Undistracted Worship

It’s embarrassing to watch, the fumbling, the struggling, the unspoken, “where did I put it?” as they scrounge through the multidimensional bag. We’ve been that person! Which is why it’s painful to watch. The all-too-familiar chime or ringtone which activates some subconscious instinct to act. It has sounded its presence, in the presence of others, who gather in the presence of God. Called to worship or just… getting called? Like the demon in the synagogue, we don’t often think to wonder, “what’s that doing in there?” There was an ambush, an invasion, an infiltration of the world into a sacred space of focused devotion to God.

What could be more important than this? Perhaps the emoji reaction to the message you were sending right as church started, when you could have said hello to someone new. Or was it someone calling who doesn’t usually go to church and doesn’t care much about disturbing you at church? Perhaps the noise I heard wasn’t a ringtone; it was the audio of a video you started watching, but your phone wasn’t turned down. Yes, you could have put the phone on silent but forgot. But you also could have just left it at home or in the car.

Now, in the moment, the individual is embarrassed (and distracted). The congregation is distracted by the noise designed to gain attention (and feeling slightly embarrassed on their behalf). Furthermore, we are each self-aware of our own phones. The leader or minister is now derailed mentally, or perhaps annoyed since they had put some time and thought and prayer into the service and into your presence. Or, more humorously and slightly forgivably, the Bible audio playing suddenly when someone finds the passage we are reading.

From up front, a church can subtly encourage this through the “realist” attitude that not much can be done about the presence of the all-pervasive phone, so we do some compromising management. Because if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.

Namely, we tell people at the start of a service, or during the welcome slides perhaps, “phones on silent.” Or whenever we announce the Bible readings, we say, “Get out your Bible, or open your Bible app.” We assume the presence of the digital: “Scan this QR code,” or, “I’ll give you a minute to get out your phone and save the date in your calendar for event X.”

On the other side of the spectrum are churches who have dedicated apps just for their church or church brand where a variety of church life activities are managed. If that sounds too megachurch resource level, well, you are probably using Elvanto and it’s app. We can’t all be rich. Stay humble. But stay connected!

In order to audit the behaviours and effects of the phone in church, we should consider what is happening in church and why.

Church is a time to connect to God, with others. Praising God together and learning from his Word together, and praying together. We do not give up gathering together to spur one another one. Because of the distracting and trivialising effect of the phone, its presence is going to be, for most people, a hindrance to the ends of the church. Which is a hindrance to glorifying God, learning his Word, and praying for our and others’ needs.

One might ask: what enables me to give and get the most from church? Undistracted, focused time in devotion through prayer, praise, and word. Paper Bible in hand. Notebook on lap. Mind given to thoughts of the Lord in prayer or praise. This is the act of setting our minds on things above. On giving our thoughts to what is noble and praiseworthy and good – The Lord. The church gathering is the very opposite of the mundane and trivial or simply entertaining.

For all the glorious work that is taking place, it’s not long—an hour or so in church. It’s not difficult—except that our psyche is in anguish due to worldly conditioning. Furthermore, you have the greatest motivation: saved by the Lord from sin and the world and the Spirit dwelling within crying out to the Father.

With the ability to be contacted all the time, there is an expectation to be contactable all the time. That because you have all the entertainment imaginable at your fingertips, you ought to be in a constant state of jovial consumption as you see or hear new and novel matters. That because you can, you should get on board with this attitude. This leads to a boundaryless existence where all things bleed into each other. When distance or location can be breached with a text, call, or scroll, then the walls of the church, the boundary, the defining experience of gathering, can be broken through by the outside through this cellular connection.

We don’t need bigger walls (or firewalls in this instance). We need purposeful minds and hearts. It is as old as oldness. The heart is always, in every age, prone to wander. It has just got a particular device to enable that so profoundly at present. Perhaps a spiritual firewall is needed. What is this but the soul primed to gather with purpose and devotion in praise of God with his people for the encouragement of self and others.

