>>a.revolution

Ok, I will have to admit that I finally sat down and watched a full episode of this (wouldn’t call phenomenon, but a show that has intrigued and lit up the Facebook statuses of  middle school and high schoolers for months) show called The Secret Life of the American Teenager.  I knew the type of show it was, one of those pseudo-attempts at capturing the “real-life” drama that is experienced in highschool, all while giving positive ideas and morals at the same time (i think), to those  actually confused and lost student wanting some direction.  To be honest, the lines were so blurred between what they were depicting at was right and wrong, that it was kinda scary.  Now I know that in high school and middle school, things are very blurry, but in this episode it was so confusing I thought my high school experience made more sense! 

Despite all that, I must give this certain episode credit.  This episode was dealing with the subject of sexual purity and the right and wrongs of being sexually active.  You have a group of girls trying to find out what is right for them, what is good for them, and a few select girls trying to find out what is right to God.  All this goes on while these poorly depicted male high school teenagers are stereotypically unconcerned about anything but themselves and their poor relationships with their girlfriends.  What hit me was when one of the girls were called into their principle’s office, along with her mother, to discuss an uproar that this particular girl caused.  She began to openly proclaim her own ideas of sexual conduct and it took this particular school by storm. When in the principle’s office, the principle asked the girl and the mother something along the lines of, “well what does the church say about it/believe?”  And the girl responded with something like, ”I don’t know, we dont make the rules, but they never really talk about it. Not that we really follow our church’s rules anyways, but they don’t really say.”  To say the least I was taken back, but sadly agreed to this depiction.

As youth workers, church leaders, preachers, and pastors, we have to answer the tough questions. This was a very real and authentic look at what our high school and middle school students face.  Even though some may not seem to follow the rules, or you might think everyone does, they understand the entire Bible, and are just faithful followers; the truth is they struggle.  And although they struggle, they listen and want to know.  Don’t assume those you lead understand, don’t assume that they “get it” or that if you don’t line out and discuss the tough question without an explanation that they will follow it.  We have to be willing to face the hard questions.  We have to be willing to talk about the “gray” areas and issues within our culture.  Because if we don’t, someone will.  And the other night, that was this certain t.v. show.  I would hate to think that any students would have to hear it from this t.v. show and that’s it, because there was no direction on any of the subjects.  If anything they made it seem ok. And that isn’t good enough.

So be bold.  Speak with love and grace.  Understand who you lead. Discuss the hard questions, and give reasons to your answers. The reason why all this even matters is because you love your students, and those you oversee.  And if you don’t, they will be influenced elsewhere.