As a new school year descends upon us, with all the obligatory “back-to-school” sales and hype, we have to ask ourselves, “What are my kids going to learn this year besides reading, writing and arithmetic?”

Many of us have seen our kids pick up things at school we don’t particularly care for. Maybe it’s an attitude of disrespect toward you or foul language from the lyrics of a new CD or behavior they learned from pornographic pop-ups that appear on the computer monitor while doing homework. Get ready, because these things will happen.

As parents we have to create a godly culture in our homes that our kids are drawn to—one that goes “back to school” with them—rather than allowing them to bring unwanted attitudes and behaviors back home.

It’s a tough fact to accept, but kids today are falling into a trap of deception. It offers all the shine but shows none of the dirt that comes from being deceived. Deception doesn’t happen quickly, and this culture has a lot of time to repeat its message over and over again. As a result, our kids transfer ownership of their hearts from us to something else.

One pop culture mogul said, “We don’t advertise to this generation; we own this generation.” In many ways that’s true. What they say goes. What they put on network TV sells.

We can tell our kids, “As long as you’re a part of my house, you’re not going to watch this or wear that.” But such a response does very little to turn their hearts toward home.

Somewhere in the process of growing up, our kids get turned off to anything we have to say. They don’t want to talk about things or listen to us. And when they do listen, they do it grudgingly. It seems they don’t want our influence, and no longer embrace godly values.

Though it may come as a surprise to some of us, our kids have gradually transferred ownership of their hearts from us, their parents, to their friends or the culture. Kids care more about pleasing their peers than pleasing Mom and Dad. This type of thinking begins gradually, but every little step is a sign that their hearts are being lured away.

It seems hopeless, but there is something we can do! We, as parents, need to intervene. We’ve got to turn their hearts back toward us. This will not happen by commanding our kids to do this or do that, but by wooing them.

Parents, it is our job to continue to woo our kids so they will want to listen to us—not to the media, their peers or ungodly influences. If we allow the culture or their friends to overpower them, we will have an incredibly difficult time re-establishing the respect they once had for God and us.

The saying “Quality time is better than quantity” is not true. Parenting means sacrifice and time.

We need to do things with our kids and win them over by building bonds and making memories together through shared experiences. This will begin to draw their hearts toward home.

After you have spent quantity time with your kids, they will start to see that you care and want to listen to them. Your kids will eventually open up and share their thoughts and feelings with you.

Depending on how hardened your kids are and how controlled and manipulated they are by the culture and their friends, it might take a significant amount of time in the beginning to woo them. But it’s not impossible. Start a pattern of spending “quantity” time with your kids while they’re young and impressionable.

It’s time to recreate a culture in the home that demonstrates to our kids unconditional love and promotes open communication. It is our job as parents to woo the hearts of our children and influence their minds. Be encouraged. You can do it!

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Ron Luce is the president and founder of Teen Mania Ministries, a Christian organization reaching millions of young people worldwide. He passionately declares the gospel through Acquire the Fire TV broadcasts, youth events, camps and media resources. He is the author of Recreate: Building a Culture in Your Home Stronger Than the Culture Deceiving Your Kids. Visit him online at .

Whenever teenagers take a stand against the culture, people want to know what’s going on.
Those who speak up shape the culture. That’s why it’s important for Christians to let their voices be heard in the media and other arenas. In fact, there are far more people who embrace biblical values than those who attack them, but unbelievers happen to control the press.

There are 33 million U.S. teens, and the enemy continues to prey on them. But as Christians, we must protect our heritage and the future of teenage America.

Corporations, media conglomerates and purveyors of popular culture have spent billions to seduce and enslave our youth. But there is plenty we can do to combat the problem.

In March, BattleCry sponsored a rally to give teens and youth the opportunity to come together and take a stand for Jesus. More than 22,000 participants gathered in San Francisco for the event.

Those young people stood up in the stadium and declared their allegiance to Christ. “I want the cross!” many of them shouted.

I wish we all could have been there to experience God move in the hearts of so many participants. Their eyes were opened wide to the cultural forces trying to shape their generation.

But before the stadium event got underway, the teens met at City Hall to have a BattleCry Rally. They were met with opposition by protestors who were less angry than last year but more perverse than ever.

The demonstrators rewrote the lyrics to Christian songs and sang the vulgar words to more than 1,000 teenagers who had come to express their passion for God and commitment to purity.

Some protestors carried posters so perverse that when CNN reporter Christianne Amanpour interviewed me moments later she asked, “What do you think of the posters?” I said, “I can’t see them. What do they say?” and she said, “I can’t repeat it.”

Whenever teenagers take a stand against what the culture says is cool, people want to know what’s going on. For example, the rally generated coverage from The O’Reilly Factor, The New York Times, CNN Presents, Fox News and ABC’s Nightline. Close to 11 million viewers watched the event on TV, and 4.6 million people read about it in several national newspapers.

Unfortunately, the city of San Francisco imposed a noise ordinance on the stadium, and we couldn’t turn on the sound system until 10 a.m. For some reason, the powers that be didn’t want to hear young people worship God and intercede for their peers.

