Gospel Tech with Nathan Sutherland

Justin Pavey returns to the show for a third time to talk all things parenting, digital, and raising kids in a nerdy house with Jesus at the center. Today we discuss how we handle kids and video games, how we determine limits with tech, parenting children well in a nerd world, and determining time limits. Want more of Justin? Check out: episode 5 & episode 101 Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4162n7...

He is risen! In light of Easter, let’s think about our eschatology of our technology. When Jesus returns, what tech will still be here? Today I want to take a step back from the daily hustle and bustle of building hedges, gauging tech safety, and assessing tech health and instead what to simple ask: Are we using our tech on purpose, or for purpose? Show Notes: http://bit.ly/3KvU6mJ

What happens when our child wants to make a mistake? We've talked extensively about how to build a hedge around your network, devices, and family. We've talked about how to assess tech health, how to decide what tech to adopt, and how to remove and replace. But now we need to go one step further, into the unthinkable: Our child is making poor choices despite our best efforts. Now what? Today we're...

How do I set boundaries on school devices? I was asked this question at every talk I gave this week. You’ve got an educational device. It’s not optional. So how do you help make it safe? Today we'll walk through how to build a hedge around your network, devices, and family, and what it looks like to apply these steps to our school devices, home school tech, and houses with older siblings. Show Not...

Do our children need social media? It might be the wrong question. There's lots of stuff we don't need but we still enjoy, and as loving parents we want to give them good gifts. So when your child asks for social media, or a smartphone (which is almost always a sideways request for social media), what do we say? Today we'll dive into this conversation looking specifically at TikTok as our example....

What if I work in tech? There are quite a few of you. You work at Meta, Apple, Valve, Alphabet, and Microsoft. You work in engineering and design and retail and administration. You design user interfaces and cloud computing systems and Tool Tech and Drool Tech. Today I want to address what it means to be someone who is gifted with the time, talent and opportunity to work in the tech world. What do...

I get asked about Roblox more than any other game right now. It makes sense. The game has 200 million monthly players and something like 75% of boys aged 9-12 in the US play this game. I've decided to take this question and make it the ultimate opportunity to walk through what we've been talking about for the last few weeks. Today we apply the "Adopting New Tech" model and walk through the convers...

Habits are a powerful thing. They power our little decisions effortlessly, and those little choices have major consequences. But what habits is our tech helping us build? Today we talk with Yu-kai Chou, one of the world's foremost leaders in gamification, and discuss the benefits and potential pitfalls of behavioral design, and what it means to be a Christian in a world where some tech is designed...

Video games are amazing, or at least they should be. While many video games are fun, few actually line up with the truths of the Bible. If we took Philippians 4:8 as our video games standard, very few would pass the test. Brent Dusing wants to change that. He’s a Christian, father, and CEO of the gaming studio TruPlay Games. His goal is to create games that are fun to play and point back to truths...

Today we're getting to the bottom of smartphones, and we're doing it quickly. My hope for this episode, and for this podcast in general, is to give more than just "good" answers when it comes to tech. My goal is to point you as a parent toward hope. So, does your child need a smartphone? No. But if you stop there, you might get the right answer and miss the real point: an opportunity to parent and...

Porn is scary. We’ve seen the stats: —Kids see it by age 11 on average. —It’s the most-viewed content on the internet. —It impacts long-term relational and mental health Yet we need to help our children know more than what to avoid, we need to point them to the life and hope available in Christ. Today we'll discuss God's clear standard, how it is delivered with incredible grace and hope, and how w...

Welcome to the first episode of the What the Tech?! miniseries with Micah and Nathan! This series is focused on empowering parents to talk about healthy gaming with their children. Today’s episode is dedicated to the topic of Gamer Rage. Today we’ll talk a bit about what it is, how to know when it’s a problem, and what you can do about it. About your hosts: Micah is an avid gamer fresh into the ad...

Welcome back to What the Tech?!, a miniseries with Micah and Nathan! In today’s episode we talk all things e-sports: What is it, why does it exist, and is it just a flash in the pan or will these games be around for awhile? This conversation is especially focused on helping parents wrap their brains around why the word “sport” is attached even loosely with the idea of video games. About your hosts...

