Teens, Tech & God

Did you know? A report by Common Sense found: 51 percent of teens visit social networking sites on a daily basis. More than a third of teens visit their main social networking site several times a day. 1 in 4 teens is a heavy social media user, using at least two different types of social media each day. (June, 2019) Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snap Chat can be great ways for teens to connect with one another; but social media can be problematic for several reasons. For instance, social media can expose your teen to cyberbullying, slut shaming, and so much more. And, while there are some benefits to social media, there are a lot of risks as well.   How is social media impacting our teens’ brains? In a recent study, researchers at the UCLA brain mapping center used an fMRI scanner to image the brains of 32 teenagers as they used a bespoke social media app resembling Instagram. "When teens learn that their own pictures have supposedly received a lot of likes, they show significantly greater activation i

In this episode, Dr. John addresses the rise in teen suicide and shares an important message to help parents understand the current situation and what to do to help their teens. /// According to the Mayo Clinic, the warning signs of teen suicide include: Talking or writing about suicide. Withdrawing from social contact. Experiencing sudden mood swings. Using alcohol or drugs more frequently. Expressing a sense of hopelessness. Taking part in risky or self-destructive behavior. Changing eating or sleeping patterns. Giving away belongings for no apparent reason. The new study was published June 18, 2019 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. /// If you are concerned your child is thinking about suicide: If your child is talking about any level of distress, do not hesitate to ask them whether they’re feeling changes in their mood or level of stress, or having suicidal thoughts. Asking your child directly about suicide will not increase their risk or plant the idea. It will create an opportunity t

Did you know? According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 13.3% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 had “at least one major depressive episode” in 2017. That equates to 3.2 million American teens. What’s more, 70.77% of depression sufferers experienced at least one instance of “severe impairment” that interfered with life. What are some of the common signs or symptoms of depression? Fatigue Sleep problems Irritability Headaches, aches, indigestion, etc. Difficulty with concentration Loss of interest in food or compulsive eating Sadness, anxiety, or feeling hopeless Sudden drop in grades Loss of interest in things once enjoyed Use of alcohol or drugs or promiscuous behavior Withdrawal from friends Feelings of worthlessness Suicidal ideation Of course, see a therapist or doctor to get a definite diagnosis! What can parents do if they think their teens are struggling with depression? Here are 15 suggestions to consider: Focus on listening, not lecturing. Resist any urge to criticize or pass judgment

In this episode, Dr. John addresses the growing problem of teen depression, which is being exasperated by the prevalence of and exposure to pornography. Dr. John will help parents identify if their teen could be suffering from depression.  // DID YOU KNOW? According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 13.3% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 had “at least one major depressive episode” in 2017. That equates to 3.2 million American teens. What’s more, 70.77% of depression sufferers experienced at least one instance of “severe impairment” that interfered with life. Here are some other relevant statistics: 20% of females and 6.8% of males aged 12-17 suffered a depressive episode in 2017 9% of adolescents “reporting two or more races” suffered a depressive episode in 2017; this represents the highest subgroup of adolescents affected by depression, according to the NIMH 1% of depressed adolescents received no treatment; 19.6% received treatment from a health professional; 2.4% were treated with medication

In this episode, Dr. John addresses the need for the church to speak to teens about sexuality as a part of a teen’s discipleship and within the context of the gospel narrative. You’ll also learn about 6 crucial ways the church can support parents in this effort.   A quote shared by Dr. John: John Freeman with Harvest USA uttered these prophetic words: I remembered talking to a church’s prayer team years earlier. They had been praying with people for more than ten years at a weekly intercessory healing prayer meeting. One leader said to me, “John, we’ve prayed with people about marriage issues, problems with children, job losses, interpersonal conflicts, crises of faith, and other personal problems, but never has someone come for prayer about anything of a sexual nature. Not once.” I was shocked. The numbers of those struggling with pornography, same-sex attractions, and sexual addictions are increasing daily. Add in family members affected and impacted by someone they love dealing with sexual brokenness, and

