Texting in youth ministry needs attention. After all, it’s how teens prefer to communicate these days. According to a 2023 study by Common Sense Media, half of teens receive at least 237 texts per day!
Today’s youth aren’t big fans of face-to-face interaction. So what does that mean for youth ministry? As with every communication trend, two possibilities exist: We either adapt it or fight it.
Which is the better choice here? Should we jump on the bandwagon of texting in youth ministry and milk it for all it’s worth? Or should we condemn this horrid habit and steer clear? Read on to consider both sides.
Pros and Cons of Texting
First let’s explore pros and cons:
Pros of Texting:
- It’s fast to create, send, and read a text.
- Texting is “actual.” Chances are high that kids read messages instantly.
- Texting resonates with youth culture. That may result in a favorable impression of youth ministry in general and of you as the leader.
Cons of Texting:
- It can get expensive if you rely on it for youth ministry communications.
- Texting is impersonal.
- As with all written messages, misunderstandings occur. In texts, this is due to lack of “expression” and the necessity of brevity.
- Texting is more anonymous than talking face to face. That results in lower barriers to certain behavior (flirting, crude remarks, criticism).
The biggest risk with texting (and other social media)? It might take the place of personal conversations, either face to face or via phone. With our busy schedules, it’s tempting to send a quick text instead of making a call. Speaking can get awkward now and then. But if we want to disciple students, we need to spend time with them, talk with them, hang out with them. Social media can never take the place of real-life contact.
Texting in youth ministry is a great tool. If we remember the pros and cons, we can use it with good results. Nothing is wrong with the format itself. We just need to use texting wisely. It’s best for cases where the pros apply.
Whenever you consider using texting, analyze whether it’s the best tool. Where the cons are a big risk, choose another communication method.
Great Ways to Use Texting in Youth Ministry
For appropriate situations, texting is very useful. Here are ideas related to youth ministry at church:
- Keep in touch with small-group members during the week and show interest in what they’re doing. Ask someone how an exam went or if they won a match. And don’t forget birthday wishes!
- Share announcements and event reminders.
- Alert kids about cancellations. Notify students up front when plans might change. Then they’ll know to watch their phones for messages.
- Send prayer requests and urgent announcements. If you have the numbers of students (and parents!) and the means to send a group text, you can notify everyone at once.
- Share news about events with parents so they know what’s happening in your ministry.
- Try interactive texting during a youth sermon! Let students text their responses or questions, which can show up on screen.
- During an event, take a poll and ask students to text the answers.
I’ll bet you can brainstorm more creative ways to use this technology…
