Teen Pregnancy's Makeover

My good buddy Ben Kendrew's blog Searching for Soul called attention to the excellent post below from Walt Mueller's blog Learning my Lines. Walt is such a great resource for parents and youth workers and I would highly recommend you frequent his organization's website HERE.

In case your not familiar with the story and pic below, it is dealing with unwed 16 year old Jamie Lynn Spears (Britney's sister) having a baby with her 19 year old boyfriend. Now you know!

The old saying goes, “a picture’s worth a thousand words.” The picture of the magazine cover you see above is worth a thousand times that. If you work with kids, parent kids, minister to kids, love kids. . . . you need to “read” this picture. Then, you need to talk about it. I think this photo – more than any other I’ve seen in a long time – captures the essence and reality of today’s youth culture.

If you’re in youth ministry, don’t plan anything for this week’s gathering. Instead, put the photo up on the big screen. Get into some small groups. Then, have your students discuss these questions:

- Does this picture make any suggestions on how to think, talk, act, or live?

- What does the picture say about the way the world is?

- What does this picture say about the way the world ought to be?

- Is there right and wrong?

- What’s portrayed as right?

- What’s portrayed as wrong?

- What do the Scriptures say about the values, attitudes, and behaviors portrayed in this picture?

- How does God call us to live out His Kingdom priorities in the midst of the world depicted in this photo?

Would love to hear some parents chime in on this one.

mark

Comments

[Alexander Wilhelmsen]

I remember when I first heard in disbelief late last year when it was first reported that Jamie-Lynn had gotten pregnant. The dirty pop culture which is so prevalent is annoying at best, a seeming highway to hell at worst.

I think this picture talks to how young people, even more so now (and it's funny that I'm only 24 and writing this) are dealing with what seems to be downhill trend of young society.

The popular culture world here says, "it's okay if you're a role model to go have a kid at 16." Granted, Jamie-Lynn and Keisha Castle-Hughes (who played Mary in "The Nativity Story," and was similar in age to Spears) are celebrities with gobs of money.

The refreshing stories about celebrities are those who live relatively normal lives (considering who we're talking about).

What hurts is the teens who look to celebrities instead of the "Ordinary Heroes" who they should take note of because they have been with Jesus.

To quote Charles Barkley, "I am not a role model." Which is what most celebs essentially say when they end up in so much trouble, sex, and drugs.

I guess the bad makes the good so much sweeter, but I'd rather take more good that doesn't seem as sweet, if it means the world has less "sour."

[Alexander Wilhelmsen]

As for the picture idea. You could do it with movies, quotes, and news stories. It's a somewhat lazy man's way, but I could see it being a lively discussion, if the students went for it.

[Susan LeCornu]

This picture can be a tool for parents/student leaders to use to illustrate a critical distinction.
This would not be a one-time conversation with your teen, but an ongoing one.
The picture of poor Jamie really does sensationalize and glamourize teen pregnancy and motherhood as without trial or long term consequences. That is unreal. That is an important discussion.
The good news is it gives parents an opportunity to cheer on someone who did not choose to end the life of the unwitting baby. Jamie Lynn's choice will not cause her to be hurled into Post-abortion shame, trauma and guilt which leads to many other abusive behaviors. Long-term consequences are contrasted either way, but as a post-abortive woman, I say use this story parents to springboard into a conversation about God's values, His plan being the best one, the ultimate best and why.

[Alexander Wilhelmsen]

I don't see it as a poor Jamie, but I do think teenagers forget that life has consequences. Sex = potential to have child.

I do agree with the abortion angle, that's a so-called "easy way out," that has it's bad after effects, such as the thought that a life ended before it started.

Teen pregnancy in a nowadays society, with maybe the odd exception of those that somehow get married at 18, 1st kid at 19, and somehow make it (remember, these are rare) is not a good scenario. Financial security, relationship security (which goes for any single mothers at birth), neither are there.

However, the call is to remember to help people do what is best for their lives and for God, and for those that go astray (in some way) that the Church is there to love them as God does.

[Mark Helsel]

Thanks Susan and Alex for your comments. This is an issue that we as the church and parents must constantly be in dialogue about with our teens.

[Alexander Wilhelmsen]

Another thing here to keep in mind, reviewing this again, is that students need to understand that celebrities are not like the general society out there. There are some things celebrities can do that others of us cannot.

Sometimes they can honestly do whatever they want, or atleast more so than we do. The problem is what they do with that freedom.

Who should we look up to? The ordinary people around us that take care of us. It's always great when supportive parents who are true examples are named by their children as their true heroes who showed them how to be great!