Do you bring your own Bible to church?

[MeaganS]

Dh and I use an app for our scriptures. Dh also has an app for using different translations of the Bible for reference. I prefer the app to the physical 99 times out of 100. I can cross reference, make notes, highlight, easily go to footnotes, and sync across devices. What's not to love?

However, when my daughters were baptized, we did get them their own sets which they bring. I think there is value in being familiar with the physical version. And I don't want them to have screens at church yet. 

I use my scriptures more for Sunday School than for the main Sacrament Meeting. 

Edited November 12, 2018 by MeaganS

[ThisIsTheDay]

We bring our own Bibles to church. It would surprise me if anyone came to our church for any length of time and did not bring a Bible or read from an app. It's always struck me as sad to pass by a church when the vast majority of people are walking in empty handed. (This goes back to waaaay before apps.)  Our pastor teaches through one book at a time, several verses or a chapter at a time. He reads out loud and we read along before the teaching begins. He will occasionally point out word variations in translations if it makes a difference in context. He'll also often refer to different scripture, and we are encouraged to flip around to follow.

My husband brings his Bible but doesn't take notes at all. My Bible is heavily annotated, and I write several pages of notes each time, as it fits my learning style. Based on the amount of notes I've taken over the years, I can tell when we were a part of churches with great teachers or when they weren't so great. It's been pretty eye opening.

There are maybe 150-200 people on Sundays, 75 on Wednesday nights. There are extra Bibles in the back for guests or anyone who needs to borrow/take one. Songs are on the screens, but the verses being taught are not.

 

 

[Guest]

34 minutes ago, emba56 said:

I find it interesting that some have mentioned not bringing their own because the speaker uses a different translation. I actually often carry a different version than the version predominately used at my congregation on purpose because I find that the slightly different wording can at times be interesting and illuminating.  I usually carry a paper copy but also use an app if I get off without the "real thing".☺

 

I think differing translations are illuminating for study. But when reading along (whether aloud with the speaker or in one’s head with the speaker), differing translations are just awkward. It’s like that annoying thing that happens when people from slightly varied trditions are reciting The Lord’s Prayer together and some people are saying, “forgive us our debts...” while others are saying “trespasses...” and it communally sounds like “...and forgive us our debtspasses as we forgive our debtorsose who tresspass against us.” ?

[Garga]

4 hours ago, Quill said:

WAIT, wait, wait, wait, wait, WAIT. Wait. You can’t be saying...the church with the playspace? The kitchen? The tables? Plugs for @school17777 ‘s InstantPot? 

The world just tipped on its axis. 

It's a bit complicated, but we haven't completely left and won't completely leave  Honestly, I'm waiting for a changeover in leadership that might be coming somewhat soon, and then we'll be right back. 

The boys are still heavily involved with the youth group (the oldest is a youth leader) and we still give half of our offering to that church PLUS the amount we said we'd pay toward the new building PLUS offerings for missionary work.  PLUS the boys make cookies/cupcakes a few times a week for the church's homeless outreaches.  The youth group, cookies/cupcakes, and monies that we give to them will keep going for at least another 4 years. (Oh, and the boys also volunteer for the Halloween and VBS outreach.)

So...if we needed to have a WTM meet up again, I would feel very comfortable asking the church to use the facilities and I think the'd be A-ok with us using it.  

 

Edited November 12, 2018 by Garga

[school17777]

11 hours ago, KrissiK said:

Yes, I do. I know this sounds a little “conspiracy theory-ish” but I was taught that it’s important to have your own Bible and not just trust that what some person may pass out or put up in a screen is accurate. And I don’t mean a different version or translation, but actually changing Scripture. That actually wasn’t a huge fear, but it still made me think.  Also, beyond that, which I don’t really worry about too much, I like to annotate in the margins, so I like to have my physical paper Bible with me.

 

This is similar to what one of our old pastors said why it’s important to bring your own Bible (or read along in a church Bible) - so you know the pastor isn’t adding/taking away words.

[Garga]

1 hour ago, school17777 said:

 

This is similar to what one of our old pastors said why it’s important to bring your own Bible (or read along in a church Bible) - so you know the pastor isn’t adding/taking away words.

 

When I was a kid, my parents left a church they’d been attending for 2 years because the pastor added words to the bible text.  Jesus forgave the woman who was caught in adultery and told her to “go and sin no more.”  They pastor added, “go and try to sin no more.”  My mom was furious that he would change the words of Jesus like that.  

 

Edited November 12, 2018 by Garga

[Chris in VA]

3 hours ago, Quill said:

I think differing translations are illuminating for study. But when reading along (whether aloud with the speaker or in one’s head with the speaker), differing translations are just awkward. It’s like that annoying thing that happens when people from slightly varied trditions are reciting The Lord’s Prayer together and some people are saying, “forgive us our debts...” while others are saying “trespasses...” and it communally sounds like “...and forgive us our debtspasses as we forgive our debtorsose who tresspass against us.” ?

