Gospel Tech with Nathan Sutherland

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...

This past year we have grown faster than we ever dared dream, and I want to take the chance to share what God has done in 2022, our vision for 2023, and how you can join us on this journey to help families love God and use tech. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3E1X6o1

It’s time to prep our tech for school! We’re going to do this in three parts and spare everyone the 1+ episode this almost became. 🤪 We first need to assess our tech. We need to know: .📺 What tech are we using? .⏱ When and where are we using it? .🏥 Is it healthy? This first step provides a solid base for tech conversations and the beginning of tech wins with our family so that we can fight for...

All of us want to thrive, but what does it mean to do so in a tech world from a Biblical standpoint? I recently read a book where the author encouraged readers to “do today, thrive tomorrow”. At it’s core this is a beautiful reminder to "go to the ant, you sluggard" and prepare in times of plenty for times of need. That's both Biblical and wise. But when these ideas extend from the internet's idea...

How’s your tech going this summer? Summer comes with less structure, more free time, and different hours — generally we’re not waking our children up at 6am in the summer to get their rears in gear. A tech check-in takes just a couple minutes, and it is a great launchpad for positive tech conversations. Today we'll discuss how you can use three intentional questions to empower you to get those tec...

2/3 of Americans game. In fact, there are more gamers over the age of 45 than there are under the age of 18 (ESA, 2022). This is why Brent Dusing created TruPlay games, to be a light on purpose in a space where so many people go for purpose. You don't have to become a gamer to appreciate this. Each of us can think about what God has equipped us to do, what passions he's planted in our hearts, and...

How can the Church help people find victory over lust, pornography, and the lies that go with them? To help us answer this question we talk with Sam Black, Director of Recovery Education at Covenant Eyes and author of The Healing Church, a book designed to help churches and families set free from pornography to serve God as they are called. Sam shares from his personal testimony, his wealth of exp...

Can we use tech to be more intentional with our tech? Heath Wilson, co-founder of Aro , thinks so. He's co-founder of Aro, a device and app that help your family create healthy habits around the most powerful and pervasive device you own: your smartphone. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3r3WpqR

Today we discuss how to make space for people in episode two of our Summer Session series. The question: How can we be intentional this week about including the people God has planted us near? We'll discuss three great listens for the week, an helpful and encouraging book, and root our conversation in Matthew 13:31 and Acts 1:8: God casts us unto gardens to see His Kingdom grow, and he empowers us...

Summer is busy, so I'm launching these Summer Session episodes to help get you useful encouragement while you enjoy the new rhythms summer has to offer. Today we discuss how what we listen to can help us focus on the things of the Spirit. I'll address three great podcasts, an audio book I've found incredibly helpful when it comes to focusing on the Spirit, and a reflection to make this week an int...

Stepping away from screens can be tough, and awkward. We don't always know what to do with our time, and sometimes it just feels like punishment — for everyone. So how do we do this well? How do we take time back from tech? In today's conversation we'll cover four steps in this journey we can begin today. We'll discuss how to plan your: tech (what and where) day (4 chunks that work for nearly all...

This past year AI moved from something dabbled in by specialists and researchers to the front lines of education , business , and the creative arts thanks in large part to the break throughs provided by ChatGPT . But how should we think about it as followers of Christ, raising healthy youth in a tech world? Today we'll discuss three benefits, and three concerns, of AI and what we can do to be disc...

This past week I got a chance to speak with a group of graduating seniors about what it looks like to trust and follow Jesus in a tech world. I want to remind these students, as well as any parents and future graduates who hear this, of three truths: We can accomplish our mission in any vocation You're going to find out a lot about who truly loves you Making a mistake doesn't make you a mistake Sh...

How do we abide? Jesus says it’s crucial: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) But what is it, and how do we do in this on-the-go tech world of ours? Today we're going to discuss four ways to make conscious, moment by moment decisions to follow Jesus with our everyday choices. We'...

Let's make this summer amazing. We can do it on a budget, with our families, in town. You don't have to spend a lot of money or brainpower. All it takes to make summer awesome is to be intentional with our tech, build in some fun, and practice rhythms of rest. After that you just add friends, and you've got yourself a party. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/43mjxyV

Summer is approaching fast, and we need to assess our tech to ensure we're ready for the fun, freedom, and digital changes that come with a few months outside of school. To help prep our tech for summer we: Assess our tech Check our hedges Start the conversation Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3BzD6I4

I've received a lot of amazing parent questions this past wee. In today's episode we address five parent questions: How can we share the Gospel in a digital world? How can we make YouTube more safe? How do kids get around parental controls? Comment on AI Is limiting tech time building it up in my child’s mind? Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3pukJSc

Today we're going to discuss three types of helpful tech: Hedge Tech Growth Tech Purposeful Tech With each of these we'll discuss specific examples, how they might fit into our daily family life, and we'll discuss the benefits even some of the high-end tech, like AI, has to offer our families in daily life. Resources mentioned: Gryphone Router Bark Home Circle Canopy Ad Block Gabb Phone Bark Phone...

This episode almost didn't happen. I rewrote it three times. I had to fully record it twice. I pray it'll be useful. I want to talk about whether our tech is helping us love God well, but at the heart of that conversation is a discussion about failure. God loves to use failure to achieve his purposes. He starts in 3:15 and hasn't looked back. He isn't scared by it, but he also isn't ok with it. If...