Phones and tablets

[Smellin Coffee]

Ummm...

Hate to break it to you, but Moses kinda received his word from God on a tablet (or two)...

 

[tobytyler]

A fellow in front of me yesterday morning used his tablet for scripture reading and taking notes during the sermon.
I found it extremely distracting to myself....I found myself looking at his tablet to see if he was gaming, texting, etc.

Also, a few years back during a Christmas presentation in a darkened auditorium, a guy took out his tablet and kept it on for quite some time, really causing a distraction with the tablet's brightness.  His excuse to those who questioned him about it was, "I was checking my bank account to figure out my tithe".

 

[fishinnut]

For those of you that don't know these new churches don't have the bright lights IFB churches do, as a matter of fact the lights are few. That just makes it hard to see a Bible. I have been questioned by my kids why I have the screen on my phone so bright in church...........it's bright only because it's so stinkin dark in the auditorium & I'm not change to screen setting.

I think it's goofy to have a dark atmosphere at church. But it has become all about stage lights & light shows.

 

[RAIDER]

A fellow in front of me yesterday morning used his tablet for scripture reading and taking notes during the sermon.
I found it extremely distracting to myself....I found myself looking at his tablet to see if he was gaming, texting, etc.

I agree with your post.  Of course, like everything else, people will say, "It's not the guys fault with the tablet that people are distracted.  It's their fault for not paying attention".   

 

[RAIDER]

For those of you that don't know these new churches don't have the bright lights IFB churches do, as a matter of fact the lights are few. That just makes it hard to see a Bible. I have been questioned by my kids why I have the screen on my phone so bright in church...........it's bright only because it's so stinkin dark in the auditorium & I'm not change to screen setting.

I think it's goofy to have a dark atmosphere at church. But it has become all about stage lights & light shows.

It shows were the focus is.

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

This topic shows one reason why IFB's and some SBC's are declining and aging (overall).
This is almost exclusively a generational issue...younger people think nothing of using their device or phone in church...JUST LIKE THEY DO EVERYWHERE ELSE!
If you're in church to be 'in church' the device is no more distracting than reading the notes in the front or back of the Bible while the sermon is being delivered.
I like a Bible in my hand (as well as a real book). My kids and grandkids use Kindle and Apps exclusively.

I wonder how the Apostle Paul handled this problem? 

 

[Citadel of Truth]

I wonder how the Apostle Paul handled this problem? 

1 Corinthians 8:13, "Therefore, if electronic devices makes my brother stumble, I will never again use a tablet or cell phone in church, lest I make my brother stumble." (NCoTV)

Seems pretty cut and dry to me...

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

I wonder how the Apostle Paul handled this problem? 

1 Corinthians 8:13, "Therefore, if electronic devices makes my brother stumble, I will never again use a tablet or cell phone in church, lest I make my brother stumble." (NCoTV)

Seems pretty cut and dry to me...

So, using a tablet or phone to read Scripture in a public is ?questionable? practice?
Sorry, but I do not accept that...at all.

Would you restate your premis and replace ?electronic device? with ?any version other than KJV??
Would you say if using a screen in a service offends, all churches should get rid of said screens?

Again, I postulate that this is ONE reason the IFB movement continues to decline.

Perhaps your citadel of truth has transformed into an ivory tower.

 

[Citadel of Truth]

I wonder how the Apostle Paul handled this problem? 

1 Corinthians 8:13, "Therefore, if electronic devices makes my brother stumble, I will never again use a tablet or cell phone in church, lest I make my brother stumble." (NCoTV)

Seems pretty cut and dry to me...

So, using a tablet or phone to read Scripture in a public is ?questionable? practice?
Sorry, but I do not accept that...at all.

Would you restate your premis and replace ?electronic device? with ?any version other than KJV??
Would you say if using a screen in a service offends, all churches should get rid of said screens?

Again, I postulate that this is ONE reason the IFB movement continues to decline.

