I recently led a cyber safety workshop at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, California.

During the event, four families confided that their young teenagers had been victims of sextortion, a form of exploitation that involves using sexual images for blackmail.

Two of the youths quickly told their parents, who filed reports and sought the help of counselors.

The other two did not speak up until the workshop. Their parents were shocked to discover what these teenagers had been keeping from them. (We connected these families with the appropriate authorities and resources.)

Unfortunately, such stories are becoming increasingly common. Last year, the Cyber Tipline for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 20.5 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation, including sexual abuse material, sex trafficking, and online enticement.

The NCMEC received, on average, 812 reports of sextortion weekly during 2023.

According to a report from the NCMEC and child safety advocate group Thorn, the most common scenario involves perpetrators impersonating girls to obtain sexually explicit images from teenage boys. The perpetrators then make demands, often threatening to reveal those images to family members or social media followers if the victim does not send payment.

Cyber safety is an issue that should concern not only parents, but also church youth leaders. You don’t have to be a technology expert to combat these threats. Through guidance, support, and discipleship, you can give students the tools they need to make good choices — online and off.

Relationships

Today’s students are growing up in a hyperconnected world. On social media and gaming platforms, they may interact not only with classmates and family members, but also complete strangers.

Online environments are designed to attract and even addict users at an early age, with algorithms that direct, manipulate, and monetize user activity. A sense of virtual connectedness and popularity is especially appealing to students who feel lonely and isolated in their daily lives.

A Thorn survey found 15% of 13- to 17-year-olds had engaged in transactional sexual exchanges online — not necessarily for money, but often for attention, status, and perceived social gain. These are prime currencies in the digital marketplace.

Students are negotiating their self-worth in online spaces. Digital safety isn’t just a matter of blocking or restricting access. Teens need genuine, healthy relationships with peers and adults who are invested in their well-being.

Youth ministry facilitates such relationships. Small groups, mentoring, and student fellowship provide opportunities for teens to make real-world, life-giving connections.

Students need boundaries, of course. Yet they respond best to boundaries within a context of belonging, emotional safety, and spiritual truth.

Teens are looking for approval, friendship, and purpose online. Help students establish their identities firmly in Christ by cultivating a relational ministry environment.

Discipleship

Merely giving students rules for internet use leaves them unprepared for the perils they may encounter online. Instead, show teens how to apply Scripture to real-life situations.

Students need a spiritual framework for following Jesus in a digital age. This is more than online security. It is discipleship.

Utilize a scaffolding approach to help students learn to navigate technology wisely.

This teaching method entrusts young people with increasing levels of independence as they grow in judgment, maturity, and responsibility. Coach teens through decisions, not around them.

Just as construction crews use scaffolding to protect workers and provide structure, offer students safety and support — walking alongside them, praying for them, and providing spiritual guidance.

Conversations

Teens can learn to make God-honoring choices, speak up for the vulnerable, and point others toward Jesus online.

Making young people part of 
the solution shifts 
the conversation 
from protection 
to prevention.

This kind of character doesn’t come from fear or shame, but from guidance that includes honest conversations.

Talk with students and their families about the challenges they are facing, including issues related to technology.

During small groups, start conversations about topics like social media and smartphone use.

Work through hypothetical scenarios. For example, you might ask, “What would you do if you saw a friend being bullied online?”

Inquire about online habits and relationships. Ask teens whether they have ever felt unsafe online. Alternatively, ask whether students know someone who is engaging in risky internet behavior. Then address how they might talk with those friends.

These are not interrogations, but invitations to grow in awareness. When the person leading such discussions is a trusted mentor, students are more likely to open up about their experiences and concerns.

Education

Parents often feel unequipped to help their children stay safe online. Meanwhile, secrecy and shame can keep teens from speaking up when they encounter dangerous situations.

Offer education for both students and parents. Invite a local cyber safety expert to lead a workshop for families and volunteers.

Have an experienced counselor available as well, in case of disclosures.

Create space for stories, not just statistics. A good facilitator maintains a judgment-free environment in which people feel comfortable sharing.

Welcome input from students, who often contribute valuable insights.

When I mentioned my concerns about a particular gaming platform I have never used, a young gamer helpfully pointed out some of the dangers. This conversation reminded me students are an important part of any prevention strategy.

Equip teens to teach one another about safe relationships and digital boundaries. Normalize their voices during such discussions.

At Vanguard, we train college students to present cyber safety talks in high schools. Teens are often more receptive to speakers who are close to their age.

Making young people part of the solution shifts the conversation from protection to prevention.

Students are often eager to become partners in ministry and advocates for safety. Rather than just sheltering them, churches can launch teens as leaders and missionaries in their communities.

As a youth leader, consider what you are teaching through your example as well. What you post, how you scroll, and the way you engage online will shape what teens believe is acceptable. Does your screen life reflect biblical principles, such as self-control, truth telling, and neighbor love?

Weave into preaching and teaching personal lessons related to technology. For example, you might talk about a time when you deleted or refrained from posting a comment that did not represent Christ well.

Support

Regularly review and update child protection policies to include guidelines for digital environments. Policies regarding adult interaction with teens should apply to online communication as well.

Be sure team members are aware of mandatory reporting requirements. The policy of the General Council of the Assemblies of God is to report all reasonable suspicions of child abuse. All states have mandatory reporting laws. And in most states, those who work with children and youth are required by law to report suspected or known abuse.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provides support for youth and families, including links for counseling and assistance with removing compromising photos from websites. You can request help online (report.cybertip.org) or call 800-843-5678.

Brenda Navarrete, a psychologist and research associate at Vanguard’s Global Center for Women and Justice, explains that adolescent brain development makes young people especially responsive to external feedback, such as social media likes, compliments, and requests.

This does not mean online harm is inevitable, however. Churches can play a vital role in guiding teens toward awareness and safety.

“They aren’t broken,” Navarrete says of teens. “They’re developing. What they need is language to interpret what’s happening and adults who make reflection feel safe.”

This article appears in the Fall 2025 issue of Influence magazine.