Andy Crouch on True Rest vs. Leisure: How Sabbath Breaks the Idols of Work and Technology

Can Sabbath Rest Be a Circuit Breaker for Idolatry?

Host Curtis Chang and Good Faith podcast regular Andy Crouch explore how practicing true Sabbath rest can help Christians break free from burnout, technology overload, and the constant pressure to produce. Andy explains the biblical vision of Sabbath, the difference between rest and leisure, and why so many people feel enslaved to email, phones, and digital noise. They offer practical tools for burnout recovery, Sabbath rest practices, and Christian digital detox, helping listeners rediscover rhythms of rest, contemplation, and spiritual formation. If you’re searching for guidance on how to practice Sabbath, how to disconnect from technology, or how to recover from burnout as a Christian, this conversation with Andy Crouch provides a hopeful path to real rest.

(02:24) – The Value of Rest Modeled in Creation

(13:04) – The Cycle of Rest, Contemplation, & Creation in Modern Work

(21:31) – Is Ceasing Labor Different Than Resting From It?

(28:49) – Breaking Free from the Labor Involved in Leisure

(32:18) – True Rest Requires Spiritual Practices

(37:44) – How Can We Rediscovering Sabbath Rest Together?

Drawing from a previous conversation with Andy Crouch, this episode examines how Sabbath rest revitalizes the inner life.

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Mentioned In This Episode:

• Abraham Joshua Heschel’s The Sabbath: It’s Meaning for Modern Man
• Andy Crouch’s The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place
• David Foster Wallace’s A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again

Scriptural Thoughts on Rest:

• Genesis 1–3 (ESV) – Genesis and the Creation Story
• Exodus 20:8-11 (ESV) – The Sabbath commandment 
• Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (ESV) – Observance of the Sabbath Day

More From Andy Crouch:

• Interact with Andy’s website
• Check out Andy’s work at Praxis
• Read Andy’s book: The Life We’re Looking For
• Read Andy’s book: The Tech-Wise Family

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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of Redeeming Babel, a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Redeeming Babel.