World Vision. . . Responding To The Response. . .

I finally sat down to address my income tax prep procrastination last Tuesday evening. In the process of gathering, sorting, and adding up receipts I got to thinking about our charitable giving. Now I know that when it comes to giving, the left hand shouldn't know what the right hand is doing, but what transpired on Tuesday evening was significant enough to mention.

World Vision's Richard Stearns

While I was sorting and recording the numbers for 2013, I paused to think about our giving to World Vision. Of all the causes that we support, the one that has remained a constant recipient of our support is World Vision. In fact, I became a member of the World Vision family as soon as I graduated from college in 1978, when I sponsored a child for the first time. I loved their passion, their philosophy of ministry, and their Christ-centered approach. I also loved the story of World Vision's founder, Bob Pierce, who was prompted to start the organization after praying, "Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God." A "dangerous" prayer for sure. God answered that prayer as Pierce encountered the heart of God in his study of the Scriptures, and then encountered the brokenness of the world through his exposure to poverty, seeing that world and shaping his response to it through the lens of Scripture. More recently, I've read and recommended Richard Stearns' book, The Hole in the Gospel, a book that challenged me anew to recalibrate my life in the direction of Biblical justice.

Ironically, when I stepped away from my tax prep duties for the night (I can only take so much!), I sat down and checked my phone. That was when I opened an email that directed me to the Christianity Today story that broke that news about World Vision's Board of Directors and their decision to change their policy to allow the hiring of  homosexuals in same-sex marriages. I was stunned and deeply saddened. I felt that first and foremost, World Vision was compromising a strong stand on God's design for marriage.

Since then - and even immediately - I was asked by several people to offer my thoughts on the decision. With the exception of a couple of very brief thoughts posted on my Facebook page, I thought it wise to sit back and prayerfully ponder the decision without caving to the kind of knee-jerk response that a) I am prone to, b) my fellow Christians are prone to, c) doesn't typically add anything constructive to the discussion, and d) is warned against in Scripture (Proverbs 29:20).

So, I didn't say anything publicly. I also kept from fully reading any of the multitude of blog posts responding to the decision. I talked about it only with my wife and a few trusted close friends. Of course, two days later World Vision reversed their decision. . . a move that could have been motivated by a variety of factors. We may never know what happened behind the closed Board room doors at World Vision. But I can say that my initial reaction to that reversal was one of great joy.

Now, I am still processing the events of this last week but thought I would post a couple of initial and not-yet-complete thoughts. For those of you who would say that the main issue here is homosexuality or who believe my sadness over World Vision's decision to be rooted in some kind of homophobia on my part, I would respectfully disagree. Keep that in mind as I share just a few of my thoughts. . .

First, in many ways, this last week reminds us that the postmodern turn is for all intents and pragmatic purposes. . . complete. I began to seriously consider, study, and speak about the shift from a modern to a postmodern world about twenty years ago. At that time, philosophical postmodernism was by-and-large on its way out in academic circles. That ship was sailing. But a more "pragmatic postmodernism" that had been seeded by those philosophies was growing like a weed throughout popular culture. And, in the way that all cultural movements spread, postmodern thinking and living was by and large embraced unconsciously. It was simply being assimilated without thought or critique. What's resulted is a world where an older generation who has enough years behind them to see that something has changed, has enough perspective from which to at least say, "It's a different world." They may not be able to thoughtfully articulate what's happened, but they know that something big has happened. Younger folks who have been born onto the postmodern landscape and nursed by the basic assumptions of this new way of thinking about and living life know nothing else. This is just "the way it is" and "the way it's supposed to be." In fact, many of them write off, ignore, and even lament the "archaic" perspective of those who are older.

Very simply stated, there's been a rejection of any kind of objective, widely-held standard of truth. Replacing it has been an "every person for himself or herself" ethic that allows us to personally define what's right and wrong for me. . . and that can change from minute to minute based on how I feel at any given point in time. This way of thinking and living is prevalent in the church. As a result, we become the authority on everything. Our feelings and inclinations define "true north" on our moral compass. The big story of Scripture is rejected. . . but usually not in its entirety. We pick and choose bits and pieces to build our foundation, creating a Biblical system that is not fully Biblical. This reality makes things even more confusing.