Perhaps your citadel of truth has transformed into an ivory tower.

Postulate all you want... I am not IFB - strike one. I use the NKJV - strike two. I use a tablet in church myself (see above post) - strike three. 

Maybe a little less postulating and a bit more attention to the thread is in order. 

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

I wonder how the Apostle Paul handled this problem? 

1 Corinthians 8:13, "Therefore, if electronic devices makes my brother stumble, I will never again use a tablet or cell phone in church, lest I make my brother stumble." (NCoTV)

Seems pretty cut and dry to me...

So, using a tablet or phone to read Scripture in a public is ?questionable? practice?
Sorry, but I do not accept that...at all.

Would you restate your premis and replace ?electronic device? with ?any version other than KJV??
Would you say if using a screen in a service offends, all churches should get rid of said screens?

Again, I postulate that this is ONE reason the IFB movement continues to decline.

Perhaps your citadel of truth has transformed into an ivory tower.

Postulate all you want... I am not IFB - strike one. I use the NKJV - strike two. I use a tablet in church myself (see above post) - strike three. 

Maybe a little less postulating and a bit more attention to the thread is in order. 

I did not mean to accuse you of being IFB...if that is offensive.
My IFB comment is true no matter what you profess to be.
Would you answer my questions as yes?

 

[Walt]

A fellow in front of me yesterday morning used his tablet for scripture reading and taking notes during the sermon.
I found it extremely distracting to myself....I found myself looking at his tablet to see if he was gaming, texting, etc.

I agree with your post.  Of course, like everything else, people will say, "It's not the guys fault with the tablet that people are distracted.  It's their fault for not paying attention". 

We take and use a physical book, but it can be a distraction as well.  I've remember times when our son was not listening to the preaching and was reading some passage in the Bible not related.

I've been distracted by footnotes and cross-references in the Bible and started looking them up instead of listening to the message.

If people choose to not pay attention, yelling at them to not use tablets or phones will not solve the problem.

 

[Citadel of Truth]

Would you answer my questions as yes?

Would you restate your premis and replace ?electronic device? with ?any version other than KJV??

Well, if you're wanting to get serious I would say you could replace it with just about anything. If another version offends the church, I'd change churches.

Would you say if using a screen in a service offends, all churches should get rid of said screens?

If it offends the overwhelming majority of the congregation, yes.

 

[RAIDER]

A fellow in front of me yesterday morning used his tablet for scripture reading and taking notes during the sermon.
I found it extremely distracting to myself....I found myself looking at his tablet to see if he was gaming, texting, etc.

I agree with your post.  Of course, like everything else, people will say, "It's not the guys fault with the tablet that people are distracted.  It's their fault for not paying attention". 

We take and use a physical book, but it can be a distraction as well.  I've remember times when our son was not listening to the preaching and was reading some passage in the Bible not related.

I've been distracted by footnotes and cross-references in the Bible and started looking them up instead of listening to the message.

If people choose to not pay attention, yelling at them to not use tablets or phones will not solve the problem.

The distractions you mention all have to do with the Scripture.  The distractions about which I am talking on a tablet/phone have to do with email and text pop-ups.

 

[Walt]

A fellow in front of me yesterday morning used his tablet for scripture reading and taking notes during the sermon.
I found it extremely distracting to myself....I found myself looking at his tablet to see if he was gaming, texting, etc.

I agree with your post.  Of course, like everything else, people will say, "It's not the guys fault with the tablet that people are distracted.  It's their fault for not paying attention". 

We take and use a physical book, but it can be a distraction as well.  I've remember times when our son was not listening to the preaching and was reading some passage in the Bible not related.

I've been distracted by footnotes and cross-references in the Bible and started looking them up instead of listening to the message.

If people choose to not pay attention, yelling at them to not use tablets or phones will not solve the problem.

The distractions you mention all have to do with the Scripture.  The distractions about which I am talking on a tablet/phone have to do with email and text pop-ups.

