We can do so many amazing things online, from building virtual communities to sharing what really matters to us. At the same time, social media tends to accentuate, accelerate and exaggerate the issues we already have – highlighting our flaws and our fears. As Christians, we often wonder how our faith interacts with our life online. If the Bible was written 2000 years ago, does it have anything to say to our modern day struggles with social media?
The Gospel Online unpacks what it looks like to be a faithful Christian in a digital world. This book isn’t a series of rules for using your time online or a list of top tips for how to get the most out of social media. Instead, Ben Horrex traces five themes through the Bible to show us how the gospel can transform every part of us – our words, our identities, and our relationships – both online and off.
In a time where we find it so hard to ‘switch off’ – literally, when it comes to screens and social media – Ben Horrex pleads with Christians to ‘switch on’ to who we are as children of God in Jesus Christ. As we reach for our phones first thing in the morning and post to please an audience of however many, Horrex reminds us that we live to please an audience of One, and that we wake up to a Father who already delights in us, in Christ.
Jerry Taylor, Vicar, Enderby Parish Church, Leicester
Time online is not just a big part of our lives; it’s where much of our lives are lived. So it’s really important to think through what it means to live the Christian life in an online world. That’s what Ben Horrex does in The Gospel Online. In an accessible and engaging way, Ben shows how the Bible speaks to this issue with relevance and hope.
Tim Chester, Senior Faculty, Crosslands Training
We live in an age where it is more possible than ever to live a lie. In our identity online, we can so easily inflate our ego, invent multiple personas and hide behind the veil of anonymity. In The Gospel Online, Ben equips us to navigate this challenging and ever-evolving world, calling us all to live authentically for Jesus online.
Phil Moore, Musician, Songwriter, Director of Ministry for Cornerstone Church, Nottingham
The Gospel Online is a great book for helping young people to understand the impact that social media can have on their faith, both in a positive and negative way. It’s an engaging read and balances lived experiences and reflections with Scripture and biblical principles. The theology in this book is accessible for young people and it reads like a conversation with a youth worker who really cares about young people.
Mike Kelly, Youth and Families Development Officer, Diocese of Ely