Now I know that this brief explanation doesn't even come close to describing the complexity of what's been happening in our culture. But I do think it offers some insight into what's happened at World Vision. From where I sit, I think it's impossible to reconcile World Vision's policy on forbidding pre-marital and extra-marital sexual activity among its employees, with World Vision's "Tuesday" policy to allow same-sex sexual activity among employees in same-sex marriages. But if I am embracing a pragmatically postmodern approach to ethics, it makes full sense and could even be considered "the right thing to do."

Second, the World Vision "controversy" of this last week has exposed the root issue at hand. . . and it's not homosexuality. Rather, it's an issue of authority. I don't think we can even begin to have the kind of constructive, generous, and grace-filled conversations on any same-sex issue that we need to have until we can arrive at some common ground on Biblical authority. If you read the Scriptures while assuming the Scriptures are an apple, and I read the Scriptures assuming the Scriptures are an orange. . . well, you know what happens. . . and it's happening. It's also an issue of hermeneutics. . . the way that we approach the task of interpreting the Bible. Again, it would be an over-simplification to say that people either take an "interpret all of life through Scripture" or an "interpret Scripture through all of life" approach, but isn't it reasonable to say that we all fall somewhere on that spectrum? And, if that's the case, no wonder we can't agree on issues related to sexuality, or any other issue for that matter.

Third, the World Vision policy and its reversal remind us that we need to be thinking about, praying about, and talking about marriage. . . . and we need to do so from the vantage point of interpreting and defining marriage through Scripture, rather than interpreting Scripture through cultural trends on marriage. This requires us to return to God's intended design for marriage at the time when things were the way they were supposed to be. The Shalom that existed in the garden was a gift to humanity that allows us to experience the fullness of our humanity. That Shalom is what we're called to pursue here in the brokenness of our world. Doing things "my way" is what got us in trouble in the first place. Shouldn't World Vision be pursuing and promoting a view of love, sex, and marriage that reflects God's order and design? That divine order and design is certainly what's behind their long-held policy on pre-marital and extra-marital sex.

And finally, the events of this last week reminded me of how important it is for us to listen to people who have proven that they are worth listening to because they are wise, time-tested, humble, and trustworthy. I have not yet ventured into the blogosphere on the World Vision issue to track the fallout and responses because I knew I would wind up getting side-tracked. Several friends suggested that I read this or that response. Instead, I deliberately went to my book shelves to consult with some trusted "mentors" who I know have spent their lives dedicated to pursuing a deep knowledge of God along with an understanding of God's will and way on this and other issues. For example, I took some time to re-read parts of John Stott's The Radical Disciple, and Richard Lovelace's 1978 Homosexuality and the Church. Without the overt vitriol of so many of my angry brothers and sisters, and without the veiled-by-Christian-love and grace passive-aggressiveness of many brothers and sisters who want to enlarge the theological tent of evangelicalism, Stott and Lovelace offered me a grace-filled and Biblically-faithful perspective that calls the church to be pastoral rather than punitive when it comes to same-sex behavior. . . or any other equally grievous wandering from God's will and way.

This got me to thinking more deeply about who it is that we choose to listen to in today's world. In a pre-social media world where anyone can build a following, those who spoke publicly earned their place by developing their knowledge and expertise. They truly had something to say. Their expertise. . . built and developed over the course of a lifetime. . . that's what gave them the right to speak. Now, I fear that all we have to do to develop an audience is market ourselves through social media. We live in a world where all you have to do to make a name for yourself is, well, make a name for yourself. Those who are most gifted at building their presence in the world of social media, tend to be the most persuasive. We have to be more careful about who it is that we listen to and who it is that we follow.

Countdown to CPYU's 25th Celebration! . . . .

On Sunday afternoon, July 23, 1989, I sat at a table with five trusted friends who sensed, with me, that God was clearly calling us to embark on a new mission and ministry. Admittedly, we knew very little at all about what we were doing. What we did know was that our meeting was the first step into an adventure and journey of living under God’s guidance, grace, and direction. We had no idea where the journey would take us or how long the journey would last. Then, I blinked. And when I opened my eyes twenty-five years of working with The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding had passed. . . just like that! Along the way, that little group of six has grown to include a small army of people who are praying for us, supporting us, and working with CPYU!

This year, we celebrate our 25th Anniversary of CPYU. Again, so hard to believe. On Friday night, April 4, several hundred members of our CPYU family will gather here locally for an evening of celebration. We'd love to have you join us. You can get more information and register here. 

