By Elizabeth Prata
Introduction
Have you heard of the new trend sweeping through our society from Gen Z-ers to Boomers? It’s analog. Yes, the new fashioned word for an old fashioned life- one filled with tactile hobbies like knitting and crosswords in real books and newspapers. Design trends where prospective house buyers seek a home like grandma had- with real rooms, not open concept, afghans, wallpaper, hardwood floors, sunrooms, even sewing rooms. They call it ‘a grandma house.’
The last 30 years has seen a rise of the digital, and a resulting loss of the tactile. People are tired of the constant notifications, intrusive surveillance, annoying advertisements/pop-ups, and anxiety known as FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). When we’re always ‘connected’, we tend to compare our lives to others and covetousness, jealousy, and unease rises. Frankly, we’re tired.
The Book
The church has not escaped the impact of the rise of digital lifestyles. Into this rising trend of concern and yearning for simpler times is Thom Rainer’s forthcoming book, “The Revival of the Analog Church: Why Your Church Should Be Personal and In-Person (Church Answers Resources)”. It is due out in October 2026, and it is being published by Tyndale Momentum.
The Problem
The church never escapes being influenced by the world around us. Even diligent churches that resist worldly trends have to fight hard to push back. Church is composed of people, and people for the last 30 years have grabbed onto all things digital. Many churches have suffered for it.
Rainer wrote, “Have we digitized what was meant to be deeply personal? The digital world gave us tools. Helpful ones. We could reach farther and faster. Sermons went online. Groups went virtual. Resources were available with a click.”
But all these tools come with a cost. We are suffering from ‘digital fatigue’ and this includes churches. It’s no so much the tools that churches use, such as streaming the sermon or digital Bibles, it is the pace at which the digital world has taught us to run. It is the brain, always pumping for more, the new, the next. Digital is a tool, but it has overpowered us and taught us that we need to always be moving. This constant movement includes a hurry-up pace in church. Yet, Rainer writes, church is exactly the place where we need to slow down, pray pensively, linger in relationship, be present emotionally, mentally, physically. He advocates for “the sacred simplicity of a Sabbath-like presence.”
Rainer’s point is synopsized with this- we are digitally numb, and ‘Digital numbness leads to spiritual numbness.’
The chapters, 11 of them, describe the problem and offer solutions. Rainer includes reflection questions at the end of each chapter.
My Review
Rainer begins with a solid explanation of the difference between analog and digital, and how this is impacting the church. He humbly relates that he himself had fallen into the fast-paced digital world, at one point, to the detriment of his family. He loves the digital and assures the reader he is no naysayer, writing, “We have not sinned by embracing digital tools.”
However, Rainer makes the case that we must mindfully slow our pace, be present at church, and restore an unhurried worship.
This book is positioned well to capture this wave of analog yearning to return to an unhurried pace with real relationships. The realization that digital has its limits is fueling the desire to return to unhurried worship and discipleship in its fullest sense. In his book, Rainer describes how.
There is no doubt that digital media has drastically changed how people communicate and how people commune with each other, and the change has impacted not only worship but witnessing and evangelism. This must be a concern for us all.
His point is that “People are weary of a life that feels like it’s always in motion but never truly grounded.” It’s true that the digital world has taught us to live in fragments, when Jesus actually taught to live by thinking deeply, slowly, and intentionally in worship.
Positives:
–The author captures and crystallizes and amorphous unease many people seem to be dealing with regarding the digital lifestyle,
–His end-of-chapter questions are thought provoking,
–Rainer provides solutions, not just identifying the problem,
–He Humbly includes himself in the digital problem.
Negatives:
–I saw a few scriptures, maybe 3 or 4. I’d like to see more scripture use in a book about the importance of relational worship,
–His likening of listening to vinyl records or playing board games to church life as examples of analog were a bit of a stretch. In my opinion, he could have written more deeply about analog church life. I felt the book was more overview than deep theology. Of course, this is fine for someone new to the concept of the problem of digital vs. analog.
–The writing style was very much digital. Too many sentences beginning with ‘And’, staccato short bulleted sentences, and lots of “it’s not this, it’s that.” Rainer mentioned several times how he has absorbed and enjoyed the digital life and pace, and this absorption shows through in his writing, which definitely mimics the digital.
Conclusion
If you are new to the idea that digital fatigue is rising and beginning to permeate our society -and the church- from the oldest adult generation to the youngest, then this would be 4-stars for you. If you are already familiar with the concept and want a more deeply theological examination of the issue, then this book is a 3-star for you, with other suggestions below.
Further Resources:
Out-Of-Doors in the Holy Land by Henry van Dyke. Published 1908 and considered a classic of Holy Land travelogues. Blurb: “Van Dyke’s beautiful descriptions and thoughtful reflections on the landscape, the people, and the spiritual significance of the places he visits make this a must-read for anyone interested in travel, religion, or culture. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important”. The premise is that Christianity was an out of doors religion, where walking, pondering, contemplating and considering were all slow processes.
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport. (2019). Blurb: “a book that proposes a philosophy for using technology intentionally to support your values, rather than letting it control you, advocating for a focused life by drastically reducing low-value digital activities”.
Twelve Ways Your Phone is Changing You, by Tony Reinke. (2017). Blurb- “Drawing from the insights of numerous thinkers, published studies, and his own research, writer Tony Reinke identifies twelve potent ways our smartphones have changed us—for good and bad. Reinke calls us to cultivate wise thinking and healthy habits in the digital age.”
Competing Spectacles by Tony Reinke. (2019). Blurb- “We live in a world full of shiny distractions, faced with an onslaught of viral media constantly competing for our attention and demanding our affections. These ever-present visual “spectacles” can quickly erode our hearts, making it more difficult than ever to walk through life actively treasuring that which is most important and yet invisible: Jesus Christ.”
God, Technology, and the Christian Life by Tony Reinke (2022). “Highlights: Biblical, Informed Look at Technology; Gathers Ideas from Industry Experts and Theologians by Interacting with Christian and non-Christian sources on technology and theology including John Calvin, Herman Bavinck, Wendell Berry, and Elon Musk, and is Educational: Discusses the history and philosophy behind major technological innovations.”
Amazon Bio: Thom S. Rainer is the founder and CEO of Church Answers. Prior to Church Answers, he served as president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. He also served at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for twelve years where he was the founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism. He has been a pastor of four churches and interim pastor of ten churches. He has written several books, including “I am a Church Member” and “Simple Church”.
DISCLAIMER- My Advanced Reader Copy was provided via NetGalley. I received a free digital copy of this book from Tyndale, the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
the-end-time.org 