300 jr. highers

Posted on: 06/22/08 11:29 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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My family just got back from a weeklong camp where I spoke to about 300 jr. highers. The week was fantastic. The kids really responded to the messages, with about 40 kids making first time decisions to follow Christ that week, and even more making commitments to purge habits or temptations from their life and recommit to live for Him. The week also provided my family with some great “down” time between talks. We hiked, kayak, watched almost the whole Lord of the Rings Trilogy (yeah… that takes a while) … we just enjoyed some good time of “chilling.” I really enjoy the every once in a while that I get to bring my family on these trips.

Pray specifically for two kids from this camp… I’ll call them “Brian” and “Andrew.” They stopped by our family’s cabin one night at the camp to just thank me for what I shared. Both have been getting into some trouble at home, smoking a lot of weed and looking for answers. They said that this week provided those answers. They want to go back and live differently. We talked about how they could do that.

Please pray for these two kids. According to brand new Center for Disease Control “Youth Risk Behavior” report, 49.1% of today’s students have tried marijuana by the time they graduate from high school, and 25% of them are current users (have used in the last 30 days). Not all kids smoke weed. But kids are looking for answers in all the wrong places. I love the opportunity to be able to point kids like  “Brian” and “Andrew” toward answers that fulfill. 

God is good!

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What Teens Are Watching This Weekend

Posted on: 06/21/08 7:35 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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The Malls were quiet on Friday night… the streets were a little less crowded. Where were all the tweens and young teenage girls?

At home watching CAMP ROCK on the Disney Channel.

Yes, if you thought TV’s High School Musical was big… it will be interesting to see the results of Camp Rock, starring none other than the Jonas Brothers (who if you don’t know, are huge! Click here for our Youth Culture Window about this hot Hollywood boy band of preacher’s kids that has maintained a clean slate so far.)

The show premiered on Disney last night (Friday) at 8:00 p.m. and can also be seen on ABC FAMILY on Sunday night, and DisneyChannel.com on Monday night.

E online says, “it’s pretty much guaranteed to be huge.” The single from the film is already #6 on iTunes and the Camp Rock Album release only a few days ago and is already the #11 album on Amazon.

It will be interesting to hear the “post Camp Rock” buzz Monday.

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Finally Some Good News About Virginity Pledges

Posted on: 06/19/08 9:20 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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If you follow the news and the media, you know that when you hear the words “abstinence education” or “virginity pledges” … most likely they are followed with reports of how ineffective they are.

Last week we heard a different story.

Reuters reported about a Rand Corporation study that shows virginity pledges to actually be slightly helpful.

Taking a pledge to remain a virgin until married may help some teens and young adults in delaying the start of sexual activity, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

A study by the Rand Corporation research institute found that 34 percent of youths who took such pledges as teens had had sexual intercourse within three years compared to 42 percent of similar teens who did not make virginity pledges.

The Rand team said they had taken into account differences such as religious beliefs, parenting and friendship characteristics.

If some of you are wondering why we should be excited about a pledge that is only 1/3 effective… I understand your confusion (and frustration). But realize… most reports up to this point have mocked such pledges, concluding that those that take virginity pledges are actually more likely to engage in oral sex, and are more likely to get pregnant (I talked about this before in previous blogs).

But this Rand study (and a recent Alan Guttmacher study) show different.

Some researchers had speculated that teens might substitute other sexual activities such as oral sex for intercourse.

But the Rand study found that those who pledged were no more likely to engage in sexual behaviors that fall short of full intercourse than other comparable youth — findings that fit in with a study by the non-profit Alan Guttmacher Institute in New York last month.

Again… I’m not jumping for joy. If you read what I just read, it says that these kids are “no more likely” than other comparable youth. That just means that those who take these pledges aren’t MORE likely to go to third base since they pledged to not “hit a home run.” Unfortunately they seem to be just as likely to engage in these activities as those who didn’t take the pledges.

