Almost all Americans believe that using a smartphone in church is generally unacceptable. On the surface, that seems hard to argue with. You go to church to worship, hear the sermon, sing hymns, and enjoy the fellowship of others. Smartphones should be silenced and put away until everyone is back in their cars, right?
According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center on mobile etiquette, 96 percent of us say yes, making worship services the most frowned-upon place to use a smartphone. Movie theaters and meetings, where 95 percent of us believe smartphones are off limits, follow closely behind.
A question of framing
Those strong negative feelings appear to run counter to e-Giving solutions like Give by Text, or the views expressed in a recent post on this blog. But I believe the response might have more to do with how the survey was framed, and less with how we actually feel about mobile etiquette and how we use our phones and tablets at worship services.
I agree wholeheartedly that it’s not OK to chat with a friend, surf the latest headlines or play an online game during worship services. If you take out your smartphone in the sanctuary for any of those reasons, you should expect a number of disapproving glances to be thrown your way. But is it OK to use your phone or tablet to look up Bible verses on an app like YouVersion, take notes, or donate to the church? Of course.
“When Pew asks questions about how people use their cellphones, they’re entering vague territory, because there’s no agreed-upon definition of use,” religion reporter Michael Schulson wrote after the survey results were made public. “If you asked the exact same question about churches after priming people to think of Bible apps, those opinions would be very different.”
The rules are evolving
At a colleague’s church, he noticed a couple of years ago that their associate pastor was no longer carrying a hymnal or prayer book when she entered the church during the processional. She has downloaded both books to her iPad, where she also keeps her sermon notes. A few members of the congregation have followed her lead, and their tablet use has been unobtrusive to fellow worshippers.
Generally speaking, technology isn’t a problem when it’s used for the right things. As long as you limit smartphone use in church to activities that increase your concern and compassion for others and fulfill your desire to serve them, I believe even most of the 96 percent in the Pew survey would approve.
Do you want to learn more about how technology can benefit your member engagement and giving? Read how one pastor encourages members to become regular givers through the power of electronic options.
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