I had been working on this sermon for about 6 months, and finally got it together to preach on January 2nd, 2010.
Our Youth: Problems, Causes, and Solutions
David Harris, January 2nd, 2011
Grace Bible Church
Introduction:
Good morning. It is once again a great pleasure to be given the opportunity to speak to you all this morning. It’s a bittersweet day for me, as it is also my last Sunday here until the summer, as I leave for South Africa in 11 days. It is a great privilege to be able to speak here where I already know most everyone as opposed to where I will be shortly not having that close bond of fellowship that grows from years and years of knowing and serving with all of you here, so I count it a great privilege to be able to speak here on my last Sunday.
I’ve chosen to speak on a topical issue this morning instead of exegeting a passage. I have done this for two reasons. For one, it is more of a challenge as if often requires a greater amount of scriptural locations to gain a full view of the topic. Two, and most important, it’s been something on my heart for quite some time. I’d like to speak on the topic of youth; and by the topic of youth I don’t mean what it means to be a youth, or the origin of the word (though I will cover those), but I’d like to speak on a grander scale on some frightening trends I’ve noticed among youth groups, peers, and the general spiritual state of young people. I’d like us to briefly look at a statistic. We’ll look at some more a little later, but this is just to introduce the type of problems the church is experiencing with its youth. 61% of today’s young adults who attended church during their teen years are now disengaged with the church, and uninvolved in the local body, praying, or even reading their Bibles (Barna). This means statistically speaking, the majority of teenagers in this sanctuary right now will not be attending church, praying, or reading the scriptures regularly when they leave home. Now I’m not saying this as a prophet of doom, I pray that this trend will be turned around, especially in this church, but I feel the need to at least cite this statistic as a warning of what is happening and what could come about in your own families. Now before I proceed any farther, I’d like to define the word youth. I actually found several different definitions: The condition or quality of being young, an early period of development or existence, and the time of life between childhood and maturity. This third definition is the one that I am referring to this morning when I say the word “youth”. I’m referring to what our society defines as those transitioning between childhood and adulthood. The irony of this definition is that historically this defined age hasn’t existed. In most all pre-20th century cultures, there would be a rite of passage around the pre-teen years, then that child was considered and expected to be an adult. Unfortunately, we can think of far too many people today whom we may know that fit into this “in-between” stage although they might be in their 20s, 30s, or beyond. So not only junior high and high school would fit into this category, but also many college and post high school individuals as well.
Is There Anything New Under the Sun?
In light of that haunting statistic we just looked at, we would probably want to ask some questions as to why these things are occurring. Why are our youth leaving the church? Before we get there though we need to ask another question: is this a new problem, or is it just a manifestation of a problem that has always existed? Well, I would say yes and no, but mostly yes. While the “statistics” may have been more encouraging 100, 200 years ago, there has always been a problem that just manifests itself in different ways. The book of Ecclesiastes has a phrase threaded through its pages that says: “There is nothing new under the sun”. This is referring to the evil that the “preacher” experiences and hears of during his lifetime. So what is the root of the problem? Sinful man! Total depravity! Romans 5:12,19 says: “sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned... by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners”. All humans in all history have been totally depraved and evil from birth: Psalm 51:5 says “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” There are no exceptions to this rule: Psalm 143:2 says: “Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you”. We see here and so many other places in scripture that man is completely helpless and hopeless for choosing good in and of himself. It requires God to do a work in the heart of sinful man for that man to come to repentance and faith in Christ. All this to say is that the ultimate root of this problem and really any other problem like this one is the indwelling of sin within us. So let me just say now that although we will look at the failures of the church, parents, and society, according the Bible, ultimately the eternal responsibility rests on each person individually.
The Problems
So what exactly are these problems? We already looked at one statistic; let’s look at a few more: In 2002, the Southern Baptist Convention’s Family Life Council came to the conclusion that about 88% of youth are leaving the church. The Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA found that 52% of college students reported frequent church attendance the year before they entered college but only 29% continued frequent church attendance by their junior year[i]. The Fuller Youth Institute's current data seems "to suggest that about 40-50% of students in youth groups struggle in their faith after graduation. "[ii] Another Barna statistic says “Although 2/3 of all teenagers say they know all the basic teachings... of the Christian faith, 2/3 reject the existence of Satan, 3/5 reject the existence of the Holy Spirit, and 1/2 believe that Jesus sinned....”[iii] There is no doubt that the way one believes affects how one acts, and in light of the previous statistics, these should be rather expected: The United States has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the western world, where almost 1/3 of girls will become pregnant before the age of 20. 81% of these are to unmarried teens. While the number has decreased somewhat in recent years, almost 50% of highschoolers have reported to have been sexually active. The 2005 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance found that in 2005 16.9% of teens had seriously considered suicide that year. These are just a few of the rising trends in the US. We could also look at the spikes in school violence, drug use, alcohol use, pornography use, college dropouts, etc., but the facts are that we have a society that is swiftly drifting toward becoming like the one in Corinth. If this was Corinth- a godless city in the midst of a godless society, these would be totally understandable statistics. But this is a country in which just fewer than 80% consider themselves “Christian”, and over 50% consider themselves “Protestant”.
