If you’ve been a Plugged In reader long, you know that one core idea we emphasize is exercising biblical discernment in our entertainment and technology choices. But what does that look like in action? In a nutshell, that process means taking truths we see in Scripture and applying them to the entertainment, internet and app choices we make.
In Romans 12:2, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Paul knew very well that the world embraced ways of doing things that didn’t always line up with our Christian faith. So he encouraged the Roman church to recognize that worldly perspective, then to counter it with the transforming influence of God’s teaching. Only as we internalize truth are we able to spot the unbiblical ideas—be they large or small—that might sway us in a world-focused direction.
But consider this: The average tween or teen spends somewhere between 6 and 10 hours a day engaged with technology and entertainment (depending upon which study you’re looking at). Without an intentional commitment to getting into God’s Word, those hours poured into various digital distractions might well “choke the word” (Mark 4:19) and its soul-shaping influence in their lives.
To help our children develop the character and conviction to recognize and turn away from narratives that promote unbiblical ideas, they must be equipped and infused with a biblical worldview. And that requires cultivating and nurturing a passion for God’s Word.
Which brings us to Focus on the Family’s Bring Your Bible to School Day, an initiative designed to do exactly that. Focus is encouraging school kids around the country to take their Bibles to school with them Oct. 1 as a public declaration of their faith.
But we don’t want to stop there. Bring Your Bible to School Day is an energizing event that we hope serves as a catalyst for kids to go deeper in their faith by developing a lifelong love for God’s Word. If you visit focusonthefamily.com/bring-your-bible, you’ll find resources to strengthen your tween’s or teen’s love for the Bible the other 364 days of the year, too. Our monthly “Live It” challenges, for example, give families concrete and fun ways to interact with Scripture, and for them to grow in their faith together. At Plugged In, we hope that our reviews help you and your family to grow in media discernment. But even more importantly, we hope that you and your family are growing deeper in your faith and experiencing God’s truths in life-transforming ways. We believe Bring Your Bible to School Day could be an encouraging, challenging resource to help you accomplish exactly that.
2 Responses
– This is great! I think the Live It challenges will be really good for my church’s youth group. I went to the Live It page, and it says “the October challenge is below,” but the most recent challenge I see is July. What am I missing?
– Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Suzannah. We have made our team aware of this, and it will be updated with new content within the next week. Blessings!