Devices Replacing Hard Copy Bibles & Study Materials in Church

[mike]

I don’t see any realistic way for a congregation to use digital devices in the service without them being used for distractions more than a help. For every person using it responsibility, there will be 4 times as much distraction and disruption. If this were not the case, I’d be okay with it. I’m not against progress or digital. But the way digital is currently, it doesn’t work. For every Mike or Soloist using it, there will be 4 deacons boys - who then point to Mike and Soloist devices. I used to be a deacons boy. I know how they think.

Maybe the problems in those cases are bigger than whether people are using the Bible on their phone, or not.

Still, I view using an app to read the Bible or take notes as a minor convenience, and something that is easily sacrificed if it causes concern to others.

[Soloist]

I don’t see any realistic way for a congregation to use digital devices in the service without them being used for distractions more than a help. For every person using it responsibility, there will be 4 times as much distraction and disruption. If this were not the case, I’d be okay with it. I’m not against progress or digital. But the way digital is currently, it doesn’t work. For every Mike or Soloist using it, there will be 4 deacons boys - who then point to Mike and Soloist devices. I used to be a deacons boy. I know how they think.

Maybe the problems in those cases are bigger than whether people are using the Bible on their phone, or not.

Still, I view using an app to read the Bible or take notes as a minor convenience, and something that is easily sacrificed if it causes concern to others.

Personally, I have a very hard time paying attention to lectures or sermons. In nursing school I would record the lecture and listen to it at home while playing a logistics game called factorio. I did very well in school although I’m sure you can see what someone would think if I did that during class or in church

I never really liked taking digital notes, always was pen and paper for me and I still do so at church. I just don’t generally hear anything I feel I need to take notes on.

[Bootstrap]

I disable notifications during Church and read from my phone.

I do that when I preach, too.

Outside of church, I often listen to audio Bibles, but that doesn't work in church. Even in church, I sometimes use my phone to search for related Scriptures, look up a Greek or Hebrew word, etc. That's harder to do with paper.

[Neto]

I haven't read others comments yet, but I hit 'Other'.

My response:
"I'm not comfortable with using digital devices instead of or supplemental to hard copies in church, and I'm uneasy about whether it is beneficial for others to be doing it."

That is, I have doubts or questions. Can you make notes, or 'highlight' words or sections? Is there anything that helps you find that passage again when you cannot recall where it was. (Like I might remember where on a page certain things are located, even if I don't even remember what book it is in. I HAVE done memorization in several different versions, but because of having worked in Bible translation, I tend not to remember the words used in any particular translation, but just the meaning.)

[Bootstrap]

Can you make notes, or 'highlight' words or sections?

Yes.

Is there anything that helps you find that passage again when you cannot recall where it was.

I can usually find passages by searching for parts I remember. The name of a character, etc. Some passages use very generic words, sometimes I have Googled for pages that discuss a particular passage, then used the verse references on a page to find the passage.

[QuietlyListening]

I personally use my hard copy bible at home but at church use the pew bible, read the overhead as they display it or use my phone.
I grew up with using a hard copy bible but this generation is used to kindles/books on phones- basically electronic devices and are very very comfortable to maybe more comfortable with them
Personally if you are reading the Bible- does it matter if you are using a device or hard copy?
Yes phones can distract a person but if it's not a phone there are plenty of other things to distract them.

Sometimes I feel we get caught up with non essentials and make a big deal about them. In the end result does it really matter where you are reading your bible/from where you are reading it? What matters it that you are reading it, listening to it being read. Just my opinion.

[mike]

I don’t see any realistic way for a congregation to use digital devices in the service without them being used for distractions more than a help. For every person using it responsibility, there will be 4 times as much distraction and disruption. If this were not the case, I’d be okay with it. I’m not against progress or digital. But the way digital is currently, it doesn’t work. For every Mike or Soloist using it, there will be 4 deacons boys - who then point to Mike and Soloist devices. I used to be a deacons boy. I know how they think.

Maybe the problems in those cases are bigger than whether people are using the Bible on their phone, or not.

Still, I view using an app to read the Bible or take notes as a minor convenience, and something that is easily sacrificed if it causes concern to others.

Personally, I have a very hard time paying attention to lectures or sermons... I just don’t generally hear anything I feel I need to take notes on.

As far as paying attention, I think many people are like that. People have different ways of dealing with it, not all of which involve remaining fully aware of their surroundings.

As far as note taking, I see a lot of people dutifully taking notes in church regularly and I wonder what they do with the notes. I suspect some people do it as an activity to keep focused and engaged, not out of any plan to look at the notes later. I don't usually take notes, but we do need to list things like prayer requests or maybe announced dates and times.

[Bootstrap]

In one way, a phone is less distracting for me.

If we are reading sequentially through a passage, it's easier to keep my place. I just keep scrolling as I read, and the part I read last is always at the top of the screen. So if I am preaching, or listening to the preacher without my head in the book, I can always instantly see where I was last reading.

And it's smaller. It lets me walk around while preaching, I'm not as tied to the pulpit.

[Bootstrap]

As far as note taking, I see a lot of people dutifully taking notes in church regularly and I wonder what they do with the notes. I suspect some people do it as an activity to keep focused and engaged, not out of any plan to look at the notes later. I don't usually take notes, but we do need to list things like prayer requests or maybe announced dates and times.

Sometimes I print out pages and use colored pencils and a pencil to mark them up in various ways. I don't need the notes once I have done that, but that kind of active reading helps me see things I might otherwise miss.

[mike]

In one way, a phone is less distracting for me.

If we are reading sequentially through a passage, it's easier to keep my place. I just keep scrolling as I read, and the part I read last is always at the top of the screen. So if I am preaching, or listening to the preacher without my head in the book, I can always instantly see where I was last reading.

And it's smaller. It lets me walk around while preaching, I'm not as tied to the pulpit.

Reading from a phone is more linear. If you're flipping between several different spots in the Bible, you can't just put your finger in the one while flipping to the other. It's all electronic, so to quickly get back to your spot you have to go to your history and tap the right reference on the list. I think that's one of the downsides of digital Bibles.