Why we are putting a renewed focus on church communities to lead a tech-intentional rebellion.
Over 10 years ago, a troubling situation at our kids’ elementary school prompted us to learn all we could about protecting kids online and training parents how to do it.
Ultimately, we were catapulted into the ministry of caring for families who had been touched by internet danger or who were seeking to avoid it. We had no idea we would still be talking about these things once our kids were grown, but here we are. Over the years, we were careful to keep our mission faith-neutral, because we truly believe that every kid deserves to be protected online, no matter what religion their family practices. We worked with many public schools that highly valued this approach. We also worked with many churches where we could layer in Biblical truth and wisdom to this issue, which continues to be a joy to us.
Community is essential.
As Christian parents who have raised our kids in a thriving church community, we have experienced the rich benefits of walking in sacred unity with other parents on this low-tech and slow-tech path. These are our people. We’ve been fighting for each other’s families for over 20 years. There is no question that this kind of Kingdom partnership is a huge advantage in all things related to parenting. One of the key elements in Jonathan Haidt's book "The Anxious Generation" is the power of what he calls "collective action," where parents stand in solidarity on unpopular strategies to do what is healthy and right for their kids. This is how we have lived in our church community for two decades. Haidt recognizes this kind of community advantage in churches and has offered encouragement for religious communities to harness their unity to lead the reversal of what he calls the "phone-based childhood."
As we have prayed about what OUR path should look like, we continually sense the Lord drawing us back to the church. Spiritual health and discipleship are not topics many are equipped to talk about in an online safety training session, but they are at the forefront of our hearts and minds. And we hope they are on the hearts and minds of every pastor out there who wants to impact this generation. It's time for the church to rise and lead the tech-intentional rebellion.
A new landscape.
Today, the cultural landscape looks much different than when we first started. There are new technology threats to our kids, and some of them stand directly in opposition to Biblical values. In the days ahead, we will more purposely wade into these waters, with truth and compassion as our standard.
Onward!
We will continue to share practical strategies on our social media profiles from all those doing great work in this space. We will also be producing more Christian content of our own as we step into this season. We have A LOT stirring that we can't wait to share. If our Biblical approach offends you, please know there are many great experts in this space who you can still look to for parenting tips with a faith-neutral stance. If our approach intrigues you, and you’d like to hear more about how we see the world and God’s plan for us in it, please send us a DM. If you share our Biblical worldview and would like to amplify this message, we invite you to share our content or connect us to ministry leaders in your sphere. This message is in pursuit of discipled, spiritually healthy Gen Z and Gen Alpha church leaders 20 years from now, and it's going to take ALL of us.