THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

A silver ring. Simple.

For young people all over the nation, this simple ring is a reminder that they will abstain from sexual relations until they&8217;re married.

It&8217;s also a Christian youth ministry that promotes the message of abstinence, which will be at Crosspoint Christian Church on Dallas Avenue on Wednesday.

The policy council&8217;s Health Committee came up with the idea for a concert.

The live event is a 2 1/2-hour stage performance that incorporates rock and hip-hop, skits, special effects, comedy and personal testimonies in a concert-style approach.

Although the delivery might be fun for teenagers, grades 7 through 12, the message is serious: you can&8217;t get pregnant if you abstain from sexual relations as a teenager. If you have become sexually active or even had a child, you can always begin now your &8220;second virginity.&8221;

Stemming the tide of teenage pregnancy is important, especially here in Dallas County, which ranks 66 of 67 Alabama counties for teen pregnancy rates, according to the Kids Count Voices for Children data book, Armstrong said.

Wednesday evening&8217;s message is for teens, but parents will have their session, too. A parents&8217; seminar will be held for 45 minutes while their children are at the concert. The seminar will help educate parents about what is happening in the culture of youth and how they can encourage and support their child&8217;s commitment to abstinence.

Meanwhile, in the sanctuary, teenagers will enjoy the high-tech energy of 13 team members &8212; young adults &8212; and a message from the Bible about sexual abstinence and forgiveness.

The event is free, but the ring costs $15.

All a person has to do is go to the booth set up at Crosspoint and say they can&8217;t afford the ring. Those who pre-register online at www.silverringthing.com, will be entered to win an iPod shuffle, she said.