There could be no better time for your ministry or school to feature one of the most inspiring messages on purity and prevention as only offered by veteran abstinence educator Mike Long!  In a youth culture dominated by the MTV philosophy, along with cell phones and computers providing easy access to pornography and sexting, no wonder the moral decay in America is escalating like never before.  But there are a few ways this devastating trend can be reversed.

1) The church must take the lead in teaching purity to teens and equipping parents to do the same at home.  Pastors and youth pastors need to be trained in the “directive” approach to teaching purity.  Innovative programs utilizing video resources (teens are visually oriented) need to be used in youth group meetings.  Parent conferences need to be provided to give parents the confidence they need to increase the dialog and set the standard at home.  And community wide True Love Waits rallies need to be organized to reach teens and parents throughout the community.  For more information how to accomplish this, click here.

2) Pregnancy Resource Centers must now carry the torch and be the leaders in abstinence education in their communities.  This can begin by featuring the message of purity and prevention at an annual fundraising banquet.  In doing so, they will be encouraging the church (their donor base) to become more proactive in their own ministry while raising record funds for their center.  The day after the banquet, a breakfast or lunch training needs to be provided for area pastors and youth pastors.  That evening, a community wide youth rally can be sponsored at a local church with others invited.  Promoting these events gives the PRC the opportunity to grow their donor base as well.  That’s a double win for Pregnancy Centers!  For information how to accomplish this, click here.

3) Christian and Parochial Schools must become more aggressive in teaching abstinence education programs.  Once sexual abstinence until marriage makes sense to teens, then their hearts’ are more receptive to the Biblical application.  The purity message needs to be featured during a “Spiritual Emphasis Week,” while providing an evening parent conference as well.  Chapels and assemblies need to reinforce the purity message on a consistent basis.  For more information how to accomplish this, click here.

It is time the faith community takes a stronger stand in teaching our youth the virtues of respect, responsibility, maturity, discipline, and Godly character!  We can help!  Call today for more information at (919) 562-4080!

Until next time…

M.L. Productions, Inc.

2010 goes down as a year of much growth and renewal for me.  After 27 years, I found myself back in an academic classroom working towards a Masters degree at Southeastern Seminary!

Despite the hard work, none of it has interfered at all with the work that God called me to do in the field.  This past year, I spoke at Pregnancy Centers, churches, youth rallies, and school assemblies in Midland, TX; Raleigh, Wilson, Lincolnton, & Sanford, NC; Steubenville & Amelia, OH; Lebanon, MO, Waupaca, WI; Tampa, FL.  I also conducted 5 seminars for the Association of Christian Schools International’s annual convention.

On November 23rd, I hit a milestone – 50 years old.  Although I am already into my second half of life, I reflect upon Bob Buford’s book Halftime, which talks about how most of the work done for the Kingdom occurs in the second half of one’s life more so than the first.  As I reflect, this makes much sense because during the first half of life, we seem to concentrate more on ourselves.  With spiritual maturity, we realize just how unimportant the temporary things we chased after for so long are, then we get serious about the things that have eternal value.  His challenge, as one enters the second half of life, is to never be afraid of trying something new in pursuing our ultimate goal of growing the Kingdom of God.  For me, that was the Seminary!!

What I know beyond a shadow of a doubt is that it was God’s Will for me to go to the Seminary.  It was also His Will for me to complete a Master’s degree quickly, a 3 year program in a year and a half (I will graduate in May 2011).  He gave me the time and the ability to do well academically and grow spiritually.  He provided the financial resources for tuition and for my family.  I have been obedient to the call, but I have no idea what He wants me to do with it when I finish this spring.  That is where faith comes in!

FAITH: Forsaking all, I trust Him.  Faith is the key that opens the door to all of God’s resources.

So there is no doubt in my mind that 2011 is setting up to be a very exciting year.  Come along for the ride!  God is completely in control, so you know it’s going to be a great one!  On behalf of the Long family: Garrett (18), Caroline (15), and Libby (my soul mate and best friend for 21 years), have a Merry CHRISTmas and a Happy New Year!!

