a Tablet as Your Church Bible - Good Idea?

[TripleB]

I'm considering the purchase of a Tablet (probably either the Nexus 7 or Galaxy Tab 2 7") to use as my Bible I take to church.

On my Droid 4 phone I have the Bible You Version App that I love. It has most of the translations (almost all you can download to the phone so you don't have to have Wifi to view them), you can go from one translation to another in 2 presses, in Sunday School we use HCSV and in Preaching we use KJV (so it would be very simple to switch back and forth), and in 2 presses I could see how many other translations translate the passages we are studying.

I'm thinking of going with a Tablet because it would be a lot easier to see than my Droid 4 and with a leather case (about $16) on the Tablet I think it would look a little more appropriate than me having out my phone in church.

So my questions are:
1) Do you think using a Tablet with a Bible App is inappropriate in church or a good idea?
2) Do you feel that others (who can't see what I'm looking at) will feel I'm just playing something on the Tablet?
3) Do you know of anyone who does this at your church?
4) What Tablet would you recommend? (I'm sort of leaning towards the Nexus 7 because it gets amazing reviews and I know it uses Google Play just like my Droid 4)

Thanks for any and help/advice you can give.

TripleB

 

[faeriecat]

I see several people at my church using tablet or smart phone devices as their Bibles. I see many others who don't bring one at all and just read the verses from the screen up front. I guess its a matter of personal preference and don't see a problem with it. I like the feel of real books, I'm weird, so I use my book format Bible at church.

 

[Mike]

I've moved this from the Bible Study Forum to the General Forum since it is not intended to discuss scripture.

 

[gecko]

I've seen various people at my church with tablets. I don't see anything wrong with it.

2) Do you feel that others (who can't see what I'm looking at) will feel I'm just playing something on the Tablet?

Why does it matter if they do?

 

[TripleB]

I've moved this from the Bible Study Forum to the General Forum since it is not intended to discuss scripture.

Thank you!

Why does it matter if they do?

Well, I guess I just don't them thinking I'm not paying attention to the lesson or the sermon

Thanks for the input so far.

TripleB

 

[BornAgain]

I'm considering the purchase of a Tablet (probably either the Nexus 7 or Galaxy Tab 2 7") to use as my Bible I take to church.

On my Droid 4 phone I have the Bible You Version App that I love. It has most of the translations (almost all you can download to the phone so you don't have to have Wifi to view them), you can go from one translation to another in 2 presses, in Sunday School we use HCSV and in Preaching we use KJV (so it would be very simple to switch back and forth), and in 2 presses I could see how many other translations translate the passages we are studying.

I'm thinking of going with a Tablet because it would be a lot easier to see than my Droid 4 and with a leather case (about $16) on the Tablet I think it would look a little more appropriate than me having out my phone in church.

So my questions are:
1) Do you think using a Tablet with a Bible App is inappropriate in church or a good idea?
2) Do you feel that others (who can't see what I'm looking at) will feel I'm just playing something on the Tablet?
3) Do you know of anyone who does this at your church?
4) What Tablet would you recommend? (I'm sort of leaning towards the Nexus 7 because it gets amazing reviews and I know it uses Google Play just like my Droid 4)

Thanks for any and help/advice you can give.

TripleB

I am pretty traditional and feel like the Bible is appropriate for worship service. I have seen people use their phones and you wonder if they are texting (which I have seen happen during a sermon) so I question if they are actually participating or just playing with their devices.

But, what business is it of mine. I just prefer taking a Bible to church, I believe it is more appropriate.

 

[Claudya]

Well, I guess I just don't them thinking I'm not paying attention to the lesson or the sermon

You are worrying WAY too much about what people think.
If they are wondering what you are doing with the tablet out in church they can ask you and you can show them the advantages a software bible has for you and I bet most or all of them will understand. Those that don't bother to ask before judging you are in trouble themselves. By carelessly judging without sufficient information those persons would clearly act against God's will. That's not your problem, but their's. (Unless you feel you have to help them overcome their judgmental-ness because you want to help your brethren grow in faith, in that case it sort of is your problem. But then hiding the tablet would be the wrong way of helping them...)

Just make sure your tablet doesn't make any annoying clicks or beeps or other kinds of sounds, or flashing lights that could distract your neighbors.

Could you use the tablet to take notes during a good sermon or bible study class, too? Because that would be really awesome!

 

[Paul1965]

I think it's it's fine and agree it doesn't matter what others think. The two people who count (you and God) know the truth. As Claudya said mute it if it has those annoying scrolling prompt sounds. Try to find one that has a good quality voice recording program / software built in with ample storage. Then you can record sermons Hymns etc (I'm too lazy to write them down)

 

[BornAgain]

Don't Take Your iPod to Church!

