Interview With Dr. Brad East
When college students enter Dr. Brad East’s class at Abilene Christian University, they’re often spending six hours or more on social media per day. Then he challenges them to give it up. Listen to this episode as Dr. East shares what young adults gain when they give up their screen addiction—and what you lose when your life is spent staring at your screen. And if you’re brave enough, take Dr. East’s 60-day challenge!
Giving Up Bad Tech Habits For Something Better
In a recent article at Christianity Today, Dr. East argues that certain tech habits are important factors in retaining one’s faith in college. For instance, students should forgo online church services and attend a local house of worship, even if they go to a Christian college or university.
“God is our creator and he knows what we need, and what we need is actual, flesh-and-blood, in-person community,” Dr. East told Know Why, adding, “The community is not a kind of ‘extra’ that might help you in your personal journey of faith—it’s actually essential. It’s actually the thing that God, from the beginning, has been doing and continues to do—calling and forming a people in the world.”
Dr. East also recommends that college students’ faith will stay stronger if they delete social media in college. As shocking as that seems to many of his students, those who participate in his 60-day challenge are often surprised by the multiple benefits they experience afterward.
What could you gain from developing better tech habits?
More Resources
- The Doctrine of Scripture by Brad East
- The Church’s Book: Theology of Scripture in Ecclesial Context by Brad East
- Read about Dr. East’s forthcoming books here
- “AI Has No Place in the Pulpit” by Dr. Brad East at Christianity Today
- Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport
- The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch
- The Life We’re Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World by Andy Crouch
- Alan Jacobs
- Matthew B. Crawford
- The New Atlantis