We remain committed to that original mission that we’ve been pursuing for the last quarter century. We continue to work to understand and expose the many voices in this world that convincingly call for our allegiance. And, we are committed to helping children, teens, and parents sift through this confusing babble to hear Jesus speak the truth that leads to our flourishing, both in this life and the next. Our goal is to, like Jesus, help people recognize the spirit of the times (“You have heard it said that. . .”), while communicating God’s Kingdom way of thinking, living, and believing (“But I tell you. . .”). The Apostle Paul reminds us that this transformation requires us to put “off” and abandon our misguided old selves, and to put “on” new selves that reflect God’s will and way for our lives (Ephesians 4). Our mission has not changed. Rather, it's been cemented. It’s our prayer that this cement would continue to dry and harden as we forge ahead in this journey and adventure for as long as God allows!

Social Networking and The Diminishment of Me. . . .

"Me, me, me." That's what got us into trouble in the first place. . . isn't it? Our first parents decided that it was better to glorify self than to glorify God. Consequently, everything came undone. And, we've been undoing it through self-promotion ever since. 

Last Sunday, I listened to a clear call to humility come from the pulpit of our church. I had also just read Mark Driscoll's letter of apology that was getting all kinds of attention online. The letter was, in many ways, a confession of pride, along with a resolve to seek a more humble way of living. Yesterday, this popped out at me as I read the day's entry in Scotty Smith's Everyday Prayers: "Here's my cry: continue to free me from doing anything for the approval of people, out of the fear of people, or to gain power over people. I work for you, Lord Jesus, not for mere men."  Powerful.

The reality is that we are living on a cultural landscape that breeds and feeds the life-sapping sin of hubris. It's not seen as a malignancy on our character. It's not even seen as benign. Rather, hubris is celebrated and encouraged. 

Having had my life transition from pre-social media days to a world dominated by living online, I know first-hand just how easy it is enlist social media to promote one's self. I see what's able to happen now in light of what never could have happened then. It's even worse for those who haven't lived long enough to gain the big picture. When they jump online to shape, build, and promote their brand it's simply a normal part of their day. . . like eating, drinking, and going to the bathroom. . . and what can be wrong with that?!? 

Over the course of the last five years, two of the cultural trends I've been tracking with great interest and intensity are our slide deeper and deeper into the abyss of Narcissism, and our unexamined dive into the world of social media. Combine the two with our deep brokenness and we wind up being mad scientists dabbling with joy over a dangerous mix. . . . and again, we aren't even aware that that's what's happening.

It's so easy to beat our chests online.

I think that the antidote to this pandemic that most of us don't even know exists is two-tiered. No, I don't mean to simplify the issues, but I think that this at least offers what could be a healthy start. At least it's been somewhat helpful to me. . . .

First, immerse yourself in the Word. . . the humble and other-centered incarnate Word Jesus. . . and God's written revelation of His self, will, and way in the Scriptures. Without that perspective taking root and growing in us, we'll never be able to see, recognize, and address those weedy sins that we so easily allow to root and grow in our lives. 

Second, exercise a little good and disciplined sense in your online social media comings and goings. Specifically, start by taking a long hard look at the history of your tweets, Instagram photos, Facebook posts, and profile pictures. What do they promote? Seriously. What kind of care have you taken as you choose your images and words? What kind of criteria made those images and words "post-worthy" for you? What are you doing in your photos?  

Self-examination is a good thing. Then, just before you hit "send," "post," or "reply," pause and ask yourself these questions. . . 

• Does this matter?
• Is this useful to others?
• What is this photo advancing?
• What do these words advance?
• Does this promote and reflect Kingdom of God living?
• Does this promote or reflect the advancement of myself, the world, the flesh, or the devil?
• Does this glorify God?
• Does this glorify me?
• Come on. . . why am I doing this? . . . . really.

Sexual Abuse Dynamics, Youth Ministry, And Discovering The Truth. . . .

A few weeks ago I was walking through the hallway at a youth ministry conference when I spotted a local church youth pastor who is a long-time friend in the distance. I greeted him with a hearty "Hey Mike! How are you doing?!?" With a deer-in-headlights expression that indicated Mike was there. . .  but not there. . .  he looked back at me and hestitatingly answered, "Uhhh . . . . I'm OK."

