Smart Phone FAQ
Phone-Free for a Reason
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During youth group, students check in their phones so they can be fully present—with friends, leaders, and God.
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To help foster real connection, focused attention, and meaningful discipleship, our youth ministry will be asking students to check in their smartphones during youth group.
Phones will be securely stored and can be accessed if needed. Parents will always be able to reach their student in case of an emergency.
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This change isn’t about punishment or fear—it’s about creating a space where students can be fully present with one another and open to what God wants to do in their lives.
Thank you for your trust, your grace, and your partnership as we implemented our phone check-in practice during youth group.
Why is the youth ministry asking students to check in their phones?
Our goal is to create a space where students can be fully present—with one another, with their leaders, and with God. Research and lived experience show that constant phone access makes attention, connection, and spiritual receptivity significantly harder for teenagers.
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This decision is not about punishment or control. It is about formation, care, and love—helping students experience embodied community in a world that increasingly pulls them away from it.
Is this because phones are "bad"
or "sinful"?
No. Phones are powerful tools—but they are not neutral. They shape habits of attention, emotional regulation, relationships, and even spiritual openness.
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We are not teaching students to fear technology. We are helping them practice freedom from it, even for a short period of time.
What if my child needs their phone during youth group?
Students can access their phone at any time if needed. We simply ask that they do so in a designated area so it does not distract others.
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This allows for communication when necessary while still protecting the shared environment.
What if there is an emergency?
We will provide parents with a dedicated contact number during youth group hours. If you need to reach your child urgently, our team will immediately locate them and communicate the message.
Your child will never be unreachable.
How will phones be stored?
Phones will be placed in secure, locked storage upon arrival and returned at the the end of the service. Only authorized leaders will have access to the storage system.
What about new students or guests?
We will extend grace and clearly explain expectations. This policy will be communicated gently and consistently, not enforced harshly.
Isn't it unrealistic to limit phones when students live with them everywhere else?
We agree—students are immersed in digital environments daily. That is precisely why intentional spaces without phones matter.
Just as we create quiet spaces for prayer or focused time for worship, we believe it is healthy to create a space where students can practice presence and connection without constant digital interruption.
Is this the church's role, or should this be left to the parents?
Parents are the primary stewards of their children’s formation. Our role is to partner with you, not replace you.
We see this as shared discipleship—supporting families by modeling healthy boundaries and inviting thoughtful conversations at home.
Are you asking families to remove phones entirely?
No. We are not mandating what happens at home.
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We are encouraging parents to thoughtfully consider how technology is shaping their children, and what boundaries might be loving, wise, and formative in this season.
What fruit are you hoping to see?
We are praying for:
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Deeper friendships
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Greater emotional safety
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Increased attentiveness to teaching and worship
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More meaningful conversations
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A growing awareness among students that they are not controlled by their devices
What if my child resists?
That's understandable. Many students feel both attached to and exhausted by their phones. We will walk with students patiently, explain the "why," and create a culture where this feels normal, not punitive. Resistance often fades once students experience the benefits.