The Unedited Truth About Sex * Is hooking up really wrong? * What about living together if you fall in love? * If the Bible bans sex before marriage . . . is everything else fair game? * What about same-sex relationships? Since when does God deny any kind of true love? Great questions . . . but who has the answers? Our culture creates a lot of confusion about sex. Honestly, sometimes it's difficult to know who's telling the truth. On one hand, when we read our Bibles or go to church, we hear how God's design is to wait for sex and save that kind of intimacy for marriage. But on the other hand, when we go to school, turn on the TV, or listen to many of the songs on our favorite playlists . . . they say quite the opposite. Naturally, this makes many of us wonder. Who's right? Sex seems fun. How can something so natural be off-limits? In Sex Matters, Jonathan McKee tackles all of these questions, giving you the frank, unvarnished truth about sex--regardless how awkward or embarrassing. "Sex Matters provides super-helpful, truthful answers to the big questions you've wondered about, but never asked. Way better than anything you'll find through a web search."--Scott Rubin, junior high pastor, Willow Creek Community Church "'Just don't do it' isn't enough. Let's face it. Today's young people chronically encounter sexually charged images and messages, but rarely hear the whole story. They are looking for real answers to tough questions, and Sex Matters isn't afraid to tell them the unedited truth. Every teenager with an Internet connection or a phone in their pocket needs to read this book!"--Doug Fields, youth pastor for thirty years at Saddleback & Mariners Church "This isn't a sanitized, Christianized, moralized 'just say no' tactic, but a practical approach to what's really pressuring kids today, with biblical wisdom for how to succeed."--Pete Sutton, director of student ministry and middle school pastor, Christ Community Church, St. Charles, Illinois "This could be the most honest and relevant book available for teenagers in your ministry. I wish I had something this honest and helpful in my hands when I was a teenager."--Brooklyn Lindsey, youth minister, Nazarene Youth International and ReThink Group "There are a lot of potentially embarrassing questions that rattle around the minds of many Christian teenagers when it comes to sex (How far is too far? Is masturbation a sin? stuff like that). Using powerful stories, eye-opening facts, and surprisingly blunt biblical truth, Jonathan McKee answers these kinds of tough questions with the right mix of truth and grace. He gives teenagers a clear path to living a pure life in a sex-saturated world. Get it, read it, and learn how to let your life and light shine in the darkness."--Greg Stier, president, Dare 2 Share (www.dare2share.org) "Every great adventure starts with preparation. Sex is a great adventure! But it requires thoughtful preparation. Jonathan McKee's Sex Matters is the perfect tool to prepare you for that journey. Do yourself a favor and spend some time thinking, processing, and preparing for the great adventure of sex."--Josh Griffin, Founder of DownloadYouthMinistry.com and high school pastor at Saddleback Church

Sometimes you don t have their attention for very long. Whether you ve planned for a short message or your program has run long, a ten-minute talk is sometimes all you have space for in your youth ministry. So make sure you make it ten minutes that really count If you need to communicate something meaningful in just a little time, 10 Minute Talks has just what you need---more than two dozen ready-to-go, story-based talks. With talks for spiritual growth, targeted at your Christian students, and outreach talks, perfect for any teenager, you ll be prepared to give them a bite of truth that they can walk away remembering. Following the method Jesus used most often, these 10 Minute Talks give you stories that can impact students with one simple point. Each talk gives you the tools you need to make it count, and the flexibility to make it work for your context. Along with each topic and title, you ll find: * The Big Idea * Scripture * The Story * The Transition Statement * Application * Closing Don t get caught with nothing to say---or too much to say in the time you ve got Get 10 Minute Talks and get a meaningful message across quickly "

