Real Teens , livre ebook

Baker Publishing Group - George Barna

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106 pages

English

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They are the digital generation, the Mosaics, a new wave of connected and decidedly upbeat young people who are anxious to make a positive difference in the world around them. Skepticism--once the hallmark of Generation X--is waning as the prevalent attitude among teens. As teens change, so must our way of teaching them and reaching them. How can we effectively convey the eternal truths of the gospel to high-tech, information-drenched, highly mobile youth who believe themselves to be self-sufficient? What are the challenges we face in reaching out to the Mosaic generation? And what are the opportunities they present? Once again, George Barna points the way.

Sujets

Philosophie et théologie

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Publié par	Baker Publishing Group
Date de parution	03 octobre 2001
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781441223630
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0403€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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© 2001 George Barna
Published by Baker Books
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakerbooks.com
Previously published by Regal Books
Ebook edition created 2015
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
ISBN 978-1-4412-2363-0
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible , New International Version ®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
Cover and Internal Design by Rob Williams
Edited by Wil Simon and Rose Decaen
P RAISE FOR
—R EAL T EENS —
George Barna has taken the guesswork out of understanding today’s teens. And like never before, we now have the means to relate, connect and communicate the message of hope to this generation.
B O B OSHERS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STUDENT MINISTRIES WILLOW CREEK ASSOCIATION
I read everything George Barna writes, and Real Teens did not disappoint! I learned more about this generation of adolescents than from any other book I have ever read.
J IM B URNS , P H .D.
PRESIDENT, YOUTHBUILDERS
Barna has done it again! He has given the Church an instructive and informative resource to help us understand today’s Mosaic generation. A book for every parent, youth worker and pastor.
R OGER C ROSS
PRESIDENT, YOUTH FOR CHRIST/USA
Barna is in touch with today’s teens, and you can be too. Real Teens is for anyone working in youth ministry. Brilliant!
B ARRY L ANDIS
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, “PLUS ONE”
Real Teens gives us a glimpse into the heart and soul of a generation. Every church must be a hospital for the brokenhearted in this generation—every Christian an emergency room worker.
R ON L UCE
PRESIDENT/CEO, TEEN MANIA/ACQUIRE THE FIRE MINISTRIES
Over the years, I have come to rely on George Barna’s thorough and solid research. Real Teens is an insightful snapshot of what young people think, feel, want and act upon. A must-read for any pastor or layperson who wants to connect with today’s generation of youth.
J OSH M C D OWELL
JOSH MCDOWELL MINISTRY
Real Teens lets us see contemporary youth culture for what it is—a mission field filled with opportunity. Receive valuable and timely advice on how to engage and reach today’s emerging generation and understand the changing values and attitudes that lie beneath their behavior.
W ALT M UELLER
PRESIDENT, CENTER FOR PARENT/YOUTH UNDERSTANDING
AUTHOR, UNDERSTANDING TODAY’S YOUTH CULTURE
If you want to impact our culture and influence the future of our nation, you must examine the lives of teenagers. Real Teens is for anyone serious about ministry in the twenty-first century.
S TEVE R USSO
YOUTH EVANGELIST
BEST-SELLING AUTHOR AND HOST OF THE RADIO PROGRAM “R EAL A NSWERS ”
C ONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Praise for Real Teens
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1 Lifestyles and Influences
Chapter 2 What They’re Thinking and Feeling
Chapter 3 Matters of the Heart
Chapter 4 Inside the Heads of Teens
Chapter 5 White, Black and Hispanic
Chapter 6 Faith and Spirituality
Chapter 7 Challenges on the Road Less Traveled
Appendix A Research Methodology
Appendix B About the Author
Appendix C About the Barna Research Group
Appendix D Taking Advantage of Barna Research
Notes
Back Cover
A CKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book has been made possible by the sacrificial efforts of many people. Let me mention some of those whose sacrifices went above and beyond the normal call of duty.
At Regal Books, an entire army of people is involved in producing a book. While I don’t know each of these literary soldiers personally, I am grateful for their team effort. The warriors with whom I have had the pleasure of working most closely include Kyle Duncan, who has been a warm and encouraging friend through this and many previous books; David Webb, who helped shepherd the manuscript through the inhouse publishing maze; Rose Decaen, who was generous in handling my tardy delivery of the manuscript and in clarifying some of the indecipherable footnotes I dumped in her lap; Kim Bangs, who always knew who to ask for help and promptly addressed my idiosyncratic questions; Bill Denzel, who drove the creative process behind the development and marketing of this book; and, of course, Bill Greig III, who has been one of my best friends and most uplifting supporters since we worked on The Frog in the Kettle a decade ago. To all of you, and the many who have worked with you behind the scenes, thank you.