But it’s nice to see some data that these pledges aren’t “harmful.” This is the first report I’ve seen in a while that actually showed them to be slightly helpful.

The Reuters article even went on to say…

“Waiting until you are older to have sex is good for teens from a health standpoint,” Martino said in a statement. “There are lots of reasons for more kids to wait until they are older.”

Wow. It’s nice to hear some good new every once in a while.

(thanks to YPulse.com for the article)

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Heated Responses to my “Kissed a Girl” Blog

Posted on: 06/11/08 9:16 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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Most of you have already read my blog about Katy Perry’s song “I Kissed a Girl.” (The song is now #5 on Billboard’s chart and #2 on iTunes.) Apparently the blog is making it’s rounds in different camps right now… because the responses are starting to pour in.

The song obviously is typical of today’s casual mindset about “doing what feels right at the moment.” But that’s not what people are reacting to (surprise, surprise). People are reacting, as always, to the homosexuality issue.

First of all, we’ve already covered this issue in this blog (and the articles we’ve linked from that blog). But people love to react on both sides. I’ve received some emails from Christians getting all frothy and hateful, making sure to remind me that homosexuality is a sin. (Yeah… duh. So is bitterness! Look in the mirror folks.) Hence my call to react in compassion.

Anyway… on the opposite spectrum we’ve got people upset that I did say it’s a sin.

I encourage you all to read the responses to that blog. I believe that reading responses from others can be a good teaching moment about other people’s beliefs and attitudes.

Pop quiz- what can we learn about this person from this excerpt of their comment? (emphasis mine)

I don’t understand why this is so upsetting. People should be free to make their own choices in life. If someone decides to be lesbian that is their choice ( I heard somewhere that it is genetic, so they can’t pick and choose they have to come to terms with it ), they still remain human and still need love and support from community and family. I like the song. It has a nice beat and is easy to dance to, this doesn’t make me lesbian, and it doesn’t make me want to be lesbian(I doubt a song could anyway).

And for you zealous ‘radical’ Christians, I think that god doesn’t consider being bi-sexual a sin….

Here’s a couple quick observations.

  1. This person’s comment is based on “feeling,” not fact. Notice the language: “I think that…”  Today’s culture doesn’t care a lot about truth… it’s all about what “works for me.” What “feels right.” It’s not uncommon to hear people say, “I think that God probably doesn’t mind when we…”  Which leads me to my second observation…
  2. The Bible isn’t an authority to many. As believers, we quote scripture to back up our beliefs. That’s not a convincing source to the majority. Don’t get me wrong. I believe in scripture as authority and will continue to quote it. But we need to understand our audience and know that, for many, scripture means nothing.
  3. Much like my first observation… this person’s comment is not only based on feeling, it’s completely without any research. Their source material is, “I heard somewhere…”  Wow… I’d hate to base my “feelings” and beliefs on, “I heard somewhere.” This is very typical of today’s young generation. In my workshops love to show an example from a newspaper article where a bunch of kids were busted for intentionally farting in class. The press got involved and the kids were interviewed. It’s hilarious. The kids reported, “It’s a natural occurrence, and we all do it 16 times a day.” But this is my favorite part of the article:

    When questioned where he learned that information, Tyler and the other students all said it was true, though they couldn’t remember where they heard it.

I love that part. They all said it was true, but they couldn’t remember where they heard it. Sound familiar?

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The Top of the Charts… Not a Pretty Sight

Posted on: 06/6/08 8:54 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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You can learn a lot about youth culture from pop culture… that’s why I try to keep my eye on the music charts and what kids are listening to.

This week the  Coldplay is making a move up the charts… a refreshing change, I must say. No bias at all, I’m just growing tired of the insult to our intelligence that has been riding the number one slot for months now. I’m referring to the number one song “Lollipop.” If you aren’t familiar with this song, I encourage you to take a quick peek at the lyrics. All I can say is… Wow!  (I don’t know… he looks like a nice fella from his pic, don’t you think?)

