With more than 20,000 users daily visiting his Challies.com blog, Tim Challies is pioneer in the Christian blogosphere. In The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion (978-0-310-32903-9, $14.99, Zondervan), in stores this month, he examines whether or not today's digital technology is good for the soul.

As a writer and Web editor, Challies admits to feeling overwhelmed. "I began to feel as if maybe, just maybe, all of my devices, gizmos, and gadgets owned me as much as I owned them," he writes.

Feeling uneasy, he asked himself: "Am I giving up control of my life? Is it possible that these technologies are changing me? Am I becoming a tool of the very tools that are supposed to serve me?"

Inviting readers to join him to think about "the 'next story,' a story we are living right now—life after the digital explosion," he asks, "Is there a way, then, to live virtuously, immersed in this strange new digital reality?" 

In part one of the book, Challies looks at theology, theory and experience as he helps readers find "that sweet spot where our use of technology is not just thoughtful and informed, but it is informed by the Bible, by an understanding of God's purpose for technology."

In part two, he looks to areas of application specific to the Christian life. For instance, he shows that we are now a "hypersocial people and why we must intentionally submit our need for constant communication to the lordship of God." He also examines privacy concerns and shows how the digital explosion has brought about changes in authority structures that affect the individual, the family and the church.

From within a distinctly Christian worldview, Challies offers three key principles to help readers better understand the nature of digital technology. First, he sees technology as "a good, God-given gift" with tools that should be used to "shape God's creation for practical purposes," he writes. 

With that in mind, he warns that since technology is subject to the curse, its instruments can often become idols. Finally, users need to discern the intended use of a technology, examine their own use of it and reflect on its purposes in light of Scripture.

"There is inherent good in creating technology," he writes. "And yet there is inherent evil in abusing it or assigning it to a godlike prominence in our lives."

While some Christians wholeheartedly and unthinkingly adopt the latest technological discoveries at the risk of becoming irrelevant, Challies challenges them to take a more discerning and wise approach. 

On the other hand, some Christians head in the direction of strict separation, "seeing everything digital as a dangerous enemy," but Challies asserts that "there is no biblical reason to utterly separate ourselves from them."

A third alternative is that of the discerning Christian, who "moves beyond the broad strokes of utter rejection and complete acceptance. Instead, he relies on the Holy Spirit, who speaks his wisdom through the Bible, to learn how he can live with virtue in this new digital world."

Challies addresses questions such as, how can we live in a deep and meaningful way that avoids distraction? And, why is it that so many of us prefer to send an e-mail or text message rather than make a phone call or knock on a door?

To help readers better understand how to honor God with the technology in their own lives, each chapter ends with questions for self-reflection and discussion.

For more information or to order, call Zondervan at 800-727-1309, or visit www.zondervan.com.

• Prev
• Next