LOL--You wouldn't like hymn singing here at St. George's then. We have an Arabic congregation and an English-speaking one. Sometimes we combine services. When we sing the hymns, some sing in Arabic and some in English, at the same time. It's a little like Pentacost ?

[Ann.without.an.e]

I voted other - app on my phone ?. My DH and my DD carry a real Bible and DS and I use the app,

[Xahm]

7 hours ago, Chris in VA said:

LOL--You wouldn't like hymn singing here at St. George's then. We have an Arabic congregation and an English-speaking one. Sometimes we combine services. When we sing the hymns, some sing in Arabic and some in English, at the same time. It's a little like Pentacost ?

The church we attended in France was like that. Parts were in English, like the sermon, but people were encouraged to pray and sing in the language of their heart/however they first learned that prayer or song. The Lord's Prayer especially was routinely said in many languages together, which I thought was awesome.

[Dmmetler]

Yes, but it’s now my kindle app on my iPad. I love that I can take notes and highlight, yet have them vanish visibly to read later. 

[kbutton]

Our congregation is mostly all of the above, though I don't think we always have scripture text on the screens. Our pastor jokes a lot about the glowing faces of people who are reading onscreen, but he's supportive (he is not easily distracted by crying babies or anything else either). We have a table at the back where people can take a free Bible. At least one children's teacher has class Bibles that are all the same so that it's easier to help the kids learn to look up verses and is less confusing than having kids read in different translations (probably due to emerging and varying reading levels). 

Our church also offers a class fairly regularly where a person can learn how to use various reference tools (concordance, etc.) to do Bible study. They cover some of the core theology for our denomination (Baptist), and at the end, participants receive a study Bible. 

I prefer to use a hardcopy Bible. I remember things pretty visually and often can picture where on the page a verse appears, if there were many footnotes on that page in my study Bible, how close to the front or back of the Bible that verse is located, etc. Ditto for other kinds of books--I have a difficult time learning from text on a screen (not as bad with a website or something with a less "vanilla" layout). 

We attended a church for several years that gave scriptures to members to recognize major life events--birth (NT), high school graduation (study Bible), college graduation (pocket reference of verses by topic), additional degrees (study Bible), and marriage (family Bible). I have wondered if they still do that.

[Bluegoat]

14 hours ago, SKL said:

I should add that while I don't bring my Bible, many others do, especially older parishioners.  I guess they like to make notes and stuff like that for later reference.  I don't like writing in my Bibles so I don't have that concern.

I have read the Bible numerous times from cover to cover, in addition to participating in many Bible studies, so I pretty much know what it says.  So I'm good with just listening and reading along with the readings in church.  When I am studying the Bible, I need more time to think than would be given in church anyway.

I can get info to pre-read the chapters that the readings come from if I want to.  So far I haven't wanted to.

 

Yes, I find I need to pay attention during a homily - if I was taking a lot of time to read or take notes I'd be lost pretty quickly.

[GailV]

I read along on my Kindle. We have text on the screen. Dh brings along his Bible.

I happen to like reading a different translation than what the speaker is using because it's a good reminder that we're not using the original language of the text.  I like to see other interpretations of the same verses. Also, I like to see context.

In January our church will start reading the 260 chapters of the New Testament during the 261 weekdays of the year, with options to go to study groups during the week.  The pastors will preach on the chapters covered, but I imagine they'll also be bringing other scripture into play, so we'll still tote ours along.

 

[ktgrok]

This is an example of what my daughter brings- it is I think categorized as a missalette? A missal is for the full year, whereas this comes with each week separate in its own booklet. It comes in a package once a month. There is an adult version as well. I took pho’s of just a few pages, obviously there are more than that in each one.

Edited November 12, 2018 by Ktgrok

[shawthorne44]

Most people bring their own.   But, I don't because if I have words in front of me, I will read it.   Plus, I always like to know the context of whatever is being discussed.   So, when I went to church where you knew it ahead of time, I would read the context while waiting for service to start.   At the current church, they don't.    If I bring my Bible, I end up ignoring the sermon and reading the Bible instead.  But, I'd say 90% bring their own.  

[sarahbobeara]

I bring my own. I do write in my Bible, as well as make notes on the bulletin handout. If other verses are mentioned, I jot those down to research later. I like taking notes and I tend to listen more closely with a pen in my hand. If I didn't have the Bible, I'd probably feel unprepared for church lol. 

