Teddy James
AFA Journal staff writer
October 2009 – Chuck Colson and Teen Mania have teamed up to present Rewired: A Teen Worldview Curriculum. In this DVD- driven, video-packed series, teenagers will be faced with four main questions.
▶ Where did I come from?
▶ What’s wrong with the world?
▶ What can be done to fix it?
▶ What is my purpose?
These questions are used to help teenagers discover whether they have been holding a Biblical, Christian worldview, or if it has been shaped more by the media, teachers or friends.
The introductory video is titled “Casualties of War.” In it, several teens hold up first-person signs with statistics that boldly state the need for this generation to come to Jesus. Some of these statistics are “One-third of us have been drunk in the last month.” “8,000 of us contract an STD every day.” “One million of us are pregnant.” “340,000 of us get abortions every year.” “One-half of us are no longer virgins.” “Fifty-three percent of us believe Jesus sinned.” “All of us need to be reached.”
The last statement sums up the vision of Prison Fellowship, a ministry founded by Colson. In a recent interview with AFA Journal, Steve Bradford, program director of Prison Fellowship, said “Part of our whole ministry is just to take Jesus Christ’s transforming grace and truth to unbelievers and see that kids who are the next generation … understand what a Christian worldview is and how to articulate it.”
This curriculum does exactly that. With 12 sessions, each about an hour long, this study stays true to the Christian worldview. From having scenarios about what a fairy-tale land would look like if none of the characters did what the author wanted, to a prison guard taking the place of a death row convict, Rewired focuses on Jesus in a way that will keep teens coming back for more.
In this study, which may have more appeal to junior high than to senior high, students will be forced to think about several topics. From evolution to abortion, doing spiritual battle to relying on Jesus, preparing to die to asking for help, Rewired hits these life-altering topics with the force of a jackhammer.
AFA Journal asked Bradford if Rewired was more for youth pastors or lay ministers. “I really think this is for both,” he said. “It is for anyone who interacts with teens.” One of the strengths of Rewired is that a laptop and projector are not required to use it. Each session is set up so that all the leader must do is hit “next.” There is no going from a powerpoint slide to a video program, and vice versa. Everything is included in each individual session which flows perfectly between animated slides and original videos.
The leader guide is very instructional and easy to follow. Each session is divided into several time slots. Some are as short as five minutes while others may be 30. However, each one comes with questions the leader can ask, or students may ask their own questions. The student guides also are provided so they have something to look back on. The journal does have some space for journaling but for students who like to take notes, the one page provided may not be enough. This is easily solved with a folded piece of notebook paper.
It is quickly apparent that Chuck Colson and Ron Luce, founder of Teen Mania, have had their hands in this project. With its probing questions and insights, it will undoubtedly help create an environment where students and adults can grow closer to Jesus.
Rewired fulfills the goal as spoken by Bradford. “We really want to impact this next generation by having them understand what a Christian worldview is.” This study exposes the faultiness of a secular worldview as presented by humanists, naturalists, and other world religions while showing the strength that comes from a worldview focused of Jesus Christ. 
The Rewired package includes: two DVDs with video clips for each lesson; a leader’s guide with step-by-step lesson guides, supporting Scripture, and discussion questions to give God’s Word real-life applications; eight student journals with puzzles and games that amplify key points; Bible readings, questions to think about between the lessons and space for journaling their thoughts; and a resource CD with printable lessons plans and student handouts. For more information, visit www.breakpoint.org/resources/rewired-curriculum.
