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Ministries|Thu, Jan. 03 2008 09:25 AM EST

Teen Trend Predictions for 2008

By Audrey Barrick|Christian Post Reporter

4. Teens will utilize technology in sharing their faith

The use of technology and social networks by Christian teens when sharing their faith will accelerate in 2008. MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube provide extensive exposure for creatively using technology to talk with others about spiritual issues. Blogs and text messaging lend further spontaneous opportunities for teens to communicate the importance of their faith in the midst of their daily lives, whether they are communicating to one friend or an entire network of social relationships.

5. Teens will have a higher economic awareness

Economic realities in 2008 will raise teen’s awareness of economic issues due to the increasing economic stratification of society. Climbing food and energy prices, coupled with the ripple effect of the housing market foreclosure crisis will force parents on the lower end of the economic spectrum to say “no” even more frequently to their teen’s financial requests. Conversely, parents on the high end of the economic spectrum will be unaffected by these economic realities and will continue to spring for high-budget item requests like new cars, next-edition iPhones or the Spring Break trip. As a result, teen cliques will become even more aligned based on the economic standing of their parents.

Founded in 1991, Dare 2 Share Ministries International is a non-profit organization that trains tens of thousands of teenagers every year to know, live and share their faith.

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  • nigec »
    Fri Mar 14, 2008 2:05 am Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

    I think teens will have a larger voice and say. I just came across an article which said how artists are using the fan band sites to raise funds. I think teens will use more networking tools to get their voice out there and make choices. There are sites like mozes.com which directly connect the bands/artists to the fans and help them have a say in music and direct feedback. So I think yes, teens will utilize technology in spreading the word.

  • timr38s »
    Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:54 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 5

    As a college student and youth leader for several years, I think that the whole perception of Christianity in America will change again with this generation. Weekly, I gather with my friends and discuss religion, often at Starbucks :). But as an older person do not go there unless you have a goatee and a pipe. Yes Christianity will sadly become more fractionalized and strong church denominations will probably drop by way side. I am too young to speculate on all of what will happen as a result but I think Lex and Mara need to realize that young people more than anything want to belong and that is what will keep them in a church setting if not necessarily in a denomination.

  • Gratus »
    Fri Jan 04, 2008 9:40 pm Agree: 0   Disagree: 1

    I appreciate the article, BUT PLEASE tell me what the first half of paragraph 3 means. I suppose I am not as 'hands on' as the Audrey Barrick. Fox Faith, I assume, is not part of the mainstream media. Hollywood is. The rise of a 'Christian entertainment ghetto' seems to present us with a better opportunity to reach younger Christians with the gospel than Hollywood. "Starbucks spirituality" however, may carry the risk of gathering together a religious outlook from all over, and not necessarily from the Bible.

  • Lex »
    Fri Jan 04, 2008 7:40 am Agree: 6   Disagree: 2

    Of course they're going to cut themselves off from mature Christians. Older Christians need to take the warning we've been given, and remember that when we were teenagers we thought we knew everything too.

    The point is not to give teenagers a hard time about foresaking the assembling of the saints; the point is for the mature Christians to start hanging out at Starbucks like Jesus hung out at wells.

  • maranatha7593 »
    Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:19 pm Agree: 3   Disagree: 2

    While these teens are busy gathering at Starbucks, which can be a great thing, I do hope they don't cut themselves off from mature older Christians who have been where they are and can give solid Biblical guidance and counsel. Regardless of who we are or what is our age, we need to remember "not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together" with other believers.

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