TL;DR: Digital Ministry News Recap 

• Fresh Expressions: Helping small/rural churches show up online.

• Church Tech Today: Protecting church staff from phishing & fake news.

• Rude Baguette: YouTube banning solo teen livestreams.

Helping Small/Rural Churches Show Up Online

ICYMI: Fresh Expressions shares “Helping Rural Churches Show Up Online” (60-minute watch/10-minute read), featuring digital outreach strategies for small and rural churches: optimize Google listings, use Facebook as a community bulletin board, maintain a simple findable website, encourage online reviews, and implement follow‑ups. Significance: As the authors aptly state, “This isn’t about going viral. It’s about being visible.“

Protecting Church Staff from Phishing & Fake News

Church Tech Today shares “How to Protect Your Church Staff from Phishing and Fake News” (5-minute read), offering practical church cybersecurity tips to guard staff from phishing scams and misinformation. The guide recommends phishing simulations, two-factor authentication, staff training, and a trusted-links list. It emphasizes cultivating digital discernment to reduce vulnerability to social engineering attacks and protect ministry operations.

YouTube Banning Solo Teen Livestreams

Rude Baguette shares ““YouTube Says Enough Is Enough”: This Bold Ban on Solo Teen Live Streams Under 16 Sends Shockwaves Across the Internet” (5-minute read), outlining YouTube’s new policy which takes effect July 22, 2025, banning solo livestreams by users under 16, requiring a visibly present adult. This bold move targets teen safety and content moderation. For churches, this can affect youth-led livestreams, such as teen devotionals or student services. Ministries must now ensure adult supervision is on camera to avoid penalties like chat restrictions or account suspension.

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