Understanding the social networking phenomena; teaching teens how to use it responsibly; and how can we as youth leaders use facebook in our ministry.

1. Teen Culture - Internet
Tips for
responsible and
God honouring
use of the
internet

2. Young People and the Internet
• Lisa, 15, “I‘m frightened and want to do
something about it but I don‘t want my parents
to know about it.”
• Sangetta, 14 - gave out her mobile number and
now she is receiving obscene messages.
• Daniel, 16 - was getting phone calls from a man
he‘d met in an internet chat-room.

3. The Software

4. facebook

5. 500 million
users
worldwide
September 2010

6. The Facts
• Mark Zuckerberg
• Launched in February 2004
• Facebook has now 500 million
users! (Aug. 2008 = 100 million)
• US$800 million revenue in 2009

8. What’s good about it?
(from a young persons perspective)
• It’s about me… my world… my views…
• Share music, photos, video clips, invitations, weblinks
• My space… not controlled by parents
• My friends… our chat… talk when we want...
• Make new friends…
• Never miss anything... stay up to date... 24hr contact
• It’s just fun

9. the negative side
• When you click… It’s sent!
• Takes up time
• Open to abuse…
• See or read unsuitable material
• Bullying
• The darker side - ‘online grooming’

10. Use it safely and wisely
• Protect your identity
• Control your privacy settings
• Don’t post anything you would be ashamed of
• Don’t stray
• Don’t believe everything you see online

13. Harmful and explicit material
• The greatest danger of the Internet is the ease with
which harmful and explicit material can be accessed.
• The largest group that views internet pornography is
the 12 - 17 year olds.

14. covenanteyes.com
OpenDNS.com

15. Encouraging teens accountability
• The internet is used in private, unaccountable settings
within friends homes, teenagers bedrooms.
• Temptation is strongest when no one is looking and
when no one will know.
• A program like Covenant Eyes removes the secrecy and
temptation of using the Internet.

16. Encouraging teens in ‘God
honouring’ internet use
• How we handle temptation in light of God’s Word -
James 1:13-16, 1 Cor. 10:12-14
• The Lord’s Prayer “Lead us not into temptation but
deliver us from evil… - Mat. 6:9-13
• “Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest
he fall.” - 1 Cor. 10:12

17. Encouraging teens in ‘God
honouring’ internet use
• Encourage the teenager to be like Daniel (1:8) -
“But Daniel made up his mind that he would not
defile himself”
• “Whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute,
…let your mind dwell on these things.”
• Do what Job did “I have made a covenant with my
eyes” - Job 31:1

18. Finally - Practical suggestions
• Advise against a computer (or television) in the bedroom
• Know what they are doing online (openDNS, Windows security)
• Help them to protect their privacy
• Encourage them to delete junk mail (keep nuisance messages as
evidence)
• Tell them never to meet up with online contacts
• Parents should endeavour to keep communication lines open
• Encourage them to block certain people and report

19. How not to use it for ministry
• Use it to supplement real-world ministry
• Learn, but don’t be a stalker
• Be aware
• Be present but not always present
• Don’t play farmville
(Source: Tim Chaillies)