Teen Mania Alumni Dispute Founder Ron Luce’s Claims About ‘Shiny Happy People’

Seven participants in Season 2 of Prime Video’s “Shiny Happy People,” which focuses on the now-defunct evangelical youth organization Teen Mania, have responded in two statements to comments that Teen Mania founder Ron Luce made about the docuseries. Luce claims that “Shiny Happy People: A Teenage Holy War,” which came out on July 23, is biased and misrepresents the organization. 

“The producers for the sake of their own anti-Christian and evangelical belief system bias, exploit the very real pain of those who have a negative story of their experience with [Teen Mania],” said Luce in a lengthy statement to The Roys Report (TRR) on July 30.

However, Teen Mania alumni Phil Boltz, Liz Boltz Ranfeld, Zachariah Durr, Dani Rocca, Carrie Saum, and Corey Wright (all of whom participated in “Shiny Happy People”) deny that they were exploited. “The producers were respectful of our stories, including those of us who are still Christians,” they said in a statement published Aug. 11 on Ranfeld’s website.

“Many participants in the series still hold to sincere faith in Jesus Christ, despite Ron’s attempts to dismiss us as anti-Christian, unbiblical, and biased,” they said. “Importantly, we were not exploited by having the opportunity to share our experiences publicly.”

Teen Mania Founder Critiques ‘Shiny Happy People’ 

In June 2023, Prime released “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets,” a four-part docuseries that explored the rise and influence of the Duggar family, as well as the impact that Bill Gothard’s Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) had on the Duggars and many other people. That docuseries had “the biggest debut of any documentary series ever produced by Amazon Studios,” according to Variety. 

In Season 2, the producers of “Shiny Happy People” continue their work to expose the underbelly of evangelical institutions. The new, three-episode docuseries highlights the accounts of people who were involved in Teen Mania and offers the perspective of experts.

Among those who appeared in the docuseries are two of the children of Christian singer Ray Boltz, Liz Boltz Ranfeld and Phil Boltz. Joshua Harris, who became famous for writing “I Kissed Dating Goodbye,” also appeared in the docuseries. Harris has since deconstructed from his Christian beliefs and stopped the publication of that book. 

RELATED: Ray Boltz’s Children Share Teen Mania Experiences in New Season of ‘Shiny Happy People’

Season 2 of “Shiny Happy People” portrays Teen Mania—and its initiatives Global Expeditions, Acquire the Fire, and Honor Academy—as controlling and spiritually abusive entities that raised up Christian young people to take over the culture for Christ.

“Founded by Ron Luce in the 1990s, Teen Mania attracted millions of young people through stadium events and its Honor Academy internship program,” says a description of the docuseries. “This season exposes disturbing practices including ESOAL (a Navy SEAL-style endurance test), mock persecution simulations, and dangerous missionary trips.” 

“Following the tragedy at Columbine, the organization shifted toward militant rhetoric and political activism through its ‘Battle Cry’ movement,” says the description. “Behind the inspiring façade, interns endured grueling conditions and damaging psychological manipulation.”

In his statement to TRR, Ron Luce referred to “Shiny Happy People” as a mockumentary and said that the producers misrepresented the facts and ignored and minimized the good work that Teen Mania had done.

“They took five stories from the ministry that impacted 3 million face-to-face with Acquire the Fire,” he said.