| I'm starting this new devotional called the Edge Culture to help uplift the youth in our group, and encourage them to develop a new environment that will influence this generation, and ones to come. If you're reading this, you might've stumbled upon this as a friend, or as someone who hasn't heard from me for a while. That is ok. If you're a youth, many of these devotionals will be cutting edge. They will splice you in different ways, making you rethink church, Christianity, and tolerance. For the past month of November we have been dealing with SUSHI in youth group. No, not the Japanese cuisine that leads to seafood cannibalism, but on the idea of whether we love it, or we absolutely hate it. The term SUSHI is an acronym dealing with 5 of the most difficult gray areas youth are bombarded with today: Sex, Underage Drinking, Showgirls (Pornography), Homosexuality, and Idol Tolerance. The statistics are alarming as family morals are quickly being swept under the rug while rampant sins are being accepted as mainstream. For example on Google: The #1 search was for sexual nudity, second famous hollywood women, and fourth, child pornography (mainly middle school 6th-8th). Pornography is rising and is the #1 business worldwide racking in 5 billon dollars each year. Each year underage drinking kills more than 70% of teenagers involved in DUI. The average age of children made aware of homosexuality is now down to the age of 11. Hispanics and African Americans are giving birth on average at the age of 17, and according to some statistics abortion rates are even higher amongst these cultures. Suicide ranks #1 amongst unaccepted homosexuals in public high schools. These statistics are mainstream. They are no longer the problem. They are the norm. Christians? We stand in an era of hightened awareness of these statistics, but are we mere watchers, and listeners, or are we doers? What's more alarming are more and more teenagers who are totally content at where they are in church, and yet never reach someone. Did you know that it is FREE to get trained up at Campus Life to deal with these problems? Associations such like Campus Life, and First Priority aim at dealing with these challenges in schools, but are teenagers busting their bottoms to help or ask for help? No. Public schools are still not allowing most programs to surface in these schools. Working at Coral Park High School and Glades Middle School I have noticed that there is less and less desire for kids to find solutions, because most administrators are worried about educating their kids in math and sciences, yet neglect life and common sense. What's worse? Teenagers are not taught to step up and lead, because they are sucked up in this black hole of mainstream, that unless there's a light greater than that of the hole, influence becomes obsolete. If you're worried stop reading here. I don't want to drag you down anymore, but if you want to be inspired keep reading ... We are called to save ourselves and those whom we speak to. As young people we must desire to want what's wholesome in our lives. Most of us are in denial. It took me years to admit I dealt with a lust problem, longer to admit I was a liar, even longer to deal with my temper, but if I did not stand up to my problems, I would fall into the mainstream, be sucked into a perpetual cycle that it's ok to be that way, and it's NOT! You see, Christ came to seek those who admit their lost, not those in constant denial about who they really aren't. I remember showing off to pretty girls my jock like abilities but end up falling short because there were 10 other guys bigger, badder, and better than I was, but when I figured I was content in creating a new me, there was 1 girl and 1 God who cared how well I got up, rather than how foolish I look to have fallen down. Command and teach these things. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Timothy 4:11-16 This ain't Old School Teaching no more. It's not even mainstream. Heck, it's not even retroactive. This stuff is new, it's hip, and it's got YOU written all over it. Are you going to sit there discovering ways to fit in? Or create a new world, that God has given you the gift for? |