Until next time…

M.L. Productions, Inc.

The following letter is one I received this week from the AIM Women’s Center in Steubenville, OH.  This is just like so many others I have received over the years.  I wanted to share this with you so that you might be encouraged to feature the life changing message of purity at your next fundraising banquet.  This positive message of prevention compels donors to become more proactive in your center while raising record funds for the on-going support of your vitally important work.  Here’s the letter and if you would like to see more, click here.

Dear Mike,

Words alone cannot express our gratitude to you for honoring AIM Women’s Center by speaking at our dinner!  The evening yielded a profit of $70,000, with a record breaking attendance!  We truly feel blessed and inspired by the Lord to strive for all that He desires for our center this year.

Our dinner guests were thrilled by your enthusiasm and positive words on what can be a difficult subject.  Your appeal was particularly effective - our number and quantity of monthly pledges jumped 50% over any other year.  In fact, you have set a new standard for us to attain financially and have added to our reputation of bringing in great speakers to educate our supporters every year.

It was a joy to work with you in scheduling the extra assemblies for our two high schools.  The principals and religion teachers were thrilled to receive the DVD sets (for more information of DVDs, click here) and assured us they will implement them in their classrooms to carry on what you started!  We anxiously await the fruits of your visit as we bring on new volunteers, supporters, and interested teens who feel compelled to learn more about abstinence and the ministry of AIM Women’s Center.

We hope you enjoyed your time with us.  God willing, our paths may cross again as we continue on our chosen path or preserving a culture of life.

Sincerely for Life,

Liz Borden
Executive Director
AIM Women’s Center
Steubenville, OH

It would be my honor to share this life changing pro-life message at your next banquet.  If you would like to see excerpts from a banquet talk, please click here.

Until next time…

M.L. Productions, Inc.

That means, “Greetings from Uganda!”  I have been here almost two weeks now and I am writing you on Dec 3rd from the Emmaus Guest House in Muyenga just outside of Kampala where our team (my brother Danny and son Garrett) have been staying.  We will be back home in America Dec. 5th , God willing.

Our mission has had many highs and very, very many lows.  I will start with the lows.  The best way I can describe the poverty we have witnessed here is hellish.  It is everywhere.  The living conditions of most people throughout Kampala and the outer villages are worse than we treat our dogs in America.  Mud huts, shanty wooden shacks, no electricity or running water….this is what we see block after block, village after village.  Thousands and thousands of people are walking the streets day and night.  Children are carrying babies everywhere and the pollution is horrendous.

We ministered in Uganda’s largest prison, on a sugar cane plantation (over 300 people came), and in an Anglican Church in Mityana where we were honored to meet the new Bishop, share a meal, and spend the night in his home there.  Bishop Stephen’s diocese consists of over 600 churches and 1.5 million Ugandans.  He is truly a man of God whose sole purpose there is to preach the gospel.  He uses sports (mostly soccer) to draw the youth into the church.  It was like the Ugandan FCA!  Bishop Stephen was most impressed with my teaching on abstinence/purity and invited me to come back next year to train all of the pastors in his diocese at their annual conference.  It was quite an honor and we are beginning to see God at work for the future.

One 22-year old girl came forward after one of my purity presentations and told me she was getting ready to “sell herself into prostitution” just so she could eat.  She then said all of her questions had been answered and she gave her life to Christ instead.  I gave her some money for food for one week as long as she promised to come back to the church for counseling and support.  She did and she has been coming to church every Sunday since!  One soul saved and one body free from AIDS!

Then there are the children!  Hundreds of them swarm around Garrett.  He gives them a soccer ball everywhere we go and he runs out in the field with them to play.  Afterwards, he teaches them a Bible story and a song.  They play “Simon Says” and the children are so happy.  Danny mostly teaches the elders and they have many questions about the Word of God that he and I try our best to answer.

While driving through some of the most remote villages we noticed about 20 children playing in a field kicking what looked like a coconut.  It was all they had.  We stopped and got out of our van with a soccer ball.  They shouted, “Muzungu, muzungu!”  This means white man.

