20,000 participants were encouraged and equipped in 2021 during ten-day social media fast; D.L. Moody Center provides the tools
April 11, 2022
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The D. L. Moody Center (moodycenter.org) engaged 20,000 excited people last year as they fasted from social media for ten days. This year, thousands are again preparing for the exhilarating “Go Dark, Shine Bright” challenge. The innovative initiative is designed to help Christians let go of the daily distractions of social media and focus on daily devotions in the Word of God.
The coordinated social media fast and outreach is designed to foster spiritual reflection and further spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. “Go Dark, Shine Bright” is sponsored by the D. L. Moody Center, one of the nation’s top renewal destinations. The D. L. Moody Center anticipates that this year’s campaign will exceed 50,000 people—more than doubling last year’s endeavor to reach the unsaved.
The initiative was inspired by recent insights into the detrimental effects of social media on users’ mental health. The campaign will launch on May 5, 2022, with the social media fast running through May 15.
In addition, participants will join in regular communal prayer, both online and in-person at various locations across New England, including at the D. L. Moody Center. Once they complete the fast, each participant will be challenged to share the Good News of Jesus with five people.
The campaign’s name is inspired by D. L. Moody himself, who stated, “In the place God has put us, He expects us to shine, to be living witnesses, to be a bright and shining light. While we are here our work is to shine for Him.”
James Spencer, president of D. L. Moody Center, commented, “The ‘Go Dark, Shine Bright’ project is a Christian ministry devoted to helping believers give God a central place in their lives, grow their faith, and share the gospel through a conscious approach to social media after a period of fasting from it. When we make space for the light of God to shine through, we are amazed at what He illuminates in our lives. But the more distracted we are by constant chatter and ‘noise,’ the harder it is to look with eyes that see and listen with ears that hear.”
As part of the program, the D. L. Moody Center will provide participants with a Social Media Fasting Guide. The guide includes five key principles to get started:
- Sharing the “why” behind the “what” presents opportunities to discuss the motivation behind the movement, while highlighting the pitfalls of social media with family and friends.
- To avoid temptation and persistent notifications, the D. L. Moody Center suggests temporarily removing these apps from your phone.
- The fast is designed to create space for prayer and reading Scripture. Scheduling can help participants make the best use of their reclaimed time. The D. L. Moody Center will also provide supplemental content, such as encouraging emails and study guides.
- Distractions are inevitable, so the D. L. Moody Center encourages participants to stay the course and prioritize time in the Word and in prayer.
- Starting the fast with intentional time in prayer and God’s word can help participants finish strong.
Spencer noted that ultimately, “When we get lost in the endless scrolling and non-stop notifications of social media, our attention can drift from what matters most: glorifying God. Our hope is that by going dark online, people will be inspired and encouraged to share the light of Christ in the real world.”
The D.L. Moody Center is an independent non-profit organization located in Northfield, Massachusetts. Dedicated to preserving and advancing the legacy of Dwight Moody, the D. L. Moody Center is a catalyst for spiritual formation in New England and beyond through evangelism and discipleship.
The D. L. Moody Center is a destination for spiritual renewal, yet not a school. Nevertheless, there is much to learn by studying D. L. Moody and what God accomplished through his life which began in New England, at the Northfield, Massachusetts campus, the heart of Moody’s ministry as well as his childhood home.
Learn more about D. L. Moody Center by visiting moodycenter.org or follow the ministry on Facebook or Twitter.
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