Your screen doesn’t have to be the enemy. What if one of the most powerful Kingdom tools you have is already in your hand?
In this message, Lead Pastor Jamie Nunnally continues our series called Influencer. In Part 1, we talked about the war for our attention, how attention leads to affection, and how affection eventually leads to action. In Part 2, We asked ourselves what intentional boundaries we’ve set around technology.
The answer to unhealthy technology isn’t simply less technology, it’s redeemed technology. Our screens are terrible masters, but they can be powerful servants.
1. RECEIVE the gift.
In the beginning, a creative God created creative people in His own image: God created creators.
One of the earliest people Scripture explicitly describes as “filled with the Spirit” was filled with the Spirit to make stuff.
Exodus 31:1–5 NLT
Creativity isn’t secular; it’s part of bearing The Creator’s image. Technology is a tool, and how a tool is used determines whether or not it’s good.
2. RECLAIM the tool.
The Christian life isn’t only avoiding bad things, but embracing good things and redirecting all things toward Jesus.
1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT
Holiness isn’t avoiding everything the world touches; it’s submitting everything you touch to Jesus.
Luke 16:10 NLT
The goal isn’t only to use these tools less, but to reclaim them for something better.
3. RELEASE the gospel.
Acts 1:8 NLT
Romans 10:13–15 NLT
The Great Commission hasn’t changed in 2000 years, but our ability to fulfill it has.
Technology gives ordinary Christians extraordinary access to people.
The same technology that can distract people from God is also being used to introduce people to God.
We’ve seen this ourselves at VFC. Sermons, clips, podcasts and livestreams travel farther than any of us do.
Matthew 5:14–16 NLT
What if Christians have spent too much time asking, “How do I protect myself from this dark digital world?” but we haven’t spent enough time asking, “Where does this world need some light?” Jesus didn’t tell us to curse the darkness, but to turn on the light.
Right now, billions of people around the world are staring at illuminated screens. Maybe we should put some light on them.
We don’t always throw something away because it has been used badly. Redemption means taking something that has been used for one purpose and surrendering it to a better one. That’s exactly what God did for us, that’s what some of us need to do with the screen in our hands.
Romans 6:13 NIV
It’s not only about what a device can do, but what can it do in your hands. Don’t let the screen disciple you, but don’t merely disconnect from it. Don’t just resist the screen, don’t just restrict the screen. Redeem the screen.
Are you redeeming the screens in your life?