Pastoral Assistance for Youth with Gadget and Internet Users in the Seventh Day Adventist Church

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to obtain empirical data on pastoral care for adolescent gadget and Internet users in Church. This study applies a descriptive method with a qualitative approach, through this research it is intended to describe the implementation and role of pastoral assistance to adolescent gadget and internet users in the Waldensia Adventist Church. The data collection technique was done through interviews with a sampling method, namely snowball sampling. The result of this research is that pastoral assistance to teenagers who use gadgets and the internet at the Waldensia Adventist Church is still not running optimally. The goal of pastoral care that is not fully realized is due to the lack of specialists in youth assistance and the low awareness of the community that adolescent development is a shared responsibility. Provision of understanding of the development of technology and information that is lacking as well as training on pastoral assistance for youth ministers that have not been carried out optimally. Functions that play a role in pastoral assistance for youth gadget and internet users only include the functions of guiding, nurturing and empowering. Pastoral assistance efforts that have been carried out by the church so far have only been through Youth worship, which is mostly done to those who are physically ill.