I can’t quite remember how I got this book. It’s not the kind of book I usually read, and I had never heard of the author previously. But it somehow appeared on my radar, and the title caught my attention. It turned out to be as enjoyable as convicting.
About the author
The author of the book is Tony Reinke, and he is the communications director for desiringGod.org. He is an ex-journalist, a theologian, and the host of Ask Pastor John Podcast.
About the book
As the title suggests, the book focuses on our phone habits and its effects on us. We live in a digital age, in which most people have smartphones and use them daily. Reinke explains how this technology influences our lives, changes us, and, most importantly, how it affects our spiritual life.
Though the title of the book gives a sense of appealing to anyone with a phone, the intended audience is Christians. Reinke’s purpose is to help Christians examine their technology usage and determine whether it is a stumbling block in their spiritual life. As well as answer the question of whether one should ditch their smartphone or not.
It is noteworthy to mention that Reinke does not advocate for Christians to get rid of their phones. Instead, he provides enough information for individuals to make their personal decisions according to their situations. He approached this complex issue with a nuanced view and recognized both the benefits and detriments of technology.
The book is structured in twelve chapters, with each chapter presenting a different way our smartphones are changing us. For example, it makes us addicted to distraction, increase our cravings for instant gratification, makes us harsh to one another, and more. Reinke concludes each chapter by tying it to Scriptures and explaining how each change affects our Christian life, as well as some possible changes we could implement.
My thoughts
I think Reinke did a great job of presenting the various pitfalls of heavy usage of our smartphones. I especially loved its applicability to our spiritual life; every chapter showed a problem and a biblical response. And all his points were valid, faithful to Scriptures and pointed to the glory of Christ.
I particularly enjoyed chapter 4 and 5. In chapter 4, Reinke discussed how our phones change our reading habits and how we transfer these habits to our Bible reading. For example, people tend to skim when they read digitally, and it makes us have a little attention span. It, in turn, bleeds into how we study the Bible. It had never occurred to me that my digital reading habits could affect my Bible study. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about their correlation.
In chapter 5, Reinke discussed the effects of technology in the things we consume and produce, such as words, art, pictures, etc. He also explained how Christians ought to create for the glory of God and not ourselves. As a Christian creative and a lover of words, this chapter was the most meaningful to me. It encouraged and challenged me to use my digital art to reflect the glory of God. It’s quite natural for us to follow the steps of Lucifer and seek glory for ourselves. But God’s glory must always be the goal of all our creations.
Reinke also added a few pages for “serious digital artists (of all skill levels)” and gave some instrumental pieces of advice and warnings. For example, he gave three sample questions for Christian creators:
- Ends: Do my art and social media point others toward God?
- Influence: Do my art, and social media serve and build up my audience?
- Servitude: Do my art and social media imprison me into unhealthy bondage to my medium?
He then followed up with a discourse of words and their importance to God, others, and us. I also appreciated the questions he provided to ask ourselves every time we text, tweet, or publish art online. All Christians ought to ask themselves these questions before hitting send. Words matter!
There are many other gems in this book, particularly how technology has affected how we relate to each other. However, all chapters will most likely not apply to you. I couldn’t relate to a few things in the book; nevertheless, it still provided a great learning tool.
Also, I was profoundly impressed by the thorough research of Reinke in the writing of this book. The reference list made for about a third of the book’s length. He did his homework, and he did it well!
My recommendation
I recommend every Christian who owns a smartphone to read it. The book is eye-opening on subtle ways technology affects our faith. It convicted me a few times, especially the result of a study showing the majority of Christians check their phones in the morning before engaging in spiritual disciplines (guilty as charged). I will be implementing a few changes as a result of reading this book!
Favorite quotes
To express Christ-honoring art means that everything we create, share, and spread on our phones-paintings, music, photography, poems, and books – can amplify God’s natural and special revelation. So, we aim to produce art that reflects God’s glory in undiminished splendor.
Chapter 5
The object of our worship is the object of our imitation. God designed this inseparable pattern. What we want to become, we worship. And what we worship shapes our becoming.
Chapter 6
Permit not your minds to be easily distracted, or you will often have your devotions destroyed.
Charles Spurgeon, Chapter 7
Anonymity is where sin flourishes, and anonymity is the most pervasive lie of the digital age.
Chapter 8
Technology makes life easier, but immaturity makes technology self-destructive.
Conclusion
Our greatest need in the digital age is to behold the glory of the unseen Christ in the faint blue glow of our pixelated Bibles, by faith
Epilogue
