The online world: Friend or foe for Christian youth and children?

We are all increasingly aware of the role that online spaces play in our daily lives – from shopping to entertainment, work to recreation, and even chatting with the postie through the doorbell. Life is now lived in a hybrid reality that is here to stay. 

Many of us remember a simpler life before Google and have had the chance to slowly adapt to (and embrace!) online spaces. But what about our kids? Those who have grown up in a world that has been hybrid from the start, the generation of ‘digital natives’?

School takes place both face-to-face and through live lessons on YouTube, friendships are formed in the playground and maintained through Fortnite or FIFA, and new skills are learned from ‘experts’ on TikTok as well as through experience at home. How do we engage our children in these spaces, understand the role they play in their lives, and what impact does it have on their faith development? Difficult questions to answer!