Partnering to Protect Kids from Online Dangers

My good friend Sarah Siegand is with us again. She’s an expert at helping parents with their tech issues. She recently launched a book for student ministry leaders. In this post she reminds us that the Church is not immune from technology problems, so we should speak up and ask the Church to stand with us in this fight.

Research continues to prove that excessive screen time and exposure to harmful content have created a mental, emotional, and spiritual health epidemic among young people. From the former U.S. Surgeon General to congressional leaders across party lines, from Big Tech whistleblowers to grieving parents, the message is clear: our kids are in crisis.

In 2014, I was called up to battle in the technology war the day my first grader came home and repeated a confusing story he heard on the playground. The words meant nothing to his innocent mind, but I knew they described a graphic sexual scenario—and that his classmate had likely been exposed to hardcore online pornography.

That day changed everything. My husband and I launched Parents Who Fight in 2015 because we realized most families did not know what tools and weapons they needed for the fight against pornography and other internet dangers. Our mission became to help parents protect their kids online. We’ve spent years holding seminars for churches and schools, visiting homes to lock down devices, and helping families develop customized strategies for living tech-healthy lives.

After helping thousands of families, it’s clear that even the most vigilant moms and dads can’t fight this battle alone. We’ve seen how easily “good kids from good homes” become victims of predators, addiction, algorithms, and pornography. The few who manage to swim upstream —abstaining from and delaying access to addictive tech—almost always do so because they have a community of like-minded families to link arms with. Treacherous waters are not meant to be traversed alone. 

Why the Church Is Perfectly Positioned for This Fight

In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt describes the “great rewiring of childhood”—the massive rise in anxiety and depression linked to the smartphone era. Interestingly, Haidt, who identifies as an atheist, points to religious communities as having the greatest potential to reverse the damage.

In other words, even unbelievers recognize that the Church has unique assets to leverage in the fight for this generation—interdependence on one another and dependence on God, unity of purpose, morality, leadership structures, the virtues of selflessness, humility, and preservation of innocence. Church communities provide one of the few remaining spaces where kids still connect face-to-face through “synchronous activities” like worship and service projects. Good Bible-believing churches teach kids at every age about the power of God’s Word and the wisdom that comes from being led by the Holy Spirit. Yes, the Church should be leading this fight. 

Church and Technology: Practical Ways to Partner

When church leaders cultivate a culture of tech-intentionality—especially in student ministry—families feel supported, and students thrive. Youth pastors and volunteers who adopt clear technology boundaries create safer, more spiritually focused environments. When leaders remove distractions, students engage more deeply. And when parents see the church reinforcing the same standards they’re setting at home, trust and unity grow.

Our own family is living proof of what’s possible when a church community partners with parents. We were able to delay smartphones and social media for our sons by four or five years—an eternity in adolescent time—because we weren’t the only ones doing it. A small army of church families walked the same path with us. Our pastoral leaders were true partners, helping model what it means to use technology with purpose. These leaders courageously changed ministry protocols to create phone-free youth services, camps, and retreats. They led our students in regular rhythms of fasting media. They showed integrity in their own tech-healthy habits to use boundaries around technology like social media and video games.

Our family’s experience led to the collaborative project and book called Next Gen Tech Reset. It’s written from the perspective of two pastors and myself, sharing five principles to aim toward in leading low-tech, high-impact student ministry. We also provide practical resources in a digital Tool Kit to support leaders who want to implement reasonable changes.

Research continues to prove that excessive screen time and exposure to harmful content have created a mental, emotional, and spiritual health epidemic among young people. Sarah Siegand empowers parents. Partnering to Protect Kids from… Share on X

Start the Conversation

So how can you, as a parent, invite your church into this mission? Start by having honest conversations. Share your concerns and experiences with your pastor or youth leaders. Ask what policies or practices exist around phone use at camps, retreats, and weekly gatherings.

If there aren’t any, ask if they’d be willing to consider some of the ideas we lay out in Next Gen Tech Reset. We’ve seen these changes bring tremendous fruit. Undistracted connection with God and one another transforms the atmosphere of ministry.

Yes, parents must lead with intention at home when it comes to technology. We can’t outsource this responsibility. But parents shouldn’t have to do it alone—and they’re far more likely to succeed when their church community walks alongside them.

Most parents today want help setting a lower-tech pace for their kids. When leaders are courageous enough to go against the flow, families will have more stamina to stand strong. 

Taking a Stand

In order to raise spiritual champions, parents and churches must truly partner together, and the issue of technology should be a staple of our discipleship conversations. We don’t have the luxury of taking a neutral position about the influence of technology in our kids’ lives. Is it possible for kids and teens to avoid social media addiction, oceans of explicit content, and the lure of spending every waking moment looking at a screen? Yes, but not on accident. Is it possible for this generation to choose Jesus over YouTube, Snapchat, and Fortnite? Yes, but not without leadership. It’s time for the Church to take a stand.

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