I had the opportunity to travel with an associate pastor to a hear him preach a message at a church in a neighboring town. He is a great expositor of the Word and taught aspiring young preachers at a local Bible college.
On the way back home he asked me “Did you notice anything wrong with that church?”
My mind flashed back through the service and I remembered that their pastor was very nice, the people were nice, the church facilities and grounds were nicely maintained, the choir and singing was nice, etc..
I replied, “No, what was wrong?”
He said “No-one had their Bible with them.”
Then I remembered seeing “nice” hymnals in the nice pews, but not even a Bible there in the pews, or anyone carrying a Bible.
I’ll never forget that.
Indeed. Stories like that make me think of this country gospel song by Kitty Wells-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpaV50HEgzM
My Bible is on my iPhone.
But you’re free to judge and condemn if you’d like, since I don’t carry a leather-bound book with me when I go to church ...
Hmm - I keep a good Bible on my iPhone, and is a service really the best time to do Bible reading? I know that I need to do my reading in a quiet, disciplined fashion....