Baptist Press takes a look at MySpace, and the challenges it presents for youth ministers.
An observation from one of the youth ministers quoted: “Youth pastors want an authentic look at who their kids are. Some have learned things -– encouraging and discouraging –- about where their students really are morally and spiritually by looking at MySpace accounts.”
Here's the intro:
MySpace has been both a great asset and a burden to youth minister Ricky Smith.
Through MySpace, he has found new ways to connect with youth and promote events not only to students at Piney Grove Baptist Church in Columbus, Ga., as well as those not attending church.
But, in viewing online pages belonging to his youth, he has shed tears seeing how some of them behave differently when not at Piney Grove. At times, he admits that it causes him to question his ability as a minister.
So goes the seemingly schizophrenic world of MySpace, the online phenomenon that is approaching 100 million users, mostly students, and that has youth ministers debating its usefulness and its dangers.
Read the entire article at BP News.
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