pastors, our future leaders. We need to come alongside them and be like, so whether you're a grandparent or a parent, or just thinking like, I don't know how I can reach this generation. You can come alongside them, be A friend, um, you don't have to have all the answers. You don't need to have all the answers. But. But sit with them and help them figure it out and start asking other people and try and find the answers. And that can go such a long way because when people are struggling that so many don't have the capacity to try and do that research on their own and whatnot. And I would say, you know, connect with us with the resolution movement. Like so many. So much of what we do is about trying to help people discover the why. Like why am I struggling with this? What are the causes? How can I begin to find freedom and filling in that gap? Because a lot of people when it comes to mental health issues or porn or hurt or shame, we don't really investigate and help people discover the why. Why do I keep doing this? But that's our heart in short bite size pieces to do that through even 60 second videos. Yeah, like I had a started on TikTok, TikTok's awesome segue or side note. And just one of the videos is Almost up to 90,000 views on TikTok on why people look at porn. Just 60 seconds and all these people are coming across it and don't realize that there's a reason. And they're like, oh my gosh, yeah, I need help. And this is random teenagers, Christians, non Christians and they're seeing how it's hurting and impacting their life and their relationships and that can help point to the Christian worldview. God has all this stuff to say about sex and he wants to protect us from the harm that porn causes.

Yeah, I think, I think that just from what I've seen that there's this assumption that they don't want to be pursued or they don't want to have connection with other generations. And I've seen that to be not true. But it's like this, this idea that, well, if they really wanted to grow, they would come to me and they would want, they want relationship with me in my context and the things that I care about. And I mean, you know, it's funny because if you think about youth ministry or really reaching younger generations for I would argue it's been decades and decades and decades. People who are in youth, young life, whatever it may be, they go to sporting events, they go to those concerts or those plays. And that is one of the most meaningful things you can do is enter into their context and their world and be present with them. And I think that that is one of the biggest misconceptions that I've experienced is that people assume that if they really wanted to grow, they'd come to me. You're wrong. They don't know any better. But you do. Right? And that's. That would be my, really my push. For anybody who wants to help the next generation become the most effective pastors and leaders and husbands and wives and parents and maybe social leaders, whatever it may be, you have to enter in. You have to be the one to do that. You know, just as Jesus entered our culture, we too have to enter theirs. Okay, great.

So good.

Okay, so Ben, kind of shifting gears a little bit, but you were the author, one of the co authors of our resource called Living Free. And this is something for college age men. And man. We just wanted to check in, like, what kind of impact have you been seeing that this has on people who are really in those, like, formative years of college? What kind of impact have you seen?

What immediate immediately comes to mind is when I connect with somebody who's gone through it. See, a couple years ago, I was at a conference and was speaking and whatnot. But before I was speaking, I was just chatting with some guy that I ran into, and he's like, what's your name? Oh, you're Ben Bennett. Wait, did you write Living Free? And I'm like, why? Yes, I did. I didn't respond how to respond like that. Um, but I was like, yeah, like, how in the world did you know? He's like, oh, I've been going through it. It's completely changed my life. It's changed my relationship with my girlfriend. Thank you so much for writing. I'm like, don't thank me. Thank you for doing the work and for pressing into that and getting healthy. And it was so cool to see. Just like, it literally changed his life. It didn't just stop him from acting out from pornography, but it caused him to have better relationships with guys in his life, to have a better relationship with. With his girlfriend, just to become healthier overall. And he was involved in a ministry and had all of the classic discipleship resources and whatnot. But. But nothing had really addressed these deep needs that he needed healing and restoration for. So that's. That's one example that comes to mind. I think thinking back on other ones, it's. It's just like when I've seen so many times when guys start using, when. When guys go from. Especially single guys go from. I'm thinking about a group I led of people who are isolated, just kind of white knuckling. It just Trying to figure it out on their own. And then all of a sudden they start implementing the faster scale and they're like, what? I don't have to live Exhausted and in a perpetual cycle of relapse and misery. And then in a couple months, they start living towards the top of the scale, like, and reaching out. They just feel so much freer and start coming alive. And it's. Their mood shifts, their performance in ministry shifts and improves, their relationship shifts, their view of themselves starts to change as they're beginning to do the work. And it's like the parking brake on their life starts to finally come off and they start to be able to drive faster and become or live into the person God has already created them to be. It's like they're unleashed to live into that person. Wow.

Yeah. I think about that resource and what we said earlier in the podcast, it's like, man, I wish this had been available when I was a college student. I wish the guys that, because we, we had that, you know, at a small Christian college, there was ample opportunity for that kind of connection with other guys and to be real and to be honest. But there were no tools, there were no resources. It was just like the typical ineffective accountability of, well, let's get together every week and share if we've messed up and if we have, we all pray for each other and go out and try harder. But we just were stuck in the same patterns. There was no self awareness. There was no understanding of deeper things that were driving it. There was no self awareness of the patterns and how habitual they'd become. And that's what I love about Living Free is it kind of exposes all those things at a very age appropriate level for a guy to dig in and say, okay, what's been going on here? And so, yeah, just. It's encouraging for me to hear from you, Ben. How you get to hear people to say, this is changing my life. This is what I needed. And I think that's what reminds all of us, why we do this, that there's so much at stake. There is. There's so much addiction out there and anxiety and as you're saying, depression that resources are needed. And we're just excited that Living Free can be one of those for so many people.

