JOSH HAS AN ATTITUDE
AND HE BROUGHT IT TO
Where can you go to hear profound discussions on important subjects like dating, heartfelt encouragement, and sensational singing? The Love Connection? Get real! I’m talking about the New Attitude Parent/Teen Conference. Never heard of it? There’s a good reason for that.
The first ever New Attitude Parent/Teen Conference was held on October 23 in Houston, Texas. And with true Texas enthusiasm, the 450 participants welcomed Joshua Harris in his conference debut. The one-day conference started at 10 a.m. and ran until 4 p.m. As Sarah McMinn so aptly expressed it, “It was great to see so many teens who bothered to wake up early Saturday morning.”
Josh opened the day with a topic near and dear to many teens and parents alike—home schooling through high school. This wasn’t just another cut and dried speech from an adult point-of-view. Here was someone who had experienced the inner tug-of-war firsthand. “If you’re out there today and you don’t like home schooling, I understand what you’re going through because I’ve been there,” Josh said. Through humorous anecdotes, Josh encouraged those present to make the most of their high school years and continue home schooling.
After the all important 10-minute stretch break, everyone trooped back in for the second session -The New Attitude. Josh’s talk challenged teens to take a New Attitude toward learning, work, and their future. He shared the spirit of the New Attitude, “To Know, To Do, To Dare” and gave Biblical examples and practical steps to implementing it.
An hour lunch break gave people time to eat their Subway Sandwiches and browse the book table. Next, the panel discussion began with three teen home schoolers, one adult home schooler, and one home- schooling dad. People in the audience had been given the opportunity to submit questions earlier in the day. Topics ranged from college entrance to dealing with friends who reject you because you’re home schooled.
Last, but not least, came the much anticipated session on Dating & Courtship. “Courtship cannot be just a new set of rules and regulations,” Josh said. “It has to be a change of attitude from the heart toward pre-marital relationships.” He showed how people are willing to reject the consequences of our current day system of dating:-ie. emotional scarring, pre-marital sex, STD’s, but unwilling to get off the dating road that is leading to the consequences. He showed how courtship allows one to remain focused and aware of the Lord’s will and doesn’t offer the temptations characterized by dating. For many, it was the first time the idea of courtship made sense. “Things that were vague...are now absolutely clear,” said attendee Leslie Sharp.
New Attitude Conferences are being planned for Portland, Chicago, and Houston; and a number of other cities are being considered for 1994. See for yourself how exciting and attitude-changing this conference actually is. Oh, and as far as the singing is concerned, I guess you’ll just have to go to the conference to find out about it.
Special thanks to the many volunteers whose prayer
and work made the Houston conference a success. Without your help, we couldn’t
have done it. -J. Harris & B. McGlory