Technology is in every part of our lives – that little device in your hand allows you to pray for
others, read and share Scripture, communicate with your small group members, and watch
church online. It allows you to answer parishioner emails, set calendar appointments with staff,
dictate notes for sermons, and respond to emergencies in real time. This device also allows
holds a wealth of distractions that can easily get out of hand – social media, news feeds,
games, shopping, music, gambling, and the like. It presses our worldly culture into our eyes and
ears through our screens, where one post leads to the next. It is easy for us neglect spiritual
growth, quiet times with God, opportunities for service, reading the Bible, hearing from God, and
prayer. What causes us to constantly access the apps on our phones – Work? Boredom?
Posting our lives? Validation? Comparisons with others? What would your life be like if you
decidedly put down your phone to seek Jesus? A recent article by Mutsvairo, et al. (2022, p. 89)
found that “…electronic activity is perceived both be a tool of freedom as well as a subtle form of
potential digital enslavering.”

What are your digital habits? If your brave enough, look at the amount of time you spend on
your phone in a given day. Which apps are time-wasters that do not add to your life or your
calling in Christ? The Bible states we should have self-control and discipline (2 Timothy 1:7,
Titus 1:8, 1 Corinthians 9:27), we should not be dominated by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12), and
we should not be conformed to this world (Romans 12:2). My favorite verse related to the
overuse of technology is Proverbs 25:28: “A man without self-control is like a city broken into
and left without walls.” Has technology, let’s say an app, broken through your walls? On a scale
of 1-10, how would you rate your personal use of technology for distraction? 1 is no distraction
and 10 is extreme distraction. One last question: From a technology perspective, what can you
eliminate or add to make better use of your time and efforts?

Please don’t get me wrong; I am not saying that the use of technology is bad or inherently evil.
In no way am I saying that the overuse of technology can drive us into the world or away from
Godly practices. Let’s look at how we use technology (i.e. apps, number of hours, when we use
the apps, etc). I am simply asking a question: Do you drive your use of technology or does your
technology drive you? If you are brave enough, ask your spouse or a close friend how they view
your phone/technology habits. Does something need to change?

Here are a few suggestions:
1. Take part in a digital fast with friends, small group members, or as a church.
Consider The Digital Fast Workbook: Detox Your Mind and Reclaim What Matters Most
by Darren Whitehead.
2. Track your screen time. Your phone most-likely has the feature.
3. Set daily or weekly screen time limits.
4. Create screen-free zones and times (i.e. the dinner table, the bedroom, etc.).
5. Turn off app notifications.
6. Pursue offline activities (take a walk, pray, converse with others, read a book,
pick a new hobby, etc.).

References

Mutsvairo, B., Ragnedda, M., & Mabvundwi, K. (2022). ‘Our old pastor thinks the mobile
phone is a source of evil.’ Capturing contested and conflicting insights on digital
wellbeing and digital detoxing in an age of rapid mobile connectivity. Media
International Australia, 189(1), 89-103.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1329878X221090992