Encouraging Teens to Do Hard (and Worthwhile) Things

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Ask some adults what they think of when they hear the word teen, and you'll likely get some dispiriting responses. Some might say teens are "lazy," "selfish" or "pampered."

Those perceptions may be changing—thanks in part to twin brothers Alex and Brett Harris.

Alex and Brett, 21, recently published Start Here, a follow-up to their testament to God-centric activism, Do Hard Things. Both books encourage readers to drop the remote and pick up the cross—sacrificing their time and using their talents to help others.

"We invited our peers to choose to do hard things for the glory of God and, in the process, turn the world's idea of what teens are capable of upside down," Alex and Brett write in Start Here. "We called it The Rebelution—a combination of rebellion and revolution to create a whole new word with a whole new meaning. We defined rebelution as 'a teenage rebellion against low expectations.'

Start Here, bolstered by the Harris' Web site and blog, is a call to action and a pragmatic guide. Brett and Alex offer suggestions about how teens can pick a need, work with their churches and raise money for their projects.

Some of those bits of advice are given by real teens who've been inspired to join the Rebelution. "What I have found is that in order to do hard things and conquer big challenges, we need to be willing to listen to that little voice the Holy Spirit uses," says 17-year-old Elisabeth. "The more you listen, the clearer it becomes. In order to do the great things, you first must be a servant."