We know that electronic communication with the youth in your programs is critical these days, but to establish safe boundaries for your protection and theirs, you’ll need to consider some basic social media guidelines. This all starts with creating a policy that spells out some specific do’s and don’ts for your ministry.
Here are some suggested ways to communicate with your youth electronically:
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Communicate online in groups: Use existing church-sanctioned platforms for communication, rather than personal accounts.
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Inform parents: Get parental consent for any online communication like texting or video calls that might be sparingly used and offer them the option to opt out.
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Apply “never alone” rule to text messaging: While group communication is the standard, if there are ever situations where singular text messaging is being used, even if you have parental permission, include a supervisor or parent in all text messages.
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Be transparent: Report immediately to your pastor or supervisor, any online behavior that feels unsafe or judged as inappropriate.
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Avoid “friend” invitations: Church leaders should not “friend” or participate in any social media account with a youth.
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Be a role model: Model positive behavior and respect in all online communication.
There is a place for social media use with your youth, but it carries its own challenges. As we seek to honor God and do all things with excellence, social media use certainly falls within those guidelines.