Knowing something somewhere in his life was amiss, I asked him what was up.

Mike proceeded to tell an all-too-common-these-days story that had unfolded over the course of the few days prior to our standing thee face-to-face. A young teenage girl in his youth group had pulled back the curtain and taken the very brave, courageous, and frightening step of telling a peer that she was being sexually abused by an adult. Mike's story intensified when he told me that the abuser was not only the father of the teenage girl, but one of Mike's long-time youth ministry volunteer leaders. If that's not bad enough, the abuse was perpetrated on another of the man's teenage daughters as well. The man admitted everything.

Once again, a bomb had been carefully constructed over a long, long period of time. A perpetrator groomed and violated victims. Now, the bomb had detonated publicly and the smoke and shrapnel was covering a wounded family, a wounded youth ministry, and a wounded church. . . . and that's just the beginning of the story and its' damage, we can be sure.

We're hearing and seeing this same ugly story work itself out in a variety of nuanced yet similar ways all over our culture, our churches, and our youth ministry world. It is epidemic. And, what was once kept silent (wrongly and regrettably) is now bursting out into the open, leaving all of us with the responsibility to understand sexual abuse and the common threads that are emerging in so many of the stories.

Last week, one of those dynamics took center stage when The Today Show's Matt Lauer sat down for an interview with the wife of convicted abuser, Jerry Sandusky. What struck me most about the interview was how we want to believe the best about those we know and love. We're all that way, aren't we? In fact, even in spite of convincing evidence, spouses, family members, and close friends of perpetrators refuse to believe that the person could have ever or did ever do such a thing. Dottie Sandusky certainly falls into that category. In fact, there are cases where even family and friends who witness a perpetrator's first-hand confession of guilt still refuse to accept the facts.

I was reminded of this again this morning when I read a compelling op-ed in our local paper on how perpetrators manipulate and groom not only their young victims, but their family members and friends as well. Written by Angela Trout, and advocacy coordinator at the Lancaster YWCA, the op-ed piece is titled, "Dottie Sandusky Was Also Groomed." It's powerful and worth five minutes of your time.

Sunsets, Car Motors, and Yes. . . The Rectum. . .

Where are the places in life that you go to see the Glory of God? Over the years, I've been blessed to learn that the arena of God's Glory is far more extensive than I once thought, imagined, or knew. The fingerprint of God is literally everywhere.

Ironically, it was in the place where I thought God's Glory existed most clearly that I learned that I needed to look elsewhere. It was 1982 and I was attending my first chapel service as a new student at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. After all, doesn't God live most clearly within the walls of our worship spaces? We stood to sing a hymn I had never sung before. . . and as some of the most enthusiastic singing I had ever heard echoed through the room, I realized that we were singing truths about things that existed beyond the confines of those walls and to the very ends of the earth. It was as if scales were falling from my eyes.

We were singing the hymn "Earth and All Stars." The lyrics point to the fact that it is not only what God has created, but what we create as we image Him that screams "Glory to God!" Consider these lyrics. . .

Earth and all stars, loud rushing planets,
sing to the Lord a new song!
O victory, loud shouting army,
sing to the Lord a new song!

He has done marvelous things.
I, too, will praise him with a new song!

Hail, wind, and rain, loud blowing snowstorms,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Flowers and trees, loud rustling leaves,
sing to the Lord a new song!

Trumpet and pipes, loud clashing cymbals,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Harp, lute, and lyre, loud humming cellos,
sing to the Lord a new song!

Engines and steel, loud pounding hammers,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Limestone and beams, loud building workers,
sing to the Lord a new song!

Classrooms and labs, loud boiling test tubes,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Athlete and band, loud cheering people,
sing to the Lord a new song!

Knowledge and truth, loud sounding wisdom,
sing to the Lord a new song!
Daughter and son, loud praying members,
sing to the Lord a new song! 
Since then, I've worked hard to be mindful of seeing God's Glory wherever it may exist. Of course, I see it in sunsets. . . particularly at the lake. I see it in a clump of trees that I've come to stare at and watch grow. When I make my annual pilgrimage to the local classic car show, I see God's Glory imaged in what those created in His image have done with raw materials that combine in amazing engines that sit under hoods and the beautiful lines on the cars themselves. I've seen His Glory when a wide receiver jumps higher than I could ever hope to jump then twists his body in unimaginable ways before making an amazing catch. The list goes on.

