Andy Crouch (2) (1968–)

A helpful book, but not a must-read book on the subject. Crouch handles some practical topics well, but there are some better books that deal with principles regarding how to think about technology. Doug Wilson’s, Ploductivity, and Wendell Berry’s, The Unsettling of America, both bring the reader to similar practical conclusions and cause those conclusions and practices to be more deeply rooted and held with conviction.

This book would be helpful to someone brand new to the idea that all the tech we swim in might not be good. But for someone who’s even slightly in on the conversation, the book comes across as lacking conviction. When I read something like this, I want the author to firmly believe that what they’re doing and arguing for is best, even if I disagree. That way, I can truly engage with their ideas. I did not get that sense from this book.… (mais)

This is one of those books that I wish I had read 15 years ago. It did not exist when my children started using social media and technology. As a middle aged parent of adult and teen children we spent a big chunk of our time navigating blindly for the start of this social media age. Looking back I realize that I was making decisions about things as they came up rather than making a plan to avoid the pitfalls of this world we are living in now. Andy Crouch's book will change all of that for parents and families today.

This book gives 10 excellent strategies for, as the title says, putting technology in it's proper place. Crouch even goes so far as to encourage us to turn it off completely for part of each day. Sound hard? With Andy's 10 strategies you might find it easier than you think.

This book is not about trashing our technology and moving out into an isolate cabin somewhere. Crouch fully believes there is a place for technology in our world today. He just feels, as do I, that we should step away sometimes and be a family. We should have meals together with real conversations and game nights indoors and out, and spend time reading stories or listen to music together. He boldly says that maybe we should even PLAY music together. I love that suggestion, by the way.

The book is loaded with results from the latest Barna Research Group study on how technology is impacting our lives and families. Crouch takes that data and provides some very practical ways to change the trends we see toward isolation and addiction caused by our overuse of such devices.

By paying just a little more attention to our habits we can make changes to have more meaningful family and friend time. All it takes is realizing we need to set these devices aside for part of our day, week and even for up to a week or two a year.

Crouch is very candid at the end of each chapter with a personal evaluation on how his own family is doing in each realm. He is very honest in saying that sometimes they are still struggling to make some changes but that it is a work in progress. His family is certainly better for these 10 strategies, though.

He addresses something that I have continually seen in my reading this year.... Sabbath. It is not only important for us to take time to rest but to let our devices rest, too. We don't let them rest for their sake. We set them aside for our sake.

This book is not a giant thick read. It is divided into very practical chapters that are quick to read and will have you thinking about how you can be more present in your own life. I hope you will take the time to read a copy of this book and focus more on what is really important in this world. Let us all put technology in it's proper place and live our lives with more focus on the most important things in this lifetime while we can.

You can read more about Andy Crouch and this and other books he has written on his website

This book was sent to me by Baker Books for free. All they ask in return is that I read and review it with my own personal unbiased opinion. I absolutely loved this book and will be recommending it to every family I can.

I give this one a 5 out of 5 stars… (mais)

The gift of power

This is an engaging and reflective work by Crouch. He argues that power is not something to be viewed as evil, but is a gift given by God, to be wielded carefully by his image-bearers. Of course humans have not always used this gift well. And because it is power, its misuse causes tremendous damage.

I found two area of the book especially insightful. First, Crouch argues that institutions are a primary way that power is multiplied, and through which most good and lasting changes are made in creation and culture. Institutional power can also be misused, and when that happens the damage is especially destructive because it involves a multiplied form of human power going wrong. But the response to the negative potential of institutions is not reason to abandon them. Rather, institutions are a gift, and so need to be embraced in order for God's image bearers to participate in God's kingdom work.

The second insightful piece is Crouch's commentary on the book of Philemon. Here he demonstrates how the Apostle Paul used his own power, but did not usurp others' power in doing so, in attempting to bring about a solution for the runaway slave Onesimus. Paul's approach relativized the assumed power structures of the day, ultimately placing all power under God's purview. Paul demonstrates how power should be used for God's purposes as his image bearers, and not misused to remove power from other image bearers.

This would be an excellent book for church leaders, or even for a group of leaders to read as a study.… (mais)