How to Include Students Who Don’t Have Smartphones in Your Youth Ministry
“We use an app for that.”
For some families, that sounds convenient. For others, it raises an immediate question:
“What about my student? They don’t have a smartphone.”
Some parents are waiting to give their teenager a phone. Some students have a basic phone without apps. Other families share devices or have limited access to technology.
Every one of those students should be able to participate fully in your youth ministry.
Students do not need their own smartphone to participate in youth ministry discipleship. Churches can offer access through compatible tablets, provide printed Bible Reading Plans, keep parents informed, and build gatherings where students can participate without a device.
At Fresh Fire App, we want to help youth leaders build the rhythms and relationships of a lasting faith. Here are practical ways to include students whose families have chosen a different approach to technology.
1. Make It Clear That a Smartphone Is Optional
Start with how you introduce your ministry’s digital tools.
If every announcement sounds like “Everyone, pull out your phone,” students without one may feel overlooked. Parents may also wonder whether participating in your ministry means buying a device they are not ready to provide.
Explain the options from the beginning:
“We use Fresh Fire to stay connected during the week. Students can participate on a compatible tablet or use a printed version of our Bible Reading Plans. Parents can also join to receive announcements and follow along.”
Include those options in parent meetings, welcome information, and your app launch instructions.
A family should not have to ask for an exception before learning that their student belongs.
2. Use an iPad or Tablet Instead of a Smartphone
Not having a smartphone does not always mean a student has no access to apps.
A student might use:
- An iPad at home.
- A compatible Android tablet.
- A shared family device.
- Another compatible device with access to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Fresh Fire App can be downloaded on compatible devices with access to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, including iPads and Android tablets.
That means a student may be able to participate in Bible Reading Plans and other ministry activities at home without carrying a smartphone throughout the day.
Help families understand that participating does not require constant access. A student could use a family tablet for a short Bible reading after dinner, then put it away.
For shared devices, help the family establish an appropriate account and sign-in routine. Check compatibility before recommending that anyone purchase a device.
3. Print Your Bible Reading Plans
Some students will not have access to a compatible device. Others may simply prefer reading on paper.
Give them the same opportunity to engage with Scripture.
Every plan you create in Fresh Fire includes a button to download it as a PDF, making it easy to print copies for students without smartphones.
You can create a plan for your youth group, share it in the app, and print it for students who need a paper copy.
For example, after teaching about prayer, you could:
- Create a five-day Bible Reading Plan connected to the message.
- Download the plan as a PDF.
- Print copies before students leave youth group.
- Invite everyone to discuss the readings at the next gathering.
Keep printed copies available where students can pick them up easily. Announce them as a normal option:
“This week’s plan is in Fresh Fire, and printed copies are by the door. Grab whichever version works for you.”
The printed version should feel like a thoughtful part of your ministry.
4. Keep Parents Connected Through the App
A student can participate without having an app account on their own device, while their parent stays connected digitally.
Parents can use Fresh Fire to follow along with events and plans and receive ministry announcements—even when their student does not have a smartphone.
Invite parents to join during registration, a parent meeting, or a personal conversation.
You might explain it this way:
“Your student doesn’t need a smartphone. You can join Fresh Fire to receive announcements, see upcoming events, and follow along with what we’re reading. We’ll also provide printed plans for your student.”
This gives parents useful context for conversations at home.
Instead of only asking, “How was youth group?” they can ask:
- What stood out to you in this week’s passage?
- What did your group talk about?
- Is there a challenge we could try together?
- How can I pray for you this week?
Keep parents informed without expecting them to relay every small detail. Give students clear information at gatherings, too.
5. Make In-Person Activities Work Without a Phone
Look at your weekly gathering through the eyes of a student who walks in without a device.
Can they read the passage? Answer the discussion questions? Find out about the retreat? Participate in the activity?
A few simple preparations make a difference:
- Keep physical Bibles available.
- Display Scripture references and key instructions.
- Offer paper copies of questions or activities when needed.
- Explain announcements out loud.
- Provide an alternative to activities that require scanning a QR code.
If students are discussing a Bible Reading Plan, invite everyone to participate whether they read it on a tablet, on paper, or are opening the passage for the first time.
A leader might say:
“Whether you read this during the week or you’re looking at it now, let’s read the passage together. What do you notice?”
That keeps the conversation accessible while still encouraging students to build habits between gatherings.
6. Give Students an Offline Way to Respond
Reading Scripture is only one part of a discipleship rhythm. Students also need opportunities to reflect, pray, ask questions, and apply what they are learning.
If a student uses a printed plan, give them a way to bring those experiences back into the group.
They could:
- Write a question beside the passage.
- Keep a simple prayer journal.
- Share one takeaway at the next small group.
- Discuss a practical challenge with a leader.
- Talk through the reading with a parent.
For example, if the group is practicing encouragement, every student can look for someone to encourage at school. At the next gathering, everyone can talk about what happened.
The act of obedience is available to every student, regardless of which device they own.
7. Respect Each Family’s Technology Decisions
Avoid making parents defend their decision about smartphones.
Families have different considerations, and youth ministry leaders do not need to settle every technology question to serve them well.
Ask practical questions privately:
“What’s the easiest way for your family to receive ministry updates?”
“Would a printed plan or access through a tablet work better for your student?”
Then follow through.
Train volunteers to offer the same options consistently. A welcoming explanation from the youth pastor means more when small group leaders also have printed plans ready and know how to include students without phones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can students use Fresh Fire App without owning a smartphone?
Yes. Students can use Fresh Fire on a compatible iPad, Android tablet, or another compatible device with access to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. They do not need their own smartphone.
Can I print Bible Reading Plans from Fresh Fire?
Yes. Every plan you create includes a PDF download button, so you can print copies for students who need or prefer a paper version.
Can parents use Fresh Fire if their student does not have a smartphone?
Yes. Parents can join the app to receive announcements, follow events, and follow along with plans, even if their student participates through printed materials.
What if a student has no access to a compatible device?
Provide printed plans, communicate important information at gatherings, and keep their parent or guardian informed through an accessible channel. Give the student opportunities to discuss Scripture, pray, and participate in person.
Help Every Student Participate
A student without a smartphone can still read Scripture with your group, practice their faith throughout the week, build relationships with leaders, and arrive ready to share what they are learning.
Make the options clear. Offer printed plans. Help families use tablets when appropriate. Keep parents connected. Prepare gatherings that welcome everyone.
At Fresh Fire App, we want to help youth leaders reach students throughout the week while supporting the families who trust them.
Explore Fresh Fire App to see how Bible Reading Plans, printable PDFs, and parent communication can support your whole youth ministry.