Now while we could talk about how to deal with these problems on a grand scale, I’d like to just focus on problems within the evangelical church. Many of these I’ve realized just based on personal experience and observance. The first I’d like to talk about is the disrespect for authority. This is something I think that we are all aware of very much as an increasing problem. I can see just in my short lifetime a recognizable shift in the behavior of youth in this area. While this might be understandable in the world, the same thing has happened in the church. We can think of many youths we know or know of who demonstrate this disrespectful and rebellious attitude the majority of the time. I know the parents here know what I’m talking about… I know mine do; they’ve had to deal with me! Proverbs 30:11 addresses this directly: “There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.” Here we see yet again how these are age old problems.
Another problem is the increasing worldly cares of youth today. I’m thinking mostly of America, but churches in other parts of the world, including where I’ll be flying to next week are experiencing the same things. Here in America we live some of the most convenient and secure lives in the world- but we aren’t happy, and youth are demonstrating this dramatically. This is form CBS news: “A new study has found that five times as many high school and college students are dealing with anxiety and other mental health issues than youth of the same age who were studied in the Great Depression era.”[iv] Why so much anxiety in depression in a time where all our needs are met and desires fulfilled? What are the concerns of youth today, even in the church? I can tell you what they are, they go something like this: Do I have everything I need? Do I have everything I want? Do I fit in with my peers? Am I unattractive? Am I abnormal? Am I healthy? Am I SURE that I’m healthy? Do I have what I need to be able to fit in with my peers? Do I have a girlfriend? Do I have a boyfriend? If not, then what’s wrong with me? Do people like me? Are my clothes hip enough? Do I stick out to much? Do I stick out to little? Is my family making me look weird? Am I smart enough? Am I tall enough? Am I short enough? Am I too fat? Am I too thin? Am I athletic enough? Am I happy? Am I satisfied? What do all those have in common? They’re all about one person. ME. Contrast that with the story of the two 19-year old Moravian missionaries who sold themselves into slavery so that they might reach the people on the island of St. Thomas. As they left and sailed away with their families crying, one of them said these words: “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!” I don’t think they were thinking too much of themselves as they sailed away, giving up their entire lives for the cause of Christ. These were two youth! Now I’m not saying that all brave young men need to do something like that, but it’s definitely a far cry from the selfishness of today. The Bible is certainly not silent on worldly cares: 1 Timothy 6:8 says: “But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” That’s all we need! With nothing more than food and clothes, we can be totally content. Possibly the greatest manifestation of these worldly cares is an increasing amount of worldliness. I’ve oft been shocked at the things that the youth in the church will watch; listen too, or read (myself included). Now I love movies. I love watching them, analyzing them, and making my own. I love music. I love listening to it, writing it, and playing it. I love books; reading them, talking about them. All of these things can be used in marvelous ways to encourage, exhort, evangelize, and edify, but so many of my peers seem to be totally unaware that these things can also be used as a trap. Our entertainment becomes our pleasure, and our pleasure becomes a quest for ourselves rather than for God. This isn’t just restricted to books, music, and films, but everything done for self-gratification. One of my favorite books is “Thoughts for Young Men” by J.C. Ryle. He wrote this work before the invention of ipods, dvds, or television, but his words nevertheless apply: “Youth is the time when our passions are strongest--and like unruly children, cry most loudly for indulgence. Youth is the time when we have generally our most health and strength: death seems far away, and to enjoy ourselves in this life seems to be everything. Youth is the time when most people have few earthly cares or anxieties to take up their attention. And all these things help to make young men think of nothing except pleasure. "I serve lusts and pleasures:" that is the true answer many a young man should give, if asked, "Who’s Servant are you?” Young men, time would not permit me to tell you all the fruits this love of pleasure produces, and all the ways in which it may do you harm. Why should I speak of carousing, partying, drinking, gambling, movie-going, dancing, and the like? There are few to be found who don't know something of these things by bitter experience. And these are only instances. All things that give a feeling of excitement for the time--all things that drown thought, and keep the mind in a constant whirl--all things that please the senses and delight the flesh--these are the sort of things that have mighty power at your time of life, and they owe their power to the love of pleasure. Be on your guard. Do not be like those of whom Paul speaks, "Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:4).” (Unquote)
