Accountable2You
Grace is partnering with Accountable2You to provide you with accountability software, to assist you in walking in a manner worthy of the gospel online.
The Bible’s take on technology is basically the same as its take on wealth:
- Receive it with gratitude, and
- Hold it with caution
Or in the words of many programmers, give thanks for the toaster, and keep a loaded pistol next to it, just in case. (That’s only half a joke.) In other words, there are many blessings to our modern, “online” world, and there are many dangers, too. With every convenience, cost-savings and advancement with the internet, there is also rampant pornography, easy access to addictive gambling and ways to connect with others that may be sinful and destructive.
And in all of it, the internet promises that we can do everything privately.
It’s for this reason that Ed Welch, in his most excellent book “Side by Side” says this simple but profound statement:
“Human beings do best when they take their hardships public to God and at least one other person.”
One of those common hardships is giving in to unwanted desires via our online devices. This is where “Accountable2You” comes in. Accountable2You is a service that you setup on your own device or that of your child. It then alerts you or your adult accountability partner if the user of the device accesses inherently sinful content online. It does this in real-time, so that helpful discussions can happen, not only about the activity itself, but what pressures and situations were occurring at the time.
The founder of A2Y, Ben Lawrence, promises the following:
- A powerful monitoring tool to help you avoid making poor choices on your device
- A knowledgeable and dedicated team eager to help you with any questions
- Helpful resources that guide you to make informed decisions about technology and a lifestyle of accountability
- Dynamic features to help you succeed no matter what issue you face (pornography, excessive social media, cyberbullying, gambling, phone addiction, etc.)
This is the not the only tool in our arsenal to fight sin – there are many others. We must fill ourselves with truth and pray like our lives depend on it. But we must, as Welch puts it, “go public” not only with God, but also with another trusted brother or sister (unless they are your spouse, of the same gender as you).
What is a “trusted” brother or sister? In short, it’s somebody who loves you and therefore will not let you off the hook but who will also not crush you with your struggles. It’s someone who has their eye just as much on your trajectory as your current place, and who knows how to celebrate your small steps of growth, as well as the big ones.
Grace Church has partnered with Accountable2You to provide a discounted rate, using the following link. If you have any trouble getting things setup or discussing this with your child or friend, please contact any of our elders, or Accountable2You directly. And may the Lord give you new growth and satisfying victories in your pilgrimage to the New Jerusalem.