Yep. Yeah, I'll make sure that Living Free the resource. And we have a podcast episode with Ben. I'll make sure those are in the show notes. We also have online groups now for Living Free and also local groups. You can search on our website. We'll make sure all that is in the show notes Real quick, Ben, I'm just curious if you can say anything about a new book that maybe you have been working on. And I just wanted to give you an opportunity to maybe mention something for our listeners.

Maybe or maybe not. I don't know. Are you guys pitching a new book idea to me or.

No.

Just kidding. Yeah. Next year, next summer, Josh McDowell and I have a book coming out with a major Christian publisher. Not sure how much I can say or not say now, but it's going to be a zinger and it just covers a lot of topics that we've talked about today, talking about thriving and what is life supposed to be all about here and now, how the Christian worldview impacts that and how we truly find satisfaction here and now in relationships with God, self and others. And it's going to talk about how we're heard and how that contributes to different struggles we have. And it's going to really help connect the dots for people as to understanding that their struggles aren't random, but they're a cry for the fulfillment of God given longings and desires and questioning and figuring out what those are and then ultimately how to find their fulfillment. So it's going to be I have more to share about that later, but I'm super amped on that and hope it's going to help a lot of people.

Absolutely. So next summer make sure that you dog air that time of year and that you get Ben's and Josh's book coming up. Ben, just for people, man. How do they stay connected with you? And Resolution, where can we find the content online? Kind of tell people where they could find your stuff.

Yeah, maybe one of the most simple things is on resolutionmovement.org We've got links to all of our social media channels. We've got a lot of cool stuff that we just launched on there. Like there's the Libraries tab. If you click on that, it categorizes everything, whether it's mental health or porn or hurt and trauma or if you're a parent or a youth leader. We have put all of our you click on one of those categories and it populates the page with all of the videos, articles, conversations we've had on that specific topic. We've also got a four week email journey on resolutionmovement.org under the Resources tab. Lots of free stuff on there. But we're on social media channels at Resolution Movement and we're really trying to do a lot of 15 second to 60 second content that really helps people where they're at.

Yeah, I'm going there right now.

Are you good?

Resolution Movement.

It's like, are you texting?

I know. I'm, like, watching him. I'm like, why are you on Twitter during the podcast? Got it.

You're looking up, checking about all the sports. Go Sports. That's a three right there.

Go sports.

My friend who's not into sports said, are you checking about all the sports?

Checking about. That's so good.

I'm now I'm a follower right now.

Fantastic.

One of the. One of the inaugural members.

Oh, great.

Sitting on the ground floor. Okay, so who's next? Put. Putting the challenge out there?

Got it.

While you're like, that's the thing, right? Like, we hear it and we go, oh, yeah, I'm gonna do that. Like, six days later, we've forgotten about it. So if. If you're listening, like, what. What Ben just said, go right now. You got young people in your life. You want to connect with them. You want to understand groups that are doing good work in this area, and that's exactly what Resolution is doing. So pick up your stinking phone that you're probably holding, get off of the sports, and go over to Resolution Movement and jump in on what they're doing.

Yes.

Especially if you're driving. Know if you're driving. Pull over.

Yes, There you go.

Pull over. Totally pull over right now and do it.

You woke up this morning knowing God had something big for you, and that is following Resolution Movement on all major platforms. Okay, so go check out Ben and Resolution. We follow them.

It's.

I mean, I already follow them anyway, so make me. That makes me a more inaugural.

Makes one of us.

Yeah, right. So go follow their stuff. The content is great. And look, the younger generations are the future of the church, as Ben mentioned, and they're really the future of this world, too. Pouring in and creating a safe place for young men and women is essential for the growth of the kingdom. There's just no way around it. So make sure you subscribe to the Resolution podcast. I know that you have season one out, Ben, and the link will also be in the show notes. You can follow Ben on your own journey through your own healing. So, Ben, couple things, man. Thank you so much for the work that you're doing with Resolution. You are adding to the body of Christ in so many ways. And also, man, thanks for being a part of the Pure Desire family and jumping on with us. We appreciate it.

Yeah. Hey, thanks so much for. Let me be a part of it and what you all are doing. You all personally, but also with Pure Desire, have deeply changed my life and I'm so thankful for what you all are doing and just continuing this relationship.

Thanks man. And wherever you're at on your journey, Pure Desire is here to help create a roadmap for your healing. If you or someone you know is looking for help, go toPure Desire Art.org and start your healing journey today. If you haven't subscribed to the podcast, do it. If you are subscribed, write a review. It helps others find the podcast. And lastly, never stop being healthy.