Teenagers are constantly referred to as being rebellious. I will not be one to argue that rebellion is one of the characteristics located at the heart of the teen spirit, but I will argue that this characteristic is not always a negative one.
Since Adam and Eve first bit into the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3), human kind has been in rebellion against God. We tend to rely on ourselves for what we think we need rather than relying on God to provide what we need and to fulfill our desires. This type of rebellion against God has been glorified, and even set as a standard in popular society today. It takes a rebellious spirit to step beyond the negative trend, and to stand out having, and living according to, our true relationship with Jesus Christ. Since we live in a world that chooses to live apart from God, we live in constant rebellion when we choose to pursue God and live according to God’s law.
Jesus Christ looked at His disciples and said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23) Popular society promotes “self”, but Jesus clearly commanded that those who want to come after Him must deny themselves and carry their cross. We cease to represent ourselves and begin to represent Christ with our life.
My next book, Rebellion, is all about how one high school student rebels against the false standard that society represents. It is a fictional story following one year in the life of Zephaniah Isaac Payton. How does he change? How does he make a difference? What does it look like to live completely for Christ and to constantly pursue growth in the Christian faith?
View an excerpt from the book here.
The book will be released on September 17, 2011. To kick off it’s release we will be hosting a semi-formal event.
Event details:
cost=free
reserve a copy of the book at a reduced price ($10)
order a rebellion t-shirt ($10)
We will be talking about ministry through rebellion and we will also be supporting a non-profit. Please be there if you can be. Don’t forget to RSVP.
More information about the book facebook.com/rebellionthebook
Join the “Andrew Paul Short Story Club” on facebook
Free book and devotional downloads at http://www.christoa.com
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andrew paul cannon 
I think your comment, “Since we live in a world that chooses to live apart from God, we live in constant rebellion when we choose to pursue God and live according to God’s law”, is pessimistic. At some point, we take it upon ourselves to connect with God, but if we somehow allow others who don’t do the same to cause us to feel as if we are acting in rebellion, we are in fact accentuating the initial problem, our separation from God. What we must first realize and then accept is that God is our source, and if we are truly one with that source, no one, for any reason, can take us away from God.
I am interested to know how your book addresses my concern.
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Thanks for your feedback! The book is a work of fiction about a high school teen standing up for Christ in a world that blatantly denies Christ. I was surprised to get feedback on the promotion of a publication that is two years old. Nonetheless, I invite you to download the book for free and review it. It can be downloaded via the “download free books” tab and by clicking on the “university collection”. You can also find the title on Amazon.com.
The thought of rebellion was not meant to be pessimistic, however I see your concern. A large variety of youth cultures within the United States glorify the idea of rebellion and of revolution. I simply chose to use the idea of rebellion to highlight service to Christ. We must appeal to audiences we hope to reach while, at the same time, not compromising the Gospel of our Lord. All-in-all, we have seen many teenagers either become more serious in their relationships with Christ or begin a relationship with Christ as a result of God’s work through this work and many others.
Thanks!
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