In front of her are 50 teen-agers whom she has captivated with songs, comedy and games. Now, convinced of their undivided attention, she segues into the heart of her presentation. But you can't have that right now because that only happens between married partners.
Silence grips the students.
Chima then rattles off statistics and the consequences of premarital sex. The students hang on every word. Across the United States, Assemblies of God leaders and laypeople such as Chima are extolling the virtues of abstinence at public schools, from the pulpit and in crisis pregnancy ministries. We encourage kids to save sex until marriage. That, say experts, is a good thing.