This not only applies to young men. Notice he says “Youth is the time when most people have few earthly cares or anxieties to take up their attention.” But now anxiety and depression are at an all time high among youth here in the US. Could it be the wages of living for self-pleasure instead of the pleasure of God? He goes on after several biblical warnings: “Go and take your fill of earthly pleasures if you will--you will never find your heart satisfied with them. There will always be a voice within, crying, like the leech in Proverbs 30:15, "Give! Give!" There is an empty place there, which nothing but God can fill. You will find, as Solomon did by experience, that earthly pleasures are but a meaningless show--promising contentment but bringing a dissatisfaction of spirit--gold plated caskets, exquisite to look at on the outside, but full of ashes and corruption within. Be wise in your youth. Write the word "poison" on all earthly pleasures.” We find the haunting words of the preacher in Ecclesiastes who had given himself over to pleasure only to find it betrayed him in the end. All he was left to say was “Remember your creator in the days of your YOUTH”.
We could go over other problems, but I’d like now to look at the root of the problems. Of course we know what is the overall root problem, but there are several areas that are very critical to understand if we are to come up with any solutions to these problems.
The first root I’d like us to consider is that of false conversions. Being one of the most fundamental teachings of Christianity, it’s often hard to believe we struggle so much with this. What is a Christian? Is it someone who attends church? Someone who prays? Someone who reads the Bible? Of course not! Those are things that Christians do, but they are not what define a Christian. Unfortunately, many parents and churches make the mistake of assuming that they are dealing with youth who are actually Christians. Sometimes this is just because as a small child they “asked Jesus to come into their heart”, and after all their child still goes to church, may read the Bible, and may even pray. If they are true Christians, then why are 61% of them leaving the church, neglecting prayer, and neglecting the scripture? I would suggest that it may because that they were never saved to begin with. How does one become a Christian? Romans 10 says: “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” 2 Peter says: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” Throughout the Bible we find the two essentials for salvation: repentance and faith. Faith without repentance is useless because it makes no demonstration of a changed heart and mind. Repentance without faith is useless because there is no change in the heart. If either of these is missing, the conversion is false. I’ve personally seen many of my peers obtain false conversions-many times at youth outreaches. While there may be a profession, a prayer said, a habit changed; there is either no change in direction or no change in heart. Christ said in the book of Luke: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” A true Christian will have a changed life along with his/her changed heart. They must go hand in hand.
The second root problem I’d like to consider is unbiblical theology. As I said earlier, while ultimate responsibility rests on the individual, the operation of the church and family greatly effects the formation of the youth’s worldview. So the question is: Is the modern evangelical church being faithful in the accurate declaration of God’s word? Galatians 1:8 says: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” The problem of false conversions can be traced to unbiblical theology- here being a contrary gospel. 2 Peter talks all about this- it talks about false prophets and doctrines that will come and blind the church and her people. Sometimes these false doctrines are very subtle and easily missed.
The avenue that false doctrine takes is usually within the church, just as 2 Peter and 1 Timothy warn us. But has the church as a whole really been all that faithful in its responsibility to the youth in recent times? The place to start would be to ask “what is the church’s responsibility to its youth?” Well, what is the church’s responsibility period? This is a question that often popped up in my mind growing up. I would be sitting listening to the sermon or singing a hymn and I’d think to myself: “What’s the point of this to begin with? I mean, can’t we be Christians without a church?” This comes back to the fundamental purpose of the church. Much of what we know about the purpose of the church comes from the example of the early church. It was started after Jesus’ ascension as a body of believers committed to prayer, worship, encouragement, and accountability. There are many principles for this in the New Testament: Acts 2:42- “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Romans 12:10- “be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 15:14- “I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.” Here we find that instruction is part of the practice of the church. 1 Thessalonians 5:11- “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” These all come from letters written to different churches across Europe and Asia Minor to individual bodies of believers- churches. So has the modern evangelical church been faithful to fulfill what scriptures commands here? There is a very large trend in modern Christian churches today that is focused on bringing the “seeker” or the unsaved into the church. This is done by bringing gimmicks, shows, and taboo subjects into the church to be talked about. The exact same is going on in youth groups- the only difference is in the youth groups they use pizza and video games more. One of the greatest consequences of this is that most all of the teaching in the church ends up being evangelistic- though there’s nothing wrong with teaching being evangelistic (in fact since the whole Bible is pointing to Christ it all is anyway), the problem that comes in is that there is no spiritual growth in the church. Being one who has just come out of the youth group age, I can tell you that whether they know it or not, youth, even in this church, are starving for spiritual growth and discipleship as put forth in Philippians 1:9-10: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ”. If someone is truly a child of God and a follower of Christ he/she will have a desire to grow in their knowledge of God and his precepts. The church that does not help fulfill these fundamental necessities for believers, especially when they are in their youth, is in error.
