We know a lot of you are always looking for more worship tools. Today’s your day! YLO83 featured the new album “Mountains Move” from songwriter and worship leader Kristian Stanfill.  Read more about Kristian and check out the chord chart and video tutorial for “Always.”

Click here to download the chord chart for “Always”

Click here to watch the video tutorial from Kristian for “Always”

I’ve had a few other favorites over the years, although these probably lean more towards Mission Trip or Work Camp type themes:

“Activate” by Stellar Kart

“Hands and Feet” (duh) from Audio Adrenaline

How ’bout you? What are your favorite camp or mission trip theme songs? Do you have a song picked for this year? What is it? Share your ideas with us in the comments!

(Do me a favor when you read the article: try not to get wrapped up in the political or moral aspect of “sexting” – just read the story of some young teenagers who made an impulsive decision that has altered their lives forever.)

Let’s talk about sext, baby
From the NYT article:

For teenagers, who have ready access to technology and are growing up in a culture that celebrates body flaunting, sexting is laughably easy, unremarkable and even compelling: the primary reason teenagers sext is to look cool and sexy to someone they find attractive.

“Sexting” is a term that gets a lot of use these days. It’s been added to the Oxford Online Dictionary and state legislatures are debating how the law should handle the punishment of underage participants. And (full disclosure) we dealt with the topic in our “The Naked Truth: The New Sexuality and Youth Ministry” Special Edition of Youth Leaders Only.

Pop culture doesn’t do much to discourage the behavior. Songs, tv and movies, even commercials abound that portray it as normal, accepted flirtatious behavior. Here’s another quote from the NYT article:

“I didn’t know it was against the law,” Isaiah said.

That is because culturally, such a fine distinction eludes most teenagers. Their world is steeped in highly sexualized messages. Extreme pornography is easily available on the Internet. Hit songs and music videos promote stripping and sexting.

The article points out this Super Bowl commercial from Motorola. Which I find highly ironic considering the entire 2010-11 NFL season was overshadowed by the “did he or didn’t he” storyline of one of the league’s most revered players.

And you don’t have to look very hard to find references in music. The Ludicris song “Sexting” blew up early last year, following on the heels of (and pointedly referencing) the troubles of a well known sports icon. (Check the lyrics here.)

Beyonce (along with Lady Gaga) sings in “Video Phone” (and I’m purposely not including a link for the video, but it’s on YouTube if you’re interested):

You like it when I shake it?
Shawty on a mission, what your name is?
What, you want me naked?
If you liking this position you can tape it on your video phone

Taio Cruz’s song and video “Dirty Picture” (featuring Ke$ha) gives us this lyrical winner of a chorus:

So take a dirty picture for me
Take a dirty picture
Just take a dirty picture for me
Take a dirty picture
Just send the dirty picture to me
Send the dirty picture
Just send the dirty picture to me
Send the dirty picture

But everybody’s doing it
When you ask students about sending inappropriate pictures to their BF or GF, odds are they won’t call it “sexting”, instead you’ll get words like: Fun. A sexy present. A joke.

Again quoting the New York Times article:

“You can’t expect teenagers not to do something they see happening all around them,” said Susannah Stern, an associate professor at the University of San Diego who writes about adolescence and technology.

“They’re practicing to be a part of adult culture,” Dr. Stern said. “And in 2011, that is a culture of sexualization and of putting yourself out there to validate who you are and that you matter.”

Do as we say, not as we do
Some media outlets are attempting to help get the word out about the consequences of such behavior. MTV’s campaign “A Thin Line” is pretty smart, and includes some PSA-type video clips like Impressing Guys and Absolutely Everyone – both of which I can see using in a teaching setting with students. But I have to wonder if it’s the kind of thing that students are actually seeking out, engaging with and heeding. Not to mention that it seems a little bit (or a whole lot) like the tobacco companies funding and producing anti-smoking campaigns.

And this video is a part of a campaign from LG called Text Ed with Jane Lynch. It’s definitely good for a laugh, and might get some Gleek parents’ attention (although I’m not suggesting that Glee is the epitome of behavior … or edifying song selections … for anyone).

