I came across a blog entry that gave these five reasons NOT to use a digital Bible in church. I was kind of surprised at some of the reasoning, so I thought I would share these five “reasons,” along with my responses.
Your Bible is your Christian ‘Identity Card.’ Your Tablet Is Not
Interesting. What kind of identity card did Christians carry during the 1500 years between Jesus and the first printed, publicly accessible Bibles? The ability to even have a personal copy of God’s Word is still relatively new to Christianity. Hey, and what about Christians in China? Or Iraq? Or Sudan, where Bibles are illegal? What about in the tribal cultures of Paupa New Guinea, where there is no written language at all, let alone books?
Okay, besides that.. I am certain that Jesus disagreed with this reason. He never said the Bible was your identity card… In fact, He gave us an identity card of His own:
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
-Jesus, John 13:35 NLT
You can carry as many Bibles as you want, quoting them backwards and forward.. But without love, you are nothing more than a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians 13:1)
Your Church Shouldn’t Follow The World Trends So Closely
Um.. You are typing these words into a blog post via your computer, right? Irony.
Actually, the church has always done it’s best to leverage technology for the sake of getting the gospel to people.
- Roman roads became the catalyst for the Gospel being spread so quickly around the world.
- The printing press got Bibles into the hands of as many people as possible.
- Television allowed Billy Graham’s gospel ministry to flourish in the 50’s and 60’s
- Air travel allows missionaries to have access to places as never before.
These are just some… So when you are saying we shouldn’t use the world’s trends, you are arguing with all of Christian history.
You Will Lose The Essence Of The Bible, Such As It’s Order
Really? You think the essence of the Bible is it’s order? Please try to remember that these ancient writings were written over 1500 years, across 5 continents, and in three languages. Yet, every word, inspired by the Holy Spirit, communicates the same message: That God loves us and wants to restore us to Himself through the person of Jesus Christ. That message is the essence of the Bible.
None of these writings came with chapter numbers or verses. None of these came in order with any others, except for the Torah. (The first five books of the Old Testament) All numbering and ordering came later by humans who need to organize everything. The sequencing isn’t inspired by God.
By the way, all Bible apps I have ever used (mobile and desktop) feature a “table of contents” style means of accessing the chapter and verse you’re looking for, anyway… So this point is kind of moot and I don’t know why I’m arguing it.
Most mobile device owners just have it to show off, anyway
Really? Do you live in Amish country? Because as far as I can tell, these things just aren’t a status symbol any more. Last year, two-thirds of mobile devices sold were smartphones. 10-year olds have them. Welfare recipients are issued them. 72% of our church’s website traffic is via mobile device. Face it, grandpa.. The flip-phone and the desktop computer are both dead. People don’t view smartphones and other mobile devices as luxuries anymore.. They are modern tools for everyday life. We use them to read, research, communicate, look at pictures, play games, keep in touch with family, check scores, get news, stream movies, and lots of other things. Oh yeah… They make phone calls, also. Neato.
Your Tablet Or Smartphone Presents Distractions Like Texts, Pings, Alerts, Etc.
Okay, you got me on that one… But here is the thing. No matter how much you might try to fight it, it will still be the 21st century on Sunday morning while you are at church. Even if your church members all have paper Bibles, they are still carrying mobile devices, which will ping and alert them. It is inevitable. That horse is out of the barn already.
I am big on having your Bible on your digital device because of this reason. People love their mobility. The world is becoming digital, and most people refuse to go anywhere without their smartphone in their hand or in their pocket. My feeling is that if you are at work, at school, or wherever you are and you really need to stop and hear from God, you most likely won’t be carrying a paper Bible around with you… But you will be carrying your mobile device. I want you to learn to use your Bible on there, so God can use His Word to speak to you anytime, anywhere.
So by all means, have a paper Bible. Have a dozen of them! AND have digital ones as well. My perspective is that the best Bible is the one you have with you. Your life isn’t limited to ink and paper… Why should God be?