{"id":22658,"date":"2017-05-15T16:15:33","date_gmt":"2017-05-15T23:15:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sharefaithblog.wpengine.com\/?p=22658"},"modified":"2017-10-18T12:21:02","modified_gmt":"2017-10-18T19:21:02","slug":"smartphones-in-worship-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sharefaith.com\/blog\/2017\/05\/smartphones-in-worship-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Smartphones In Worship Services: A Distraction Or Opportunity?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arguably, the largest trade show in Anaheim, California is the NAMM\u2013or, the National Association of Music Merchants. I have attended many times over the years as a musical artist, guest of a manufacturer or as a representative buyer for a house of worship. Besides \u201cgeeking out\u201d at the latest gear from all over the globe and soaking in performances in small venues of musical giants there is the reconnection with musicians that you don’t often get to hang out with due to distance and schedules. Our group of friends waited a rather long time to be seated in the hotel restaurant, but we finally ordered our food and immediately began chatting and perusing the menu. Before we were too deep into our lunch one of our table mates got our attention as he put his cell phone face down in the center of the table. His buddies quickly followed suit. I grudgingly stacked my phone, last on the deck as I saw the smirking glances in my direction. As an avid social media user I would have to engage in human conversation as unmediated by smartphones. What a shock and a way to go through potentially scary withdrawal symptoms. To add incentive to comply with the rules, the penalty was that whoever reached for their phone first would have to pay the entire bill. There were about seven of us\u2013so, that would be an ouch on the bill. Most of us at the table peered at the stack of phones as one of them would buzz from a text every so often. But, we did not dare grab our phones for fear of a hit to the pocket book.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Smartphones In Worship Services: A Distraction Or Opportunity?<\/h2>\n

What I experienced at lunch that day was surreal in comparison to the normal occurrence of lunch gatherings.\u00a0 <\/span>We often see a group of people supposedly meeting together, only to face their phones the entire time in near silence. We all observe that guy walking down the street while texting as the sunset is glowing in an explosion of color. Besides the danger of traffic, he is oblivious to the fantastic view while scrolling through meaningless memes on Facebook. Of course, I see that same sunset through my Instagram app and, instead of a single short pause for a photo, I spend much time editing the photo to perfection. Then I spend time glancing at the likes as they come in. We are in two places at once. The power of social media is the immediate disappearance of distance, yet the danger is we lack complete focus in the present. We basically are present in more than one place, or with more than one person at a time. Remember that lunch I told you about? I might have forgotten about the meeting had I only taken\u00a0a photo of my plate of food, instead of speaking with friends, both new and old. <\/span><\/p>\n

From a spiritual perspective, is it harmful to dissipate our attention using a smartphone like we all do today? This is an important question, as what we do in worship will flow into our daily lives. For many of us, it is a necessity to check texts and emails as part of our jobs. Beyond our work, staying connected to family and friends center more today on social media apps than with an old fashioned phone call. Do we embrace the cultural change, reject it, or create higher levels of opportunity with our use of smartphones? I believe, like with any advancement in technology, there are likely as many positives as there are negatives. With this in mind, we can choose to spend our energy vilifying technological advancements or find ways to lead in how they should be utilized? After all, the Apostle Paul embraced the technology of ships and maritime routes to spread the gospel. He also applied the technology of penning and distributing his letters to pastor churches he would never have the chance to visit in person. From ancient times, Christians have been adept at using whatever extension of humanity available to them for the advancement of the gospel. The good news of Jesus can travel on both paper-bound books, as well as glowing digital screens. Perhaps, smartphones and the social media apps that drive their use are incredible opportunities for us today\u2014even within our very worship services.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Gathering And Sending: Sharing That People Are Welcome And That We Are Sent On A Mission Are Powerfully Shared On Social Media.<\/b><\/h3>\n

At my church, I love that our pastor from time to time asks church members to take out their smartphones and make a social media post sharing their attendance at church. In our area of Orange County, California people on a Sunday morning might be sharing their experiences from surfing, biking, or hanging out with friends. This simple gesture strategically shows that some people in our community choose to worship on the weekend, while perhaps participating in all the other activities people partake in. If we cannot get our people to talk about what they do as far as attending church, then it becomes the proverbial tree falling in the forest. Just like my recommendation to come experience the great coffee at my favorite coffee shop, am I challenged to see my spiritual life as part of public discourse?\u00a0<\/span>What do people do in that church building I drive by each day? We might be surprised at the impact of simply sharing what we do in worship services on our community. We are here! And, you are welcome!<\/span><\/p>\n

To enhance this further, at every baptism, Easter service, or start of a new season, ask members to also share their photos, tagging them as being present at the church or to the church\u2019s Facebook page or Instagram feed. The best social media is not the glossy, filtered images that are meant to cause envy. The best ones show life as it really is and invite people to share in the best of humanity. Social media can do this, too! Imagine if our social media feeds have a baptism captured in photos rather than political rants of \u201cfake\u201d news? What we talk about can change the tenor of the conversation not only for those closest to you. We can change the culture a bit by every positive, real-to-life meaningful post on our feed. The power of this should not be underestimated. Worship services are a public event, meant to be open to anyone who desires to seek to come. Jesus ate with everyone. Do we see our services as Jesus saw his meals with all elements of society? The table in our worship can be an invitation if we choose to make it so. If people don\u2019t see this in action, they may not believe it to be true.<\/span><\/p>\n

