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Writer's pictureJosh Woodcock

Can Digital Ministry Be Safe? (3.5 minute read)

Parents and ministry leaders alike want to ensure their kids are safe online. However, as a ministry leader, you face additional risks and responsibilities when interacting with students in digital spaces.


Unfortunately, the most popular apps used by children and youth in our ministries are not developed to be safe, Jesus-centered, and discipleship-driven. This does not mean they can’t or shouldn’t be used to glorify God. That said, it is your responsibility as a ministry leader to understand the risks. Before you leap into whatever social platform is trending among the students in your ministry, consider a few things first:


Policy - Every Next Gen pastor's favourite word. Creating contextually appropriate policies for your ministry can help keep you, your leaders, your ministry, and those you serve safe. Like any set of rules, policies are only as effective as your ability or willingness to enforce them. A policy that isn’t clearly communicated or enforced might as well not exist. Your policy should include a number of boundaries, one of which should be approved methods of communication.


Training - Like any new ministry, well-thought-out and clear training is crucial. If you simply encourage your leaders to stay connected by whatever means possible without proper training, you are putting yourself, your leaders, and your ministry at risk. It doesn’t have to take a whole weekend; just 30 minutes to an hour will do. You simply need to ensure that you have established what appropriate digital connection looks like in your ministry.


Liability - Even with the best policies and most effective training, it is impossible to do what we do without risks. It’s hard to maintain effective ratios when you’re playing Sardines in a nearly pitch-black room. As ministry leaders, we take calculated risks all the time. Some, like deciding to engage with the almost 40% of North American kids under 13 who are on social media (that requires its users to be 13), are arguably not worth it—especially when there are apps out there that are safe to chat with that age group. An easy way to limit liabilities online is to do your due diligence: know the apps you’re using and how they can be abused.

There is no such thing as risk-free ministry. With the proper policies, training, and research, you can mitigate a significant number of those risks and keep the most vulnerable members of our ministries safe.


Why We Created FaithSpark

We created FaithSpark to meet this exact need. There are plenty of fantastic methods of digital communication that make it easy to stay connected. However, there are no apps like FaithSpark that are built from the ground up for safe and effective discipleship. To the detriment of youth, nearly all communication apps prioritize privacy over accountability. FaithSpark ensures that safety and accountability are top priorities.



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