Christian Kids Struggle with Sexual Issues
by AFA Journal
June 28, 2004
(AgapePress) - A teenager's Christian faith is likely to have some impact on his sexual behavior, but not nearly enough according to a report titled "The Sex Lives of Christian Teens." In her article, Jennifer M. Parker writes: "[A]ll indications are that, on average, there is little difference between their sexual behavior and that of non-Christian youths other than to delay their first sexual experience slightly longer."Parker's research revealed that Christian teens are hardly discernible from their peers when it comes to some startling statistics. For example, the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health reports that of nearly 21,000 teens (male and female) they surveyed in grades 7 through 12, 39.9 percent of boys and 37.3 percent of girls have had sexual intercourse. And the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation reports that 20 percent of sexually active girls ages 15 to 19 get pregnant each year.
One troubling trend is how loosely teenagers define what constitutes have sex. Parker cites Azusa Pacific University professor Kara Eckmann Powell as saying that teens are increasingly engaging in oral sex, often initiated by teenage girls as an avenue to intimacy with their boyfriends.
The experts seem to agree that church programs dealing with teen sex too often depend upon a one-time event or decision. While that may be desirable, ongoing programs are critical, too.
Parker says it is not just about not having sex. It is also important for adults to focus on the positive side of abstinence -- helping teens make their own choice as a principle as well as a practice.
"For that to happen," Parker says, "the experts say adults need to establish a rapport with teens by communicating availability, acceptance, and love while providing a safe environment for ongoing dialogue."
This article appeared in the July 2004 issue of AFA Journal, a monthly publication of the American Family Association.
