Real Teens

Dec 1–2, 2009 - comments: 1

Today on the broadcast our special guest is George Barna, President of the Barna Research Group, Ltd. in Ventura, California. He has written a book titled Real Teens: A Contemporary Snapshot of Youth Culture, which delves the depths of this mysterious and oft-misunderstood creature in our society. I am looking forward to hearing just what he has discovered about American teenagers.

According to our guest, the “guard is changing” in America and a new generation of young people is coming into its own-very different in many ways than the generation that came before it. We welcome George Barna today to help us understand this new generation of young men and women and to show us the ways we-as parents, teachers and youth workers-might best impact them for the Kingdom of God.

As frightening as the thought may be, the teenagers in your homes-or there in your youth groups-will be the leaders of tomorrow. George Barna has said, “The moral foundation of teenagers is still up for grabs.” It behooves all of us to understand this emerging group of young people so that we might better lead, teach and minister to them. If we don’t, the enemy will be more than happy to do it for us.

topic(s): Faith, Ministry, Family, Parenting, Pop Culture

1 comments (post your own) feed

1 On Dec 1st, 2009, at 7:30pm, Mary Hawkinson wrote:

While preparing supper, I found Barna’s comments about the 5 generations co-existing in the US today very enlightening. As a mother of 11 & grandmother of 11, I’ve noted similar things in our family.

My husband was born in 1953, his dad in 1925 & mother in 1930. My father was born in 1909, my mother in 1917; I was born in 1955 with siblings-17, 15, 10, & 8. I felt more in line with my siblings than with my peers. I guess the influence of our mother, raised by her Victorian mother during the Depression infulenced us all.

4 of our children were born in 1977, 1979, 1981 & 1983. By the time #3 was a teen, I felt a real culture shock. I listened to what he said, but felt like I couldn’t understand the words he was using! Another similar shock occured with #6
(b.1987) at a similar age. As our youngest, 11, matures I sense another shock coming soon!

Barna’s research & conclusions is helping me make sense of my observations. Thanks!

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