And then this weekend I added something else to my list. I was driving south on Interstate 95 and tuned in to NPR's Terry Gross and an interview with Mary Roach, the author of the book Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal.  I happened to tune in to the latter part of the interview. . . right at the time they were talking about the rectum. . . . which, by the way, is something that most of us think we should never talk about. It was absolutely fascinating and I couldn't stop listening. Later, I went online and listened to the complete interview. . . which started with a discussion of saliva. . . another thing that we never really talk about. . . or at least think we shouldn't. The conversation offered a fascinating peek into the complexity with which we've been made. Not only are we complex, but it works.

All I could think to say when the interview was over was "Glory to God." He has done marvelous things!

Where do you see His Glory?

Hey Tyrone. . . For The Sake of Art. . . .

This last weekend it was once again my privilege to spend several hours pouring into the lives of youth workers at the Simply Youth Ministry Conference. As always, I did an eight-hour intensive on "Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture," where I lay out what I hope and trust is a biblically-faithful theology of faith and culture.

After finishing up on Sunday afternoon, I was approached by Tyrone, a 23-year-old junior at Nyack College who hails from New York City. Tyrone was mulling over what we had discussed in the class and wondered how he could apply his faith to what he sees as his calling. . . to work in the world of art, particularly in the arenas of film and fashion.

Tyrone and I sat together for awhile to talk about his hopes, his dreams, and his aspirations. . . along with the fact that God does indeed have something to say about Tyrone's endeavors. Tyrone is pursing things that matter and that matter deeply. He knows that the worlds of art, film, and fashion typically work themselves out in ways that remain faithful to our culture's most cherished values and stories. Sadly, those values and stories result in things not being the way they are supposed to be. Tyrone, in a very wonderful way, longs for something better.

I told Tyrone that when I got home I would pass on a list of books and resources that I know would serve him well as he endeavors to live out his faith in his unique calling. The good news is that there are many deeply committed Christians who have endeavored to embrace art, film, and fashion to the glory of God. So Tyrone (and anyone else willing to read a few good things), here's a little list to get you started. . .

Steve Turner has written a couple of books that are really, really helpful. His book, Imagine: A Vision for Christians in the Arts, will get you thinking about the fact that Jesus is the Lord of all of life. . . including art, film, and fashion! Turner believes that creativity is essential. . . it is what God wants. But God wants us to embrace a vision for excellence in the arts. Turner lays out a vision for the arts that will help you see there is lots of art being created by Christians that just flat-out bad, and lots of art being created by non-Christians that is off-the-charts good. Turner's latest book, Popcultured: Thinking Christianly About Style, Media, and Entertainment, is one that I'm recommending wherever I go. It's a book for both consumers and creators of art, film, and fashion.

Of course, like most people I know who have a good view of faith and culture, Turner was influenced by Francis Schaeffer. I love Schaeffer's little booklet, Art and the Bible. It is clear, concise, and convicting.

On the general subject of art, our friend Ned Bustard has published a helpful collection of essays, It Was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God. These essays from folks with last names like Keller, Edgar, Peacock, and Fujimura explore what it means to make art from the unique perspective of a believer in Christ.

Tyrone, I would be remiss if I didn't mention another good book on how we image God through our creativity. Andy Crouch's Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling will serve you well as a foundation for understanding how you've been made, the creative gifts you've been given, and how to use those gifts to "make" to the glory of God.

Since you've expressed a special interest in film - and there are loads of good books on Christians and film that are out there right now - I want to tell you about two of my favorites. First is William Romanowski's Eyes Wide Open: Looking for God in Popular Culture.  This book has served me well over the years. It's about so much more than just film. It's also a book that I've required students at all levels to read in just about every class I teach. For a book specifically on film, I recommend Brian Godawa's Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films With Wisdom and Discernment. It's been re-released recently in an updated and expanded version. Godowa is himself a film-maker. One of the most valuable aspects of this book is its treatment of violence, sex, and profanity in film. Read it and you'll see exactly what I mean.

Finally, I need to tell you about a ministry that does some amazing cultural analysis, much of it on contemporary film. My friend Denis Haack runs Ransom Fellowship, and his Critique  magazine is well-worth your time.

Thanks for inviting me into this journey with you Tyrone! It's going to be fun to see how almighty God helps you matter in a world of matters that really do matter.

