Craig Groeschel's #struggles: Following Jesus in a Selfie-Centered World is a candid and critical look at the way in which the use of social media
has impacted and controlled our postmodern lives. In it, Groeschel offers pastoral counsel
on how that control can be reversed: We disciples can control social media in faithful ways, rather than having our lives controlled by it.There's no doubt #struggles is a timely book. My own Facebook and Twitter have been a resource for pastoral ministry. In fact, one of my friends describes my ministry as "the online pastor". But with the advent of iPhones, I discovered what so many others had known about their spiritual lives and technology: We can become controlled by it, obsessed over it, in a way that we don't see developing but find ourselves unable to resist. Witness the uncontrollable desire to check my Facebook app or my email.
Addressing this spiritual dependency is what makes #struggles such an amazing book. Groeschel is no Luddite, so readers will not find the simple condemnations that might be made by some pastors. Instead, Groeschel is right to focus on the spiritual dangers that Christians can avoid. The advice you'll find here is practical and studied.
#struggles is set out in eight simple chapters, each dealing with a different aspect of life in connection with the usage of social media, beginning with contentment through to rest, with intimacy, authenticity, compassion, integrity, encouragement, and worship covered in between. In the conclusion, Groeschel shows how one can keep technology in its place, showing how a person should control it rather than the other way around. There are also a couple of very helpful appendices. My favorite is "The Ten Commandments of Using Social Media to Grow Your Faith and Share God's Love".
This is one of the best guides for Christians who want to think Christianly about social media. I can't recommend it too highly.
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