Sometimes you don t have their attention for very long. Whether you ve planned for a short message or your program has run long, a ten-minute talk is sometimes all you have space for in your youth ministry. So make sure you make it ten minutes that really count If you need to communicate something meaningful in just a little time, 10-Minute Talks has just what you need---more than two dozen ready-to-go, story-based talks. With talks for spiritual growth, targeted at your Christian students, and outreach talks, perfect for any teenager, you ll be prepared to give them a bite of truth that they can walk away remembering. Following the method Jesus used most often, these More 10-Minute Talks give you stories that can impact students with one simple point. Each talk gives you the tools you need to make it count, and the flexibility to make it work for your context. Along with each topic and title, you ll find: * The Big Idea * Scripture * The Story * The Transition Statement * Application * Closing Don t get caught with nothing to say---or too much to say in the time you ve got Get 10 Minute Talks and get a meaningful message across quickly "

This guide will encourage your faith, challenge you spiritually, and give you real-life advice how to live out your faith in today's highly secularized culture, with distractions lurking around every corner and just a click away.

For many teenagers, sharing their faith in Jesus to their friends is an overwhelming and scary prospect. Outreach is inviting their friends to a fun event once a year. In this entertaining video-based training (DVD/digital video sold separately), Jonathan McKee ignites the passion of Christian teenagers to live authentic lives and gives them tools to reach out to their friends in ways that won't give them cold sweats! The message is simple: an authentic faith creates opportunities to talk about Jesus. Students will discover the secret to sharing the reason for the hope that's within them. Designed for use with the Real Conversations Video Study (sold separately).

"In an age where teenagers are deeply engaged in virtual communities and social networks, they're still feeling alone and isolated. It may sound all too simple, but the truth is that you have the opportunity to make a profound impact on the lives of students with the simple act of spending time with them, one-on-one. Whether you're a volunteer or the lead youth pastor, getting some students to open up and share their lives can be a challenge. In this practical book you'll learn the importance of connecting with students on an individual basis and get helpful ideas on how to engage a variety of students in meaningful dialogue. You'll explore and learn more about connecting with six different types of students, including: * The "No Way" Kid * The "Not Interested" Kid * The "Checking Things Out Kid" * The "Stagnant" Kid * The "Growing" Kid * The "Looking for Ministry" Kid Connect will walk you through the steps to lead you into relationships with students that go beyond the youth room and impact them into adulthood."

Whenever I talk with youth workers at big events, I see the same look in their eyes. It's the look of, "I want to pull off an event like this." I regularly get phone calls from youth workers around the country saying, "We've never done anything like this before, but we wanted to do a big evangelism event . . ." At 80% of the events I speak at each year it seems as if the youth worker in charge expected large numbers, only to get a fourth of his or her expectations. The heart is there and the motives are pure . . . but the experience and know-how are in short supply. Most youth workers would love to pull off successful outreach events, if they only knew how. Youth workers are only learning how to program outreach events by "trial and error." They need a resource to not only teach them the basics in programming outreach events, but also give them tools and examples that actually work. This book will help them understand the mindset of this outreach crowd, and give them the tools to plan effective outreach programs. The book will show them examples of how NOT to do it, as well as giving them "ready-made" events that work. It will also provide the basics such as the importance of DRAW, and aligning every single element with the events PURPOSE. The target market is all youth workers who want to plan weekly outreach programs, big events, or campus programs. A secondary audience would be student leaders who want to learn how to run 20 minute lunchtime "Bible Clubs," geared for outreach. Youth workers would be the gatekeepers to this audience, because they are the ones who would purchase the books for their student leaders

Reaching Out to Unchurched Teenagers Five facts about the unchurched: 1. They believe all religions have value. 2. They are spiritual, not religious. 3. They don't know what Christianity really is. 4. They don't know what they believe. 5. They are looking for something that works. If you want to make an impact on this generation, these are five basic rules you must understand. Author Jonathan McKee writes that by taking the time to learn students' unique situations you show you care about them as people, not as mission projects. Informative and full of real-life examples, Do They Run When They See You Coming? provides vital information you need to better understand students outside your youth group. Yet this book isn't a sociological or marketing survey; the tangible guidelines and methods inside help you get into the mind of unchurched students--so you can get to know their hearts. Because, as every youth worker knows, real ministry is always about getting to the heart.