One thing to ponder is that our norms are changing rapidly. Once, smartphone use during church was considered worse than a movie theater. Now, that is bad! The Pew Research Center reported in January of this year<\/a>\u00a0that 77% of adults use smartphones. That is a dramatically swift move from just 35% in 2011. With 78% of adults also on a computer and 51% owning tablets, social media is pervading our society as a dominant use. Last year, the same group reported in their research<\/a>\u00a0a 79% rate of the public on Facebook. While the other social media platforms are well behind, the numbers that adopt them and the particular segments of people that use them should not be ignored. Most people use these sites on a daily basis. The question becomes clear for us in ministry. Why would we not be in this new town square if so many of our parishioners are engaged there? Why would we shun its use as an extension of our faith practices when it may be the only place a neighbor next door might be reached? Imagine the opportunity. While there are challenges to being connected to our soul, it would be a head-in-sand approach to insist on methods remaining in the last century.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Word Does Not Return Void As We Share It\u2013Whether On Papyrus Or Digital Code. The Power To Engage With Sermons And Bible Readings Is At The Hands Of All.<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Why not make the weekend scripture available to share online. The church can facilitate this with making a graphic or meme to share. For those who attend worship, being able to find the main points of the sermon or the actual text of the scripture taught can reinforce personal devotion. One way to do this is to find a Bible app that your church might use during services. As an option to reading from the pew Bible, screens, or personal Bible, having it on a smartphone ties the activity of Bible reading to an individual\u2019s pocket. No matter where you are, having a moment to reflect during a busy day at work might become a personal devotion and reflection on God\u2019s word. If we see this modeled in a worship service, the practice might actually be seen as a valid option for those who attend. Another way to reinforce the preaching time is to encourage members to take notes\u2013even on a platform like Twitter. Tweeting out important points by our church people helps them remember them. And, it connects the main themes to those who could not be there in person, perking their interest and whetting their appetite to come to the next available service. As with any social media, the use of it is not a replacement or interaction, but an enhancement. In that regard, we can enhance connection to our teaching of God\u2019s word using smartphone technology.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There are still those who claim reading from a paper book is superior and even espouse the use of certain traditional translations. I indeed love the idea of standing while the Gospel is read in worship services. This reverence for the Word of God is a good thing, but some may take this idea too far. Reading from a piece of paper is not magical, is it? Is God\u2019s word meant to stay on a page anyway? Or, is \u201cthe Word made flesh\u201d a model of us as we incarnate God\u2019s truths into real life acts? As we apply the Word of God, we can demonstrate\u00a0that our living it out is the goal. Our use of smartphones to read or experience\u00a0the Bible is not about worshipping the Bible, as much as it is being changed by the Bible to be a better worshipper of Christ. If we see reverence to a method as our goal, we miss the point of God\u2019s Word entirely. And, I fear an overly zealous sense of reverence unintentionally inhibits people from being open to bringing God\u2019s Word every place they live\u2013even, online! If putting positive posts in our feeds can change culture a bit, living out God\u2019s Word online might take that even further. Are we open to see such a transformation?<\/span><\/p>\n

Worship Should Have Results That Inspire Our Spiritual Growth And Participation. How Do We \u201cSpur\u201d One Another On Towards Love And Good Deeds? <\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n
\n

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for\u00a0he who promised is faithful.\u00a0And\u00a0let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet\u00a0together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and\u00a0all the more as you see\u00a0the Day drawing near. \u2013\u00a0<\/span>Hebrews 10:23-25 (ESV)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

One of my favorite discussions about worship is in the New Testament book of Hebrews. While we are reminded of the promises of God each week in worship, we are asked to discern how to \u201cspur\u201d or stir up each other to love and acts of good works. The worship gathering must also have a sending component. Your use of social media and the smartphone just might be a tool to aid the engagement of your congregation in ministry. How can the purposes of making disciples be part of sending your people out? First, the idea of attending church should be replaced with the idea of gathering with others who desire to follow Jesus. Action comes not out of motivating people to simply check a box. The invitation is a process that connects people to the promise of God\u2019s presence in worship. If God is present with us, we then should long to bring God\u2019s presence with us to the stone cold office coffee on Monday mornings. How then do we \u201cstir\u201d each other?<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the best ways to do this is to encourage the sharing of stories. The idea of the liturgical element, Prayers of the People, is to engage the church in seeking God for each other\u2019s very human and present needs. Imagine using a Facebook group to post such prayers within your congregation and then inviting someone to read them aloud to all? Most will keep silent as public speaking of any kind is apparently akin to the fear of death. This simple way of posting prayers and reading is just an example of how people in their daily lives on Facebook might engage with their local church people more deeply. What other ideas can you come up with?<\/span><\/p>\n

The point of this is to make spiritual practices present where people are present. Apps that engage not only Bible reading, but charitable work, or financial generosity can be powerful connectors to people practicing their faith. However, we may deride it in the media, \u201cSlacktivism\u201d might actually be a stepping stone to greater activism. How about making serving an \u201cenvious\u201d image on our pages? If you are singing at a retirement home to shut-ins, why not share photos and stories about the encounter? People model what they see and too often there is the opposite broadcast. We all love to share that fancy plate of food, new outfit, or expensive vacation. There is nothing wrong with celebrating life, but do we include in that life the acts of service we partake in, as well? The joy we get from giving should not be a private affair in an age that needs every bit of goodwill we can muster to be exposed to our social media feeds. For every fake news post, if we see people loving others, the world surely would be a better place.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/h3>\n

Part Of The Package Of Seeing Smartphones In Worship Is Also To Guide Each Other To Use Them In A Healthy Manner.<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Teach and model the discipline of moderation and disconnection in the use of smartphones. There are certainly times we must disconnect from social media and our smartphones. As we publicly employ smartphone use in worship, the opportunity to encourage better use of them overall is significant. Remember that lunch where we piled our phones on the table? Encouraging restraint and wisdom will go a long way. People who do not think before posting will learn the benefits of listening and responding with kindness. Or, that is the hope. How do we learn to unplug from our devices?<\/span><\/p>\n