Garrett took off into the field with them and began to play.  Suddenly, over a hundred people in the village gathered around us to watch.  I realized God had assembled a congregation in the heart of the African jungle and I began to share the Gospel with them all.  Paul interpreted for me.  We prayed for them the prayer of salvation which they all repeated, then we left.  They chased our van smiling and singing praises to God.  So much joy amidst nothing and it all happened because of a ball!

There is so much more to share, but I will do so in a special letter to you with pictures soon.  All I can say is there is no way we could have come here without God’s provision through you and there is no way we could have made it through these two weeks without His strength through your prayers.  As we now prepare for our 28 hour journey home may I say, “Nkwagaliza sekukulu e nungi!”  Translated: “I am wishing you a Merry Christmas!”

Until next time…

M.L. Productions, Inc.

Although we’ve heard a lot these days about government stimulus packages, what America needs most is a MORAL stimulus package!  Now that the federal government has eliminated all funding for abstinence until marriage programs while increasing funding for contraceptive education in our schools, teenagers will be bombarded with the “here’s how to do it safely” message coming from the fallacy of “they’re going to do it anyway.”

Couple this with peer pressure, TV, music, movies, advertising, internet, and everything else our kids face in this sex saturated culture; we are sure to see teen pregnancies, STDs, and emotional heartbreaks skyrocket.  It happened throughout the 1980s when comprehensive sex education reigned paramount.  It will happen again.

But there are a few ways this inevitable trend can be reversed this time.

1) The church must take the lead in teaching purity to teens and equipping parents to do the same at home.  Pastors and youth pastors need to be trained in the “directive” approach to teaching purity.  Innovative programs utilizing video resources (teens are visually oriented) need to be used in youth group meetings.  Parent conferences need to be provided to give parents the confidence they need to increase the dialog and set the standard at home.  And community wide True Love Waits rallies need to be organized to reach teens and parents throughout the community.  For more information how to accomplish this, click here.

2) Pregnancy Resource Centers must now carry the torch and be the leaders in abstinence education in their communities.  This can begin by featuring the message of purity and prevention at an annual fundraising banquet.  In doing so, they will be encouraging the church (their donor base) to become more proactive in their own ministry while raising record funds for their center.  The day after the banquet, a breakfast or lunch training needs to be provided for area pastors and youth pastors.  That evening, a community wide youth rally can be sponsored at a local church with others invited.  Promoting these events gives the PRC the opportunity to grow their donor base as well.  That’s a double win for Pregnancy Centers!  For information how to accomplish this, click here.

3) Christian and Parochial Schools must become more aggressive in teaching abstinence education programs.  Once sexual abstinence until marriage makes sense to teens, then their hearts are more receptive to the Biblical application.  The purity message needs to be featured during a “Spiritual Emphasis Week,” while providing an evening parent conference as well.  Chapels and assemblies need to reinforce the purity message on a consistent basis.  For more information how to accomplish this, click here.

Yes, America desperately needs a MORAL stimulus package.  This package includes the virtues of respect, responsibility, maturity, discipline, and Godly character!  You can “pass” this package and implement it today.  Please call us now for more information at (919) 562-4080!

Until next time…

M.L. Productions, Inc.

Raleigh, NC —Mike Long, one of America’s abstinence education pioneers, announced today that he is taking his nationally acclaimed “Everyone Is NOT Doing It” program international.  Long will be traveling throughout Uganda training and speaking on his “directive” education approach Nov. 21 – Dec. 5, 2009.

“The AIDS epidemic has taken its toll on the nation of Uganda along with other African nations,” Long said.  “However, Uganda has begun to dramatically reverse the spread of this deadly disease thanks to widely accepted abstinence education programs being taught in schools, churches, and universities.”

What has been lacking and therefore desperately needed is effective training on how to implement and teach abstinence programs.  That’s where Long’s 25 years of experience in training over 50,000 educators and youth leaders throughout America will be most helpful.

