What is The Digital Fast?

Our digital world shapes our thoughts, habits, and desires—often without us realizing it. Lent is a season to realign our hearts and minds with Jesus. A digital fast helps us break free from distractions and cultivate a deeper reliance on God’s grace.

We are encouraging our church family to participate in the Digital Fast starting Wednesday, March 5, through Easter Sunday.

Step 1: Assess Your Digital Habits

Before choosing your fast, take a moment to reflect on how much time you devote to various digital activities. Rank each of the following from 1 (rarely) to 10 (constantly) based on your personal usage:

  • Online Shopping (Amazon, retail apps, etc.)

  • Messaging Apps (texting, WhatsApp, Snapchat, etc.)

  • Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok)

  • Streaming Services (Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, etc.)

  • News Consumption (TV, online articles, podcasts)

  • Work Emails and Digital Productivity Tools

  • Video Games (console, mobile, or PC)

  • General Screen Time (scrolling, browsing, etc.)

  • Other (any digital habit not listed above)

After ranking, reflect: What dominates my attention the most? What is shaping my thoughts and emotions daily?

Step 2: Choose Your Fast

Think about your apps in terms of noise vs. necessity.

  • Noise: Social media, email, news, games, video apps, browsers, shopping.

  • Necessity: Phone, text, calendar, camera, music, weather, GPS, notes, access apps.

Detox (Full Fast)

Make your smartphone dumb: Remove noise apps entirely. Only keep and use necessary apps.

Screen Detox: Replace all TV shows, movies, screen time with other activities. See a list below for ideas.

Work Boundaries: Set time parameters on digital working and phone usage.

Digital Sabbath: One day each week, put your phone in a drawer and shut it down from 8:00 am - 9:00 pm.

Deep Clean (MID-LEVEL)

Make your smartphone dumb: Remove noise apps entirely. Only keep and use necessary apps.

Shared Screens Only: Engage with TV, movies, and gaming selectively and only with others—no solo screen time.

Work Boundaries: Set time parameters on digital working and phone usage.

Digital Sabbath: One day each week, put your phone in a drawer and shut it down from 8:00 am - 9:00 pm.

The Reset (Entry)

Make your smartphone dumb(er).
Identify 1 or 2 specific digital habits that consume your time (ex: social media, doomscrolling, excessive texting, online shopping) and remove those apps entirely.

Work Boundaries: Set time parameters on digital working and phone usage.

Each level of fasting is designed to help you step back from digital distractions and create space for spiritual renewal. Choose the one that challenges you while still being sustainable for this season.

Step 3: Now What?

What To Do Instead

  • Scripture Engagement: Meditate on a passage daily.

  • Prayer + Solitude: Spend time in silent reflection with God.

  • Acts of Service: Use freed-up time to serve others.

  • In-Person Community: Engage in real-life conversations and gatherings.

  • Personal Worship + Corporate Worship: Engage in worship both personally and with the church.

Shallow Substitutes to Avoid

  • New Distraction: Swapping one digital escape for another still keeps you from intimacy with Christ.

  • Endless Chatter: Replacing social media with excessive texting or entertainment.

  • Spiritual Entertainment: Replacing Netflix with binge-watching religious content without personal reflection.

  • Overloaded Schedule: Filling every moment with activities can be just as numbing as screen time.

Commit to the Digital Fast

Take a moment to pray and commit to your chosen digital fast. Share it with someone for accountability. If you live with others, we encourage you to discuss with them how you might participate together.

Sign up! We have some resources we’d love to share with you. Sign up below so we can include you on our Digital Fast emails!

Let’s journey together, trusting in God’s grace to reshape our desires and focus as we seek to be formed to be closer to Christ.