Dr. John shares an important message for parents: If you want to protect your children from developing an addiction to the computer, Internet, smartphone, or other digital influences, you need to have a clear plan of action. In the previous episode, Dr. John shared how the digital invasion has reduced our capacity to live a “real life” and has robbed us of true meaning, pleasure, and fulfillment. The framework for that conversation came from the book “The Digital Invasion,” by Dr. Archibald Hart and Dr. Sylvia Hart Frejd.  This episode will conclude our conversation about digital technology themes found in the book “The Digital Invasion.” Parents, today we’re going to look at ways you can protect your children from developing an addiction to the computer, Internet, smartphone, or other digital influences, by developing a clear plan of action.   //DID YOU KNOW The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends children ages 2 to 4 should have only one hour a day in front of a screen. Infants should have zero scree

In this episode, we continue the conversation about digital technology themes found in the book “The Digital Invasion” by Dr. Archibald Hart and Dr. Sylvia Hart Frejd. Specifically, we’re going to look at how the digital invasion has reduced our capacity to live a “real life” and has robbed us of true meaning, pleasure, and fulfillment.   Did you know? Here are a few stats from a chart Dr. Hart has compiled and called the Digital Invasion Chart. In 2000, the average person spent 2.7 hours per week online. In 2013, that number jumped to more than 30 hours per week online. In 2000, there were 100 million daily Google searches. In 2013, that number jumped to more than 4.7 billion daily Google searches. In 2000, 14 billion text messages were sent daily. In 2013, more than 188 million text messages were sent daily.   What we talked about Borrowing a page from John Piper’s book, “Don’t Waste Your Life,” what would it look like if we said, “Don’t Waste Your Life on a Virtual Life”? Dr. Frejd wrote: “Don’t let you

The purpose of this broadcast is to share critical insights from The Digital Invasion, written by Dr. Archibald Hart and Dr. Sylvia Hart Frejd. In part 1 of this three-part series, Dr. John will share how the wave of digital technology is changing us from within, physically, mentally, and especially spiritually, and he will offer some biblical strategies to become good stewards of our digital lives. _  DID YOU KNOW The following stats come from Brandwatch.com: https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/amazing-social-media-statistics-and-facts/ For context, as of January 2019, the total world population is about 7.7 billion people. The internet has 4.2 billion users. There are about 3.4 billion active social media users. On average, people have 5.5 social media accounts. The average daily time spent on social media is 116 minutes a day. 91% of retail brands use 2 or more social media channels. 81% of all small and medium businesses use some kind of social platform. When asked 81% of teenagers felt social media has a

The purpose of this broadcast is to share helpful insights in how to nurture and teach your teen about their spiritual identity. We will offer some biblical strategies to help teens become established in their identity in Christ.   Did you know George Barna, one of the world’s leading statisticians said in his book, “Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions-Why Children Should Be Your Church’s #1 Priority,” “moral foundations of children are generally determined by the time the individual reaches age nine. Our research confirms a parallel outcome in the spiritual dimension: By age nine, most children have their spiritual moorings in place.” What does this mean for us? If you want to have an impact on the next generation then you must do it by the age of nine. He also says that their spiritual identity will be set by the age of thirteen. We have a critical period of time to help these young people develop into spiritual champions—people that will know their Lord and Savior personally.   What we talked ab

What should parents do when they have just learned that their teen is viewing pornography? Are there some things not to do? What is the best way to initially respond? In this episode, Dr. John helps parents to know how to respond when they find out that their teen is viewing pornography. We will also address some of the most frequently asked questions from parents when they make this shocking and disturbing discovery.   DID YOU KNOW? Just how prevalent is the exposure of teens to pornography? Between 2008 and 2011, exposure to porn among boys under the age of 13 jumped from 14% to 49%. Daily use among this group more than doubled.  Before teens get to college, 93% of the boys and 62% of the girls have see online pornography (from Dr. John Foubert, How Pornography Harms What Today’s Teens, Young Adults, Parents, and Pastors Need to Know).   WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT Pornography is increasingly a part of mainstream culture. How concerned should parents be about this discovery? Is it really that big a deal? How shoul

