1.Come up with your own misperception of teenagers. Provide one example of your
misperception.
My teenage years were not that long ago. That being said there are still a lot of times I find
myself holding misperceptions of teenagers. One example of a misperception I find myself
buying into is that teenagers are irresponsible and/or unable. This is an absolute false
perception that many people find themselves believing, whether that’s because it’s what
media has told them or maybe it’s even their personal experience. Whatever it may be, it is
false. There are just as many irresponsible adults as there are teenager. In fact, in serving
with student ministry over the last five years I have found some students to be more able
and responsible than myself. Yet still, when the opportunity presents itself to show my trust
and respect for some of my students by entrusting them with responsibilities or asking them
to help me in my personal ministry outreach opportunities, I get cold feet. This is because it
is engrained in our being that all teenagers are these monsters with raging hormone when
for the most part that’s the furthest from the truth.
2.Give a personal story or incident involving one of the described EGR teenagers.
Serving in student ministry I have had a handful of “extra grace required” students or EGR
for short. One of the teenagers that stands out the most was from four years ago. This
student was then a freshman and was so eager to have everyone like him that he lashed out
at everyone. If you have ever heard the saying “hurt people, hurt people” this teenager was
no exception. He would take every chance he got to cut me down and tear me apart.
However, as the years passed he grew closer and these actions stopped. This is when I
realized that he was testing me. Everyone left him, that was what he was used to. Today he
has graduated and off to college himself.