Despite all the above, perhaps there are some uses for the phone in church which you are likely considering – the exceptions. After all, phones are not inherently worldly or wrong. There are generally exceptions to patterns. Could it be that you are one of the rare cases, not prone to distraction or worldliness with good grounds for its use?

I read my Bible on the phone.

Bring a paper Bible.

But I take notes on my phone.

Take notes in a notebook.

But I might need to organise a catch-up.

That can happen after church, obviously. Or better, switch to a paper calendar.

But somebody might need me!

Indeed. At this point, there may be a genuine need to be contactable. But the caution I would want us to have is against defaulting too easily to this response. Given current standards and expectations around matters like this, it is highly likely, in my opinion, that people set the bar too low for what constitutes a real need. We are too sensitive and have a lower threshold in matters like this. We either overestimate our own abilities and contribution, or exaggerate the seriousness of issues so that terms like “crisis” or “need” become less meaningful. So yes, someone might need you. But what does “need” mean?

But the crèche requires a mobile number.

Tricky. But what if you tell them you didn’t bring a phone? That’s what I’ve done. I’ve just told the crèche volunteer, “I’m the one with a yellow shirt,” or something similar, and made sure my kids have gone to the toilet before crèche. This is obviously case by case and may be an actual requirement for something like a safe ministry protocol in the church. But if you can get around it, say by alternating responsibilities for a Sunday service between parents, then you may be able to get the intended result: parents, mothers particularly, being enabled to give greater attention during the service.

For these and so many other potential “buts,” one could simply and easily argue that, if you didn’t have a phone, then you would have to forgo an opportunity or undertake some minor, and it will be minor, inconvenience. Which is exactly the point. These scenarios represent conveniences or efficiencies. These conveniences and efficiencies, however, may not be the best means for achieving the greatest ends of the church gathering. If greater spiritual growth and encouragement and glory is given to God through other less convenient or efficient means, then at the very least we should ask if we are able and willing to pursue those means to give and get the most from the gathering of the saints and the praise of the Lord.

Wholesale dismissal isn’t the point by the way. Some potentially genuine beneficial uses might include large point font bible apps, hearing assistance, or other accessibility related functions.

But for the most part we would agree from experience that when the presence or use of a phone is at work we often find ourselves on a slippery slope of distraction. We intend to text someone but end up getting taken off track and surfing the web or responding to other unrelated notifications. All too familiar are the words, “what was I doing again?” Without a doubt, this effect will be brought into the church environment along with the phone despite one’s best intentions. The phone outplays your intentions. It doesn’t care that you’re in church. It has its own agenda.

On top of this, it’s not just you in your own world of willpower. The gathering is made up of many, of course. How odd it would be if 80% of people didn’t bring a phone to church but you were one of the few. You’d feel very different in that situation (which is like a country church filled with oldies a bit!). But that’s often not the case (even in country churches). I’m often the odd one out not using my phone as much in church, or forgetting it (happily) and working from pen and paper.

On that note, not every example is equally weighted. The minister will inevitably set more of the tone and his example will carry more weight. So this topic is all the more relevant for consideration by those of us who are in positions of leadership in the church body. At this point you might be more convinced of the benefit of using a phone in church for the sake of convenience and efficiency as you are organising and doing much more than simply turning up. Nevertheless, that’s all the more reason to consider these matters. There is all the more need for you to lead in the means and ends of the gathering to praise the Lord and teach and pray in undistracted and focused devotion. Far from having exceptions in this matter as a minister or leader, you are to heed the words of Romans 2, to paraphrase, “you who call people to undivided devotion and attention of the Lord, are you distracted?”

Perhaps the next best step is to start how many start the journey of faith, by ‘giving it a go’. What difference might the inconveniences of virtual disconnectedness make to your spiritual connectedness? I anticipate it will be a battle between the real feelings of greater focus on God and others, while also feeling the occasional pain of inconveniences you once enjoyed coupled with a sort of ‘digital nakedness’.

Perhaps by the grace of God, you’ll be able to weather the momentary troubles for the greater joy and delight of God’s presence in the presence of others.