Should Churches Restrict Mobile-Cell Phone Use During Services?

[evangelist6589]

Absolutely! People are supposed to be there to worship God and focus all their attention to that end. People need to leave the darned things in the car!

To be honest I use my tablet in the service to not only read my Bible but look at various books that can aide in my study of the word of God.

 

[evangelist6589]

I used to have a smart phone or I-phone ( dont really know the difference.) got fed up with it. Went to Walmart and bought a $20 flip phone. The only reason I have it is for my business- I teach a driving class - and potential attendees want to talk to a real person -

SmartPhones are valuable tools. The difference between a iPhone and Android is the operating system. iPhones by Apple, and Android by Google. In my opinion you want to stick with Apple. I know people that have moved from iPhone to Android, and then back to apple again because of the ease of use among many reasons.

 

[Salty]

... The difference between a iPhone and Android is the operating system. iPhones by Apple, and Android by Google. In my opinion you want to stick with Apple. I know people that have moved from iPhone to Android, and then back to apple again because of the ease of use among many reasons.

what you said is all Greek to me. I am very happy with my Wally flip phone.

 

[Reynolds]

SmartPhones are valuable tools. The difference between a iPhone and Android is the operating system. iPhones by Apple, and Android by Google. In my opinion you want to stick with Apple. I know people that have moved from iPhone to Android, and then back to apple again because of the ease of use among many reasons.

I feel the opposite. Once you use android on a flagship device that has the ability to use all Its capabilities effectively, most will have no desire for apple.

 

[evangelist6589]

I feel the opposite. Once you use android on a flagship device that has the ability to use all Its capabilities effectively, most will have no desire for apple.

I disagree

 

[annsni]

To be honest I use my tablet in the service to not only read my Bible but look at various books that can aide in my study of the word of God.

But that is not the time to go reading something else. You are there to listen to the Word of God read and preached by the pastor. A GREAT thing to do is to take your notes home with you and then at least on Monday, use those notes for your personal study time and THEN go to look at the various books. Would you bring those physical books to church and start flipping through them as the pastor preached?

 

[Salty]

I don't even own a cell phone. Don't want one, don't need one. However...I think it's wise to worry more about what YOU are doing rather than what everyone else is doing...I seem to remember something about worrying about the mote in your brother's eye and ignoring the log in your own eye.

So you would have no problem with you kids checking out different apps and /or web pages while the teacher is teaching at a public school?

 

[evangelist6589]

But that is not the time to go reading something else. You are there to listen to the Word of God read and preached by the pastor. A GREAT thing to do is to take your notes home with you and then at least on Monday, use those notes for your personal study time and THEN go to look at the various books. Would you bring those physical books to church and start flipping through them as the pastor preached?

No way

 

[annsni]

No way

So don't do it on your phone either. Again - Use the sermon notes for the basis of your personal study on Monday or further into the week each week. Trust me - your pastor would love if you did that!

 

[evangelist6589]

So don't do it on your phone either. Again - Use the sermon notes for the basis of your personal study on Monday or further into the week each week. Trust me - your pastor would love if you did that!

I do not do it on my phone. My phone stays in the car but the iPad goes with me.

 

[Salty]

I do not do it on my phone. My phone stays in the car but the iPad goes with me.

Thats like saying (at a KJO church) My NIV stays in the car, but the NKJV goes with me.

Bottom line - using an electronic instrument to read along where the pastor is reading/preaching is one thing - '
but to be looking up other info - unrelated to the message is an Article 15 offense.

 

[evangelist6589]

Thats like saying (at a KJO church) My NIV stays in the car, but the NKJV goes with me.

Bottom line - using an electronic instrument to read along where the pastor is reading/preaching is one thing - '
but to be looking up other info - unrelated to the message is an Article 15 offense.

Not unless you cary a dictionary on your iPad and use it to look up words the pastor uses.

 

[Salty]

Not unless you cary a dictionary on your iPad and use it to look up words the pastor uses.

