Perceptions #20

A Call to Arms

by Doug Strange

From the founder of Haight-Asbury Free Clinic: "Teenagers are coming into the clinic suffering from bad trips on such drugs as LSD, ecstasy, and high-octane marijuana. They've become dependent on it in relation to every function - to enhance the taste of food, before sex, to listen to music . . . . Kids today are using themselves as experimental laboratories for strange drug combinations no scientist ever thought of."

Peter Wildinson, for Rolling Stone agrees with the studies done by the New University of Michigan: "After two decades of decline, teen drug use is on the rise. One particular alarming piece of information is that the biggest increase is with eighth graders - 13 and 14 year olds."

The experts say we do not have a new epidemic. What we do have are "clear signs that the salutary effects of drug education have worn off." If that is true, then now, more than ever before, we need to become involved with the lives of young people who are in high-risk situations.

Three signs of a high-risk youth:

1. They don't attend church or youth functions.
2. Their parents are not involved in their lives.
3. Their parents can't name five of their closest friends.

Adults need to support our youth in all they do, while encouraging them to reach out to their friends who are not blessed enough to have people around them who care. Teens need to be open and accepting of friends who come to church.

Bottom line: When visitors come to church, they need to feel like this is a place where they want to come back to. If we can keep them coming, then we have a better opportunity to teach them God's Word.

Doug's e-mail address is: strange@softdisk.com

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