Call2Prayer: August 2022 - Youth for the Kingdom
/Friday 12th August is International Youth Day. With this year’s theme focusing on intergenerational solidarity and fighting ageism, it is undeniable that one of the biggest differences and potential barriers between young and old in the twenty-first century is the pervasiveness of media and technology.
It comes as no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic saw dramatic increases in young people’s screen time, particularly on social media platforms. This trend was seen across the globe, and not least in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) nations. One study by Anglia Ruskin University found that Tunisian children (aged 5-11) increased their screen time by 111% during the pandemic.
Young people from non-Christian families in this part of the world have incredibly limited opportunities to hear the Gospel and make an informed choice about what they believe. Many are brought up being taught that compliance is a virtue, and questioning religious traditions is rebuked. Moreover, misconceptions about Christianity in the Arab world are widespread, being passed on to younger generations.
With such a vast array of worldviews, ideologies and opinions now at their fingertips, many young people in the MENA are finding themselves disillusioned with the traditions they have been brought up with, and struggling to make sense of their identity. According to a 2020 review by the New Media Academy, 79% of Arab youth (18-24 years old) report that they now use social media as their prime source of news and information. This is up from just 25% in 2015. At such an influential stage of their lives, young people are prime targets for misinformation, which is a particularly big problem in the MENA region.
What a young person views online could change their life’s course.
The solution isn’t to attempt to stop young people from accessing these online platforms. This will only prove to be counter-productive, provoke greater discord, and further divide the generations. Only by entering into these online spaces and bringing truths of the Kingdom to them will we be meeting the needs of young people in the MENA, and making steps towards a society that nurtures mutual understanding and harmony across the ages.
In September 2021, we launched our Kingdom Platform on YouTube. Kingdom Platform is our new social media outreach initiative for Arabic-speaking children and youth from all faith backgrounds, providing them with access to high-quality, biblically-inspired media content.
Kingdom Platform’s goal is to be accessible, entertaining and relevant – suitable as well as safe for young people of all faiths and none. Since September, 125 videos have been uploaded on YouTube, including many of our popular series such as Arabic Veggie Tales, DreamMaker, and His Kids. These videos are mainly aimed at children under the age of 11, but with our hopes for the future including serving youth and young adults. Within the first 6 months of its launch, our videos were watched over 500,000 times, without spending any funds on advertising. This is over three times what we had initially hoped to achieve with advertising!
Unfortunately, we are currently in a shortfall of funds for this particular project, meaning that Kingdom Platform is unable to reach its full potential. Our hope is to expand Kingdom Platform so that we can achieve an active and sustainable presence on four different social media platforms – YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. This means having the resources and capacity to regularly create new, engaging posts and videos suitable for different age groups, as well as run and boost pages, monitor impact, and provide crucial follow up to support young people who want to reach out.
The success of this project on YouTube so far clearly reinforces that this platform is a much-needed resource among Arabic-speaking children and young people. It is our prayer and longing that the biblical values and truths displayed through Kingdom Platform would have a ripple effect across the nations and generations in this part of the world, bringing the hope of restoration, unity, and peace for future generations.
We’d really appreciate you joining us in prayer this week for this promise-filled initiative, as well as for intergenerational harmony in this part of the world.
Prayer Points:
For solidarity between old and young. Concepts of age can have uniquely cultural nuances, however that does not forbid the need for intergenerational understanding, respect and dignity. We pray that young people in the MENA would seek to serve the needs of the older generations, motivated by love, not out of fear. We pray that they would have an appropriate respect for the wisdom and experience of older generations. We pray that older generations would cherish the young, seeking to understand and immerse themselves in their lives. We pray this both for families and across wider communities.
For questioning and critical thinking. We pray particularly for the youth of the MENA region who are frustrated and questioning their worldviews and the traditions they have been brought up with. We pray that advances in technology would enable young people to begin to ask questions and seek truth. We pray that families in this part of the world would be fostering supportive environments that promote healthy conversations about faith, and where asking questions is encouraged.
For truth, clarified misconceptions, and against misinformation: We pray for long-held misconceptions about Christianity in the Middle East to be broken down, and that the wonderful truth of the Gospel would once again prevail in this part of the world. We pray for protection over the young people particularly vulnerable to misinformation and radicalisation through online platforms. We pray that God would be using Kingdom Platform, and other Christian material, to nurture biblical values and win hearts. We pray that the Holy Spirit would soften and transform the hearts of those spreading misinformation and dangerous ideologies online.
For the children and families already engaged with Kingdom Platform: We pray for those who have already been watching our videos on YouTube, and give thanks that they have discovered the platform. We pray that God would be using these videos to inspire, encourage, and transform the lives of these children and their families. We pray that they would keep engaging with the platform, particularly as new content is released.
For the funding needs of Kingdom Platform: We pray that, if it is the Lord’s will, that He would provide the ongoing necessary funds required for Kingdom Platform to achieve a sustainable online presence on all 4 social media platforms. We pray for the support of long-term partners who are passionate about this project.
For the future impact of Kingdom Platform: It is our hope and prayer that God would be using Kingdom Platform, both directly and indirectly, to powerfully impact people of all age groups in the MENA region for His glory. We pray that biblical truths would once again reign in this part of the world, being passed on to future generations.
