Jonathan McKee, Author at Jonathan's Blog From The Source

Two Completely Different Theologies… both Reaching LGBTQ Kids

Posted on: 08/2/18 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

In the last few months, in preparation for our upcoming Anchored Leadership Conference, I’ve been conducting interviews with people who are effectively reaching out to young people identifying as LGBTQ. I’ve been engaging in these conversations for several reasons:

I want to learn as much as I can about how to help this hurting group of young people.
I want to know how loving ministries can answer tough questions, like Continue reading “Two Completely Different Theologies… both Reaching LGBTQ Kids”

Posted in Evangelism | Tags: LGBTQ, reaching LGBTQ youth, youth ministry | Leave A Comment

The Newest on Teens, Social Media & Technology

Posted on: 07/24/18 3:33 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Pew Research just released their newest report on Teens, Social Media & Technology giving us the newest numbers confirming what we already knew: almost all teens have smartphones and use social media a lot!

But their numbers also revealed some interesting realities about where teens navigate and their perceptions about social media. Here are some random facts that stood out to me from their report:

95% of teens have access to a smartphone. That’s huge! They don’t even talk about phone ownership, but access. Last time Pew released this report (in 2015) 73% owned a phone and 85% had access.
Only 3% didn’t use social media Continue reading “The Newest on Teens, Social Media & Technology”

Posted in Entertainment Media, Internet, Smartphones/Cell Phones, Social Media, Youth Culture | Tags: smartphone ownership among teens, smartphones, social media, teens, teens on instagram, teens on snapchat, teens on social media | Leave A Comment

Just do you

Posted on: 07/12/18 6:35 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Next week I’ll be at a conference speaking to young people about deciphering truth in the midst of lies. We’ll be looking at several influences like social media, music and other entertainment media, observing the subtle messages they communicate.

Let’s try one.

Here’s a Diet Coke commercial you may have seen– I saw it in a movie theater before the most recent Avengers movie Continue reading “Just do you”

Posted in Entertainment Media, Self Image, Youth Culture | Tags: entertainment media, teaching discernment | Leave A Comment

Dear Costco Food Court

Posted on: 07/10/18 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

The polish dog, the hand-dipped ice cream bar, the chocolate swirl frozen yogurt… all gone! Costco, here are 7 bad decisions you made in your food court that are costing you loyal customers like me.

And I was loyal. My wife teased me that Costco food court was my favorite restaurant. Your food court is indubitably better than the completion, hence my surprise. Is there new management or are you just getting sloppy?

My go-to order back in the day was your polish dog meal, half of a piece of pizza (my son gladly added the other half to his pile), and your hand dipped ice cream bar with almonds for dessert. Sadly, I can’t order most of these now. (Oh the nostalgia.)

I’ve heard from your employees about your Continue reading “Dear Costco Food Court”

Posted in Food, Humor, Jonathan's Rant | Tags: Costco, Costco Food Court, polish dog | Leave A Comment

Helping Bullied, Bullies AND Bystanders

Posted on: 06/28/18 3:23 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Today I’m working on a brand new workshop for parents, teachers and youth workers helping kids experiencing bullying.

Notice I didn’t say “helping kids who are bullied.” This is where my training will immediately differ from others. I’m not just advocating help for kids who have been picked on, but help for the bullied, bullies and bystanders. After hundreds of interviews and 100+ hours of research for my upcoming book The Bullying Breakthrough… I found that most kids fall into one of three categories Continue reading “Helping Bullied, Bullies AND Bystanders”

Posted in Books, Bullying/Cyberbullying, Speaking/Training | Tags: anti-bullying, bullying, cyberbullying | Leave A Comment

The CDC, teen risks, and who is vulnerable

Posted on: 06/19/18 3:40 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Fewer high school students are drinking, having sex and using drugs… but the CDC still says the findings of their most recent teen risk assessment “leaves room for concern.”

And please don’t undervalue my use of the word “fewer.” I really mean “a whole bunch!” We’re not talking a few percentage points. For example, in 1997 a whopping 37% of kids “currently” smoked cigarettes (in the 30 days prior to the survey). In 2017 only 8% “currently” smoke cigarettes. That’s a huge decrease!

Why is this? Why the overwhelming decrease in the number of kids engaging in many of these risky behaviors, and what are these concerns the CDC is referencing about their new survey results?

Let me give you the quick answers:

Why are today’s kids engaging in less sex, taking less drugs… even smoking less marijuana (yes, really) …than kids in years prior? A few months ago Continue reading “The CDC, teen risks, and who is vulnerable”

Posted in Entertainment Media, Sexuality, Youth Culture | Tags: CDC, condoms, high school students, risky behaviors, sexual activity, stds, teenagers, YRBS | Leave A Comment

Helping Teens Press Pause

Posted on: 06/12/18 1:00 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Whenever I talk with young people about their mobile devices I ask, “How many of you think people are spending too much time staring at their devices?” An overwhelming majority of hands will go up.

Yet if you followed those same teens for 24 hours, you’d probably catch them “spending too much time staring at their devices.” (And before we start labeling anyone hypocritical… adults are in the same boat).

Let’s review. Teens are aware that phones monopolize too much of their time, but they aren’t really doing much about it.

So why not Continue reading “Helping Teens Press Pause”

Posted in Parenting, Smartphones/Cell Phones | Tags: Media fast, mobile devices, parenting, smartphone addiction, smartphones, teenagers | Leave A Comment

Does Google and Apple care about your kids’ digital addiction?

Posted on: 06/5/18 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Yes and finally yes? (It’s about time!)

We’ve all heard stories of tech companies concocting evil plans to launch new gadgets and apps addicting children to their devices. Sound like a rumor? Sadly, these legends have proved to be true on many levels. Like when former Facebook president Sean Parker had second thoughts about what the social network was doing to our children’s brains and cast a little insight behind the scenes.

“It was developed to be addictive,” he admitted.

He wasn’t alone in his concerns. In fact a Continue reading “Does Google and Apple care about your kids’ digital addiction?”

Posted in News, Parenting, Smartphones/Cell Phones, Social Media, Youth Culture | Tags: Apple, digital health, Google, smartphone addiction | Leave A Comment

People are signing up…

Posted on: 05/31/18 12:14 PM | by Jonathan McKee

I’m so excited how this conference is coming together… sign up now! AnchoredLeadershipConference.com

(and hit REFRESH on your browser if you’ve visited the site before… the main page has new buttons that need to be refreshed to hit the registration button)

Posted in Speaking/Training | | Leave A Comment

Everything’s different in just 5 years

Posted on: 05/29/18 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

A few months ago I was eating dinner with a couple who had been in youth ministry for several decades, took a 5 year break, and just began serving in youth ministry again this year. The husband leaned over to me and said, “Jonathan, everything’s different! I’ve got kids who say they’re ‘pan’ or ‘a-gender’. I’ve got a girl who doesn’t want to be a she or even a he… she wants to be a ‘they.'” Then he asked me, “What the heck has happened in the last 5 years?!!”

Great question. And I answered it in this quick little YouTube video…

This is what prompted us to launch the Anchored Leadership Conference… check it out HERE! (One day early bird registration is this Thursday!)

Posted in Entertainment Media, Speaking/Training, Youth Culture | Tags: Anchored Leadership Conference, teenagers, youth culture, youth ministry | Leave A Comment