Youth Alive Training Adapted from International Conference Staff Manual, Copyright 1995 Institute for Prevention of Addictions Berrien Springs, MI, USA General Conference Youth, Education, Family Ministries and Health Ministries Departments

Youth Alive Training2 Devotional minutes Youth Alive conference is designed to Youth Alive conference is designed to empower youth with tools necessary to empower youth with tools necessary to avoid risk behaviors avoid risk behaviors They need power to prevent the use of They need power to prevent the use of dangerous drugs dangerous drugs That mighty power is Jesus Christ That mighty power is Jesus Christ

Alarming problems Caused by alcohol, tobacco, other drugs Caused by alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and compulsive behaviors and compulsive behaviors More than ½ all violent crimes More than ½ all violent crimes More than ½ all traffic fatalities More than ½ all traffic fatalities 70% all drowning victims 70% all drowning victims 2/3 suicides 2/3 suicides All linked to the use of alcohol Youth Alive Training3

Many people die from drug & alcohol related problems 10 times as many deaths 10 times as many deaths due to alcohol-related due to alcohol-related causes than from illicit causes than from illicit drugs combined drugs combined 20 times as many deaths 20 times as many deaths related to smoking related to smoking Youth Alive Training4

Damage to quality of life Alcohol and drug use estimated to cost: $800 per year for every man, woman, and child Alcohol and drug use estimated to cost: $800 per year for every man, woman, and child Regardless if they used them or not Regardless if they used them or not This amounts to $200 billion in the United States alone This amounts to $200 billion in the United States alone Youth Alive Training5

Seventh-day Adventists not exempt from these problems Study by Dr. Hopkins and Associates among SDA youth attending 69 academies throughout US and Canada ( ) Youth Alive Training6

Study by Dr. Gary Hopkins & Associates Youth Alive Training7 Substance used by youth Adventist youth attending SDA schools Non-Adventist youth attending public school s Alcohol45.7%81.7% Tobacco31%71.3% Marijuana16%37.2% Cocaine3.5%4.8% Hard drug (non cocaine) 7.6%18.4% Injected illegal drug0.9%2.4%

Study by Dr. Gary Hopkins & Associates Youth Alive Training8 Substance used by youth Adventist youth using drugs/alcohol before 13 years old Non-Adventist youth using drugs/alcohol before 13 years old Alcohol20.2%32.4% Tobacco13.6%24.9% Marijuana7.6%12.5% Cocaine0.6%1.2%

Study by Dr. Gary Hopkins & Associates Youth Alive Training9 Adventist youth and sexual experience (SDA schools) Non-Adventist youth and sexual experience (public schools) 16.3%53.1%

Legal seductive drugs (alcohol & cigarettes) Youth Alive Training10 Devil has produced seductive drugs Devil has produced seductive drugs Cigarettes the most addictive drug Cigarettes the most addictive drug Addicts of alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, or any illegal drug have better chance to quit than smokers Addicts of alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, or any illegal drug have better chance to quit than smokers

1997 National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (involving 90,000 teenagers and 18,000 parents) Getting connected with God Getting connected with God Getting connected with one another Getting connected with one another Youth Alive Training11

Getting connected with God When religion and prayer are important to an adolescent, they are less likely to smoke, drink, or become involved in premarital sexual activity. Youth Alive Training12

Impact of drugs is POWERFUL!! Removing the power of drugs will make them feel Removing the power of drugs will make them feel “lost”. Youth Alive Training13

JESUS CHRIST, the Highest Power! Youth Alive Training14

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13 Youth Alive Training15

Getting connected with one another Independent of race, ethnicity, family structure and poverty status, adolescents who are connected to their parents, to their families, and to their school community are protected from risk behaviors such as sex, violence, emotional distress, suicidal attempts and drug use. Youth Alive Training16

Man is not an island “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.” Romans 14:7 Youth Alive Training17

Youth Alive combines two factors Two important factors of the program are Two important factors of the program are – Being connected with Jesus Christ – Being connected with one another These make the difference in protecting youth from at-risk behaviors These make the difference in protecting youth from at-risk behaviors Without these two factors, the program is fun and entertaining, but not successful in preventing addictive behaviors Without these two factors, the program is fun and entertaining, but not successful in preventing addictive behaviors Youth Alive Training18

Youth Alive spiritual principle based on the Moral Law “The first of all commandments is ‘thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength;’ this is the first commandment. And the second is …Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Matthew 22: KJV Youth Alive Training19

A strong, healthy relationship with God (vertical) produces a strong, healthy relationship with other people (horizontal) Youth Alive Training20 God Spiritual Self Others

Pray for the presence of the Holy Spirit Continually hook ourselves to the power of Jesus Christ in all our activities Continually hook ourselves to the power of Jesus Christ in all our activities Experience the rapid connectedness to take place in the Youth Alive conference Experience the rapid connectedness to take place in the Youth Alive conference Youth Alive Training21