Have Real Conversations With Your Kids About Sex The old ways of having the "sex talk" just won't cut it anymore. Sadly, the number one place today's young people go to for answers about sex is Google. Meanwhile, kids view nearly 14,000 sexual references a year on television, and 70 percent of teenagers have encountered pornography on the Internet. If we want our children to know the truth about healthy sexuality, we need to create a comfortable climate of continual conversations. Jonathan McKee will show you how to move beyond the initial awkwardness of this subject into an ongoing communication with your kids about God's amazing gift of sex. He equips you with what you need to talk openly about dating, temptation, porn, and purity, and you will find answers to tough questions and relevant Scripture on sexual issues. It's normal for kids to be curious about sexuality, and they need to know that their parents are the most reliable source of information. Be the one your kids turn to on this crucial topic. "In a world full of explicit lies, today's kids need parents who aren't afraid to tell them the explicit truth. This book provides parents with the tools they need to have these candid and continual conversations."--Dr. Kevin Leman, New York Times bestselling author of Have a Happy Family by Friday "Jonathan McKee is one of America's premier youth specialists, and this book will help you navigate the rough waters of teaching your kids healthy sexuality."--Jim Burns, PhD, president, HomeWord and author "Parents, take a deep breath. This book pulls no punches. But it will give you exactly what you need to walk alongside your kids at this time when they most need it."--Shaunti Feldhahn, social researcher, speaker, and bestselling author "A thorough, straightforward, and engaging resource that will both equip and inform a parent for effective, culturally relevant, and God-honoring conversations about sexuality and all its implications. It is a critical read in critical times."--Brian Berry, generation ministries pastor, Journey Community Church, La Mesa, California; and author "SO many parents I know don't feel equipped to talk to their kids about sex. This book helps you overcome the (guaranteed) awkwardness of conversations like that, and provides both tools AND motivation. I wish every parent would read it."--Scott Rubin, director of middle school ministry, Willow Creek Community Church "Jonathan McKee provides clarity and practical knowledge so that you and I can do more than just give a nervous 'talk' to our kids; we can be loving and consistent parents for them as well."--Terry Linhart, PhD, educator, author, Bethel College--Indiana "Kids need parents who are educated, aware, and relevant when it comes to sex. Thankfully, Jonathan McKee gives us powerful, poignant, and practical tools to help us win in this delicate and scary parenting arena."--Doug Fields, co-founder of DownloadYouthMinistry.com, youth pastor for thirty years at Saddleback & Mariners Church, speaker, and author "McKee is a frontline youth worker with current and regular interactions with Christian teenagers wrestling with the intersection of their faith and their sexuality. Never condescending, Jon brings his writing style to a subject I wish more parents were talking about with their teens."--Mark Oestreicher, partner, The Youth Cartel and author "Jonathan McKee's book helps us to remember that 'the talk' is a myth at best, and a terrible strategy at worst. A lifestyle of preparation, a strategic series of discussions, and a proactive commitment to conversation is what our kids need, and this book will help any parent to walk with their kids in confidence."--Chap Clark, professor of youth, family, and culture, Fuller Theological Seminary

Are you and your favorite teenager having too many conversations like this?
""How was school?""
""Fine.""
""Soccer practice?""
""Same as always.""
""Anything interesting happen today?""
""Nope.""
""Nice talking with you "
"
Let's face it. Teenagers have a PhD in one-word answers . . . if we don't ask the right questions.
In this book, veteran youth expert Jonathan McKee shares 180 creative discussion starters to help teens open up about issues that matter. You'll also find tips for interpreting their responses and follow-up questions. From light-hearted to more serious, these conversation springboards will encourage even the most reluctant teen to talk about friends, school, values, struggles, and much more.
"The perfect tool for connecting with today's teenagers."
--Dr. Kevin Leman, author of "Have a New Teenager by Friday
""Few people understand the teenage world like Jonathan McKee. This book is one of the most helpful and practical tools I have ever seen to get teenagers talking with their parents about important topics."--Jim Burns, PhD, author of "Teenology: The Art of Raising Great Teenagers "and "Confident Parenting"