Kudos to MADD and PowerTalk21

“Somebody ought to do something” is perhaps one of the most frequent phrases spoken when a situation needs attention. The problem is often that we are looking for someone else to step up and do it and then they can take the flack for not doing it the way we thought it should have been done while we sat idly by. This seems to be one of the undesirable qualities of human nature: we like to be armchair quarterbacks.

When it comes to the topic of teens and alcohol, “Somebody ought to do something” and I for one am glad for every initiative. There cannot be too many voices speaking up on this important issue within our churches, communities or homes. We may not all have the same ideas or solutions but if enough of us raise the alarm maybe it will cause others to wake up to a very real problem. In case you are not familiar, let me share some alarming statistics.

• About 70% of teens drink during the high school years. USA TODAY April 12, 2011
• It is estimated that more than 3 million teenagers in the U.S. between the ages of 14 and 17 are problem drinkers. About Alcohol Abuse
• In the U.S., more than 40% of those who start drinking at age 14 or younger become alcoholics. About Alcohol Abuse
• More than half (57%) of 12th graders and one sixth (17%) of 8th graders in 2009 report having been drunk at least once in their life. Connect with Kids
•  According to one study, almost 11% of 8th-graders, 22% of 10th-graders, and 27% of 12th-graders report binge drinking (five drinks in a row in the last two weeks).  About Alcohol Abuse 

That is why I give kudos to MADD & PowerTalk21 being launched April 21, 2011. While my personal conviction is abstinence and I would recommend the same to every teen, I am still glad that PowerTalk21 brings the issue to the national forefront. I see several things that PowerTalk21 is doing that are good take-a-ways for all of us who care about teens.

• They are involving parents. Their website has a “workshop finder” and offers free materials. As student ministry leaders, we must provide resources and synergistic opportunities for parents.
• They are using various forms of media to communicate their message. Websites, Facebook, Twitter, newspapers are just a few of the ways they are spreading the message. They are not locked into one format nor should we be either.
• They are partnering with other organizations to help get the message to a larger audience. I am not endorsing all the sponsors or partners but we can learn from the leveraging power of collaboration.
• They have made it easy to volunteer. People today want to get involved and they like to support causes of their own choosing. I believe more people would volunteer to help with our student ministries if we told our stories.

The bottom line is “Somebody ought to do something”…I hope all of us will be in the group raising our hand and stepping forward.