March 06, 2025

Are Smart Phones Killing Student Ministries in Churches?

24 minutes

Since 2010, depression among teens is up 145% in girls and 161% in boys. During the same time period, anxiety is up 139% in those between the ages of 18 and 25. Josh and Sam discuss the findings from the book The Anxious Generation. Much of the problem stems from the widespread adoption of smartphones. What is the impact on student ministries in churches?

The convergence of social media with the first front-facing camera in 2010.

The shift from play-based childhoods to phone-based childhoods.

There has been a dramatic decrease in social capital through church life since the early 2000s (Bowling Alone). Check out the Netflix documentary Join or Die.

Is the smartphone killing student ministries in churches? Short answer: No.

View the student ministry as an answer to the problem rather than a victim of the culture.

Potential solutions: More outdoor activities like hiking and camping, fewer screens (e.g., video games) in student ministry areas, and better patterns and rhythms of hanging out regularly (e.g., morning group at Chick-fil-A).

Resources:

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Churchteams

“The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt (affiliate link)

“Bowling Alone” by Robert Putnam (affiliate link)

“Join or Die” Netflix documentary

Christianity Today: The Bulletin Podcast #138 “The Embodied Life with Christine Rosen”

FREE Research Report! New Surprising Insights

Church Answers Central

The Hope Initiative

Episode Sponsors:

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By Thom Rainer

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