Comments on: Pastor Asks Congregation to Turn Cell Phones ON During Church Service http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/ A look at how trends in communication technology impact individuals and organizations. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:35:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: Hasos Tafel » Predigt 2.0? http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-131217 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:13:27 +0000 http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-131217 [...] In einer Gemeinde fordert der Pastor die Gottesdienstbesucher auf, ihr Handy mitzubringen und angeschaltet zu lassen. Während der Predigt (zum Thema Gebet) haben sie die Möglichkeit, per SMS ihre Fragen an eine eingeblendete Nummer zu schicken. In einem Büro sitzt einer der Ältesten und stellt die wichtigsten / häufigsten Fragen zusammen. Anschließend bringt er die Liste dem Pasor, der sie öffentlich beantwortet. So geschehen in der Cypress Meadows Community Church in Clearwater, Florida. [...] […] In einer Gemeinde fordert der Pastor die Gottesdienstbesucher auf, ihr Handy mitzubringen und angeschaltet zu lassen. Während der Predigt (zum Thema Gebet) haben sie die Möglichkeit, per SMS ihre Fragen an eine eingeblendete Nummer zu schicken. In einem Büro sitzt einer der Ältesten und stellt die wichtigsten / häufigsten Fragen zusammen. Anschließend bringt er die Liste dem Pasor, der sie öffentlich beantwortet. So geschehen in der Cypress Meadows Community Church in Clearwater, Florida. […]

]]> by: Paul Steinbrueck http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-53934 Sun, 24 Jun 2007 10:29:41 +0000 http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-53934 >>how is this an improvement on passing around the bucket for folks to put slips of paper into, on which they have written their question? Rich, good qustion. Some other improvements I think texting has over passing a bucket is are: 1) Personally, I would consider having the ushers walk around passing buckets to be more distracting than texting. 2) Passing the bucket only gives one opportunity for people to submit their questions, whereas with texting a person can do it any time during the service. 3) Texting allows the moderator to review quesions as they come in throughout the service rather than all at once at the end. If you pass the bucket you would have to do so earlier in the service to give the moderator time to review all the questions afterwards. 4) Texting makes the moderating easier because all the messages are all in one place and typed rather than hand-written. But I do consider the fact that texting excludes more than half a congregation from submiting questions a big detractor. >>how is this an improvement on passing around the bucket for folks to put slips of paper into, on which they have written their question?

Rich, good qustion. Some other improvements I think texting has over passing a bucket is are:

1) Personally, I would consider having the ushers walk around passing buckets to be more distracting than texting.

2) Passing the bucket only gives one opportunity for people to submit their questions, whereas with texting a person can do it any time during the service.

3) Texting allows the moderator to review quesions as they come in throughout the service rather than all at once at the end. If you pass the bucket you would have to do so earlier in the service to give the moderator time to review all the questions afterwards.

4) Texting makes the moderating easier because all the messages are all in one place and typed rather than hand-written.

But I do consider the fact that texting excludes more than half a congregation from submiting questions a big detractor.

]]> by: Rich Tatum http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-53427 Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:41:07 +0000 http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-53427 While I suspect the whole texting process is a little distracting and obtrusive, it does communicate one thing effectively: This pastor wants to be contemporary. It raises this question for me, though, how is this an improvement on passing around the bucket for folks to put slips of paper into, on which they have written their question? Benefits: There's no technology gap. Everyone from kindergartners to grandparents could participate. Lower distraction risk: people won't be peering at their neighbor's using this new-fangled texting thingie. And there's no risk the cell-phones will go off if someone forgot to put it on vibrate or silent. Teens won't be texting each other during the sermon under the cover of "writing the pastor a question." More anonymity: guests won't feel like they're giving away too much information if they have a question. Church memebers might feel awkward asking a really tough question knowing that the quesetion could be associated with their ID. Less anonymity: If someone wishes, they could sign their name. Sometimes "old school" works better, I think. Regards, Rich <a href="http://tatumweb.com/blog/">BlogRodent</a> While I suspect the whole texting process is a little distracting and obtrusive, it does communicate one thing effectively: This pastor wants to be contemporary.

It raises this question for me, though, how is this an improvement on passing around the bucket for folks to put slips of paper into, on which they have written their question?

Benefits:

There’s no technology gap. Everyone from kindergartners to grandparents could participate.

Lower distraction risk: people won’t be peering at their neighbor’s using this new-fangled texting thingie. And there’s no risk the cell-phones will go off if someone forgot to put it on vibrate or silent. Teens won’t be texting each other during the sermon under the cover of “writing the pastor a question.”