True - but it's still a distraction, and someone not paying attention to the message, and also possibly disturbing others (if they see me turning Bible pages for no apparent reason, that will disturb them).

 

[patriotic]

I am not against technology.  I am not even against millennials using technology.  I love the Bible apps on both my phone and my tablet.  I use both of them every morning and many opportunities throughout each day.  I read hundreds of books each year on my Kindle app.

However,  I carry my good ol' Thompson Chain Reference Bible to church because I am still scared of my mom and dad who are both in heaven.  (Kidding there....kind of)

Besides, I would feel naked without my Bible at church, and I don't believe in going to church naked.  As far as that goes, I don't believe in going to any public place naked.  (not kidding there. Period.)

On a side note, I have read articles that give statistics about reading from a printed page v. reading from a screen.  The human brain retains more when reading from a printed page that it does from a screen.  For that reason, my morning Bible reading - my "devotions" - is often listening to my Bible app while I am reading along from the printed page.  (Also, any books I read in preparation for the courses I teach are almost always purchased in printed form.) 

 

[Walt]

On a side note, I have read articles that give statistics about reading from a printed page v. reading from a screen.  The human brain retains more when reading from a printed page that it does from a screen.  For that reason, my morning Bible reading - my "devotions" - is often listening to my Bible app while I am reading along from the printed page.  (Also, any books I read in preparation for the courses I teach are almost always purchased in printed form.)

I've never heard that before.

I do like having an electronic Bible to do searching for verses for when I just can't remember where a verse is or exactly what it says.

 

[Edwards]

June 21, 2048, "Did you that guy in the front row?  He was using one of that holographic  Bibles.  Why can't he use a phone like everyone else." 

I am old (68) and I like things the way I've done them all my life.  I would never use a phone instead of a paper Bible but to those considerably younger than myself this is normal - it's what they're used to.  Can it be distracting or used to play Words With Friends during church?  Those same people will be distracted by something else if they don't have their screen in front of them (the fly on the wall, where are we going for lunch today, how much will the Brown lose by this afternoon)  .  We need to accept the fact that things change whether we like it or not and (in this case) at least people are getting into the word of God even if they don't do it the way I do.  Oh well, the future generation will never know that when you open the Bible in the middle they'd be in the book of Psalms.

 

[Angelface2011]

My kindle and iPad don?t have data....but if I were to use my phone the alerts would be distracting

 

[Thomas Cassidy]

I've never heard that before.

Article from Scientific American about 5 years ago.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/reading-paper-screens/

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

June 21, 2048, "Did you that guy in the front row?  He was using one of that holographic  Bibles.  Why can't he use a phone like everyone else." 

I am old (68) and I like things the way I've done them all my life.  I would never use a phone instead of a paper Bible but to those considerably younger than myself this is normal - it's what they're used to.  Can it be distracting or used to play Words With Friends during church?  Those same people will be distracted by something else if they don't have their screen in front of them (the fly on the wall, where are we going for lunch today, how much will the Brown lose by this afternoon)  .  We need to accept the fact that things change whether we like it or not and (in this case) at least people are getting into the word of God even if they don't do it the way I do.  Oh well, the future generation will never know that when you open the Bible in the middle they'd be in the book of Psalms.

Great post and points.

I will be 68, Lord willing, in August and just don?t understand the generational dragging of feet when it comes to change...although it?s always been present. I remember my grandmothers objection to our church having a radio broadcast because Satan was the prince of the air and radio waves travelled through the airwaves. I remember my Mother in law opposing her church getting a computer, fearing that would give the Antichrist a foot in the door.

Towards a more practical way of thinking, this attitude IF it is the majority opinion in the church will indeed be a hindrance in reaching the younger, digitally plugged in generation. And as to the issue if comprehension in digital VS paper, I?ve seen studies that go both ways in their findings.
Here is a pretty well balanced one that has mixed conclusions:

https://insights.uksg.org/articles/10.1629/uksg.236/