What to do?
I have an almost 3-year-old daughter who already navigates my iPhone as well as any teenager. The very thought of dealing with these issues in just a few short years (I’m not naive enough to think I can stave it off until she’s 13) is already keeping me up at night.

And as someone who loves and cares about students, my heart cracks a little more each time I hear a story about the consequences of an un-thought-through action such as sending a risque picture.

It’s not like we’re dealing with new issues. Self-worth. Peer pressure. How far is too far? These teenage struggles have been around forever. But it does seem to me that the pressure is much more intense. The songs and media are much more blatant and in-your-face. And the technology doesn’t allow for do-overs.

So what do we as parents and youth leaders do? My gut says the question isn’t “How do we stop this?!?” but instead, “How do we help students see themselves as God does?” and “How can I encourage teens (and my daughter) to understand their self-worth lies in His love; not in what their peers see (or want to see)?”

What about you? How are you (or are you?) addressing these issues with your students?

Here’s a great example from YLO83: An article titled “In Defense of Summer Camp” written by Jeremy White from Valley Church in Vacaville, CA.

So is your group going to camp this year? How does camp fit into your overall ministry plan?

So how do you use your YLO resources?

Our crew (and all of the rest of you) that were at SYMC 2011 in Chicago last week were bowled over by Gungor. We’ve been excited about the band, and their new CD is in the brand new YLO box, but to experience worship with them in person was amazing.

• Modern Worship Article from YLO83 written by Michael Gungor
• Bible study for “Beautiful Things”

So here’s what 5 minutes of Googling lyrics for these “non-explicit” songs got me:

On the Floor from Jennifer Lopez:

All I need is some vodka and some chunka coke
And watch a chick get donkey konged

F**kin’ Perfect by Pink (Ahem. Seriously?! I won’t bother to quote the lyrics … you can check them out for yourself).

Til The World Ends by Britney Spears

Watch me move when I lose when I lose it hard
Get you off with the touch dancin’ in the dark
You notice what I’m wearing
I notice when you’re staring
You know that I can take it to the next level baby
Hotter than the A-list
Next one on my hit list
Baby let me blow your mind tonight!

Rihanna’s S&M (I pointed out the irony of Rihanna’s song not having an explicit label in another post.)

Cause I may be bad, but I’m perfectly good at it
Sex in the air, I don’t care, I love the smell of it
Sticks and stones may break my bones
But chains and whips excite me

By this time I was curious … so I started hunting for the definition of “explicit” and found the iTunes “About” page. (Note that iTunes follows the lead of the RIAA‘s Parental Advisory Standards, so I’m not picking on iTunes). Here are some of the highlights:

Whether, in light of contemporary cultural morals and standards and the choices and views of individual parents, the recording might be one that parents may not want their child to listen to.

So the majority of parents are okay with their kids singing along about the excitement of whips and chains? Hmm.

The context of the artist performing the material, as well as the expectations of the artist’s audience, is also important. In addition to profanity, “depictions of violence, sex, or substance abuse” must be considered when making a determination regarding the application of the Parental Advisory Label.

Well okay then.

I’m not going to start the whole “Going to heck in a hand basket” rant (and what exactly is a hand basket anyway?!). That’s not my point. My point is this: we’ve GOT to pay attention. We = youth leaders. We = parents. We = anyone who cares about students. We can’t rely on labels given by others. We have to be willing to do our due diligence. Listen. Research. Pay attention.

Here are some ways to get started:

Check the iTunes Top 10 list – you can hear 30 or 90 second clips on iTunes.

Check out the “Today’s Hits” section on YouTube’s music channel.

Look up lyrics. I like MetroLyrics, but there are lots of choices online.

Our friends at CPYU do a weekly update of “Youth Culture Top Ten Lists.” This is a quick overview of media and is a great way to familiarize yourself with what’s hot from a variety of sources.

And we’ll keep talking about it on this blog. Not just because it’s our job, but because we’re trying to pay attention for our students.

So how about you? What do you do to make sure you’re paying attention?

I’d encourage you to take a few minutes to read more about Know Hope Collective and watch the video (featuring the song “Build Us Back”). Both are an amazing glimpse of God’s redemption.

Download the chord chart for “Build Us Back” here.