Gospel Tech with Nathan Sutherland

By PurposelyReligion & Spirituality Christianity Education Parenting Kids & Family

Gospel Tech with Nathan Sutherland episodes

November 03Choose the Right Tech for Your Family
Before we bring new tech into our homes, let's ask:
Is it safe?
Is my child ready?
Is it a priority?
Is the fruit good?
Doing this let's us pick the tech that is best for our family in this season.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3UX1sZz
20 min
October 29 How Do I Know if my Child's Tech is a Problem?
One helpful way to tell if technology is becoming a problem is to look at how it's affecting a child's relationships, emotions, sleep, enjoyment of other activities, and use of time. Sometimes the issue isn't the technology itself, but whether it leaves a child more irritable, dependent on screens to cope, less interested in other hobbies, or unable to be content when it's time to unplug.

Rather than turning every tech struggle into a battle, it's often more helpful to approach it with curiosity and care. When we pay attention to the fruit technology is producing in our kids' lives, we can guide them toward healthy habits that help them grow, connect with others, and become the people God created them to be.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4hVz02R
6 min
October 27Questions Teens Have about Unsafe Content
High school students had a chance to anonymously ask me their top questions about content online. Their top three were:
How do we avoid pornography online?
What do we do if pornography appears unexpectedly?
How do forgiveness, grace, and accountability fit into this topic?
It's a good list. Today we'll talk through how to lovingly address all three.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4BrZ0ul
28 min
October 22 Sextortion
Sextortion is a growing online scam where criminals pose as peers, build trust with young people, and then use fear and manipulation to extort them. It's important to have open, calm conversations with kids now, so they know they can come to a trusted adult if something happens and understand that their worth isn't defined by a mistake or a difficult situation.

At the heart of it all is the power of relationship. When kids know they are loved, supported, and safe to talk honestly with their parents, they're much more likely to seek help instead of carrying fear and shame alone.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4rLxqDZ
6 min
October 20 Did I Damage My Kid?
As parents we worry about all the mistakes we have made with tech, or might make parenting tech, and wonder if there comes a point where we've irreparably harmed our children. The short answer: No. There is no tech mistake that can make your child a mistake. Today is an encouragement to parent from that truth, wherever you are in your tech-parenting journey.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4s4pbmE
25 min
October 15 Drool Tech vs Tool Tech
Nathan offers a helpful way to think about technology: there's “tool tech,” which helps us create and accomplish things, and “drool tech,” which is designed to keep us consuming and engaged. The difference isn't that one is good and one is bad, but understanding how they're designed can help parents and grandparents make wiser choices about the screens in their lives and their kids' lives.

It's a relatable reminder that not all screen time is created equal. While a tool like Microsoft Word simply waits for you to use it, platforms like YouTube are built to keep you watching, which is why it's so easy to go down a rabbit hole before you even realize it. Being aware of that difference can help us approach technology with more intention and healthier habits.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3Vqwp8l
6 min
October 13 Five Cautions for Giving a Smartphone
Jesus tells us to give good gifts, so let's ask the question: Is a smartphone a good gift?

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4AOPMs1
26 min
October 08 A.I.
AI can be a helpful tool when it's used to support learning, creativity, and problem-solving, but it's important that it doesn't end up doing all the thinking for us. A good question for families to ask is, "Is this helping my child grow, or is it replacing the work they need to do to learn and develop?"

There is also a growing concern around kids using AI as a substitute for real relationships. While AI can provide information and assistance, it can't replace the connection, wisdom, and support that come from trusted friends, family members, and caring adults.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4hYrYKC
7 min
October 06 Choosing Safe Video Games
So, you've decided games are a good fit for your kiddo; what now? The conversation you'll have when deciding which games to play is just as important as the final decision. Along the way you'll learn to read the box, trust your gut, and grade the game for yourself so you are equipped to think, and act, rightly when it comes to video games.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4jveM16
15 min
October 01What is Gospel Tech?
Technology is woven into almost every part of our lives, and if you're a parent, grandparent, or caregiver, you've probably wondered how to help kids use it wisely.

In our first "Frequently Asked Questions" conversation, Nathan shares practical encouragement for raising children who love God first and use technology with purpose, not just by setting rules, but by addressing the heart behind our screen habits. It's about finding balance, building healthy attention spans, and helping the next generation thrive in a digital world.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3VpiPCa

Want to listen to Gospel Tech FAQ's on the radio? Catch it here: kcisradio.com/gospel-tech
Tuesdays at 7:55 AM and Saturdays at Noon
6 min

About Gospel Tech with Nathan Sutherland

From the publisher's feed

Gospel Tech is a resource for parents who are feeling outpaced and overwhelmed as they raise children in a tech world.

Our goal: Equip parents with the tools, resources, and confidence they…

need to raise kids who love God and use tech.

Gospel Tech’s mission is to equip families to love God and use tech. We want to empower parents to:

Talk about healthy tech
Communicate the Gospel
Connect the hope of the Gospel to their everyday tech lives

Introduction to Gospel Tech
Three years ago I (Nathan) started Gospel Tech as a ministry to help connect the Gospel to the daily tech lives of families in practical ways. As a middle school teacher I saw a need for intentional, Gospel-focused conversations about tech. Tech was creating more distraction than inspiration in the classroom, and I saw the need for more than just new habits—there was a desperate need for new hearts.

Gospel Tech bridges the gap between scary tech conversations and the hope of the Gospel. With engaging stories and practical applications I bring Gospel-centered tech solutions families can apply in everyday life.

Gospel Tech Resources Beyond The Podcast

The Parent Tech Workshops: A two-part series addressing:
- How should we handle Tech’s Big 3 (smartphones, gaming, pornography)?
- How do we make tech safe at home? (two types of tech, tech health, and building tech trust)

Youth Talks:
- The Tech Talk: Use the best tech on purpose, not for purpose.
- The Hope Talk: A conversation about our goals, purpose, and how making a mistake doesn’t make us a mistake.

The Family Tech Framework: A two-hour workshop where families leave with the words to say and the plan in place for healthy tech at home and in daily life.
- Part 1: Talk It Out: Parents learn key points of discussing healthful tech.
- Part 2: Walk It Out: Families work together to create a Family Tech Framework customized to their needs, goals, and season of life.

At the end of the day our children aren't problems to fix, they're people to love. We need to point them to the purpose and hope available in Christ, in the work he's already done to make them new and to call them on to good works, and then use tech from that hope. This is why I love to say that in Christ we use tech on purpose, not for purpose.

That's the goal of Gospel Tech. Thanks for letting me be on this journey of parenting with you.

-Nathan Sutherland