Social Concerns Committee

Who Are Our Teens?

Builders (Born 1927-1945): 65% Bible-based believers

Boomers (Born 1946-1964): 35% Bible-based believers

Busters (Born 1965-1983) 16% Bible-based believers

Bridgers or Millennials (Born 1984-present) 4% Bible-based believers

How Does Entertainment Effect Teens?

Television and movies are saturated with viloence, sex and alochol. Nearly 61% of all television programming contains violence, with children's programming being the most violent. A recent comprehensive analysis of rock music videos of all types showed that 22.4% of all MTV videos portrayed overt violence, 20% of all rap videos contained violence and 25% of all music videos depicted carrying weapons.  The so called "family hour" contains more than eight sexual incidents per hour. Each year out teens absord nearly 15,000 sexual references with less than 170 of them referrring to abstinence, birth control or sexually transmitted diseases. The alcohol manufacturers spend $2 billion dollars annually on the "best" commercials on television to lure our kids to drink.  Music and video games are filled with sexual language too risque to put into this bulletin.  Currently, there are over 300,000 pornographic websites for teens to explore on the internet.  One in five children ages 10-17 who regularly use the internet have received a sexual solicitation while on line.

What WE Must Do To Save Our Teens?

* Recognize we are in a battle for our youth and the next generation. It is a battle as important as any we have ever faced in the past.

* The home is the key. Parents must commit themselves to be example of love toward each other as well as their children.  Time spent with children in church, on vacation, in sports and entertainment is essential.  Nothing takes the place of modeling expected behavior.

* Jesus and his church must be the center of family life.

* Family prayer by parents must define and verbalize an expected standard of attitude and conduct