Welcome back to What the Tech?!, a miniseries with Micah and Nathan! In today’s episode we talk about games as service. You used to buy a game and get a game. Now it is common that you buy a game and get the opportunity to pay a lot more money for additions, subscriptions, and even purchases within that game. Today’s conversation will give you everything you need to know to think through games as...

Welcome back to What the Tech?!, a miniseries with Micah and Nathan! In today’s episode we talk about the three best things about video games, as well as three cautions to be aware of when it comes to gaming. You’ll notice Micah and Nathan differ a bit on these, Nathan brings his old-man energy to bear in this conversation. About your hosts: Micah is an avid gamer fresh into the adult world of wor...

Does your child love video games? Talking about video games can be tricky. Video games bring up hurts and hopes from marriages, parenting, and personal pasts, many of which have gone unaddressed. There’s a lot to say, but today we're focusing on: Video games are awesome (that's not an accident) If you choose to play them, play the good ones (I give you six questions to ask!) Be in all the spaces y...

Is your child trustworthy with tech? I’m not asking “Is your kid a ‘good’ kid?”, because saying your child isn’t ready for the weight of tech isn’t about being good or bad, it’s about being physically, emotionally, and spiritually prepared. My 3 year old is immature in all three areas, but she’s an amazing kid. For a 3 year old. Similarly, I’ve taught some incredible middle school students—who did...

If you haven’t heard it yet, it’s coming for you: “Mom / Dad, I want that new _______ (insert newfangled tech)”. What do you say? You want to give your child amazing things they want, but how do you know if this is a good idea? Today we’re going to build the base for this conversation and equip you with everything you need to answer this question well. Whether its an app, game, device, show, or al...

Want to know whether your tech is healthy, but don't know where to start? Look no further! The START HERE series is designed to get you into these tech conversations quickly so that you are empowered to talk about healthy tech, communicate the Gospel, and connect the hope of the Gospel to your everyday tech life. Understanding healthy tech requires that we: Know the two types of tech Assess our ow...

Welcome to the first episode of 2023! This podcast is called Gospel Tech because we parent in a tech world, from the hope of the Gospel. Today we walk that out! Today we'll talk about hope, and how the Gospel gives us a reason for today and a purpose for tomorrow. In today's episode we discuss how the Gospel changes how we parents our kids with tech, how we look at ourselves, and the way we handle...

What better way to celebrate 2022 than listen to the most popular episode of the year? I dug into the data and found that htis episode, #137, is the most listened to of all this year's productions. Maybe we'll have to talk some more video game content in the new year! Episode #137 Description: Video games can feel overwhelming for parents. How do we know if video games are a good idea? Which games...

Advent means Arrival, and in this season of Christmas we celebrate Christmas and the arrival of the Christ child. Yet as Christians we really celebrate three advents: The arrival of the Messiah, the Holy Spirit, and the glorified King. Today we’re taking a look at the incredible joy, hope, and reverence that should accompany our celebration of Christmas this year; that there are really three adven...

How can we have fun at the pace of real life? Video games are fun, movies are festive, but at some point we need a break. Our brains, hearts, and lungs need some space to breath. We need some Analog Adventures. Three things to keep in mind: 1. “I’m bored” is really asking for a reset back to the pace of real life. 😵‍💫 2. Keep activities wonder-focused. Fun should never be a punishment. 🤗 3. Fun...

What’s your plan for tech when family comes to town? There’s a good chance someone in your life, maybe even someone you’ll see for Christmas, has a different tech standard than you and your family. So what can you do? First, make sure you’ve listened to last week’s episode about making tech safe at home! 🤗 Remember that you’re not scared of tech: Your boundaries come from hope for your kiddos. Yo...

Christmas is officially on the way, so how do we ensure that our tech at home is safe and maximize the opportunity for fun, sharing, and engagement? In today's conversation we'll discuss how to build a hedge around our tech, create clear expectations, and be present in tech to ensure we use it in hope and for God's glory and our good. Show Notes: http://bit.ly/3VBwfFS