Long will be training parents, teachers, pastors, and youth leaders how to get on a teenager’s level, meeting teenagers where they are in their culture, and directing them into making smart, healthy decisions while building respect, responsibility, maturity, discipline, and good character.

“Needless to say, the culture is very different in Uganda which is another reason why I wanted to go there – to learn for myself how the universal message of sexual abstinence until marriage can be taught and embraced as the standard in the lives of young people throughout the world,” Long said.

Long will be speaking to students in schools throughout the capital city of Kampala and into surrounding remote areas.  He will also be speaking in churches and on radio programs.

“Fewer U.S. Teens Report Being Sexually Active.”  That’s the headline today from Reuters Health based on a 10-year study just published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.  Indeed from 1992 – 2002, there was a dramatic decline in the number of teens having sex.

For example, in 1992, 56 percent of girls and 61 percent of boys 15 to 19 years old claimed to have had sex.  In 2002, those percentages dropped to 47 percent of girls and 46 percent of boys (as shown by data compiled by the National Survey of Family Growth).

What was one of the reasons cited for this decline?  Parents who consistently set the standard of sexual abstinence at home!  In fact, look at any survey of teens when asked whom they look to first and foremost for direction on any issue (including sex) and the overwhelming response is their parents.

That’s why parents must be the #1 director in their teens’ lives.  I believe it’s our job as parents to set the boundaries.  It’s our teens’ job to test those boundaries!  It’s our job to keep them within those boundaries.  And deep down inside, where do you think most teens really want to be in the first place?  They want to be within the boundaries.

But what do we often hear from our teens when we set them?  How about, “Oh mom!” or “Oh dad.”  Or the worst of all, they roll their eyes at us.  Well parents, have you ever considered what your teens are really saying to you when they roll their eyes?  They are saying, “Mom, dad, I’m listening to everything you tell me.  I just don’t want you to know it right now because I’m a teenager!”

That’s why in this culture, it is essential that parents speak the truth to their teens, saying it as simply as possible, and saying it over and over again.  If parents choose otherwise, they will abandon their role as #1 director in their teens’ lives, leaving them to a culture telling them over and over to “go for it” regarding sex.

So parents, let me encourage you to hang in there!  Today more than any other, you must set a standard for sexual abstinence until marriage in the lives of your teenagers.  You need to take every opportunity to talk with them about why that standard is best.  And when you do, if they roll their eyes at you….smile!  That means you’re connecting!

I constantly remind my two teenagers, “You can roll your eyes at me all you want, but as your dad, I will always direct you in the right standard to follow.  I will always tell you the truth.”  It amazes me how often they still come to me (or their mom) with questions seeking direction on any given subject.  They know we will tell them the truth and direct them in the way they should go.  They trust us and that’s why they keep coming to us.

Yes, many times they will roll their eyes or say, “I knew that’s what you would tell me.  I’ve heard it a million times!”  Each time they say that to me I just smile because I know I connected!  And as they walk away, my response is always, “And you’ll hear it a million more times because I love you and I don’t want to see you get hurt!!”  Interesting how they still keep coming back for more!

The biggest mistake parents make with their teens is abdicating their directorship just to be their teenager’s “buddy.”  If there is one thing I’ve learned from teenagers is they are not the least bit interested in their parents being their “buddy.”  They can find all the buddies they want at school.  They are looking to their parents to be their PARENTS – to set the right standards and boundaries at home and give them the direction they are desperately searching for when they roll their eyes!

So again, hang in there mom and dad.  Your teenagers are depending on you.  Yes you are connecting when you hear the “Oh mom or dad!”  And when you speak the truth to them, saying it as simply as possible and saying it over and over again, you will be the best friend your teenagers every had!  Later in their lives, they will come back and thank you for setting the boundaries.  Then you’ll really smile when you watch them do the same for your grandchildren!

Until next time…

M.L. Productions, Inc.

What has so many bent out of shape over abstinence education these days?  I believe it is simply the word “abstinence” itself.  It’s a negative word and negativity sells nothing.  Then top it off by adding the word “only” and you would think you have a recipe for failure.