More anonymity: guests won’t feel like they’re giving away too much information if they have a question. Church memebers might feel awkward asking a really tough question knowing that the quesetion could be associated with their ID.

Less anonymity: If someone wishes, they could sign their name.

Sometimes “old school” works better, I think.

Regards,

Rich
BlogRodent

]]> by: The Strait Gate http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-47419 Tue, 05 Jun 2007 19:23:05 +0000 http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-47419 In answer to Pastor Walker I would like to point out that I am 52 and I can do text messaging - admittedly I am nowhere near as fast as my daughters, but I can do it! David In answer to Pastor Walker I would like to point out that I am 52 and I can do text messaging - admittedly I am nowhere near as fast as my daughters, but I can do it!

David

]]> by: Mean Dean http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-45310 Sat, 02 Jun 2007 06:11:37 +0000 http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-45310 I also have posted on this topic in no small detail on <a href="http://healyourchurchwebsite.com/2007/06/02/pastors-preach-turn-on-tune-in-to-your-blackberry/" title="turn on &#38; tune in … to your Blackberry">Heal Your Church Web Site</a> ... ... as I think emerging mobile technologies need to be leveraged for good study instead of summarily being treated as a distracting evil. Especially as the younger demographics beginning to fill the pews and lay positions now come from a context of never knowing a world without such devices! I also have posted on this topic in no small detail on Heal Your Church Web Site …

… as I think emerging mobile technologies need to be leveraged for good study instead of summarily being treated as a distracting evil.

Especially as the younger demographics beginning to fill the pews and lay positions now come from a context of never knowing a world without such devices!

]]> by: Heal Your Church Web Site » Archive » Pastors preach: turn on & tune in … to your Blackberry http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-45309 Sat, 02 Jun 2007 06:10:28 +0000 http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-45309 [...] Pastors preach: turn on &#38; tune in &#8230; to your Blackberry Posted in Theology on June 2nd, 2007 Here are two headlines blogs4God juxtaposition for me perfectly: Blackberry in Church? Pastor Asks Congregation to Turn Cell Phones ON During Church Service. [...] […] Pastors preach: turn on & tune in … to your Blackberry Posted in Theology on June 2nd, 2007 Here are two headlines blogs4God juxtaposition for me perfectly: Blackberry in Church? Pastor Asks Congregation to Turn Cell Phones ON During Church Service. […]

]]> by: Paul Steinbrueck http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-44509 Thu, 31 May 2007 16:54:18 +0000 http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-44509 Whoops, thanks for pointing that out Dan! That will rank up there as one of my most embarrassing moments as a blogger. :) Whoops, thanks for pointing that out Dan! That will rank up there as one of my most embarrassing moments as a blogger. :)

]]> by: Dan http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-44442 Thu, 31 May 2007 14:36:38 +0000 http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-44442 You better change the wording on the 3rd question from people. It makes it a very private matter. You better change the wording on the 3rd question from people. It makes it a very private matter.

]]> by: Paul Steinbrueck http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-44434 Thu, 31 May 2007 14:16:47 +0000 http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-44434 "I too hate those things going off during the services. It is very distracting for the congregation." Rev. Peak, that brings to mind something I didn't mention in the article... We have this "rule" at our church - if your cell phone goes off during a service, you have to buy everyone there pizza. Of course, it's not actually enforced, but it's kind of a running joke that helps us remind people to keep their phones silent during services. “I too hate those things going off during the services. It is very distracting for the congregation.”

Rev. Peak, that brings to mind something I didn’t mention in the article…

We have this “rule” at our church - if your cell phone goes off during a service, you have to buy everyone there pizza. Of course, it’s not actually enforced, but it’s kind of a running joke that helps us remind people to keep their phones silent during services.

]]> by: Paul Steinbrueck http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-44432 Thu, 31 May 2007 14:13:29 +0000 http://blog.ourchurch.com/2007/05/30/pastor-asks-congregation-to-turn-cell-phones-on-during-church-service/#comment-44432 Pastor Walker - Thanks for your comment. "only adolescents and teenagers knew how to send... they ought to have enough guts to look me in the eye and SPEAK... text messaging the pastor is absurd." I wonder how many people said the same thing about email 15 years ago? Pastor Walker - Thanks for your comment. “only adolescents and teenagers knew how to send… they ought to have enough guts to look me in the eye and SPEAK… text messaging the pastor is absurd.”

I wonder how many people said the same thing about email 15 years ago?

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