Digital Kid’s Ministry can sound like a scary phrase. What does it mean to minister to kids digitally? How can we best use technology in our ministries to serve the kids and families in our churches? Should we even use technology to disciple kids and families?
These are the questions Brittany Nelson tackles in her book, Time to Update: 7 Areas to Integrate Digital Discipleship into Your Children’s Ministry Strategy. If you have ever wondered how technology can best be used in your children’s ministry, this is definitely the book you need to read next. I flew through Time to Update and found myself with highlighter and pen out, jotting down idea after idea, all practical, and all easy to implement tomorrow in our Kids Ministry.
Kids today are digital natives. They have grown up with technology in hand, and as we prepare to disciple this generation, the best question to ask is: Am I using all the tools available that will best help me minister to the kids and families in my church? I found myself asking this again and again as I took notes on ways our church could take our digital presence up a notch.
From the outset, Nelson defines digital ministry not simply as posting an online Kids Church video, but as so much more. Nelson takes us through seven key areas where digital tools can enhance what we do to serve kids and their families:
- Safety and Integrity in Digital Discipleship
- Church Websites
- Teaching Digital Natives (AKA the kids in your ministry today!)
- Using Digital Tools to Communicate Effectively with Parents
- Connecting with Volunteers through Digital Tools
- Social Media
- How to Use Technology to Assist in Administration
This book doesn’t have to be read in order. If there is a specific topic that sticks out most to you, jump to that chapter and discover new ideas, apps, and ways to implement digital discipleship in that area. Each chapter contains action steps that will allow you to put the key takeaways into action immediately. Chapter Ten of the book is a list of additional resources and apps that can assist you in everything from scheduling volunteers to texting families in your church.
If you’re not a tech-savvy person, don’t worry. Nelson writes in such a way that nothing ever feels overwhelming or out of reach. Even if you don’t click with technology, you’ll find ideas here that will help you find the right people in your church who could help you out. You might also be surprised at how easy some of the ideas she gives here actually are, and how even the least tech-savvy person could find themselves adding a digital component to their ministry in no time. That’s not to say if you’re a tech person that you won’t find any ideas here. Nelson puts forward some new ways to use old digital tools that will surprise you and give you a lot of great ways to update your ministry.
Overall, I highly recommend Time to Update as your next KidMin read. Practical, timely, and focused on reaching kids with the love of God and the Good News about Jesus, Brittany Nelson won’t let you down as you explore the world of digital discipleship.