Kentucky teens learning ‘Truth About Sex’ at church workshop

Truth About Sex – Russellville, KY from Steve Holladay, M.A. on Vimeo.
Blogging live from Russellville, Ky.
This weekend, I’m at the Crittenden Drive Church of Christ, where more than 100 teens and parents from the Kentucky congregation and other churches in the community are learning the “Truth About Sex.”
Steve Holladay, founder and director of the Texas-based Ultimate Escape ministry, is presenting the two-day workshop focused on God’s vision for healthy sexuality.
“We’re going to talk extremely openly tonight about the topic of sexuality,” Holladay said at the opening session Friday night, promising to keep the discussion at an “appropriate, PG-13 level.”
I’m here working on a feature on the ministry.
Read The Christian Chronicle’s April 2006 story on Holladay’s escape from sexual addiction.

• Feedback
  It’s a sad commentary to parenting when children have to attend a workshop about ‘sex’ sponsored by the church. When saints refuse to obey God by living holy lives their children have to be exposed to the ideas and philosophies of men about the subject God gave to their parents.
  My question is do the workshop teachers use the Bible and if they do why can’t parents use the same Bible (and their lives) to teach the same lessons? If they use anything outside of the Bible it’s too much, anything less is too little. Maybe I’m a fool but I still believe 2 Pet. 1: 3; 2Tim. 3: 16 is still true.

  robert brooks

  November, 30 2011

  Robert, you don’t know if parents are leaving the teaching up to a church workshop. For many parents, this simply may be reinforcement. I am VERY direct and biblical about this topic with my 13 year old, and my wife and I are an example. However, anything that will affirm what I have already taught will be welcome. You are not a fool, but potentially you are “…judging by mere appearances, and” not making a right judgment(John 7:24). I encourage Christians (self included) to be careful or in principle [the context is very different] we may “destroy the work of God for the sake of food” (Romans 14:20)

  Fuller Ming

  December, 4 2011

  I have mixed fealings about such events. I hope this example helps explain. I use to teach drivers education. My competition in town was a driving school that taught kids how to handle cars at high rates of speed through various situations (power slides, skidding, and other high speed, high acceleration manuevers). The premise was that if kids learn how to handle a car under such conditions that they will fair better and avoid potential accidents due to their increased skill level. However, the “word on the street” was that it produced an over confident 16 year old driver that took more risks than the average young driver and increased their rates of accidents.
  I look at some of these seminars as being dangerous for the same reason. First, putting boys and girls in the same room for such discussion can actually make both feel even more comfortable with the topic when they are around each other. I do believe there is a point where to much information can have a similar affect as in my example above causing over confidence to the point that the behavior is tried when it otherwise would not have. Second, if the event is as entertaining as it seems in the video, I wonder if you can make this topic as serious as it needs to be in order to make the important points needed to encourage abstinence.
  Throughout the generations, and it appears in biblical times as well, the topic of sexual relations was carefully communicated with the highest respect and reverence. I personally think the Bible gives us plenty of information to teach our kids on this subject. My wife and I have taken responsibility to teach this subject and all three of my teenagers seem to have a very healthy respect for marriage and sex. Also, there are plenty of examples in the church to show why you should abstain from premarital sex (both good and bad examples).
  My concern is this…if you feel you need such an event to assist you in teaching your kids about sex, they may have already decided that they prefer to cross the line and you probably know it deep down in your heart. I just caution those of you in such situations not to think such a recreational events are going to make the difference in such circumstances. Number 1, they are punctilinear (occur once and this is a topic that requires ongoing attention). But by providing continuous, serious, loving, one-on-one discussions will be your best bet.
  I am trying to empathize with those parents struggling and fearful of what their kids might do in the realm of their sexuality and would not want to discourage you if in fact you believe this is a good approach. I would only make it a last resort rather that a first option.

  T. Mikula

  December, 4 2011

  Thanks for the comments T. Mikula.
  I agree that either the Bible is ALL sufficient or it is not. I have serious questions about some of our brothers, not all. I didn’t say anything ugly or judgmental about the seminar and if i did i have Bible authority to do so as long as its’ not from an outward appearance Jn. 7:24. I never said that parents involved in the work shop is leaving it to the workshop. nevertheless I know of many who do.

  robert brooks

  December, 13 2011