Using Social Media in Youth Ministry (cont.)
Encourage Teens to Practice Evangelism Online
Social media offers a low-barrier, authentic way to talk about Jesus.
- Teach digital testimony skills. Discuss how to share faith stories online. Explore techniques for mentioning spirituality without sounding preachy. Also cover how to gracefully handle negative comments.
- Encourage invitations. Provide graphics and sample captions for events and teaching series. Then teens can post those to invite friends.
- Highlight shareable moments. At youth outings, create moments that are shareable. Try visually engaging worship settings or a photobooth. Encourage students to tag your group account when they post.
- Support the digital mission field. Remind students their friends and followers are a mission field. Challenge them to pray for people and use stories to share faith moments. Help kids be intentional about reflecting Jesus in all online interactions.
Online Safety and Privacy Tips
Finally, social media comes with risks. So protect your teens and ministry well.
- Set clear guidelines. Have a written social media policy. Cover what platforms your ministry uses and who manages them. Detail what kinds of photos and videos you post, what permissions you need, and how you use names. (Avoid using last names.)
- Use group accounts, not personal DMs. Leaders should communicate through official ministry accounts. If a leader must DM a student (for example, about an event), copy another adult leader or use a public group message.
- Monitor comments. Assign a volunteer or staff member to monitor comments on your posts. Delete inappropriate content quickly and follow up as needed.
- Educate parents. Inform parents how you’re using social media in youth ministry. Provide workshops or handouts on online safety, privacy settings, and healthy digital habits.
- Help students protect themselves. Teach teens how to set strong passwords. Help them recognize phishing or scams, and urge them to report questionable content. Finally, remind kids that nothing posted online is ever truly private.
Social media is a vital relational tool. Plus, it’s a mission field we can steward for the gospel. Youth leaders: Use these platforms well to connect with teens and to build spiritual community.
The next generation is shaping the future of the church and the internet. Let’s help young people do both with passion, purpose, and Christlike love.
