Christian News Media Digest
“Keep the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.” – Karl Barth
It was the renowned theologian Karl Barth who said that we should keep the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. He emphasized that we should be grounded in God’s Word but also aware of what is going on in the world around us and interpret it through the Bible. This news digest is a curated selection of Christian news articles, interviews and more that speak to current children-related issues and developments that are relevant to the Church. They provide insights, inform and equip those who are serving in children ministries whether at the global, national or local level.
*All articles are used with permission. Some of the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the WEA Children’s Network.

Instagram Connects Pedophiles to Network of Child Sex Abuse Content, Researchers Say
Instagram has created a task force to investigate researchers’ claims that its algorithms connected pedophiles to underage sexual content. An investigation into the Meta-owned social media website by The Wall Street Journal and researchers at Stanford University and the University of Massachusetts

Early Exposition to Pornography Leads to More Demand for Prostitution
On Thursday 1 June, a group of organisations working against the exploitation of women attended the first screening in France of Buying Her, by Exodus Cry. A poignant film about men who buy sexual services, and the links between pornography, prostitution

Children Should Be Able to Withdraw from Religious Classes but Not Sex Education, Says UN Committee
Sex education lessons for adolescents should be mandatory but children of all ages should be allowed to opt out of religious classes, a UN committee has told the UK. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), in

In Brussels, MEPs Warn of Surrogacy Violating Human Dignity
The European Christian Political Movement together with the offices of Members of the European parliament Bert Jan Ruissen (ECR) and Miriam Lexmann (EPP) organized on 23 May a conference on parenthood policies in the European Union, with a focus on the issue

The Mental Health Crisis in Today’s Kids: Who’s to Blame?
Officials talk incessantly about the mental health crisis among children, and they blame anything from COVID-19 to social media. While I agree COVID school shutdowns and unsavory social media platforms added to the problem, I don’t agree with government schools

5 Ways to Protect Your Child from Sexual Abuse
A generation ago, nobody thought about discussing child abuse as a risk on summer break. Nobody talked about sex, either, and definitely not sexual child abuse. But school is almost out, and summer means lots of tablet time for many

Kirk Cameron to Release New Kids’ Book, ‘Pride Comes Before the Fall’
Conservative Christian actor and author Kirk Cameron will be releasing his second children’s book, ahead of LGBT “pride month,” titled Pride Comes Before the Fall. The former star of the television sitcom “Growing Pains” gave a preview of the new book,

Parents, Beware of Sexual Abuse That Happens in Plain Sight
The cheerleading community was shaken by the news that a former California coach of a very reputable local training facility was charged with molesting many girls, some as young as 11 years old. The allegations are based on when Erick Joseph Kristianson

France: 6,500 Young Christians Expected at ‘Echo’
Teenagers and young people from churches across France are gathering this weekend (19-21 May) in Zénith d’Auvergne in a large triennial congress that seeks to encourage young members evangelical churches to discover God’s calling. “See, I am doing something new” (Isiah 43:9)

How a South African Orphan’s Faith in God Gave Him the Strength to Graduate from Medical School
When Covid-19 interfered with the graduation ceremonies of University of the Witwatersrand’s prestigious medical school in December 2021, Sithembiso Madlala took the change of plans in stride. Madlala had come too far in his journey from a neglected child in

UK’s First ‘Three-Parent Baby’ Crosses Ethical Line, Says CARE
A Christian charity has said it is concerned about safety and the ethics of new biotechnology after the birth of the UK’s first baby that has the DNA of three people. Mitochondrial donation treatment (MDT) uses healthy mitochondria from a female

‘God’s Children Are Not for Sale’: Jim Caviezel Calls on 2M People to Watch Film That Exposes Trafficking
Devout Christian actor Jim Caviezel, who stars in the upcoming film “Sound of Freedom,” is calling on 2 million people to stand with him and expose the evil of child exploitation and trafficking. Scheduled for release on July 4, “Sound