Here we are in the midst of singing a stirring rendition of ''Send it on Down'', the song leader is really worshipping and really putting all of his emotional strength and energy into it. People all over the congregation are visabliy touched. Uplifted hands, tears rolling down faces, people dedicating and rededicating themselves to God.Suddenly someone grabs their cell phone and moves out into the isle, flips open that Motorola ® and heads to the back of the church or to the parking lot.
OK, I understand that certain professions require you to be ON CALL, so if someone falls into the following categories I can fully and truly understand their need to take that call during service:
- President of the United States of America
- Director of the CIA, FBI, DEA, Homeland Security, Secret Service, or the NSA
- Any member of the Presidents Cabinet
- Any employee of a Law Enforcement agency whose job requires them to be on call for SWAT Teams, Scuba Diving, and other Law Enforcement emergencies.
- Medical Professionals, Doctors, Nurses, Coroners and other ON CALL Medical professionals.
- Firefighters and Paramedics may need to be called out of work once in a while.
- Funeral Home directors
- Landlords and Maintenance men
- Pastors
- Private Investigators or Attorneys might be called out for certain emergency issues
- Computer Techs, and Network administrators might be called out on occasion.
However what I see running out to take these calls are 15-year-old boys and girls, young adults and others whose jobs do not require them to be ON CALL. I've stood in the back of churches watching people run out to talk to someone about their plans for tomorrow night, or what restaurant they were going to meet at after church. Hey, I once saw the musicians at a service leave the platform after the speaker got up to preach and take calls on their cell phones.
Of course, text messaging has taken the place of passing notes; you can now use the text message function and plan that after service pizza party or decide which babe is the cutest in that church service.
If the preacher is a little boring, you can log on to your java enabled cell phone and surf the web, visit a chat room or log onto your favorite Instant Messenger to talk to your friend 5 states (or pews) away. If you don't want to do that, you can keep track of the latest baseball scores, manage your fantasy football team and trade some stocks all before the altar call and final prayer.
I've often wondered what would happen if at National Conference sometime, the speaker steps away from the pulpit and takes a Cell Phone call.
Speaker: Nothing, I am just preaching to 35, 000 people.
Pause
Speaker: Yeah I am doing pretty good, man I have some great illustrations to use tonight
Pause
Speaker: Yes; he is here, I had lunch with him today.
Pause
Speaker: Really?
Pause
Speaker: You're kidding me
Pause
Looks up at the crowd and holds up a finger and smiles weakly
Speaker: But I thought that he …
Pause
Speaker: uh huh
Pause
Speaker: Really? A red one huh?
Pause
Speaker: No, not really.
Pause
Speaker: Well, I'll mention it to him when I see him.
Pause
Speaker: No, I think he has a Ford.
Pause
Speaker: Me, no I am happy with my Dodge
Pause
Speaker: Ok, hey listen, these folks are getting restless, I better get back to my sermon.
Snaps phone shut.
What would our reaction be? I think it would be safe to assume that any move of the spirit would have died right there on the spot? I wonder if the congregation could get behind him or would they be wondering what that was all about?
It’s the same thing when we get up to run out and take our cell phone calls. Others see you leave with that phone in your hand; if they know that your profeession does not require emergency calls, what impression are you leaveing them?
When coming to church, unless there is a valid reason for having that cell phone on and taking a call, either turn it off or leave it in your car. It really is a matter of respecting your house or worship.
