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When twin brothers Alex and Brett Harris were 16, they started a blog to encourage their peers not to waste their teen years but to instead "do hard things." Since then, the 19-year-old brothers have launched a website that gets 1.2 million hits per month, started a series of international youth conferences, created a 200,000-member grassroots campaign to support presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, and released the book Do Hard Things (Multnomah). Todd Hertz, managing editor of teen publication Ignite Your Faith, talked to Alex and Brett, now freshmen at Patrick Henry College, about their book and future plans.

What is your message to teens?

Alex: Our society expects very little of teens. They expect us to be immature and irresponsible. They don't expect us to do anything meaningful or to care about meaningful things. But that's a lie. [It's part of this culture's] myth of adolescence, a view of the teen years as a vacation from responsibility. But that's not a biological stage. It's a cultural mindset. You don't just flip a switch at a certain age and become responsible and mature. Those are muscles that you have to work out.

Young people are capable. We are challenging them to discover that by challenging themselves for the glory of God. We combined the words rebellion and revolution to create a concept we call "the Rebelution," a teenage rebellion against low expectations.

What has the reaction from your peers been?

Brett: We have been blown away hearing things like, "This is what I'm missing at church or at school. All my friends are shackled by these low expectations. You are putting into words what I have been feeling ever since I became a teenager. Don't stop." They have had this heart cry that God wants to use them now — they don't have to wait till after college.

There have been so many teens in recent years doing huge things — fighting modern-day slavery, evangelizing others, starting foundations. Why now?

Brett: First, you can't explain young people stepping outside their comfort zones, serving others, and accomplishing these incredible things apart from God working in their lives — whether it's grace in the life of a Christian or common grace in the life of an unbeliever who actually has a heart to serve others. Second, we now have technology that allows young people to be aware of — and reach out to— the entire world. Third, this technology provides young people a platform they have never had before.

What does your message mean for adults?

Alex: The low expectations for young people are not coming from just the world — the media and MTV. They are in schools and the church, too. But teens are hungry for more. They are hungry for doctrine and theology. They want to know about God and not just have pizza parties at youth group. They believe they can accomplish things for God. They need older, wiser mentors and adults in their lives to come alongside them and be the wisdom that complements their strength and energy and excitement.

In addition, recognizing that culture has turned teens into mere targets of our consumer culture changes the way you teach them. We have had parents read the book and say, "Hey, you're right. I don't want my daughter to just be a little Bratz doll. I want to prepare her for a serious time of preparation and launching."

The message of the Rebelution also speaks to adults to do hard things. Adults get stuck in ruts where they are not going outside their comfort zones. Adults need to do more than is required. They need to dream big. They need to be faithful in the little things, and they need to take a stand.

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October (Web-only) 2008, Vol. 52