‘It is Time that Real Christians Take a Stand in Our Country by Realizing That These Precious Young Boys and Girls are the Preeminent Mission Field that God has Given to Us’
December 13, 2021
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Arecent statement by Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murphy highlighted the ongoing mental health crisis facing teenagers. The statement covered significant increases in self-reports of depression and anxiety, with the number of emergency room visits for suicide attempts rising 51% for girls and 4% for boys compared to 2019. Vivek commented that this drastic increase in mental health issues could be directly related to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, as well as increased social media use and isolation.
In light of this ongoing crisis, Judge Phil Ginn, president of Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES, ses.edu), responded to the mental health needs of America’s youth.
Ginn stated, “A recent article showcased a rare public advisory from the United States Surgeon General indicating a ‘devastating’ mental health crisis amongst the youth in America. In the 53-page report, Dr. Vivek Murphy surmises that these mental health issues have been intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic that has spawned increased self-reports of depression and anxiety. This comes on the heels of already disturbing mental health news showing that these issues had already increased by 28% from 2011 to 2015.
“In light of all of this, Christians in America need to recognize these startling statistics for what they are—symptoms of a much more deadly disease. Our children and grandchildren are being besieged by all sorts of negative stimuli from the culture for which they have not been prepared.”
Ginn concluded, “Perhaps this is one of the greatest failures of the church in America: we have failed our own precious offspring by not taking seriously our responsibility to disciple them in true faith in Jesus Christ. It is time that real Christians take a stand in our country by realizing that these precious young boys and girls are the preeminent mission field that God has given to us. As the Apostle Paul would say, it’s time for the church in America to ‘wake up, arise from the dead and let Christ make day dawn upon us.’ Our children are looking to us for the answers. God help us— and them—if we now fail to respond.”
SES will soon be holding their 28th annual National Conference on Christian Apologetics (NCCA) titled “Remaining Steadfast in an Upside Down World.” The event will take place on April 8-9, 2022, at FBC Rock Hill in Rock Hill, SC just outside of Charlotte. Speaker and ticket details will be coming soon.
Judge Phil Ginn was appointed president of SES in April 2021 after a distinguished career as both a lawyer and a judge. He holds a B.A. from Appalachian State University, a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Doctor of Ministry from Southern Evangelical Seminary. Prior to his appointment as SES president, Judge Ginn served as SES Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
The mission of SES is to train men and women, based on the inerrant and infallible written Word of God, for the evangelization of the world and the defense of the historic Christian faith. SES offers a range of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees (along with several for-credit certificates) that uniquely integrate theology, philosophy, and apologetics to build a complete and systematic Christian worldview.
For more information on SES, visit its website at www.ses.edu or its Facebook page, follow the SES Twitter feed, @sesapologetics, or call (704) 847-5600.
###To interview a spokesperson for Southern Evangelical Seminary, contact Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Jeff Tolson, 610.584.1096, ext. 108, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.