Resource Roundup
On porn access, teen values, loneliness, and AI youth pastor replacements
In the realm of things relevant to women in youth ministry, here are some links I’ve found helpful lately:
How Do Kids Find Porn in 2026? 13 Pipelines Targeting Your Child You Need to Know About Now — There are the obvious sources like social media and now AI. But as we talk with students about their access and exposure to porn, it’s helpful to know where else they may be coming across it. This list is another good reason to delay giving students smartphones and other electronics that access the internet.
What Teens Value Research Snapshot — The Center for Scholars & Storytellers at UCLA conducted research with 1500 young people across the country between the ages of 10 and 24. When asked to rate the importance of 14 priorities, they placed safety at the top, along with kindness and self-acceptance. “Safety is both a basic need and an emotional state that underpins well-being… In a media environment full of uncertainty—global conflict, school safety anxieties, digital harassment—young people are seeking content, communities, and experiences that make them feel steady, grounded, and protected.”
The Rise of the Skilled (And Lonely) Consumer — Mere Orthodoxy brings us this piece reflecting on David Riesman’s concept of inner-directed versus other-directed people and connects this to the loneliness crisis, including the influence of social media on younger generations. “Women are pushed to become more other-directed people online… to document and demonstrate value for others.”
‘Think of It As a Best Friend and Youth Pastor in Your Pocket’ - In the midst of my series on Teens and AI, I’ve been thinking about teens who will go to AI with their faith questions. This CT article shares a Q&A with the cofounder of Creed, which he describes as “a Tomagotchi meets Duolingo for a Christian” that will give you answers rooted in Scripture and “build on that relationship over time.” Most users are new believers between 15-30 years old, and the app claims to offer an “embodied” companion who will “pray with you” — but their version of “embodied” just means it has an avatar. It begs the question: will teens — especially new believers — have the discernment to see the difference in value between an app like this and an actual youth pastor?
Young people today aren’t just navigating typical adolescence; they’re growing up in an environment where identity, sexuality, belonging, and even spiritual guidance are mediated through screens and algorithms. It makes sense that safety and kindness rank so highly in teen values, because many are quietly searching for stability in a world that feels overwhelming and hyper-connected yet deeply lonely. Tools and apps can provide information, but discipleship has always been relational — embodied faith passed person to person through presence, patience, and trust. Technology may assist learning, but it cannot replace the wisdom formed through real community, accountability, and love lived out over time. I’ve been reflecting a lot on how faith, presence, and human connection matter even more in an AI age if you’d ever like to continue the conversation: https://theeternalnowmm.substack.com/p/eternal-love?r=71z4jh