Amazing Generation, Part Two: Helping Your Church Embrace Phone-Free Youth Ministry

GUEST WRITER: FRANCES WATTMAN ROSENAU

“You don’t want to end up like my mom,” one tween boy said to another as they dug in the sand at a Presbyterian retreat center last summer. “You know, cause she’s always on her phone.”

Oh. 

Hey, welcome back. We are continuing the conversation about the importance of a phone-free youth group. If you missed Part One, check it out here. 

This Isn’t Just About Students

As we jump back in, let me begin by stating clearly that tech-free spaces need to occur not just in church youth groups. When we take a step back, we quickly start to see how entangled we all are with our devices. This is not just about the students. More research is coming out on phone use in older adults. No doubt we all feel the pressure to stay connected, whether from work, family, or, let’s be honest, our own fear of missing out. 

I get it. Add in parenting a teen with a phone, and it all becomes very complicated.

My family and I were at Yosemite National Park last year, about to set out on a beautiful hike. My teenager asked me to look up the score of the Dodgers’ game from the previous day. Now, there is no cell service and very limited WiFi service in Yosemite. So, when my kid asked for a sports update, I told him I didn’t know, and the only way to find out was to read a newspaper. 

Was he disappointed? Sure, for a minute or two. Were there times I, too, wished I could pull up an instant answer? Absolutely. But I was also surprised at how quickly we all adjusted to being unplugged since that was the only option. We caught up on our favorite teams later.

Sure, families may have different norms and expectations from one another. Not everyone would take as much delight in the above scenario as I did. Fair. 

Being a parent in this age is a very different landscape than anything civilization has previously navigated. Parents often feel backed into a corner, with tech as the only solution. Of course, tech companies play into parent guilt. It’s also hard to come to terms with how few tech-free spaces there are left for anyone at any age.

Why Churches Need to Talk About Technology

Congregations are in a unique place to dive into the tech conversation and bring it into the context of spiritual growth and the Christian life for everyone: children, youth, and adults. There are so few spaces for families to have these conversations, and no other spaces to connect our faith values with our tech choices. 

This is where the church can be a place to do what churches do best: engage in current issues together and cultivate a shared vision.

Practical Ways to Build Church-Wide Support

Here are some practical ideas for broadening the conversation throughout the congregation and increasing buy-in across generations:

Children’s Ministry

For children’s ministry, equip parents with information, normalize phone-free spaces at church, and talk to families about the Wait Until 8th pledge. This also helps set everyone up for tech-free youth spaces. 

Middle-Grade Readers and Tweens

With middle-grade readers and tweens, read The Amazing Generation, a graphic novel about screen use with real stories of teenage “tech rebels” who are choosing a different relationship with technology.

Host a Tech-Free Church Night

Host a tech-free night at church with activities for all ages that make it hard to turn to a device. Painting, water games, baking, or tie-dye are all natural device-blockers. Designate one person to take pictures and share them with families after the event. 

Adult Small Groups

Lead an adult small group study (not just for parents) using Catherine Price’s book, How to Break Up with Your Phone. Take the 30-day challenge as a group and try different ways to become more aware of our own device use to reclaim control. A few members of the group can also share their experience in a worship service. 

From the Pulpit

Preach a sermon on the Reign of God and our societal relationship to technology. Host a congregational discussion or adult education forum after the service. 

As the church, we don’t shy away from wrestling with difficult topics or having hard conversations simply because some of us have different approaches and experiences. We all need to be part of the conversation about how to navigate technology and cope with the spiritual effects of rapidly addictive tech.

Coming Next

So, how do we actually implement a phone-free program for children and youth?

Great question! We’ll talk more about practicalities, including sample group covenants and communications to families, in the next post of this series.

Frances Wattman Rosenau

Guest Contributor

Pastor Frances Wattman Rosenau is the Pastor of Culver City Presbyterian Church in the Los Angeles area. Pastor Rosenau’s doctoral (DMin) studies focused on multicultural and multiethnic worship. She has a passion for community organizing and has lived in India, Scotland, Upstate New York, Paris, Chicago, and Tulsa. She is currently Vice-Moderator of the Presbytery of the Pacific and on the board of NEXT Church. When she’s not at church, you will find her training for a race, learning to score baseball with her boys, or searching for her husband in a used bookstore. Follow her newsletter at almostnamedgrace.substack.com