T.A.S.K.
(Teens Are Saying kNOw)

ABSTINENCE SEMINAR AGENDA

1. Introduction of speakers

2. Maranatha Pregnancy Center: Purpose, Mission, and Vision

3. T.A.S.K. Abstinence Program: Purpose, Mission, and Vision

4. T.A.S.K. Abstinence Seminar

    a. STDs

    b. Risk-Taking Behavior

    c. Abortion/Adoption/Parenting

    d. Healthy Relationships: Friendship, Dating and Marriage

    e. Making an Abstinence Until Marriage Commitment

5. Abstinence Commitment Challenge

6. Question/Answer Period

STDs

According to the Medical Institute for Sexual Health, every day about 8,000 American youth are infected with a sexually transmitted disease.  According to the CDC, there are more than 50 STDs and 4 of them are incurable - one of them is deadly - HIV/AIDS.  STDs are often passed by skin-to-skin contact.  Two to four percent of condoms slip or break during use.  Condoms are virtually useless against HPV, the most common viral STD.

Risk-Taking Behavior

According to Focus on the Family "let's talk about sex" - "research on teen sexual behavior shows us that teens often have a number of predictors that will indicate if they are on the road to premarital sexual activity.  One of the highest predictors is the use of alcohol, drugs, or tobacco.  Teens need to know the role drugs, alcohol, inhalants, and tobacco play in teen sexual activity is important.  There are questions to ask young people such as: What do your friends and peers think about using drugs, alcohol, or inhalants?  Do you feel any pressure to join them?  Adolescence is a time of trying to figure these issues out."  Teens will learn the benefits of abstinence from all high-risk behaviors such as drugs, alcohol, sex, tobacco, etc...

Abortion/Adoption/Parenting

ABORTION:
Since 1973, over 38 million abortions have been performed in the U.S.  Nearly 4 in 10 teen pregnancies (excluding those ending in miscarriages) are terminated by abortion (according to AGI).  Teens will learn what abortion is, how the procedure occurs at different stages of pregnancy and post-abortion syndrome.

ADOPTION:
There are many myths about adoption.  Your teen will learn the difference between and "open" adoption and a "closed" adoption and the benefits of placing a baby in adoption, although it is one of the hardest decisions you can make.

PARENTING:
If adoption is not the answer, then parenting should be.  Maranatha Pregnancy Center can help any several ways with community services, Clothing Closet, parenting classes and ongoing support from one of our trained counselors.

Healthy Relationships: Friendship, Dating, and Marriage

Teens will learn the importance of developing healthy relationships with his/her peers.  Fifty percent of today's youth are not having sex.  Many teens are saying "no" to sex and "yes" to friendships, healthy relationships and saving sex till marriage.

Teenagers need to know that there are dating guidelines, such as: group dating, curfews, age of first date, boundaries, and having a plan for your date (rather than "just hanging out"), or not dating.

Studies show that the "best" sex is within the context of marriage.  Most married couples have a better sex life than couples that are not married or living together, according to Focus on the Family magazine.

Last but certainly not least,

ABSTINENCE COMMITMENT

Teenagers will be asked to make and abstinence commitment at the end of the seminar.  She/he will be asked to sign a commitment card that says,

"Believing that true love waits, I make a commitment to God, myself, my family, those I date, and my future mate to be sexually pure until the day I enter marriage."

We look forward to sharing our Abstinence Until Marriage (T.A.S.K.) program with you.

God Bless You,

Hollie Owens
Kim Banks
Greg Banks, Sr.
T.A.S.K. Abstinence Until Marriage Educators