By: Crystal Regan, CEO
How Did We Get Started?
In October of 2019, an area high school reached out to us for help with their sex-ed curriculum. As God would have it, we had just updated our Middle School and High School abstinence curriculum with the hope of teaching area students! The curriculum we purchased is called Choosing the Best. Being an abstinence-centered program, Choosing the Best promotes a holistic, sexual risk avoidance approach that strongly promotes delaying sex as the best and healthiest choice, while also teaching students about goal-setting, healthy relationships, refusal skills, and character building. This curriculum also educates students about the benefits and limitations of contraception, but always in the context of promoting sexual delay as the healthiest choice. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has completed a thorough and objective review of the medical and scientific information in this program and found them to be medically accurate. According to the CDC, the most reliable way to avoid the risk of an STD is to be abstinent until you enter into a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner. Since this type of relationship is typically found in marriage, Choosing the Best promotes the healthiest choice – delaying sex until marriage.
I quickly trained up and headed out for our first public school abstinence-based sex education class. Over 70 freshman students were taught. We covered the topics of Developing Healthy Relationships, Preventing Sexual Violence, Preventing STDs, Preventing Teen Pregnancy, and Avoiding HIV/AIDS. All of the students were engaging, answering questions, and participating in group discussions. The day was so successful, we were asked to come back for the next freshman class. Again, over 70 students attended, and the results were the same. Lots of Q&A! As part of our ongoing ministry, we feel the impact made upon the younger generation via these types of curriculums is as important and life-saving as our other services. What better way to prevent abortion, than to prevent teen pregnancy or even an abusive relationship?
Why Do I Teach Sex-Ed?
I love teaching these classes! Since my first days with this ministry, I have felt the need for more abstinence conversations. Too often our culture leans toward the “easiest” path. As leaders, it is much easier to throw condoms at young people and say, “Well if you are going to do it, just make sure you are safe” than to actually have in-depth conversations about the God-given gift of our sexuality. I tell students, “Sex is good. Without it, we wouldn’t be here. It is only when we pervert or deviate from God’s purpose that it becomes something dangerous.” And you know what? They get it! They want loving relationships, they want safety and security, and they want good health. And so, I teach that it is okay, to be okay and by choosing abstinence, they are helping themselves and others to be healthy and happy. And don’t get me started on the ‘safe sex’ and ‘safer sex’ kick of the last century. That’s a whole new blog!
As we plan for the future at Heartbeats, we are excited about future opportunities to teach more students how to Choose the Best path and enjoy their Best Life. If you have a class (at a school or a church) interested in learning more about Choosing the Best, please contact us. As always, this service is at no cost to you.