Gospel Tech with Nathan Sutherland

Sometimes our tech is just a little too far for fun. Instead of using it because we're ok, we find we need it to be ok. In today's conversation we'll learn from the work of Anna Lembke, professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. Her book Dopamine Nation has been an encouragement and reminder, and in today's...

*NOTE: This episode might be one to listen with ear buds in, as this topic is sensitive for young kids. Pornography is a conversation frought with emotional, societal, and spiritual baggage. It's something we'd like to pretend doesn't exist, and especially something that our children will never have to deal with. The problem is, they will—and making them deal with it alone isn't helpful. ENTER: To...

Every parent is likely to face the question: "Can I get a smartphone?" As a parent there is a double-sided fear: I don't want to say no out of reflex, because I'm old and don't understand, and I don't want to say yes out of guilt and give my child something dangerous or unhealthful. What can we do? Today we'll talk through the five cautions to understand with a smartphone, the age our children sho...

This week we continue our conversation on making tech safe at home by asking the age old question: Which tech should my child use? We know what type of tech it is thanks to the first episode in this series, we also know if it's healthy, and we've built hedges to keep it that way. Today we'll go one step further and learn to assess the tech our children ask for so they're both ready, and healthy, w...

One of the questions I address most often is "How can we make tech safe at home?". In last week's episode we addressed the two types of tech and how to know if tech is healthy. Today we look at building a hedge around our devices, networks, and families. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/420zDyD

The START HERE series is designed to get you the information you need to raise healthy kids in a tech world. Today we discuss the two types of tech our children will use, and how to know if that tech is healthy. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/48JChuS

I want to peel the curtain back a bit and dive a bit deeper into the three areas God has layed on my heart for the work of Gospel Tech this year. Whether you’ve been with us since day one, or found us this week, I’m excited to share what God is doing and how you can pray with us as we jump into 2024. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4aHy7VR

This year has been so encouraging, thanks to listeners like you and the many other people and opportunities God has provided to help the work of Gospel Tech grow. Today's episode is a quick overview of where God has taken us, what I'm excited about from this past year, and a few specific reminders we can take into the new year as we thank God for what he's done, and what he's doing. Show Notes: ht...

Advent is a time of year we remember God fulfilling His promise of a Messiah. Today we discuss the three advents, and how Christmas is an amazing reminder not only of what God has done in Jesus, but what we are called to do every day in our physical and digital spaces. Our tech must be used in light of all three of The Bible's Advents. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/483jjiC

We nerds are known for going all-in. We are passionate about our areas of expertise and interest, so how do we know how far is too far? In today's conversation we'll talk about what to do when we feel the weight of the world in our souls, how to assess if this is a good season for our activity of choice, and walk through specific steps we can take to begin excellent adventures right where we are....

My goal in these Nerd Dad conversations is to help dads do what they are called to do: Love God with all they are, and help their children do the same. You’re raising a little nerd, whether you like it or not. So, how do you do this well? In short, provide activities and experiences that point them towards God in awe and wonder, that pique their God-given curiosity, and that they can participate i...

Today we continue our conversation about how we as nerd dads can both nerd well and love our children even better. We'll cover specific steps we can take to make intentional time for God, five accessible ways to pursue our wives, and the attitude we need to truly be able to make disciples. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/47M3HiY

I hope that you enjoyed last week's episode! This week is a continuation of that, and we'll be discussing the concept of being a "nerd" in the context of Christianity, particularly for fathers. To review, a "nerd" is anyone with a niche passion, which can be in the analog or digital world. While technology can be a tool for expressing your passion, it can also distract from the reality of God's pr...

Did you know you’re probably a nerd? The heart of a nerd yearns for something beautiful. As a nerd you aren’t satisfied with the way life is going now, yet you're not up for to rebuild yourself as something else—something with abs and a mustache and a deep love of whisky—you’re not sure where to turn. Nerds, we need to talk. In today’s conversation I’m launching us into a topic I’ve avoided for ye...

Today we answer questions from listeners like you! We'll cover how to make tech safe, some solid tech choices for our younger tech users, and give some encouragement to parents who don't even know where to begin. If you'd like to submit a question just send an email to questions@gospeltech.net or send us a message @loveGodusetech on facebook and instagram. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3smD6Kn

Have you ever looked at tech today and wished for a time when things were simpler? I've found myself pining away for those days when remote controls were new inventions and there was literally nothing on tv if you watched too early or too late. Today is our chance for a bit of a reality check. In today's conversation we get the special treat of hearing from my dad, Greg Sutherland, and take a litt...

Sometimes in this modern age of entertainment it feels like going outside is a punishment reserved for punishing unruly children who have lost their screen time priveleges. Just this week I heard myself hollering "Stop hitting your brother. Go outside!" But is it possible, or even beneficial, to default to outdoors? In an age when the indoors offer every comfort and distraction we could ask for, w...

Analog adventures simply mean having fun at the pace of real life. Choosing to add these to our lives means we push away distractions and make space for something deliberate, maybe even slow, and beautiful. So how do we do it? Today we’ll talk about how we can make analog adventures by playing something, and making something. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/46Qfqwv

How do we make real-life fun easy for our children? What can they do OTHER than their digital outlets, and how can we support making it awesome? In this series we're looking at how to do Analog Adventures with our family. Today we talk about how to include reading and questions as part of our intentional adventures in addition to our digital fun. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3ZLUkgs

Sabbath is a gift. It's not a rule meant to ruin our fun, it's a present we are to open and enjoy. But how do we sabbath in a tech world? Today we talk about the three ways we can practice sabbath with our tech and begin to enjoy the rest and presence of God even in our daily tech lives. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3REUkNh

Sometimes tech is just too much for a child, or for a season, and we need to take a step back. I want you to know two things: It's reasonable and loving to remove unhealthy tech. Take a tech break. Tech breaks need to be 30 days. If you've given a RESET, found there's an issue, and tried to manage the problematic tech but to no avail--it's time for a tech break. In today's conversation we'll discu...

Disclaimer: This story contains sensitive content that may not be safe for young ears. Consider putting in earbuds if you have kids present. How do we best protect our children from pornography in a tech world? The answer may surprise you. Yes, we take preventative measures like filtering and building hedges around our tech, but those aren’t enough. What we need to do is talk about pornography wit...

As hope-focused parents who use all the tech that helps our children, and none of the tech that hurts them, our children don't need smartphones at school. In fact, to quote a pro in the field of smartphones and social media, we need to get phones of out schools now (Jonathan Haidt). Today's discussion tackles this conversation in three steps: Why the smartphone conversation is different now What s...

There’s LOTS of stuff out there we could be doing. Many of those options are either morally neutral or even good (working out, time with friends, playing sports, serving at church). The question is, what will get your time this week, when push comes to shove, what falls off the table first? Sometimes we’re choosing our tech because it makes us feel important or we simply can’t stand being alone wi...

We're on to part 2 of prepping our tech for school! Now that we've assessed our tech, we need to build a hedge around it. We need to build a hedge around our: .📱 Devices .🎮 Network .🏡 Family This first step provides a next-step for tech conversations and continues the tech wins with our family so that we can fight for our kids, not with them, when it comes to technology. Show Notes: https://bit...