So you can see why I’m cheering for Coldplay.

Other songs in chart news were Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl,” also soaring up the charts. I blogged about this song a lil bit ago. Enough said.

Also holding on, Usher’s “Love in the Club,” … aka “Let’s Make Love in the Club.” This song is an ironic piece. Usher’s new album is supposed to be about fidelity and matrimony now that Usher is married and settled down. His album tells his life story, and “Love in the Club” is about a time in his live when he was clubbing every night and taking women home with him. But he says that he’s different now. His album tells the story. Sorry Usher… most kids are missing that message. They’re too busy “Making Love in the Club” to  your song! (you’ll hear more about this soon on our Youth Culture Window)

I admit… music wasn’t great when I was 16. But let’s just say…this chart below is a little different picture than today’s:

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A Blatant Commercial for Smoking Weed

Posted on: 06/2/08 9:31 PM | by Jonathan McKee

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In this week’s Youth Culture Window article, I dissect pop culture, taking a look through the lens of last Sunday night’s MTV Movie Awards. In that article, I described a moment that had me scratching my head… one of the most blatant “pro pot” moments I’ve seen on television.

If pictures tell 1000 words, then video clips reveal even more. Take a look at this clip (you’ll have to watch a 30 second commercial first) from the awards show, a moment with Seth Rogen and James Franco. I could try to describe it to you… but you just have to see it.

What was the network thinking?!!

Oh that’s right. This is MTV…

Hence my article.

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Connected but Isolated

Posted on: 05/30/08 5:12 PM | by Jonathan McKee

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Today I am turning in a draft to my publisher for one of my new books (one that won’t be released until late 2009). The working title is “Connect” (just like my workshop of the same title), with the subtitle, “Engaging One-on-one Relationships in a World of Isolation.”

After spending a couple hours working on the book this morning, I glimpsed at my inbox and saw today’s update from Ypulse.  Anastasia linked a fascinating selection of photos by photographer Evan Baden of today’s young people “seemingly mesmerized by the glow of their electronic devices.”

As I read the artist’s explanation of his project… I chuckled because it was almost word for word what I had just written about this generation. (I guess it’s becoming pretty obvious… huh?)

Baden writes (emphasis mine) …

In Westernized cultures today, there is a generation that is growing up without the knowledge of what it is to be disconnected. The world in which we are growing up is always on. We are continuously plugged in, and linked up. We take this technology for granted. Not because we are ungrateful, but because we simply don’t know a world without it.

From our earliest memories, there has always been a way to connect with others, whether it is Myspace, Facebook, cell phones, e-mail, or instant messenger. And now, with the Internet, instant messaging, and e-mail in our pocket, right there with our phones, we can always feel as if we are part of a greater whole. These devices grace us with the ability to instantly connect to others, and at the same time, they isolate us from those with whom we are connected. They allow for great freedom, yet so often, we are chained to them. They have become part of who we are and how we identify ourselves. These devices ordain us with a wealth of knowledge and communication that would have been unbelievable a generation ago. More and more, we are bathed in a silent, soft, and heavenly blue glow. It is as if we carry divinity in our pockets and purses.

Click here for entire the gallary of photos… amazing snapshots of this generation.

That discription about this generation just keeps emerging: Instantly Connected With Others… Yet Isolated from Those Whom We Are Connected.

Hmmmmmmm.

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She Kissed a Girl and Liked It

Posted on: 05/27/08 8:51 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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I’m a regular visitor of the music charts to see what kids are listening to. Today, #3 on iTunes was a song titled “I Kissed a Girl.” No big deal… right?

Well, the song was song by female singer Katy Perry. Here’s the chorus:

I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chapstick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don’t mean I’m in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it

I know that the homosexual issue is a touchy one for many people. If you want to read about my stand on the issue, I blogged about it in detail here and link numerous articles on the subject. But in short, I think we as a church need to love homosexuals and embrace them as we do anyone else. At the same time, I think homosexual activity is wrong and leads to hurt.