A trend we see today through today’s digital technology is the use of this kind of knowledge, cold facts, at the expense of more intimate knowledge. This is true, I’m convinced, when we take our iPods to church

This trend manifests itself in other ways. We are increasingly moving knowledge to the cloud and relying on knowledge that exists in the cloud. The cloud, of course, is that sum of knowledge, or is it information?, that exists “out there.â€

When you just need to know what is in that bottle of pills you left in the closet and type its name into Google, you are accessing the cloud. It is convenient, to be sure. But it is encouraging us to emphasize the skill of accessing in favor of the skills of knowing and understanding. We are becoming people who have little knowledge in our minds but great knowledge available with a few taps of our thumbs.

And then we might ask, if we have little knowledge in our minds, how much can we have in our hearts? What use is memorizing Scripture if we can access our favorite translation faster than we begin to recite it. Why expend effort in getting the Bible into our hearts and minds if we already have it in our pockets?

The trend causes us to care more about accessing information that will make our lives immediately easier, that will fix our little problems, than the morality of what we do with that information. The information we access thus has no moral purpose, but instead a purely practical purpose.

“To know is to leverage information to accomplish instrumental goals.†(Schultze 33) Heart knowledge is downplayed in favor of using information to get what we want, now. What happens when we regard our friends in such ways? Our spouses? Our God?

Today’s digital technology is unparalleled in history as a means of communicating with others and as a means of sharing information. For this we ought to be grateful. Yet at the same time it may just be changing how we understand, perceive and gather information. We must exercise great caution that we do not lose knowledge of with our newfound ability to find knowledge about. I don’t think I even need to tell you how today’s generation differs in regard to past generations when it comes to their level of knowledge of history, language, Scipture and just about everything else. We may know how to do more, but we do not necessarily know more.

About the Author

I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto, Ontario, edit Discerning Reader and am a co-founder of Cruciform Press.

 

[Claudya]

@ BornAgain:
That guy is right in many ways and it's a good warning he gives to his readers: watch out for what the new technologies do to your minds and souls.

But in the context of this thread's original question, would he really want us to memorise the whole bible in different translations for each language we use (those of us that live a bilingual life)?

 

[TripleB]

I think it's it's fine and agree it doesn't matter what others think.

What if that 'other' is your 'significant other'?

I asked my wife what she would think if she saw someone with a tablet out in church and she said she would think they weren't paying attention. So now I'm a bit between a rock and a hard place.

I think it would be awesome to have my Sunday School Bible (HCSB) and my Worship Service Bible (NKJ) along with 20 other transtlations in this small piece of technology...being able to within 3 seconds see what words/phrases other translations used...and being able to jot down notes while I'm listening to the Preacher/Sunday School teacher...etc.

But I'm afraid my wife would be embarrassed by me using one because she would be afraid others might think I'm not paying attention.

TripleB

 

[BornAgain]

@ BornAgain:
That guy is right in many ways and it's a good warning he gives to his readers: watch out for what the new technologies do to your minds and souls.

But in the context of this thread's original question, would he really want us to memorise the whole bible in different translations for each language we use (those of us that live a bilingual life)?

Hi Claudya,

We do not have to memorize, but there are many reference books we can use. There is nothing wrong with using technology to get information quickly....I do it all of the time. But, it is good to use the Bible for study and searching scriptures.

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
¹⁵Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

BornAgain

 

[Paul1965]

TripleB,

think they weren't paying attention.

Like i said what others think doesn't matter,it's between God and the person worshiping.

But I'm afraid my wife would be embarrassed by me using one because she would be afraid others might think I'm not paying attention.

Then maybe before or after services,you could do a bit of a sales pitch. example. "Hey, have you seen the new KJV app for (brand name) it's great,I've got 10 different translations here (show them) to help me better understand His word." That should stop people making misguided assumptions and put your wife's mind at ease a bit.

Hi BornAgain,

We do not have to memorize, but there are many reference books we can use. There is nothing wrong with using technology to get information quickly....I do it all of the time. But, it is good to use the Bible for study and searching scriptures.

Just curious, if the technology is the android / tablet / PC, and the software is His Word in electronic form but exactly as it appears in printed hard copy, isn't it the same thing? Don't get me wrong,like you I prefer my hard copy to my PC version (I use NLT at the moment). However when traveling light for work etc, I use my lap top version during breaks.
God Bless

 

[Knotical]

Plenty of people in my church, which is rather conservative, use tablets with bible apps. Even my wife uses her Nook with a NASB on it.

Quite frankly, anyone who would have a problem with it really has a bigger problem as they should not be focusing on what you are using to read the bible, but on worshiping God.

 

[HumbleOurselves]

I would say that a weak faith would associate the device as sinful; however, BornAgain spoke of some great wisdom in our dependency of quick intellectual knowledge instead of seeking understanding. We are also told in scripture to do what benefits others not just ourselves, as well as being willing to sacrifice our freedoms for the sake of weaker brothers. Any good thing can be abused and used incorrectly, which is why I understand the concern. I would venture to say that unless someone in your congregation mentions something, use it and be courteous with how you use the technology. If someone has a problem and voices it, I would cease to use the technology for their conscience, approach them and share your motivation for using it, and discuss why your conscience isn't disturbed by it.