The Oscars, Youth Culture, and Film. . . .

With the Oscars airing earlier this week, I've been thinking quite a bit about film. . . its power, its role in our culture, and the way it has influenced my life. As a youth culture watcher, I’ve developed a special place in my heart for movies. French film director Jean-Luc Godard once said that "a film is the world in an hour and a half."

Like all cultural artifacts, films serve us as maps and mirrors. As maps, they direct our thinking and doing. As mirrors, they tells us what we value in terms of our thinking and doing. In his book Visions of Vocation, Steve Garber quotes William Barrett from Barrett's book, Irrational Man. Barrett writes, "Every age projects its own image of man into its art. . . . Whenever a civilization has live in terms of a certain image of man, we can see this image in its art."

Garber also reflects on the words of Donald Drew, a Christian who thought deeply about film.  Garber says of Drew, "Taking off from Descartes's 'I think, therefore I am,' Drew maintained that films are cinematic images of the human condition, windows into diverse understandings of what it is that makes us human. I play, therefore I am. I work, therefore I am. I copulate, therefore I am. With unusual insight he suggested that movies, like every art form, both reflect and promote certain visions fo the way life is and ought to be. They can never be neutral. Someone is always communicating something - and not always because its creator is intentionally making a statement, but more so because the dynamic of reflect and promote is implicit in the act of creation itself."

For those of us who need to keep developing our knowledge of the culture, world, and spirit of kids, movies offer a great window into that culture, world, and spirit. Over the years, there are five films that have come to sit at the top of my list in terms of films that give clear visions of contemporary images of youth. Here's what sits at the top of my list. . .


1. The Breakfast Club – It’s been almost 30 years since this John Hughes classic hit theaters and it still captures the hopes, dreams, angst, ups, downs, and dynamics of adolescence in captivating ways. I’ve watched it so many times that cuing it up is like walking through the door to visit a group of friends. No other film has done a better job deepening my sensitivity to kids who face difficult issues. Sure, it’s a film filled with stereotypes. My favorite scene? When Judd Nelson’s John Bender pours his heart out about his family. Wow. I always walk away from this one with a better sense of why I’m called to youth ministry.


2. Little Miss Sunshine – How can you not like a film starring a little Abigail Breslin?!? This one takes us deep into the brokenness of the human condition, while showing us that even in the midst of our brokenness, there can still be hope. I love the social commentary on our cultural obsession with body image, along with the snarky peek into the creepy world of child beauty pageants. Teenager Dwayne deserves our attention in this one. Pay special attention when Dwayne breaks his vow of silence and spills his heart. We all know kids who feel like this. Very moving!


3. Good Will Hunting – Written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, this movie is at one level about growing up in Boston’s South End. It captures the “Southie” culture with great accuracy (yep, lots of profanity). But it’s also about Will Hunting’s discovery of his gifts and emotions. This film’s a favorite because it helped me begin to understand the horrible legacy left by abuse. Most gut-wrenching scene? When Robin Williams’ character Sean Maguire gets Damon’s Will Hunting locked in that freedom-giving embrace. Pass the Kleenex, please.


4. Thirteen – This film is especially powerful as it was co-written by Catherine Hardwicke and Nikki Reed. Hardwicke entered into Reed’s life as a mentor as the thirteen-year-old Reed struggled to navigate her transition into adolescence. The two wrote the film based on those real-life experiences. It’s not pretty. This film takes us into a world none of us ever want to see, but must see. All the pressures, social problems, and family issues of today’s teenage world are explored. Be forewarned. . . there is one scene of female nudity in this film. But for those who understand film, it’s not nudity of the gratuitous type. This film deepened my compassion for lost and hurting kids.


5. American Teen – Filmed in Warsaw, Indiana, this documentary follows several students through their last year of high school. Released in 2008, this modern-day real-life Breakfast Club offers a compelling peek into the social and family interactions of today’s teens. Sure, the kids knew the cameras were rolling, but there’s enough here to open your eyes to things like family pressure, academic pressure, sexting, the party culture, the role of sports in teen life, and more. Because I tend to root for the underdog, I loved getting to know self-proclaimed nerd Jake Tusing, and the free-spirited Hannah Bailey. This is a film worth watching with parents and your youth ministry team.

That's my list. What  films are on your list?