On average an American spends 36,900 seconds consuming media. Do a bit of math and that's about 11 hours per day. A little more math to factor in your recommended 8 hours of sleep every night, and that leaves you with only 5 hours of your day that's media free. The statistics prove that technology use is addictive and excessive. The questions surrounding this all center on how it's affecting our mental, physical, and spiritual health. So how can you set better technological boundaries for yourself? How can you use your technology with purpose? Redeeming Technology is a unique collaboration between a pastor, Rev. A. Trevor Sutton, and a board-certified psychiatrist, Dr. Brian Smith, to help you develop a healthier, faith-based use of technology. Moving between Scripture and psychological research, this book will show you how to navigate a vast digital world while keeping Christ at the center of it all.

"39,600. That's how many seconds per day the average American spends consuming media. That's eleven hours every day looking at smartphones, tablets, televisions, and laptops. It's pretty obvious: our screen time is excessive, technology is addictive, and we should probably stop spending half our day staring at glowing rectangles. Less obvious, however, is this: What is modern technology doing to our mental, physical, and spiritual health? What can we do to establish healthier boundaries for the technology that is all around us? How can we use technology with purpose? This book is a unique collaboration between a board-certified psychiatrist and a pastor to answer those questions. This book is for anyone seeking to develop a healthier, faith-based usage of technology-those who sense that technology is taking over their lives, diminishing their mental health, or hindering their life in Christ; those who are trying to navigate the glut of digital technology surrounding their lives. This resource could be used individually, with a small group, or as a congregation-wide study. The tone of this book is accessible and relatable while still being psychologically and theologically serious, with ample connections to Scripture and theology along with reputable medical and psychological research. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of technology and concludes with a "Do This, Not That" section to provide actionable guidance for readers' everyday lives"--

Believers and unbelievers alike are saturated with technology, yet most give it little if any thought. Consumers buy and upgrade as fast as they can, largely unaware of technology’s subtle yet powerful influence. In a world where technology changes almost daily, many are left to wonder: Should Christians embrace all that is happening? Are there some technologies that we need to avoid? Does the Bible give us any guidance on how to use digital tools and social media?

The church -- The start up -- Media missions -- The influencers -- Racial reckoning and repair.

Find freedom and healing from painful memories and relational struggles and learn how your past has uniquely prepared you to experience more joy. Tragedy and pain inevitably touch our lives in some way. We long to feel whole, but more often than not, the way we've learned to deal with our wounds pushes us away from the very restoration we need most. Renowned psychologist Dr. Dan Allender and counselor and teacher Cathy Loerzel present a life-changing process of true connection and healing with ourselves, God, and others. With a clear, biblically trustworthy method, Allender and Loerzel walk you through a journey of profound inner transformation--from the shame and hurt of old emotional wounds to true freedom and healing. Drawn from modern research and their pioneering work at The Allender Center, they will help you identify your core trauma in one of the three outcast archetypes--the widow, orphan, or stranger--and chart your path of growth into the God-given roles of priest, prophet, or leader. This book will help you learn: What to do about feeling out-of-place and directionless How your coping mechanisms create a false sense of health How to embrace your divine calling and find lasting reconciliation How your heart wounds are your unique invitation to true strength and purpose. Your past pain does not dictate your life. Answer the call to healing and discover your life's beautiful story and a future of hope and freedom.

The authors, writing as scholars of communication and media, demonstrate how God's great gifts of media and technology can rob us of everyday Sabbath and impede spiritual growth if not faithfully stewarded through a process described as mindful media attachment. Mindful media attachment helps to promote the "holy habits" of sacred intentionality, sacred interiority, and sacred identity. These "three sacreds," which arise from a proper understanding of the "grammar and language" of media and technology, ultimately allow us to avoid treating media and technology as ends in and of themselves and to avoid divided affections that drain energy, purpose, and kingdom service.

With Playing God, Andy Crouch opens the subject of power, elucidating its subtle activity in our relationships and institutions. He gives us much more than a warning against abuse, though. Turning the notion of "playing God" on its head, Crouch celebrates power as the gift by which we join in God's creative, redeeming work in the world.