But we were able to broadcast the worship session live in the Bay area on KFAX Radio, and the participants brought radios and headphones to hear the music. Not only was worship loud and at some points a cappella, but thanks to the National Religious Broadcasters television network, it could be heard across the country.

America’s teenagers never asked for a cultural war or the temptations Satan dangles in front of them, such as violent video games and Internet pornography. But we must realize how far-reaching the crisis is and work together to stop it.

The strategy is simple: Those who consistently speak up against negative influences will win. Let us equip you to join in the battle for America’s youth. Log on to to learn how you can make a difference in the lives of others.

We are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Let’s make sure we are not shining brightly in our basements but on a lampstand for the world to see. We need to pray and reach out to young people with the love of Christ.

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Ron Luce founded Teen Mania in 1986. He and his wife, Katie, have seen more than 2 million youth attend events they host called Acquire the Fire, and they have sent more than 50,000 teens across the globe on mission trips. Ron and Katie live in Garden Valley, Texas, with their three children: Hannah, Charity and Cameron. To read past columns in Charisma by Ron Luce, log on at

Let’s be leaders who persuade young people to trust Jesus no matter what happens.
Because of the recent highly publicized sexual scandal of one of our nation’s most prominent Christians, it is important for us as parents and leaders to talk to our kids about standing for God in the midst of moral failure in the church.

Our children need to know how to process what they’ve seen and heard on television. We don’t want them to become leery of trusting authority figures in their lives.

It is important for us to set an example, and we must teach them to have a strong commitment to Christ. They too are called to live for Him.

I can recall in the 1980s when scandals involving Christians came to the national forefront. I remember thinking, If they can’t stand for Christ how will I possibly do it?

But the Lord helped me realize it didn’t matter if every single person I admired fell away. What Jesus continues to do in my life is so real that I could never turn my back on Him, and I never will.

This is the kind of commitment we all need to have. It could protect us from becoming disheartened in our own walk with Him. Teaching and nurturing our young people until they have that kind of resolve and determination must be part of our strategy to claim this generation for Christ.

Perhaps you might have noticed the increase of illusionists both on television and in motion pictures recently. They intrigue people with their tricks, but the fact remains that what they do is create perception.

Satan is a master deceiver and the best illusionist we’ve ever seen. The truth is that sin, as in the case of the Old Testament character Samson, makes you stupid. When you dabble in it just a little, it makes you numb to reality and the consequences you’ll have to face one day.

We know the Bible says the devil disguises himself as an angel of light and that he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. But we have to see through the deception, and the only way to do that is to learn truth. The truth of God’s Word sets you free from the bondage of sin.

Every type of relationship we have, whether marriage, friendship, authority figure or spiritual mentor, is built on trust. When we lose confidence in them, we become isolated and lonely.

But just because someone gets his heart broken by another person doesn’t mean he should never get married. He has to learn to trust again.

So it is with our children. One of the most effective ways to sustain their trust in us is never to make them wonder if we parents have something to hide.

Be vulnerable with your weaknesses. Don’t pretend you’re perfect. Ask your children for forgiveness and request that they pray for you if there is an area in your life that is unsteady.

Also, demonstrate that you are accountable, whether it is to a ministry board or to a couple with whom you and your spouse can openly share your challenges and struggles. It communicates to your kids that you deal with your inadequacies and the mistakes you make.

There is a battle raging for the souls of our kids, and it would be just like the enemy to use a public catastrophe to get us off track and derail our efforts to win a generation.

If you are unsure what to do to reach out to kids in your area, log on at www . for help.

Let’s be leaders and parents who fortify our own strength and resolve and as a result, persuade young people to trust Jesus Christ no matter what happens around them.

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Ron Luce founded Teen Mania in 1986. He and his wife, Katie, have seen more than 2 million youth attend events they host called Acquire the Fire, and they have sent more than 50,000 teens across the globe on mission trips. Ron and Katie live in Garden Valley, Texas, with their three children: Hannah, Charity and Cameron. To read past columns in Charisma by Ron Luce, log on at

We must make it a priority to know what our youth are saying and doing in cyberspace.
Virtually everyone has heard of MySpace. With more than 90 million users, it has become the most popular social network on the Web. Whether or not you know much about it, you can be assured that your kids do.

About 20 million teenagers in America have a MySpace account, which they use to meet new friends, connect with old friends, post pictures and write online journals—sharing their thoughts for the whole world to see.

Millions of teenagers spend several hours each day on this site for entertainment and interaction.

The problem many parents are not aware of is that not everyone on MySpace is a teenager. Many adults are online for legitimate social-networking purposes themselves, but untold thousands of them are online predators posing as teenagers. They hope to begin a relationship that will ultimately lead to a sexual encounter.

Time magazine recently reported that a 14-year-old girl was raped by a 19-year-old Texan named Pete Solis after he met her on MySpace. The girl’s mother is now suing MySpace for $30 million alleging the company did not take proper precautions to protect her child from Internet pedophiles.

The latest data show that 71 percent of people who join MySpace accept the “friendship” of other users who are actually strangers to them. The scary part is that 41 percent of youth respond to invitations from people they don’t know.

