eZine 08.22.2007

TheSource4YM.com
	Jonathan’s Resource Ezine

Weekly Resources, Ideas and Articles from The Source for Youth Ministry
Wednesday, August 22, 2007

In This Issue

• Featured Article: The Question that Gives you a Glimpse into Their World-and a TiVo reminder to check out the upcoming Teen Choice Awards & MTV Video Music Awards
  
  
• Something You Can Use: New music clip discussion starter using “Sorry, Blame it on Me” from Akon
  
  
• New Special Sermon Podcast: In this episode you have the opportunity to hear Jonathan preach to a congregation in Detroit, MI
  
  
• Jonathan Training in Grand Rapids: On September 8th Jonathan is going to be doing an all day training workshop in Grand Rapids for youth workers
  
  

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Featured Article: The Question that Gives you a Glimpse into Their World-and a TiVo reminder to check out the upcoming Teen Choice Awards & MTV Video Music Awards

“May I?”
The Question That Gives You a Glimpse into Their World
By Jonathan McKee

A week ago I was hanging out with some of my friends and I noticed their youngest son sitting by the pool with his iPod on. I went over and struck up a conversation with this young tween, asking him what he was listening to. He answered honestly, “Umbrella” (a fairly catchy Rihanna song that rode Billboard’s number one spot for months).

So I asked him the question I ask a lot of kids to get to know them better: “May I?” (asking to see his iPod)

An iPod will tell you plenty. I immediately navigated to his playlists, looking over his ‘On-the-Go’ lists that he had created for quick listening. I peeked at his ‘Recently Played’ and ‘Top 25 Most Played.’ These speak volumes. For this young man, some of the ‘Top 25 Most Played’ were Akon’s Smack That, 50 Cent’s Candy Shop, the Shop Boyz single Party Like a Rock Star and Fergie’s Big Girls Don’t Cry.

I asked him, “Wow, do you own all these?”

He blushed a little and then leaned in close. “Well, my friend has them. I just go to his house and set his iTunes on ‘manual’ when we sinc it.” (Mental note: ask this kid for help when I need assistance tricking out my iPod.)

You can learn a lot about a kid from his or her iPod. In this case, I learned what kind of lyrics this 11 year old was putting in his head daily as well as the source of the music.

But the iPod wouldn’t have told me a thing had I not been aware of youth culture today. And one of the best sources to keep you current about today’s youth culture is happening in the next few weekends on your TV set.

THREE TIMES A YEAR
Three times a year I’ll tell you to put the kids to bed, turn on the TV sets and get ready to get a peek into the porthole of youth culture today. One of those times is this Sunday, August 26, on FOX at 8/7c for the ‘Teen Choice Awards.’

Let me quickly summarize what Fox’s ‘Teen Choice Awards’ looks like every year: a bunch of adults are allowed to talk and sing about stuff that we wouldn’t want our kids to hear… and we televise it.

It’s kind of funny to even think about. If you were in the grocery store with your kids and you wandered past an isle where two adults were discussing sex… you probably would do the same thing I would-grab my kids, hang a quick U-turn and head out the door. Yet somehow, millions of parents let their teens and tweens watch or even attend Fox’s televised Teen Choice Awards where last year Nelly Furtado and Timbaland sang the song “Promiscuous,” spewing lyrics like:

“Wait! I don’t mean no harm
I can see you with my t-shirt on

I can see you with nothing on
feeling on me before you bring that on

I think a lot of parents aren’t aware of the meaning of lyrics like “let me hit it.” (If you don’t know, go ahead and look up “hit it” in our slang dictionary.) After all… the song doesn’t have any curse words. So if it doesn’t have the explicit lyrics logo, it must be clean. Right?

You might want to watch it and judge for yourself.

And two weeks later on September 9th, MTV brings us their annual VMAs (Video Music Awards). Count on MTV to give you a true glimpse into the depravity of what our kids are filling their iPods with each day. Don’t take my word for it-watch these upcoming VMA’s… after all, most the kids you work with will be watching it too.

SET YOUR TiVO
I’ll be sharing my “2 cents” with you shortly after these two shows like I did last year and the year prior.

So set your VCR’s, DVRs and TiVo’s to record these shows. Or check out some of my past articles about youth culture and these portholes:

Jonathan McKee is president of The Source for Youth Ministry and author of numerous youth ministry books like “Do They Run When They See You Coming?” and the brand new “Getting Students to Show Up.” Jonathan studies youth culture and trends, speaking and training across the country and providing free online resources, training, & ideas for youth workers at www.TheSource4YM.com

Something You Can Use: New music clip discussion starter using “Sorry, Blame it on Me” from Akon

Anyone who has spent any time on our site has noticed that we love to use music and movie clips to kickstart discussions about Biblical truths. Check out this recent addition to our MUSIC DISCUSSIONS page using the song ‘Sorry, Blame it on Me’ from Akon. This song worked its way up the charts and became the #2 downloaded song on iTunes. Currently it sits at #18 on Billboards Hot 100 chart and the #25 most downloaded song on iTunes.

The intriguing thing about this song is that the lyrics are what drove it up the charts. The song isn’t much musically-nothing new. But kids have been intrigued by the controversy surrounding the song and probably surprised to hear an apology from a rap star.

Personal Responsibility:
Akon- Sorry, Blame it on Me

August 14, 2007

Main Point of Discussion: When we mess up and make mistakes, we need to admit them, correct them, and move on.

