What is Real Friend?
Real Friend wants to help middle and high school students reconnect to the real world with real friends, real community and the best real friend, Jesus.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
What is the problem?
Kids have been lost in a virtual world that causes many problems. Fake friends with fake lives makes kids feel anxious and inadequate. There is constant stress and competition to appear to be like the other kids leading these fabulous, but fake lives.
The opposite can also be true. Kids are drawn down a rabbit hole of despair by being fed a constant diet of negativity about the world. It is common knowledge that the social media algorithms reinforce whatever the child shows an interest in. So the algorithms can turn a small curiosity into an obsession.
What is part of the solution?
Get kids to reengage with the real world. Actually meet up with real friends in real spaces and do real things. Become part of a real community again. Real Friend believes that any real community should include Jesus and a church community. Jesus is your most important friend.
Existing Programs
Real Friend does not want to recreate the wheel. There are many existing programs for kids that provide real community and real fellowship. Examples include, Church Youth Groups, First Priority, Youth For Christ, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and more.
Catalog of These programs
Real Friend gathers information about these programs into one location so you can easily find what is available near you. Real Friend is not affiliated with any program. Read our Disclaimer.
What is Real Friend?
Real Friend is a catalog of programs for middle and high school students to draw them out of their virtual world and back into the real world with real friends, real community and the best real friend, Jesus. Real Friend is not affiliated with any program. We are simply a catalog of information. Read our Disclaimer
The Awakened Brain
A fascinating book by Lisa Miller. This book explores the link between spirituality and a full and healthy life.
"Remarkably, I found that in the nationally representative sample of teens, adolescents with a strong personal spirituality were 35-75 percent less likely to experience clinical depression."
"…adolescents with a strong personal spirituality were 40-80 percent less likely to develop substance abuse."
Both quotes from chapter 4.
