THE DIGITAL FAST
As a church, we are stepping into a 40-day digital fast designed to decrease distraction, increase devotion, and use technology more intentionally. We are participating in the cry of Psalm 119:37 turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.
Our day's fixation with technology has robbed us of true life. As the body of Christ, we are choosing to intentionally disconnect, understanding that this digital fast is not the ultimate fix for all our issues, but rather a means to access the solution – an encounter with the person of Jesus and allowing Him to capture our hearts, transform our minds, and give our lives back. We are embracing a greater vision of the life God has intended for us to live together.
"Technology is never neutral because it shapes us. And if one thing is clear, it is that digital technology and our devices have been – and currently are – shaping us. We could look at it another way and say that our digital devices and use of digital technology are discipling us."
– Darren Whitehead
How Do I Participate in the Digital Fast?
We invite you to prayerfully consider what the Lord is calling you into for your digital fast – it may not look the same for everyone who participates, but know that what you're willing to put into this affects what you'll get out of it. We also invite you to identify your core motivations. Doing this will help you set boundaries for technology that will motivate you more than rules will. Below are some options we invite you to consider implementing:
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Turn the notifications off your phone (or limit notifications to certain hours).
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Don't sleep in the same room as your phone.
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Consider buying an alarm clock.
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Make your smartphone "dumb"
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Think about it through the lens of "distraction" versus "utility" and remove anything from your phone that can be done on a computer or tablet.
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Eliminate all other screens for personal use (TV, video games, etc.).
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Limit digital technology to only work apps, during work hours (again, think about what is distraction versus what is utility).
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Distraction may include: social media, news apps, online shopping, email, web browsers, etc.
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Utility may include phone, text, calendar, weather, calculator, camera, etc.
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Let us know that you're participating and join us in our devotion and prayer guide!