The term itself leads many to believe that “abstinence only” education simply lectures kids, tells them to “Just say NO to sex,” and is nothing more than an attempt to preach religion in public schools.  Based on that completely inaccurate description, there are many left wing, very radical organizations with nothing more than a political agenda convincing the public that “abstinence only” education does not work – when quite the contrary is true!

Look at any study regarding teen pregnancies and abortion rates since the 1970s.  You will easily see that both exploded to the upside while comprehensive sex education was dominant in schools.  Not until the early 1990s did we begin to see them both come down year after year.  What changed?  School boards across America began replacing these failed comprehensive sex education programs with what I call “directive” abstinence programs.  Teachers were trained how to teach abstinence effectively in the classroom and they embraced these programs in droves.

So why are the doors to abstinence education suddenly closing in our schools?  Why is the federal government eliminating funding for abstinence programs in support of failed comprehensive sex education programs?

Two words – “abstinence only.”  Think about it.  Let’s say you are contemplating what kind of sex education is best for teens.  Your choice is between “abstinence only education” and “abstinence-based comprehensive sex education.”  Which one sounds better?  Most would quickly conclude the latter.

Let’s change the term “abstinence only education” to “directive education.”  Most would ask, “What’s that?”  Directive education is parents, teachers, and youth leaders learning how to get on a teenager’s level, meeting teenagers where they are in their culture, and directing them into making smart, healthy decisions while building respect, responsibility, maturity, discipline, and good character.

Directive education empowers teens to resist the many pressures facing them in a sex-saturated culture.  It helps teens understand and embrace a lifestyle of sexual abstinence until marriage which not only frees them from pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and emotional heartache 100% of the time, but offers them a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life.  Who’s against that?  No reasonable person would be.

Now compare this to “comprehensive sex education” which teaches from a nondirective perspective.  The assumption is that teens are simply unable to abstain from sex until marriage and since “they’re going to do it anyway,” they must be shown how to protect themselves.  Teens are taught how to use every FDA approved contraceptive on the market under the fallacy of “safe sex.”  It teaches them that any kind of sexual behavior is normal and acceptable in the name of “tolerance.”  And it wants them to know that if they still get pregnant, there is a solution for that as well….it’s called abortion.

Any wonder why providers and supporters of contraception, abortion, and homosexuality so vehemently oppose directive education and so enthusiastically support comprehensive sex education?  Directive education puts them out of business.  Comprehensive sex education keeps them in business.

I have personally had the privilege of training over 60,000 educators and youth leaders in the “directive” approach to teaching abstinence in the schools and purity in the churches.  In 25 years of service, I have NEVER had a trainee tell me, “I don’t want to teach this, it will never work.”

When most parents learn what comprehensive sex educators want to teach their teens, they rightfully want no part of it.  That’s why it is imperative that parents, teachers, and youth leaders look past the terms and political slogans and look into what they actually stand for.  After all, it is the health and wellbeing of our children that is at stake.

Until next time…

M.L. Productions, Inc.

So you bought your teens that real nice cell phone so you could always be in touch with them, right?  Great!  But did you know they could be using it to send nude pictures of themselves to their friends? 

Now you may be thinking, certainly not my 14-year old daughter.  Yet a recent poll conducted by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen & Unplanned Pregnancy revealed that 20% of teens say they have sent semi-nude or nude pictures of themselves through their cell phones and 38% said they have sent sexually suggestive text messages.

It should be no surprise to parents, teachers, and youth leaders why this is happening at such an alarming rate.  In this sex-saturated culture our kids have been so desensitized to sex that they do not see “sexting” as an illegal act of distributing pornography to minors, they see it as a flirtatious joke or present for their boyfriend or girlfriend.

That’s how Jesse Logan from Ohio saw it when she sent nude pictures of herself to her boyfriend.  After eventually breaking up, her boyfriend sent the pictures to others in their school as a joke.  She was then called every name in the book, constantly being harassed by her schoolmates until she couldn’t take it anymore.  In July 2008, 18-year old Jesse Logan hanged herself in her bedroom.

