Faith Tabernacle 1225 S. Center Rd. Burton, MI 48509 February 2008     "While locking your teen in their room until he or she is thirty may have crossed your mind, it only delays the inevitable."   One of the most difficult decisions parents face with teens is when to allow dating to begin. A lot of parents and teens find themselves on opposite ends of the spectrum on a variety of dating topics such as the age to begin dating and exclusive dating. While locking your teen in their room until he or she is thirty may have crossed your mind, it only delays the inevitable. With this in mind, here are some practical things you can do to bring about a peaceful resolution. First, encourage your teen to go out in groups. This builds strong accountability and eases the pressure of temptations that could come if two teens are alone. Second, get to know your teen's friends by making your house the "hangout" spot. This will also build in some additional accountability with your teen and their friends. Third, when your teen is ready to go on their first exclusive date, always meet their date BEFORE the date begins. Make the most of this first meeting by giving your full attention to your teen's date and by asking questions that will allow you to know them more. Fourth, make sure your teen and their date know what you expect. Asking a few practical and basic questions such as, "Where are you going?" and "What time will you be back?" will send the message loud and clear that your permission must be received before decisions are made with or for your teen. Fifth, PRAY and ask God to protect your teen as well as keep you from having a nervous breakdown during this season of change and growth. Vertical Parent's Luncheon by Pastor Ben Our new directors at Vertical, Jim & Charlotte Mather, came to me last November while we were at a youth workers conference in Cincinatti and said, "We've got to get with parents. There is just sooo much stuff we've learned about Jr High students that we want to share!" I was thrilled when I heard this because Jim & Charlotte are the parents of 3, that's right, 3 Jr High students. Who better to share with, inform and encourage the parents of Jr High students? There are so many different social struggles facing today's adolescent student but some things are still the same. The same awkwardness, brain malfunctions, insecurities and hormonal outburst that you dealt with as a pre-teen still exist today. Jim and Charlotte want to share with you how you can help your students not only navigate these intimidating waters but build a solid foundation in them that will impact the rest of their teen years and adult life. So if you are the parent of a Jr High student bring your whole family and join us on Feb 10th at 12:30pm in the Hospitality Room for our Veritcal Parents Luncheon! Here are some interesting polls on what parents and teens think about dating. How would you answer? Parents were asked, "At what age should teens be allowed to start dating?" 9% - 12 years old 9% - 13 years old 12% - 14 years old 17% - 15 years old 40% - 16 years old 10% - We don’t have a set rule. (about.com) Teens were asked, "Are teens mature enough to really fall in love?" 71% - Yes 13% - Not sure 15% - No (teenadvice.about.com)

	The topics of dating and relationships are constantly on a teen's AND the parent's mind. Start communicating with your teen about this topic by asking the following questions: 1. What qualities or attributes are you looking for in a spouse? Rank your answers in order of importance. 2. How old do you think you should be to go on a group date? How old do you think you should be to go on a date alone? Why do you think this way? 3. What boundaries do you have in place to keep you protected on a date? What happens and what will you do if someone steps over the boundary line? 4. Do you believe it's OK in a dating relationship to say the words "I love you" to the person you are dating? Why or why not?		Pray that: 1. God will give you wisdom and discernment as you make the hard decision of allowing your teen to begin dating. 2. God will protect your teen on every aspect of a dating relationship, including what they do and where they go. 3. God will prepare your teen's heart as they interact and understand how relationships work. 4. God will provide the perfect mate for your teen, and that when they get older they will have a successful and fruitful marriage. In The Right Direction by Jim Mather Greetings! Hard to believe it is so far into the year. Char and I are feeling like we are in the spot God would have us. We are doing what He would have us do. When I pray I see the faces of the students, I don't know what to pray. So, I just trust the Holy Spirit and lift up each and every student. I have a heart felt motivation to pray for them. Each week we talk about more and more stuff and they open up. This year is going to be big for them. Char and I are trying to make their Vertical experience thier own. We have some really good topics coming up. Please take a moment to to store my information in your phone and email. We want to connect with you. 810-422-8738 and blackhat2035@comcast.net. I work weird shifts so I am pretty much available 24 hours a day. Please call or write me your concerns or praise reports. We are continuing to to expand and grow. We are seeing more students show up each week. We have alot of ways to help, from really involved to barely involved. Again I enjoy your students. See you soon, Jim
	Did you know... * Today, the average age for a person to begin dating is 13. In 1924 the average age was 16. (more4kids.info) * One-third (33%) of 16-18 year-olds said sex is “expected” of people their age who are in a relationship – about the same portion (31%) of teens who have been in a “serious” relationship agreed with this statement. (loveisnotabuse.com) * The U.S. Attorney General reports that 38% of date rape victims are girls between the age of 14 and 17. (msnbc.com) * Nearly one in four teens in a relationship (24%) communicated with their partner via cell phone or texting hourly between midnight and 5:00 AM. One in three teens (30%) say they are text messaged 10, 20, and 30 times an hour by a partner inquiring where they are, what they're doing, or who they're with. (loveisnotabuse.com)

	This page is designed to inform and educate parents and is not meant to endorse any product, music, or movie. Our prayer is that you will make informed decisions on what your student listens to, wears, and sees!
	SPUR58 was born from the heart of its front-man, Aaron Ivey, while working as a student pastor/worship leader. He says, “...I felt like I was supposed to share outside just one church.” He then recruited the other members, one from his own student ministry, who all had hearts for worship. In 2003, SPUR58 relocated to Murfreesboro, TN to lead worship for young adults at their church. The group signed with Indelible Creative Group. SPUR58’s heart for leading worship and truly leading others to worship is evident throughout their music. Their debut album, Sleepwalkers, is the group’s “hope that people will hear God's call, wake up, and respond with worship through their own real life stories.” (musicfaith.com) trends Dare2Share ministry has put together their top trend predictions for teens in 2008: 1. “Go Green” will become the rallying cry for this generation. 2. There will be a rising cynicism toward organized religion among teens. 3. Teens will utilize technology in sharing their faith.		musicspotlight Albums: "In Rainbows" - 2007 "Hail to the Chief" - 2003 "Amnesiac" - 2001 Background:Radiohead was one of the few alternative rock bands of the early 90’s to mimic the “grandiose arena rock that characterized U2’s early albums.” The British based group began with five members while students at Oxford University. Their debut came in 1993 when one of their singles became an international hit and left people wondering if they would be a one-hit-wonder. Their second album, however, released to rave reviews and they began building a strong fan base. To date, the group has made seven albums and multiple accolades including number one debuts in both the US and UK charts while reaching gold album status. In 2007, the group released their seventh album, “In Rainbows” and gave fans a chance to purchase it for whatever they wanted to pay for the album. The release went surprisingly well and was done without the involvement of a record label. (billboard.com) What parents should know: Radiohead continually uses foul language in interviews. Some of their albums have a negative feel. Parent/Teen Q&A: Colin Greenwood says, “I don’t think music influences people in a direct-action kind of way, but it does help to shape tastes and perhaps that has a part to play in growing up. If we make people think, then we’ve achieved something.” (uwire.com) Q: Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?
	filmwatch Are these comedies truly a laughing matter? You decide. TITLE RATING RED FLAGS GENRE STARRING The Hottie and the Nottie PG-13 For crude and sexual content Romantic Comedy Paris Hilton, Joel David Moore, Christine Laken Semi-Pro PG-13 For some sexual references Comedy Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, Will Arnett Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins PG-13 For crude and sexual content, language, and some drug references Comedy Martin Lawrence, Margaret Avery, Jay Bryant