Engaging with youth...
04 February 2007
I need pop culture illustrations to engage with young teens.... suggestions anyone?
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my name is mike jolly. i’m a friendly outgoing bloke. i love jesus, my wife, my children and friends. i’ve worked as a pastor, fellow, window cleaner, teacher, veggie salesman and checkout chick. more here.patterns
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Yeah -- I had this.
My advice: Don't do it. Don't go looking for pop culture illustrations. Let them come to you. Let them come to you via the students themselves. Talk to them and get to know what they like.
I'm praying for you guys engaged across the Pacific.
on our youth group rego forms we have a question that changes each term.
eg.
favourite movie
favourite band
favourite tv show
favourite food
you can find out what they like that way.
also find some PG movies that they like and watch them. they are often quite funny and you can use them in illustrations.
napoleon dynamite, nacho libre
i hate commercial radio... but every so often i will put it on when they are doing the top40 countdown... it's good to hear a bit of what they are listening to - it's good to be able to critique it too.
the other thing is go on their myspace page and have a read of what they are thinking etc.
myspace.com/ccecyouth
you could see some of our youth group kids on that site - but only those who are old enough. younger ones you'll need to be "friends" with
Thanks heaps guys
errgh I hate myspace... must fight dislike of some youth culture...
David can you give me a list of of fav bands, TV shows food etc that you've seen on rego forms?
Or maybe I need to get over myself and get a myspace account...
hmmm the price of being cool.
Are you assuming teens are only interested in pop culture?
no. But I asked for what I asked for...
hunt around on youtube for some ideas :-)
The following is from
simplykurt.blogspot.com
it's results of a survey they have just done.
some good ideas there that you could take and make your own survey for your context.
---------------------
Several people have asked to see the survey/questionaire we asked our students to fill out last weekend. Below, I've listed the questions from our survey as well as the results from my weekend students. It's important to state that this survey was only for the purposes of evaluating our large group weekend program. There are a couple very suprising discoveries.
1. I am a Male/Female:
2. Service I attend:
3. I come to church with:
4. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate the following parts of our weekend?
Games:
Music:
Messages:
5. How much time do you spend each week:
On the phone
Watching TV
Praying
On the internet
Playing video games
Reading the Bible
6. What's your favorite:
TV Show
Radio Station
Movie
7. I Believe Jesus died for my sins: YES NO
8. I have accepted Jesus into my life: YES NO
9. I have been baptized: YES NO
10.One thing I'd like to hear a message on: _____________
11.I think the biggest temptation facing JH students is: ______________
12.If I could change one thing about Wildside it would be: ________________
OUR RESULTS
SEX MALE: 47% FEMALE: 53%
GRADE 7th: 48% 8th: 52%
SERVICE 6:30: 57% 9: 26% 11:15: 17% 4:30: 7%
WHO DO YOU COME WITH Parents: 48% Friends: 35% Relatives: 8.5% Neighbors: 8.5%
GAMES 1-10 1-2: 5% 3-4: 5% 5-6: 9% 7-8: 36% 9-10: 45%
MUSIC 1-10 1-2: 8% 3-4: 4% 5-6: 4% 7-8: 34% 9-10: 50%
MESSAGES 1-10 1-2: 5% 3-4: 4% 5-6: 12% 7-8: 25% 9-10: 54%
I BELIEVE JESUS DIED FOR MY SINS YES: 99% NO: 1%
I HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS INTO MY LIFE: YES: 99% NO: 1%
I HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED: YES: 69% NO: 31%
THE MOST POPULAR ANSWERS IN THE FILL-IN QUESTIONS:
WHAT I’D LIKE TO HEAR A MESSAGE ON:
1. Friends
2. End Times
3. Gossip
BIGGEST TEMPTATIONS FACING JH STUDENTS:
1. Gossip
2. Peer Pressure
3. Sex & Drugs
IF I COULD CHANGE SOMETING:
1. Nothing
2. More Music
3. More Games
4. Longer Messages (okay, only 3 people wrote that)
FAVORITE RADIO STATIONS:
1. KIIS (pop rock, hip hop etc.)
2. STAR (Top 40)
3. KROQ (Alternative Rock)
TV SHOWS:
1. American Idol
2. 24
3. Lost
MY COMMENTS:
We are still getting the results for how much time they spend doing the activities we listed. The favorite movies were all over the map, but the favorite genre by far was comedies.
I'm SHOCKED at the 99% answer to: "I have accepted Jesus into my life". I've got a few thoughts such as maybe the seeker students and newer students may have left this question blank (we had lots of blank answers on this question...). It also reminds me that our church is getting older and we have fewer seeker families. It also makes me realize we aren't reaching out to unchurched kids the way we could. And finally, and maybe most importantly, It points out all kinds of stuff about the way we explain faith in Christ, being a Christian, their understanding of it etc. because that figure is uncomfortably high. While some youth pastors might be thrilled with it, it creates way more questions for me than answers.