As I looked out at the congregation from the pulpit yesterday morning I could not help but notice that almost half of the people where using Kindles, iPads, Android tablets, or their cell phone in order to read the Bible. I do not have a major problem with the use of personal technology. After all, it is still the Word of God whether or not it is on a screen or paper. The only thing I wonder about is how many people are getting so bored from the sermon that they are on FB!
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eReaders, tablets, and the printer Bible
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Several people in my church use those electronic devices. I guess it's OK for them, but I like my good old, duct taped, highlighted, written in, marked up Bible! It's like an old friend. I can find things quickly because it's just so familiar. Been using it for twenty years, and every time I get a new Bible as a gift, or whatever, I just can't seem to use anyone but this old one! I don't think I'd ever use a Nook, Ipad, or those things. It just isn't the same for me. Seems strange to me, really.
Gib
Active Member
If they weren't on FB, they would be doodling in their bulletins or counting light bulbs in the light fixtures.
I have noticed those who say they are using Bible software or apps during the service spend more time looking at the scriptures than those who are using printed Bibles.
Maybe they're typing in notes or maybe they're playing Candy Crush!
I have noticed those who say they are using Bible software or apps during the service spend more time looking at the scriptures than those who are using printed Bibles.
Maybe they're typing in notes or maybe they're playing Candy Crush!
Actually, Scientific research, and my own life-long experience, shows that doodling actually HELPS one concentrate and pay attention and recall what we have heard later on. It helps in 2 ways...(neither of which applies to facebook):
1. It uses just enough brain activity to keep us from daydreaming about another topic entirely...which is when we completely zone out the speaker and hear nothing that he is saying.
2. There is an association thing that happens, such that if the pastor is speaking about a certain saying of Jesus, and I happen to be drawing a star, or circle, or some random shape...those two things are linked in my brain, so that now, if I remember either the saying, or the shape, the other pops into my mind. It doubles the chances that it will come up in my mind again.
Now, of course, using facebook would not do this, and would require more brain activity such that the listener would hear very little of what was said.
For me personally, it's the opposite: if I'm doodling, it's usually in relation to something I'm thinking about, and I tend to fixate on what I'm doodling and block out external stimuli. But that's just me.
I prefer to bring a paper Bible but there are times that the electronic Bible works better. When hubby was on crutches for 5.5 months, it was easier to put his iPod Touch in his pocket and go to church than to try to carry his good Bible. When I went to camp last week, it was nice to have my iPad with my ESV Study Bible and other study notes on there - all in the convenience of a small device. 
If you came by our church you'd see that about 2/3 of the folks are using mobile devices or tablets.
When we preach and teach, we prefer to use a physical copy along with whatever our notes might be on. Works better for us all.
I don't generally have a problem with it as I can talk about another passage and people can go to it easily. Sure, some are checking FB or email or texting, but that's gonna happen anyways. We can say something about it, but that doesn't change anything.
When I've been teaching in smaller settings I usually joke about people checking email, texting stuff, or playing Words with Friends (or whatever new game is hot this week) and it gets laughs...and people who look at their spouses with "that look."
We've tried to leverage this for our services by having interactive elements. We ask people to post on FB or Twitter something they've heard today. Maybe retwteet our big idea. Also, we use a polling software that let's us take realtime polls from the crowd via text message.
It is all in how you leverage it. Just a thought.
If you came by our church you'd see that about 2/3 of the folks are using mobile devices or tablets.
When we preach and teach, we prefer to use a physical copy along with whatever our notes might be on. Works better for us all.
I don't generally have a problem with it as I can talk about another passage and people can go to it easily. Sure, some are checking FB or email or texting, but that's gonna happen anyways. We can say something about it, but that doesn't change anything.
When I've been teaching in smaller settings I usually joke about people checking email, texting stuff, or playing Words with Friends (or whatever new game is hot this week) and it gets laughs...and people who look at their spouses with "that look."
We've tried to leverage this for our services by having interactive elements. We ask people to post on FB or Twitter something they've heard today. Maybe retwteet our big idea. Also, we use a polling software that let's us take realtime polls from the crowd via text message.
It is all in how you leverage it. Just a thought.
About 2/3 of our folks use some sort of electronic device, too. It changes the vernacular from the pulpit. Instead of, "Turn in your Bible to....." it's "Turn in your iPod, iPad, iPhone, Smart phone, Nook, Kindle, Tablet to...."