In that case, I will be sitting under a pastor in whom I can trust, as he studies in preprepation for his message.
Otherwise, I will simply make some notes and as Ann said: " Use the sermon notes for the basis of your personal study on Monday or further into the week each week. Trust me - your pastor would love if you did that!"

 

[Reynolds]

So you would have no problem with you kids checking out different apps and /or web pages while the teacher is teaching at a public school?

Maybe I am a bad parent, by as long as they do not get in trouble and they make good grades, I don't care. I was the college student that always took the course taught by the department head. Why? The department head was tenured, did what they wanted, usually wrote the book, and never took attendance. About half my classes, I went first day, test days, hand in paper days, and final exam day. Read the book, take the tests. One time. I thought I screwed up. The class had no tests or papers, only a final. I did not go to class at all. I made a 36% on the final. I almost did. not even look over at the final class grade posting after seeing the 36 exam score. I did and it was an A. Professor graded on curve. 6 As, 6 Fs, 10 B, 10 D,s rest Cs. I had highest grade in class.

 

[Aaron]

Physician's on call notwithstanding, should Pastor's and/or church boards
restrict or prohibit altogether the monitoring, texting and game apps, so forth,
during services?

I attended church twice this month, and during each service, there were not
only young people texting back and forth with their friends across the auditorium,
(I know this because I overheard about it afterwards) but at least one young adult,
I estimated as approximately 25 years old, seated by himself playing a game (with
sounds shut off, thankfully!).

Friend's of mine also witnessed in their congregations, parents sitting by trying
to listen to the message as their school-age children are tapping away on their
mobile-texts. No attempt is made by the parents to put a stop to this.

I heard one preacher mention back in the day (1980's) when people only had
pager's, the devil would always use that and prompt someone outside the church,
to page someone in the service that interrupts the point of the message or when
the Lord is moving on someone's soul to heed to the call for salvation. This is
particularly irritating when it's someone who is hesitant to accept the Lord, just
about does so and the devil makes his move, and the person is scared off.

It's acceptable to restrict cell usage only in theaters. It's legalistic and hypocritical to do it in churches.

 

[Salty]

It's acceptable to restrict cell usage only in theaters. It's legalistic and hypocritical to do it in churches.

Interesting analogy. But why is it legalistic, and how is it hypocritical?

and why is it wrong to use it in a move theater. I might want to look up IMDb
For Example- I go to see "Born in China" so I look up the IMDb and see that the narrator is John Krasinski - first I want to see the bio about him and then see what other characters he has played. - WOW - this is fantastic - instant knowledge. So that is where I saw him before - he played in "The Office"!

 

[Aaron]

Interesting analogy. But why is it legalistic, and how is it hypocritical?

and why is it wrong to use it in a move theater. I might want to look up IMDb
For Example- I go to see "Born in China" so I look up the IMDb and see that the narrator is John Krasinski - first I want to see the bio about him and then see what other characters he has played. - WOW - this is fantastic - instant knowledge. So that is where I saw him before - he played in "The Office"!

I was being sarcastic and facetious.

I think devices should be checked at the door.

 

[Salty]

I was being sarcastic and facetious.
.

sorry not awake yet - been working all weekend

 

[JonC]

SmartPhones are valuable tools. The difference between a iPhone and Android is the operating system. iPhones by Apple, and Android by Google. In my opinion you want to stick with Apple. I know people that have moved from iPhone to Android, and then back to apple again because of the ease of use among many reasons.

This is true - not the Apple part (IMHO you give up far too much for simplicity... to each his own), but the smartphone being a useful tool part.

My son is in middle school (about to go to high school). For the past few years he has used a smartphone in class. The school uses smartphones in class, having students share with those who don’t have one. Now, for the most part, they have chromebooks so this is changing. But they are good tools.

I also use a tablet in church (a bible app) and bring up notes I have on specific passages. It’s great to have my notes (extended notes, if I want) readily avaliable. I even have a couple of sermons linked to specific passages.

 

[evangelist6589]

It's acceptable to restrict cell usage only in theaters. It's legalistic and hypocritical to do it in churches.

Explain.