A nation-wide challenge to experience life without screens

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It used to be different, not all that long ago.

• Carrie is a teen who always had the kind of contagious smile that would get her friends smiling right back, no matter their mood. She used to shoot hoops with her younger sister after dinner. She enjoyed heart-to-heart chats with her mom while doing her hair. And she treasured many of the devotionals that her dad read to her by the glow of her small bedside lamp.
• George, a mechanic and all-around handyman, has always counted himself blessed to be married to his wife of 26 years. He was the kind of dad who’d get down on the ground to play with his kids. While three of his kids have moved out, his two youngest children still live at home. George has served as a deacon in his church, where his love of tinkering was a help not only to his own family but to some of the older couples in his ward.
• Liz’s life changed after losing her husband eight years ago. But she did an amazing job doting on all five of her children, her 23 grandchildren, and the seven great-grandchildren. She’d always make it out for every one of their milestones to give out hugs, and to remind her growing clan of God’s goodness and love.

Then, not right away, but over the weeks and months and years, things changed.

• Carrie’s sister, mom, and grandparents now don’t see much of Carrie. OK, they see her, but not her eyes. Carrie is mostly head down, scrolling on her phone and messaging with people they don’t even know. Her mom has a hard time remembering when they last shared a good chat, or when she last saw her daughter’s beautiful smile. Dad’s devotionals were replaced by someone Carrie follows on Instagram who posts short reflections… which Carrie reads when she has time.
• George’s wife knows that her husband is still committed to their marriage. But she is having a hard time competing with the attention he gives to his various YouTube subscriptions. His ward doesn’t see him much outside of church, and he seems to spend more time watching clips about fixing cars than actually fixing them. And lately his scale seems to be out by at least 10 pounds.
• Instead of dropping by with a card, Grandma Liz now sends a WhatsApp message when her children and grandchildren celebrate a birthday. She has become very hesitant to head out her front door. It’s all the nightly news she’s been watching, which is making the world look like an ever-scarier place. Even when she makes a grocery trip, she stays out for as short a time as possible.

Carrie, George, and Liz all go to the same church, and share this in common too: they have all slowly become dominated by their screens. None of them think it’s a real problem, but, if pressed, they will agree that they spend more time on their screens than they did a couple of years ago. But isn’t that just life today?

Increased screen time may well be one of the biggest changes our world has experienced in the past half-century, with one estimate putting the global average for daily Internet usage at 6 hours and 38 minutes.

The correlation between screen time and anxiety, mental health challenges, and weight gain is well-known now. What isn’t so well documented, or discussed in church, is the impact that screens are having on our pace as we “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Heb 12:1-2).

Putting screens in their place

When Reformed Perspective did a deep dive into this topic last spring, we promoted The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch. Crouch correctly shifts the focus from whether a particular type of technology can or can’t be allowed, to instead how these technologies can be put in their proper place, so that priorities like family, friends, and faith remain priorities.

But how is this going for you? Screen time, like money and sex, has become a sensitive topic – okay to talk about in generalities, but don’t get personal! We’re all quick to be defensive and shut down the discussion if anyone dares raise the topic of our own usage.

That’s why we challenged our readers to a 10-day screen fast in the last issue. The goal of such a fast isn’t to eradicate screens from our lives. But don’t we all see wisdom in implementing a reset? Let’s test it out, to determine just how reliant we are on our devices, and what sort of impact this dependence may be having on our relationships, including with our LORD. Last month our Assistant Editor Marty VanDriel gathered a group and gave the challenge a go, and you can read about how their screen fast went.

Now we’re issuing the challenge again because some generous supporters have presented us with quite the offer. For every person that commits to, and completes, a ten-day screen fast from July 21 to 30 they will donate $100, split between two charities (Word & Deed and Reformed Perspective). They will give up to $20,000!

Could you do it?

Do you have what it takes to put your screens aside for 10 days? (The screen challenge allows exceptions for necessary activities, like your job and making a phone call.)

It may be hard to do this by yourself, so would you consider asking some of your family, friends, and siblings in the LORD to join you? If you can get a group of 10 together, that can serve as a great accountability and encouragement. Plus, it will lead to $1,000 going to two very good causes.

And if you don’t think screens are much of a challenge for you, we encourage you to ask your loved ones if they think you should give this screen fast a try.

This challenge isn’t so much about saying no to screens as it is about saying yes to other priorities. That’s why we’ve put together 35 ideas for fun, productive, and meaningful activities you can challenge yourself to do during these 10 days.

Enjoy some time travel

Can you remember not having your phone in your pocket, or not hearing the ping of a new message on your tablet?

Although we think screens are essential, we have the power to make necessary changes in our lives. A screen fast can serve as an important reminder to yourself that you don’t have to keep living the way you have.

Instead of scrolling, Carrie can shoot some hoops with her sister again. George can go for a walk with his wife, and drop by the home of the young man in his ward who hasn’t been coming to church much lately. And Liz can write a card and deliver it in person to her granddaughter.

Yes, you can ignore this screen fast, and hope that your family members and friends don’t bring it up either. But before you brush it aside and reach for your phone, consider for a moment what you want your legacy to be at your funeral. Which Carrie, George, and Liz do you want to be? The one before the screen addiction, or the one after?

To register for the screen fast click here. Let’s do this together!