I could not have written a book about teens without some keen insights along the way from individuals who work closely with young people day in and day out. While there have been many to whom I am indebted for such wisdom, I’d like to acknowledge two very special people in my life who understand young people so well and helped me to have a clue. Steve Russo is one of the premier youth evangelists in the nation and has been a close friend and ministry colleague for more than a decade. Thanks for your encouragement and the youth intelligence you downloaded. My cousin John Saucier is perhaps the purest, most effective evangelist I’ve ever known and has taken me with him on days when he does his “gospel thing” among high school and college kids. I am so grateful for your unblemished love for Jesus and your unassailable commitment to reaching young people with the gospel, John. May you stay young and energetic for Christ into your 90s!
The Barna Research Group (BRG) keeps on producing resources for ministries during my writing times despite—or, perhaps, because of—my absence from the office. This is because we have such a stalwart group of ministry-minded team players. I am indebted to the efforts of the 100 or so people who form the company. Special words of thanks are due to Pam Jacob and Carmen Moore, who crunch the data that we turn into useful bits of insight for ministry. Rachel Ables deserves my gratitude for her ongoing leadership. Meg Wells has reduced the burden on me and others by applying her intelligence and command of research and management details to the wealth of projects we undertake. Peter Change and Peter Alvin have relieved all of us of the major headaches related to the technology on which we depend so heavily by focusing on our office network, hardware and software needs and working magic on our website and related needs. Kim Wilson has been a tower of strength, making the Barna Institute, one of the divisions of our company, run smoothly and professionally. Irene Robles and Michelle Niehouse have supported all of us through their willingness to hold all the details together. Jill Kinnaman has handled the brunt of the company’s financial and logistical challenges with grace. Cameron Hubiak was an incredible companion and assistant during the year-long seminar tour that took place around the time that I wrote this book, serving with joy and selflessness under often trying circumstances. My wonderful friend and comrade in arms, David Kinnaman, has enabled Barna Research to move beyond survival to growth, handling an incredible volume of details and headaches, while producing high quality work and vision-driven ideas. David has been one of God’s wonderful gifts in my life. I thank each and every one of you for the heart, head and hands that you have so consistently and willingly applied to our joint effort to serve the Lord through BRG.
My family, as always, has been incredible. My daughters, Samantha and Corban, sadly but gracefully surrendered their dad to his computer for a couple of weeks to allow this book to come to life. Their joy and love have made focusing on this book more difficult but also more significant as they approach their teenage years. My wife, Nancy, has once again sacrificed more of her life and best interests than anyone should ever have to, in order to help me and contribute to the development of God’s kingdom through this book and the ministry of Barna Research. Nancy has been an amazing supporter of mine for almost three decades, abandoning many of her own heartfelt desires, to support and invest in the vision that God implanted in my mind and heart nearly 20 years ago. My greatest worry for her is that when she gets to heaven she will not be able to lift her head because of the numerous jewels in her crown, awarded for her incredible servanthood. I am a man blessed with the support of friends, coworkers and family who make it possible to serve God with energy and single-mindedness.
None of this would be worth anything if it had not been for the model of love and grace provided by Jesus Christ. He is my Savior, my friend, my guide, my Lord and my mentor. He has called me to serve Him in a special and wonderful way, for which I am grateful. May this meager work of my hands find some utility in His hands.
I NTRODUCTION
This is a book about the changing of the guard in American culture. This transition takes place every 15 to 20 years or so. In this case, I am talking about the ascendance of a new generation—one that is replacing the much misunderstood and oft-maligned Baby Busters. The new guard is the Mosaics. Maybe you’ve never heard that name before. Get used to it. They will revolutionize your world.
My advice is that you forget everything you’ve read about generations with initials (e.g., Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z) or those described by the new century (e.g., the Millennials). Journalists typically fabricate the analyses of these groups by using a handful of personal stories and anecdotes, as if those tales represented an entire generation’s experience. Everyone loves a g