As the “sexting” phenomenon continues to grow, the question is, “Will parents and youth leaders respond to it as just another teen fad? Will the culture view it as harmless teen fun like rolling around in the back seat of a car?”

It is my view that parents must begin to take these things very seriously.  They must seize the role as director, trainer, and teacher of their kids.  Forget about whatever you may have done in your past.  If your assumption is your teens are “going to do it anyway,” like it’s no big deal, then rest assured – THEY WILL!!

In my 25 years of speaking and training on the ideals of purity, there is one major reason I have learned why parents, teachers, and youth leaders are so reluctant about talking to teens about sex.  They simply lack the confidence of how to do so effectively.  Many are afraid of being labeled a prude or they feel hypocritical since their past experiences may not have exemplified the values they want their teens to embrace today.

If they lack the confidence in dealing with such a sensitive issue as sex with their own kids, then the results are either say nothing – do nothing or write such things as “sexting” off as no big deal.  Then our teens are left to fend for themselves in a sex-saturated culture telling them to go for it in any and every way.

What can you do about it?  Learn the ideals of “directive” parenting and teaching – that is learn how to get on a teenager’s level, meet your teenagers where they are in their culture, and direct them into making smart, healthy decisions while building respect, responsibility, maturity, discipline, and good character.

Yes we can teach out kids these values in a way in which they will embrace them.  It begins with parents, teachers, and youth leaders who truly want to direct kids to make right decisions that will help them lead happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives!

We have the tools to help you do just that!  If you’re a school teacher, click here.  If you’re a pastor or youth pastor, click here.  If you’re with a Pregnancy Resource Center, click here.

Until next time…

M.L. Productions, Inc.

How many teens in your youth group are involved in some kind of sexual activity?  Your first response may be none.  However, the reality is that many are, if not most.  Youth pastors across the country tell me:

“All my 13 and 14 year old girls talk about are boys.”

“Many of my teen boys are already hooked on internet porn.”

“Youth today don’t believe oral sex is sex.”

Many Crisis Pregnancy Center directors tell me over 50% of the teen girls coming to them pregnant are from church youth groups throughout their community!  Parents are constantly asking me, “How do I talk to my kids about sex so they’ll listen?”

As the Church faces these realities, many pastors, youth pastors, and parents remain silent on the issue mainly due to a lack of confidence in how to deal with it effectively.  As a result, many teenagers are left to fend for themselves in a sex-saturated culture where anything and everything goes.

So how can your church respond?

I Chronicles 12:32 – “The men of Issachar understood the times [culture] and knew what to do.”

First, understand the culture.  We cannot possibly reach today’s teenagers with a message of sexual purity without a solid understanding of where they are coming from on the issue.  The days of lecturing, just say “no,” and the finger in the face approach will not work in this culture of teens.

That’s why it is vital that pastors, youth leaders, parents, and teachers learn the most innovative approach in teaching teens about sex – directive education!  Directive education puts adults on a teenager’s level, allowing them to meet teenagers where they are in their culture, and direct them in making smart, healthy decisions while building respect, responsibility, maturity, discipline, and Godly character.

Second, speak the truth, saying it as simply and as often as possible.  That’s how Christ taught!  Jesus went into communities in complete understanding of the culture of those to whom He was speaking.  He told them stories they could relate to.  If they didn’t understand the story, He explained it to them.  He directed them, and He did this over and over again.

Third, provide innovative programs that get a teenager’s attention.  In teaching a standard of sexual abstinence until marriage, one must first present this message in a way that makes sense to teens.  With the help of a youth leader and their parents’ direction, teens must conclude for themselves that sexual abstinence until marriage is the wisest, most healthy choice for a teenager to make.  Once it makes sense to them, then their hearts are open to the Biblical application.

In today’s teen culture, it is video that teaches the best since teenagers are so visually oriented.  The program must be full of stories, fast paced, and directive.  It must show many teens as Godly role models.  And it must convey the truth according to God’s Word.

Where can you find such a program for your youth group? 

Click here to learn more.

Until next time…

M.L. Productions, Inc.