Perhaps the problem that causes the most grief in families of youth is that of parental neglect. By neglect I am speaking of neglecting the God-charged duties of raising children in the respect and admonition of the Lord. On this subject God’s word is certainly not silent! After giving the law to the Israelites, Moses gave this command: “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children— how on the day that you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, 'Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.” Proverbs 13:27 says: “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” Furthermore in Proverbs 23: “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.” In these several verses we find some important duties that parents are responsible to God and their children: the first being teaching the commands and precepts of the Lord, and the second being discipline. Notice even the type of punishment is identified: a rod. Whoever withholds this discipline HATES his son. In Ephesians 6:4 there’s a command of not WHAT to do but what NOT to do. “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Discipline is required, but discipline is also supposed to be with reason- not provoking or without purpose. There are several things are missing today in this area. For one, it’s hard to find parents even in the church that still obey the scriptures here. Hebrews 12:11 says: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Discipline is an absolute necessity for the moral development of children. Training them in righteousness is also an absolute necessity. When either of these is missing, it should be no surprise that a child will grow into to a carnal, fleshly, worldly individual.
One other thing I’d like to consider is the example of parents. What you value will become your children’s values. I’ve seen this over and over again. One example of this is the value of church in the life of the parents. Now I could have been worried about offending those who choose to put other activities above assembling of the saints, but then I realized: “oh yeah, they probably won’t be here anyway!” Now I’d like to give a disclaimer: The New Testament does not require worship on Sunday. Galatians speaks of how one “esteems one day over another” as their “Sunday” if you will. Messianic Jews worship on Friday night, Seventh Day Adventists worship on Saturday, perhaps some first responders can only make it to a Wednesday night service. With that in mind, if you go to Grace Bible Church, we have other opportunities in mid-week Bible studies, but our primary day congregational worship is Sunday. For most of the churches (at least theologically sound ones) that is your one choice as well. If the fellowshipping/worshiping/encouraging/teaching of the church doesn’t take first priority in your own life, then why would you ever expect it to take priority in the lives of your children? If anything else takes first place, you demonstrate to your children that while the church is something important, church isn’t really an absolute necessity, since it can take second place to a football game, track meet, or business. When I was 11 I was a decent soccer player (oh, and I bet you I still would be assuming I play against 11 year olds). I got several offers to play for travel teams. The only problem was the teams played on Sunday. I really wanted to be on the teams, and even held somewhat of a grudge toward my parents for not allowing me to play. It was right around that time that in Sunday school we were making a study of the life of Eric Liddell. Eric Liddell was an Olympic runner during the 1920s. He was raised as a missionary kid in China, where he later returned (he died in a Japanese death camp during World War Two). During the 1924 Olympics, he was faced with a great dilemma: The race he was scheduled to be held on a Sunday. Being a man of strong conviction, he knew immediately that it would be against his conscience to race on a Sunday. His stand caused a great controversy among the press, public, and those in charge of the games. If you’d like to learn more about him, then I would highly recommend renting the film Chariots of Fire, or reading his biography. Liddell’s testimony greatly helped in my acceptance of NOT playing on Sunday- he knew that going against his conscience would be sinful, so he preached during the race instead. All that to say is: parenting requires example; if you don’t value it, chances are your offspring won’t.
One final problem I’d like to look at is low expectations. While the other problems that we’ve talked about have been focused more on the individual, church, or parents, this last problem is societal, but it leaks into the other three categories. What does society expect from youth today? To be holy? To be interested in the things of God? To be examples of following Christ? No. Not at all. There’s a reason all those statistics we looked at in the beginning exist. You may have heard of experiments where two classrooms are formed. While both classrooms are filled with average students, one teacher is told he is teaching below average students, while the other is told he is teaching a classroom full of prodigies. Which classroom does better? The one with the higher expectations. Now I could go on and on about various examples of young men and women who greatly excelled modern-day society’s expectations of what youth should do, but I’d like to just look at one verse from Paul to Timothy: “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” There you go. Everything we need to know about being a Christian youth is right there.
