Youth Alpha presented in partnership with Youth Unlimited and Ponoka First Baptist Church, premiering September 24.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Golf Marathon 2013 for Ponoka Youth Unlimited / Jerel Peters
This September 28-29 I, Jerel, will once again be golfing in the Youth Unlimited 54 hole Golf Marathon. This annual event goes a very long way to helping fund the work of Youth Unlimited in Ponoka. The goal is to raise $10,000 as I continue in my 10th year with Youth Unlimited/Youth for Christ. The challenges and blessings of working with youth here in Ponoka only grow stronger every year. It is a remarkable privilege to be a part of this ministry and the work God is doing. Would you consider keeping our ministry strong by either donating towards the goal or signing up as a golfer (and collecting pledges) to help me reach this challenging goal. It is amazing to me that God can use two days of golf and the incredible generosity of so many as a part of His life saving work with Youth. Thank you for being a part of it. Want to see if we are reaching our goal? Follow along here at this Facebook Group: Golf Marathon 2013 for Ponoka Youth Unlimited / Jerel Peters.
Are you a golfer interested in having a fun weekend with 3 rounds of golf on the beautiful Ponoka Golf Course? Want to have a remarkable impact on the youth of our community? If so, this is the perfect event for you. All golfers in the Youth Unlimited 2013 Golf Marathon are asked to raise a minimum of $700 in donations (All gifts of $20 or more are fully tax receiptable). If you would like to find out more about this event please let me know. The 2013 Golf Marathon will have a profound impact on the work of Youth Unlimited in Ponoka and the ministry and programs of Jerel Peters.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Is Youth Culture getting Better or Worse?
Depending on who you talk to about youth today ... either the sky is falling or the clouds are starting to clear. So what is really going on with our teens? According to the Focus on the Family online resource, Plugged In indicators that show reasons for worry are on the decline:
"Sexual abuse of minors is down. Teen sexual intercourse and pregnancy are down. Bullying is down. (I know, that one was a big surprise for me, too.) The number of kids reporting being targeted by hate speech is down. The teen suicide rate "has dropped dramatically." Teen drug use is down."
However, according to a Business Insider blog post on the Demise of Guys things for our boys are getting worse through video games and pornography:
-The average boy spends 13 hours a week playing video games. The average girl spends 5. The average young American will spend 10,000 hours playing video games by age 21. That's twice the time it takes to earn a bachelor's degree.
-The average high school boy spends two hours watching porn every week. Men can't escape porn: 13,500 full-length commercial porn films were released in 2011, compared with 600 Hollywood films.
So, what is the truth ... Are things getting worse for our boys or is the current generation of youth actually getting better? There are two things that I find pretty consistent when I consider questions like this: 1. I Peter 5:8 "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Truly we have an enemy who uses any and every tactic to try and destroy youth. Knowing it is half the battle (Surrendering to God is the other half). 2. God can make good out of even the worst in life. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." I am so grateful that my God is Faithful and that he redeems the lost and restores the broken. I am a witness to the fact that even when all around it can seem that all is lost for our youth ... God is doing something incredible!
"Sexual abuse of minors is down. Teen sexual intercourse and pregnancy are down. Bullying is down. (I know, that one was a big surprise for me, too.) The number of kids reporting being targeted by hate speech is down. The teen suicide rate "has dropped dramatically." Teen drug use is down."
However, according to a Business Insider blog post on the Demise of Guys things for our boys are getting worse through video games and pornography:
-The average boy spends 13 hours a week playing video games. The average girl spends 5. The average young American will spend 10,000 hours playing video games by age 21. That's twice the time it takes to earn a bachelor's degree.
-The average high school boy spends two hours watching porn every week. Men can't escape porn: 13,500 full-length commercial porn films were released in 2011, compared with 600 Hollywood films.
So, what is the truth ... Are things getting worse for our boys or is the current generation of youth actually getting better? There are two things that I find pretty consistent when I consider questions like this: 1. I Peter 5:8 "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Truly we have an enemy who uses any and every tactic to try and destroy youth. Knowing it is half the battle (Surrendering to God is the other half). 2. God can make good out of even the worst in life. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." I am so grateful that my God is Faithful and that he redeems the lost and restores the broken. I am a witness to the fact that even when all around it can seem that all is lost for our youth ... God is doing something incredible!
Friday, July 19, 2013
Youth Alpha ... Coming this September!
I am really excited to begin using Youth Alpha as a resource to help our teens find great answers to some of life's hardest questions! It all starts this September.
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