This song isn’t so much about homosexual activity as it is just “doing what feels good at the moment.” Just like current hit songs “Lollipop” or “Love in the Club,” this song preaches, “follow your gut in the moment.” Another misleading message for our kids.

Singer Katy Perry first emerged on the scene last fall with her her ‘explicit’ EP “Ur So Gay.” Her new song “I Kissed a Girl” is only three weeks on the charts and is already #3 on iTunes, and #29 on Billboard’s Pop 100 Airplay chart.

According to a brief bio on Billboard.com, this young singer grew up in a Christian home the daughter of two pastors and “as a teenager she found herself captivated by Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury and also Alanis Morissette.”  Really?

Keep your eye on this song… I only see it becoming more popular.

Here’s the entire lyrics.

Katy Perry – I Kissed A Girl lyrics

This was never the way I planned
Not my intention
I got so brave, drink in hand
Lost my discretion
It’s not what, I’m used to
Just wanna try you on
I’m curious for you
Caught my attention

I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chapstick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don’t mean I’m in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it

No, I don’t even know your name
It doesn’t matter
Your my experimental game
Just human nature
It’s not what, good girls do
Not how they should behave
My head gets so confused
Hard to obey

I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chapstick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don’t mean I’m in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it

Us girls we are so magical
Soft skin, red lips, so kissable
Hard to resist so touchable
Too good to deny it
Ain’t no big deal, it’s innocent

I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chapstick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don’t mean I’m in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it

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Belief in God… Just Not Church

Posted on: 05/20/08 9:47 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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Last Sunday I provided a quick “youth culture update” to a local group of youth leaders. In this training, I talked about how the majority of this young generation in America is open to God and spiritual beliefs… just not church attendance or organized religion (a fact I discussed in detail in my book about reaching out to the unchurched).

UK opinion columnist Camilla Cavendish draws the same conclusion about people in Britain. In this article she highlights the religious trends report suggesting there will be fewer people attending churches than mosques by 2040. Apparently only 6.3 percent of the UK population attends church on an average Sunday.

But does that mean 93.7 percent are atheists?

Not even close.

Cavendish, a self described “moonlighting agnostic,” gives us a glimpse into the reality that people might be interested in God… they just aren’t interested in church.

There is a fascinating debate to be had about cause and effect. But the only point I want to make is that being a Christian country has always been about more than belief in God and Sunday worship. In the 2001 census, seven in ten people described themselves as Christian, to the astonishment of many bishops; 22 per cent claimed to be still going to church at least once a year.

So Britain is very similar to America in that the majority of the country describe themselves as Christian, but very few attend church. My friend Dan Kimball expands on this phenomena in his book They Like Jesus, But Not the Church.

This coincides with much of what we’re hearing from people in the media (the source where much of this generation are drawing their opinions from). Celebrities make statements frequently that support this kind of thinking. In my Reaching Out to the Unchurched Training I often share quotes from the media preaching “belief in the spiritual” but resistance to “church or religion.”

“I think I find more strength in faith than I do in organized religion.”
– Jon Bon Jovi, Time, August 6, 2007, p. 6.

“I believe there is something out there.  I believe there is an energy, a Karma– you know– what goes around comes around.  And I hope to God that there is an afterlife . . . I don’t go to church that often.  I go for like Easter Sunday.  There is such a short period of time to live and I’d rather spend it ‘living life’ as apposed to sitting down and praying.”
-Hayden Panettiere, Interview, The Source for Youth Ministry

“I grew up in a family that called itself Catholic.  But nobody told me that to pray you have to go to a place.  I’ve always believed in God my own way.”
– Actress Penelope Cruz, Jane, March 2005, p. 109.

Hmmmmmmm.

I always find it interesting to get a peek into the minds of those we are trying to reach.

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