Akon (born Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam) on April 30, 1973 is a Senegalese-American hip hop and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. Akon rose to fame in 2004 following the release of his single “Locked Up” from his debut album Trouble. His second album, Konvicted, earned him a Grammy Award nomination for the single “Smack That”. He is the founder of Konvict Muzik and Kon Live Distribution. He is well known for singing hooks and has over 130 guest appearances and 15 Billboard Hot 100 songs to his credit.

In April 2007, Akon drew criticism for a raunchy dance with a fourteen year old girl at a Trinidad club, as part of a fake contest, despite the club’s claim to have an eighteen-years and over age limit. The incident was filmed by Akon’s crew and later uploaded to the Internet. On April 20, 2007 local media, channel TV6, aired the video clip publicly. Amid criticism on the radio, television, and from the blogosphere, Verizon Wireless has removed ringtones featuring Akon’s songs. Verizon has also decided not to sponsor an upcoming tour where Akon was to be the opening act for Gwen Stefani. However, Universal Music Group did not take action against Akon, but rather simply ordered the video clip be removed from the video-sharing site YouTube due to copyright infringement. Conservative commentator and Parents Televisio Council founder Brent Bozel called this “corporate irresponsibility.”

In a newly released song, “Sorry, Blame It On Me”, Akon apologizes to the young girl and Gwen Stefani for the incident at the club, though citing the club for admitting “Even though the blame’s on you, I’ll take that blame from you. You can put the blame on me.” He also tells how Verizon dropped promoting him and Gwen’s tour, and stopped sale of his ringtones. The song is available to listen to on Akon’s MySpace page and was released onto iTunes (U.S.) on July 17, 2007*

At THE SOURCE FOR YOUTH MINISTRY we like to use pop culture references to start Biblical conversation (just like the Apostle Paul used culture to start conversations about Jesus in Acts 17). This music video might be a good discussion starter in some circles. Use your discernment.

If you want, you can print out the lyrics (below) and give each student a copy to refer to.

MTV.com has the video on their site for free right now and iTunes offers the video as a download for $1.99. Ask the tech guy at your church how to play the video on a laptop through a projector.

Introducing the Music Video:
Many of you have probably heard (or at least heard about) the song called ‘Sorry, Blame it on Me’ by Akon. It is basically a musical confession/apology from Akon for an incident at a night club where he publicly simulated sex with an underage girl. Tonight we’re going to take a closer look at the song and what it says about mistakes, consequences, and personal responsibility.

Pass out a handout with the lyrics on it.

Song Lyrics:

Transitional Statement:
Talk to the group about why they think this song is so popular and how it seems to connect with so many people. Then say something like:

“I’m Sorry, Blame it on Me” shows a different side to most of the hip hop music out there, see if you can pick them out.

Play the song, then divide into Small Groups:
Let’s go ahead and split up into our discussion groups to discuss this video, and then afterward we’ll come back together for a final word.

CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THIS MUSIC DISCUSSION IDEA INCLUDING SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS, A SCRIPTURE PASSAGE AND A WRAP UP

New Special Sermon Podcast: In this episode you have the opportunity to hear Jonathan preach to a congregation in Detroit, MI

SPECIAL SERMON PODCAST
– Jonathan McKee –
In this episode we break from the normal format of our podcast to bring you a sermon that Jonathan recently preached to the congregation at WARD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH in Detroit Michigan-a sermon titled “God’s Grace is for Everyone… isn’t it?”
(CLICK HERE for more about Jonathan’s speaking)

CLICK HERE FOR THIS PODCAST EPISODE VIA iTunes

OR HERE FOR OUR PODCAST PAGE

P O D C A S T
SUMMER GIVEAWAY

Podcast listeners get special perks like THE SOURCE PODCAST SUMMER GIVEAWAY. It’s simple. You listen to the podcast… you have a chance to win any of these prizes:

A brand new Apple 30GB Black VIDEO iPod ($249 Value)		Jonathan’s new book Getting Students to Show Up and the FINAL COUNTDOWN Event Resource DVD.
The Gospel Journey Adventure Kit from Dare2Share.org ($199 Value)

The more of our podcasts you listen to, the more chances you have to win.
Each of our episodes has a clue.

To enter, simply listen to any of our podcasts
and fill out the form on the
PODCAST SUMMER GIVEAWAY PAGE


COMING SOON:

• Podcast #6 will feature author and youth ministry game guru Les Christie. Les will be sharing his own SEVEN SINS OF GAME LEADING
  
  
• Podcast #7 will feature Timber-lee Camp’s Chris Radloff along with Jonathan and Furby. Chris will share the SEVEN SINS OF MANAGING VOLUNTEERS IN YOUTH MINISTRY.
  
  

CLICK HERE FOR OUR PODCAST PAGE

Jonathan Training in Grand Rapids: On September 8th Jonathan is going to be doing an all day training workshop in Grand Rapids for youth workers

Grand Rapids , MI

September 8th, Jonathan is doing a Saturday workshop (9AM to 3PM) for youth workers within driving distance of Grand Rapids, MI. If you’re a youth worker, paid or a volunteer, this is for you!

Here’s the details for this Michigan training:

WHEN:

Saturday September 8, 2007, 9 AM to 3 PM

WHERE:

Community Reformed Church
10376 Felch St.
Zeeland, MI 49464

COST:

Only $10 (lunch Included)

TO REGISTER:

Online: at www.zaym.org via PayPal
or
Mail check payable to ZAYM for total number of attendees x $10 to Kim Betten
North Street CRC
20 E. Main Ave
Zeeland, MI 49464

Or for questions: Call Phil Harbison at Community Reformed Church 616-772-4907.

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