The Solutions
Well. We’ve spent a while looking at the problems; let’s look at some solutions! These solutions are really very quite simple. I’d like to start with the church.
The key to understanding what the church is responsible for to youth is just as simple as understanding what the church’s responsibility to the rest of her believers. If the youth group is an extension of the church for youth, then it should be no different- it should include the things scripture commands for the church: worship, prayer, edification, biblical teaching. Not a “chill” rock band, not drinking soda through a dirty sock (and yes, there are churches that have used that as a gimmick to get youth interested in attending the youth group), not seeking to make it comfortable for non-Christian youth so they might attend and perhaps become interested in our faith, not playing X-box or PS3. This may mean that we don’t have the “numbers” that other churches have. This may mean that some youth in this church won’t attend because it “isn’t fun or hip enough”. So what? Who do we live to please? God or man? If our youth group is to succeed biblically, then it must not be world-centered, but CROSS-centered. The youth group should not be a place where we simply try to get non-believers in, but we equip our youth to reach their peers themselves. In growing the youth in their faith, God-willing we could see a drop in those statistics we looked at the beginning, because we will be dealing with youth who are actually Christians.
Another solution comes not from the church, but from the home. Cross-centered parenting. I’ve heard before of parents who have become angry at the youth leaders or pastor of their church when their children go astray. Parents: The responsibility of raising your children is not up to the church, it’s up to YOU. If you aren’t an example of godliness in your own home, how can you expect your children to be examples of godliness like 1 Timothy commands? The church exists to edify your children, but you exist to train them. 1 Timothy chapter 3 speaks of the qualifications of an overseer. Among many others is keeping his children submissive. This isn’t the job of the church, but the job of an overseer within the church. As we saw earlier, this comes from discipline and training in righteousness. The qualifications for an elder can be found in the book of Titus. Their children must be faithful, and not accused of dissipation or rebellion.
The last solution I’d like to look at applies only individually: this is that of personal repentance. I don’t know the spiritual state of all the youth here this morning, but I think you could be grouped in three categories, and I’d like to address each specifically before I close. The first group are those who truly know Christ and are growing every day more in sanctification. To you the Bible says: press on! Paul says in Philippians 3:14: “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” The more you grow in your walk with Christ the more you will realize just how much farther you will need to walk, but keep walking! Don’t forsake your youth! Use this time! Youth is usually the time of greatest health and physical ability (we could argue about mental ability). Get out there do some hard things! Not for yourself, but for God! You can have your own rebellion- that against the low expectations put upon you.
The second group are the nominal Christian youth. You may have said a prayer when you were younger, but either you are unsure of your salvation or you’re almost to the point of not caring. If God has done a true work of salvation, then there is some good news for you: Philippians 1:6 says: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” No matter what, you will be conformed to the image of Christ. In the realm of theology this is called irresistible grace. You may have to experience God’s chastening, but He will not let you go. If you aren’t truly saved, then you technically belong in the third category:
These are those who have not come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. To you I give a warning: 1 John 2 speaks of anti-Christs coming in the last days: “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us eternal life.” It’s entirely possible that some here even today will eventually depart and fit into the category of anti-Christs. However, if perhaps you just haven’t come to the point where you’ve trusted in Christ and turned from your sins, I exhort you not to leave today without the confidence of forgiven sins and an eternal life spent with Christ in heaven. Please! Don’t leave! Talk to me! I have a lot of packing to do today, but I will joyfully give that time up to talk to you whether you don’t know Christ at all, or are simply unsure about it. 2 Peter says: “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, it’s a great hope to know that ultimately the results of surveys, studies, and numbers of youth group attendance have no bearing on our eternal destinies. We are simply called to be faithful in season and out of season. It’s a new year. What changes can you make today to be all the more faithful to God, your family, and the youth of this church? Let’s pray. (Closing prayer).
[i] http://www.conversantlife.com/theology/how-many-youth-are-leaving-the-church
[ii] http://www.conversantlife.com/theology/how-many-youth-are-leaving-the-church
[iii] http://www.crossroad.to/charts/church-statistics.html
[iv] http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/11/health/main6081873.shtml
Preparing for Temptation 