It may look innocent enough to see your teenager sitting at a computer, talking and swapping pictures with an online friend, but do you have any idea who is on the other end? There is no way to verify online the age and profile of a person.
Our young people are more vulnerable than ever to cunning and smooth-talking criminals.

The pornography on the site does not help either. Even though the company tells people that they should not post inappropriate pictures, the indecency and imitation of celebrity crudeness on many teen MySpace sites would cause some adults to shiver.

As a concerned parent or ministry worker you are no doubt asking yourself what can be done to protect young people from the threat of online predators and other criminals.

For starters, make sure your computer is in an open room and has the most effective protection software to block pornography. In addition, ask your kids lots of questions. Who are they talking to? When you look at the list of friends they have on MySpace, you should know all of them.

A more thorough way to protect your kids is to help them switch over to My Battle Plan at . On this site, I not only help them connect with friends, but also help them establish a plan to grow their faith and be held accountable to that plan. They will begin to set spiritual goals and learn to encourage others to make an impact for Christ.

As parents, leaders and laypeople, our involvement and protection is needed now more than ever. The stakes are high because we face the possibility of losing an entire generation. The future of America is right before our eyes.

If you have a desire to see young people protected, saved and on fire for God but don’t know how to get started, I suggest you attend one of the leadership summits listed on the site.

We need to defend and rescue our kids. It is no longer enough for us to say, “We didn’t know.” We have the opportunity to be informed and equipped, so we must make it a priority to know what our youth are saying and doing in cyberspace. We must seize the moment and capture the heart of this generation before the next predator does.

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Ron Luce founded Teen Mania in 1986. He and his wife, Katie, have seen more than 2 million youth attend events they host called Acquire the Fire, and they have sent more than 50,000 teens across the globe on mission trips. Ron and Katie live in Garden Valley, Texas, with their three children: Hannah, Charity and Cameron. To read past columns in Charisma by Ron Luce, log on at

How much time and energy are we willing to spend to evangelize our youth?
In several weeks, “Back to School” sales will pop up nearly everywhere indicating the start of a new school year. Teachers and coaches will be gearing up for classes, and local youth pastors will be busy preparing innovative activities. But they won’t be the only ones getting ready for the upcoming season.

The rock ‘n’ roll and hip-hop music industries have been thinking about our kids 24/7. Teens are already memorizing popular lyrics that teach them to belittle women and solve their problems with violence, drugs and sex. MTV will be working to increase its market share of our young people by squeezing as much alluring, provocative content into its shows as possible.

The movie industry is hard at work, too, constantly pumping out new films that will educate teenagers in what is right and wrong, true and untrue. This year, just like last year, the entertainment industry is seeking to shape the value systems of our children.

The creators of pop culture are trying to make as much money as possible while stealing our young people’s innocence. It’s time for the church to focus on protecting teenagers from these destructive influences and for pastors, lay people and youth pastors to work together to spotlight our kids.

There are more teenagers now than ever before in the history of America. At the current rate of evangelism, only 4 percent will be Bible-believing Christians—compared with 65 percent of the World War II generation. Think about that for a moment: In one lifetime, we have gone from 65 percent believers to 4 percent. What does that say about America’s future?

The secular media devotes a great deal of energy into making money off our kids. How much time and energy are we willing to spend on dramatically increasing the 4 percent?

In The Battle Cry column, you will receive information on the state of this generation, including practical tips to help you reach the young people in your community. To kick things off, I am pleased to announce a monumental opportunity in the fight for our youth.

Denominational leaders from all over the country agree that teen issues deserve our utmost attention. That is why the National Association of Evangelicals has chosen September as the first ever National Youth Awareness Month. They have provided numerous resources to help you plan next month’s activities, including sermon outlines, PowerPoint presentations, video clips and more (log on at ).

Use every Sunday next month to show your young people how special they are. The third Sunday of September is National Youth Sunday, a perfect opportunity to invite every family and teen in your community to a creative and interactive service. Join the movement as churches across America come together during this historic time.

This battle is too important to fight alone or unprepared. That is why the
BattleCry movement is also proud to present Wake Up Call, a leadership summit for senior pastors. Jack Hayford, Tommy Barnett, Ted Haggard and other national leaders fully committed to reaching young people are coming together for this unprecedented tour.

More than 20,000 pastors and church leaders are expected to gather in 43 cities across the country to explore current teen issues and learn how to work together to change them. Tell the leaders in your church that they can’t miss this high-level briefing on the state of this generation and what we must do to save it.

As we begin the new school year, let’s strive to focus all our attention on the beliefs our young people will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Are we going to let the media and secular culture dominate their values for another year? Get your church involved in the National Youth Awareness Month. It’s time to take this generation back!

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Ron Luce founded Teen Mania in 1986. He and his wife, Katie, have seen more than 2 million youth attend events they host called Acquire the Fire, and they have sent more than 50,000 teens across the globe on mission trips. Ron and Katie live in Garden Valley, Texas, with their three children Hannah, Charity and Cameron.