How 'bout you?

[John81]

What do you think of the growing trend to use iphones and such with Bible apps in church? This seems to be becoming very popular in many churches with those attending services, Sunday schools, Bible studies, etc.

Is this good or bad? Is this a distraction? Is there too much temptation there to use the iphone for things other than the Bible app while in church? Would it be better if folks actually carried a physical Bible and learned to use it?

Has this come to your church yet?

[HappyChristian]

No, it hasn't come to our church yet - our preacher would likely call someone down, thinking (understandably) that the person was texting or playing a game.

I think it's silly to bring an electronic "bible" to church.

[Guest]

Not going on at my church.

I have trouble thumbing the pages on the Bible I carry, I don't think I want to attempt fat fingering a cell phone over to Habakkuk.

[HappyChristian]

Not going on at my church.

I have trouble thumbing the pages on the Bible I carry, I don't think I want to attempt fat fingering a cell phone over to Habakkuk.

Absolutely!

[John81]

Thankfully we've not had this come to our church either. As hard as it seemed to be to get people to turn off their cell phones in church I can only imagine the problem if some started saying they need to have their cell phones out for a Bible app.

None of this would be an issue in our youth groups because it's been a long-standing policy that when the youth come through the door for youth group they put their cell phones in a box and they stay there until it's time for them to leave.

As small as those cell phones are I wouldn't want to try and "flip" through the Bible with one in church either!

One time a family visited our church and their teenage son would pull his cell phone from his pocket and check it once or twice every minute for the entire time of the service. Very distracting and annoying and either his parents never noticed or didn't care.

[Pastor Matt]

I have no problem with someone using electronic Bibles. A few years ago in New England it would have been a distraction, but it is so common now that it no longer is a distraction. To me, nothing replaces a Bible in hand, but a KJV electronic Bible is just as much of the Bible as a physical Bible. I do think it is a cultural thing and that some churches it would be more of a distraction than others.

[Soj]

Stick with tradition I say, stuff these modern trends, they have no place in our church! This is just another sign of the world creeping into the Laodicean church.

I have an iphone with a good Bible on it, but the thought has NEVER crossed my mind to use it in church, I always leave my phone in the car. Cellphones & the like should be forbidden in the church meeting except for emergencies, it's God's time so leave all distractions outside, amen.

[John81]

I have no problem with someone using electronic Bibles. A few years ago in New England it would have been a distraction, but it is so common now that it no longer is a distraction. To me, nothing replaces a Bible in hand, but a KJV electronic Bible is just as much of the Bible as a physical Bible. I do think it is a cultural thing and that some churches it would be more of a distraction than others.

Are you speaking of the electronic Bibles that are only electronic Bibles? I've seen a few, never in church, but that would be different than a Bible app on an iphone.

[John81]

Stick with tradition I say, stuff these modern trends, they have no place in our church! This is just another sign of the world creeping into the Laodicean church.

I have an iphone with a good Bible on it, but the thought has NEVER crossed my mind to use it in church, I always leave my phone in the car. Cellphones & the like should be forbidden in the church meeting except for emergencies, it's God's time so leave all distractions outside, amen.

I tend to agree. One thing I've noticed with some folks who use Bible apps rather than an actual Bible, is that when they need to find something in an actual Bible they are mostly lost. They sometimes can't remember which books are old or new testament, even if they think they know which section the book is in they can't find it, etc. Without a Bible apps automatically doing everything for them they are lost. I've know people who use the Bible on their computer and never an actual Bible have similar problems. What happens when they have no electricity or signal? What happens in the future if there is no access to electronic Bible apps and they can't find what they need in an actual Bible?

In any event, for myself I want that blessed KJB book in my hands. I keep a Bible strategically placed around so I have ready access to one. I have one right here by my computer, a few more on a shelf behind me, one in my desk drawer, one by my living room chair, one next to the sofa, and one on the living room bookshelf, and New Testament with Psalms in the door pocket of my car. Besides that my wife has her Bibles in the bedroom and my son has a Bible by his bed and two more on a shelf in the hallway. We are so blessed to have the Word of God in such abundance.

[jebarr]

I tend to agree that we need to fall on the traditional side. While I do have bible KJV apps on my phone and itouch, I use it while on lunch at work or it will read to me while I am driving at work. Very handy and

an example of technology being an enhancement and not a replacement for the Book form. But we are talking in church here and I feel that we need to stick with tradition and be able to flip to the book

chapter and verse, highlite and make notes in our bible if we see fit. I have been to a church that put the bible verse on the projector. Guess what happened to the number of people that carried there bibles to
church? It fell greatly! Our kids take notice of what is important in our life. If they see us carrying and reading our bible they will be more apt to do so themselves. If they see us looking at our cell phone, what Godly message does that send them? We could be surfing the internet for all they know. It is just a temptation that we do not need in God's house. Just my IFB coming through I guess.

Bro Jebarr

[no name joe]

I have a Kindle, and have downloaded the Bible onto it, and read it while waiting in line, etc. I carry my Kindle everywhere I go, but do not always have a Bible. A freind of mine uses his Ipad in Bible Study.

I thnk the more people we can get to read the Bible the better. If it is on a Kindle or ipad, great! The word of God is being read.

Having said that, I carry my Bible to church, as does everyone else as far as I can tell. I've not seen electronic readers at church. Further, it would not be practicle to read on the small screen of a phone, so that kind of app I do not think will catch on. We do display the text being read on a large screen as well, and have pew Bibles for people to turn to if they do not have a Bible with them.

It would be distracting for cell phones to be out during church, so I would discourage that. However, other e-readers shouldn't be a distraction.

[Invicta]

I have the KJB and a French bible on my Nokia, but I would never use it in church. But it is very useful to search for verses during Conversations.


No one uses them in our church.

[John81]

I have the KJB and a French bible on my Nokia, but I would never use it in church. But it is very useful to search for verses during Conversations.


No one uses them in our church.

:thumb:

[Wilchbla]

Carry a bible to church, not an iphone "app" or an electronic bible. In my opinion Christians who don't carry a bible are afraid that people will view them as a bible thumper or an old fashioned "fundie". So, to crucify that old flesh to the world I say carry a bible and stop playing the secret disciple.

Edited January 27, 2011 by Wilchbla

[John81]

Carry a bible to church, not an iphone "app" or an electronic bible. In my opinion Christians who don't carry a bible are afraid that people will view them as a bible thumper or an old fashioned "fundie". So, to crucify that old flesh to the world I say carry a bible and stop playing the secret disciple.

It's a very sad fact many professing Christians are embarassed to be seen carrying a Bible.

Another problem is folks who don't need to relying upon media in church to show Bible verses on screen. This is only made worse in those churches which use multiple MVs in their sermons. So many "versions" are used in those churches it's not even practical to carry a Bible because the pastor may quote from half-dozen or more "versions" during a sermon.

Our church finally added a multi-media screen last and Scripture verses are put up there and this has been a great blessing to our older members who can no longer see the print in their Bibles or their hands no longer allow them to get the pages turned quick enough. For the rest of us Bible in hand is best and that's what I use. Our associate pastor sometimes says one of his favorite sounds is when he hears folks in the congregation flipping the pages of their Bibles to follow along with the Scripture readings in a sermon.