I am passionate about helping people engage with the digital world in a positive way, where I have more than 20 years’ experience. I am a Senior Lecturer in Digital Marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University and Visiting Research Fellow at St John’s College, Durham University, where I was previously employed to research faith in a digital age, and aid with digital literacy in the church.
I have a particular interest in digital culture and the third sector, especially faith organisations, having worked with most national UK churches and a number of Christian charities. I have written widely on discipleship in a digital age, and my 2017 breast cancer diagnosis has led to added research around social media and cancer. My treatment made physical engagement with church challenging, so the online space has literally been a Godsend. I can be found all over social media, typically as @drbexl, often with #waitingroomfeet and #busylivingwithmets.
In 2014, Raising Children in a Digital Age (http://j.mp/digitparent), was published. The Financial Times described it as ‘sensible’ in a sea of scare stories, and youth leaders have said that my work has shaped youth ministry around digital over the past few years. I plan to work on developing the second edition at Vaughan Park, with the research also feeding into an academic article. With introductions from Stephen Garder (Laidlaw College) I am also looking forward to the opportunity to explore faith and media in the bicultural and multicultural contexts of New Zealand.
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