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

Not So Sweet Dreams

Posted on: 11/1/13 11:34 AM | by Jonathan McKee

unmade bed Last night I had a really cool dream… and then, like always, it fell apart. Literally.

I dreamed that I was with my family at a restaurant that served the world’s biggest burger. The burger came on this huge platter and was so tall, that it was laid down sideways across the platter so as not to spill. It had multiple layers of bun, huge patties and every cool topping you could imagine (You have to understand my love for food to comprehend why this would be such a good dream).

So just as we began to dig into this amazing burger, my dream pulled one of its typical maneuvers and became Continue reading “Not So Sweet Dreams”

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Happy Slutty Halloween

Posted on: 10/28/13 3:01 AM | by Jonathan McKee

“In the real world, Halloween is when kids dress up in costumes and beg for candy. In Girl World, Halloween is the one day a year when a girl can dress up like a total slut and no other girls can say anything else about it.” -Cady, Mean Girls

Maybe it’s because I’ve been on shopping excursions with my two teenage girls…

Maybe it’s because I know America’s growing obsession with sex in entertainment, like so many movies this fall…

Maybe it’s because I’ve read this entire report from the American Psychological Association (APA) about the negative effects of the “sexualization” of our young girls… Continue reading “Happy Slutty Halloween”

Posted in Jonathan's Rant, Parenting, Self Image, Sexuality | | Leave A Comment

The Gospel According to The Walking Dead

Posted on: 10/23/13 3:01 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Last week after watching the record-breaking premiere of The Walking Dead, I once again was captivated by the series’ ability to provoke discussion. The series has an amazing ability to stir people to talk about what they just saw.

That’s why we launched “The Gospel According to The Walking Dead.”

The Walking Dead is not only one of the most popular shows on television, it’s one of the most discussed. Sure, people like Duck Dynasty, but you won’t find a lot of water cooler discussions happening the next day discussing why Godwin decided to put his $200 hot tub in the front yard. You will, however, find countless circles of people debating Continue reading “The Gospel According to The Walking Dead”

Posted in Entertainment Media, TV, Youth Culture, Youth Ministry Planning | | Leave A Comment

Young People and Binge TV

Posted on: 10/21/13 3:01 AM | by Jonathan McKee

“34% of Millennials watch mostly online video/no broadcast TV.”

That’s what the headline says, and I’m inclined to believe it. Think about it. College kids, in dorms… how many of them have DirectTV? Not many. My son and daughter (both in college) binge more on Netflix than anything else. Tired of studying? Catch up on three episodes of Breaking Bad in one sitting. Alyssa (a college freshman) watches live TV only Continue reading “Young People and Binge TV”

Posted in Entertainment Media, Internet, Jonathan's Rant, Movies, TV, Youth Culture | | Leave A Comment

The Worst Place to Drive

Posted on: 10/19/13 3:01 AM | by Jonathan McKee

I’ve driven in NY, in Chicago, in LA, in Seattle… I’ve been in a cab in most these cities as well. I thought I’d seen the worst of it. Then I went to Kampala, Uganda!

I’m not going to waste words. Here’s just a little over one minute of video I took while being a passenger in Kampala Uganda:

Posted in Speaking/Training, Travel | | Leave A Comment

Running for you

Posted on: 10/17/13 3:01 AM | by Jonathan McKee

It’s that time a year again… the one time I actually ask you for a favor. My daughter and I are each running in ENDURE, our big fundraising event this Saturday, and all the proceeds go 100% to you!

If you have used the free resources on our websites, then you know that’s truly what they are… free. No catch there. We have literally thousands of pages of free resources (games, music discussions, curriculum, youth culture articles, event ideas, etc.) and one page where you can buy some books if you really want to. No strings attached at TheSource4YM.com and TheSource4Parents.com

This Saturday is a chance for us to raise funds to keep the resources free. So if you’d like to help, donating is easy. You can jump on THIS PAGE, give a general donation, or sponsor me, or my daughter Ashley… all the money goes to the same place. The Source is a non profit dedicated to providing free resources around the world.

Donate Here!

THANKS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION!

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Top 10 Zombie Apocalypse Survival Activities

Posted on: 10/15/13 3:01 AM | by Jonathan McKee

The Walking Dead premiere broke all the records Sunday night, with 16.1 million total viewers, 10.4 million of those in the 18-49 demographic. That makes “Dead” the most-watched show in the demo on any channel, broadcast or cable, this fall, and that includes sports. No NFL game has drawn more viewers in that key age bracket this entire season.

Survival stories like this always stimulate creative conversations (that’s why I use the genre to provoke discussions with teenagers). What would you do if your water supply were shut off tomorrow? What if the grocery store shelves were empty? Where would you try to hole up and survive? Continue reading “Top 10 Zombie Apocalypse Survival Activities”

Posted in Books, Family, Youth Culture, Youth Ministry Planning | | Leave A Comment

What Does the Fox Say?

Posted on: 10/14/13 3:01 AM | by Jonathan McKee

From viral YouTube video to Jimmy Fallon to the top of the charts, and it’s just a bunch of guys dressed as animals performing a song that sounds like something from Sesame Street.

You can’t argue with numbers. Young people are going crazy over the viral hit, What Does the Fox Say? by the Norwegian brothers known as Ylvis. The song, which began as a joke, became a viral YouTube video, and it has exploded in popularity. Ylvis performed on Jimmy Fallon last week and the song currently is No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and in the top 10 on iTunes as well.

My daughters showed it to me about 10 days ago and I used it in my seminar’s pre-show as people were walking in. Sure to get a laugh.

Take a look at the video:

Posted in Entertainment Media, Music, Youth Culture | | Leave A Comment

The Kids Outside the Gates

Posted on: 10/10/13 3:01 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Here’s a puzzle to solve. No, it’s not a riddle or a mind bender. It’s a true ministry dilemma sure to spark discussion among people with a passion for ministry (Which is the exact type of ‘case study’ I liked to always drop in the laps of my leadership team).

When I was in Uganda I visited a youth group made up primarily of international students from a certain private school. The kids were mixed racially and Continue reading “The Kids Outside the Gates”

Posted in Church, Faith, Youth Ministry Philosophy, Youth Ministry Planning | | Leave A Comment