We know that many parents are dealing with a son or daughter announcing that they are gay. In this episode, Dr. John shares critical insights from “Messy Grace” by Pastor Caleb Kaltenbach, and he’ll offer some biblical strategies to bring together both the grace and truth of Jesus Christ. This episode will speak to those who want to know how to respond to the LGBTQ issue. Caleb Kaltenbach is a pastor and founder of The Messy Grace Group where he helps churches love and create belonging for those who relate as LGBTQ without sacrificing theological convictions. Find more information at his website: https://www.calebkaltenbach.com/   What we talked about I. Did You Know. Stats come from the Williams Institute at UCLA. https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/visualization/lgbt-stats/?topic=LGBT#density II. Caleb Kaltenbach’s 5 Don'ts. When your teen son or daughter announces they are gay, here are five things that author Caleb Kaltenbach says you should not do: Don’t look disappointed, Don’t get mad, Don’t thro

EPISODE 4 We must be clearly aware that there is a spiritual battle going on around us. We can better preserve the reality of holy sexuality if we realize that it is under attack in the spiritual realms. As Christians, we engage in the battle to help people because we care for them. This is not really a battle between political parties or cultural interest groups. It’s a battle for God to be lifted high and win the hearts of people for whom He died.   What we talked about [3:15] Juli Slattery states, “It’s not enough to be vaguely aware of some spiritual battle in the ‘heavenly realms’ (Ephesians 6:12). How can we fight what we have not acknowledged? How can we stand against an enemy if we don’t recognize his impact in our lives?” Dr. John weighs in. [5:23] How does Jesus describe the enemy? [6:28] Dr. John relates stories of clients who were exposed to pornography at around age 8 and talks about how that effects the mind. [7:43] When Jesus began his public ministry, he read from Isaiah 61:1: “He has sent me

EPISODE 3  In this episode, Dr. John discusses more critical insights from the book “Rethinking Sexuality: God’s Design and Why It Matters,” by Dr. Juli Slattery of Authentic Intimacy, particularly in the area of sexual discipleship and the role the church should play in shaping sexual values. Dr. Slattery’s book can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Rethinking-Sexuality-Gods-Design-Matters/dp/0735291470/ Dr. Slattery’s ministry, Authentic Intimacy, can be found here: https://www.authenticintimacy.com/ --- DID YOU KNOW Recent findings from The Porn Phenomenon… https://www.barna.com/the-porn-phenomenon  70% of Christian youth pastors have had at least one teen ask them for help with dealing with porn in the past 12 months. Most often the teens were: High school boys 92%; middle school boys 57%; high school girls 23%; and middle school girls 10%. 21% of youth pastors and 14% of pastors admit they currently struggle with using porn. 12% of youth pastors and 5% of pastors say they are addicted to porn. 87% o

Episode 2: Who’s discipling your youth: the church or the culture?   Teens, Tech & God is a podcast resource brought to you by Dr. John Thorington, director of Restoring Hearts Counseling in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and author of the book “Pure Teens.” The podcast is dedicated to equipping parents with the tools and knowledge to raise kids committed to God’s purpose for sexuality, the family, and the honorable use of all technology. In this episode, Dr. John shares critical insights from the book "Rethinking Sexuality: God’s Design and Why It Matters," by Dr. Juli Slattery. We can become a redeeming force in a world of sexual brokenness by promoting the concept of sexual discipleship within the church instead of continuing to allow the culture to disciple our youth on sexuality. Dr. Slattery’s book can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Rethinking-Sexuality-Gods-Design-Matters/dp/0735291470/ Dr. Slattery’s ministry, Authentic Intimacy, can be found here: https://www.authenticintimacy.com/   **Episo

Teens, Tech, and God is a podcast resource brought to you by Dr. John Thorington, director of Restoring Hearts Counseling in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and author of the book "Pure Teens." The podcast is dedicated to equipping parents with the tools and knowledge to raise kids committed to God's purpose for sexuality, the family, and the honorable use of all technology. In this introductory episode, Dr. John lays a foundation for recovery from sexual addiction and shares more information about the mission of the podcast and Restoring Hearts Counseling. Episode outline 1:25, Dr. John shares more about his background and what drives him to help clients who may be struggling with addictive behaviors and the addictive qualities of Internet pornography. 3:24, The podcast is designed to be a resource to help parents and ultimately teens who are caught in the cycle of addiction. 5:28, How did we get to where we are now with the porn epidemic? Dr. John shares his thoughts. 6:39, Dr. John offers insights to trends he