And...the one time I tried to use my phone's Bible app, I accidentally hit the "read outloud" button. ? It took me a good 5 or 6 words until I could undo that action! So I go low tech and either use my Bible or the one in the pews.

[J-rap]

I don't bring mine, because our pastor always reads us PLUS shows it on a large screen.  I honestly don't understand what would be the purpose of looking it up myself...

[Frances]

On 11/11/2018 at 7:15 PM, school17777 said:

 

This is similar to what one of our old pastors said why it’s important to bring your own Bible (or read along in a church Bible) - so you know the pastor isn’t adding/taking away words.

I’m always learning new things on the WTM board. I’ve never heard anything like this before and find it very interesting.

[LMD]

16 hours ago, GailV said:

I read along on my Kindle. We have text on the screen. Dh brings along his Bible.

I happen to like reading a different translation than what the speaker is using because it's a good reminder that we're not using the original language of the text.  I like to see other interpretations of the same verses. Also, I like to see context.

In January our church will start reading the 260 chapters of the New Testament during the 261 weekdays of the year, with options to go to study groups during the week.  The pastors will preach on the chapters covered, but I imagine they'll also be bringing other scripture into play, so we'll still tote ours along.

 

I like that!

[ktgrok]

7 hours ago, Frances said:

I’m always learning new things on the WTM board. I’ve never heard anything like this before and find it very interesting.

Yeah, I can't imagine even thinking a church might do this. 

[vonfirmath]

On 11/11/2018 at 6:27 AM, DawnM said:

I have the Bible App on my phone, so I use that if we need to look things up, but overall, the pastor has a large screen up on the stage and passages he reads to us are put up on the screen to follow along.  

If he "just read it" I would at least look it up to follow along, but since it is up on the screen up front, I typically don't.

 

I still like to read it in my Bible. To guard against things like not putting all the words on the screen. Plus, by reading in my BIble, I can scan the verses before and after to see if they aid in context.

[vonfirmath]

1 hour ago, Ktgrok said:

Yeah, I can't imagine even thinking a church might do this. 

 

It's a warning at the very end of Revelations.  Ch 22:18-19 " I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book. "

[DawnM]

1 hour ago, vonfirmath said:

 

I still like to read it in my Bible. To guard against things like not putting all the words on the screen. Plus, by reading in my BIble, I can scan the verses before and after to see if they aid in context.

 

I have my app for that! 

[vonfirmath]

1 minute ago, DawnM said:

 

I have my app for that! 

 

It's an app with the Bible in it, right?  To me, that's the same as reading it in your own BIble. Just another form.

 

[DawnM]

Just now, vonfirmath said:

 

It's an app with the Bible in it, right?  To me, that's the same as reading it in your own BIble. Just another form.

 

Yes.

 

I will admit I feel like I need to carry my actual Bible more, I just don't.  I feel like I am forgetting the order of the books and the ability to flip to it quickly.  It is kind of like having smart phones and forgetting phone numbers because of it.

[vonfirmath]

4 minutes ago, DawnM said:

Yes.

 

I will admit I feel like I need to carry my actual Bible more, I just don't.  I feel like I am forgetting the order of the books and the ability to flip to it quickly.  It is kind of like having smart phones and forgetting phone numbers because of it.

 

I do carry an actual Bible. And I  teach 1st Grade AWANA every year (Where they have to learn the OT and the NT books of the Bible) and I still struggle with order of the books in the OT more than as a kid. I think its more about getting old.

Personally I prefer a Bible because I struggle to find things in my Kindle/Bible app -- they are great for reading the daily passage, or doing a search for a specific word. But when flipping between passages, I struggle to do it fast enough to keep up.

 

Edited November 13, 2018 by vonfirmath

[DawnM]

8 minutes ago, vonfirmath said:

 

I do carry an actual Bible. And I  teach 1st Grade AWANA every year (Where they have to learn the OT and the NT books of the Bible) and I still struggle with order of the books in the OT more than as a kid. I think its more about getting old.

Personally I prefer a Bible because I struggle to find things in my Kindle/Bible app -- they are great for reading the daily passage, or doing a search for a specific word. But when flipping between passages, I struggle to do it fast enough to keep up.

 

 

Yes, I understood that you carry an actual Bible, which is why I differentiated it from the App.  I can get to scripture faster on my App though.  At least usually.

[TravelingChris]

I take my Bible sometimes (it is heavy) because I like reading my translation.  I don't find it annoying to read something different than what is being said.  We have the NIV on the screen but my pastor sometimes reads from another version anyway (Engish Standard, I believe).  Sometimes I take my Kindle and use that.  I do not like the version I have on Kindle, though and the version I like the best doesn't have a Kindle version (it was published in the early 70's and I like the language).

[milovany]

In the Orthodox Church, a large portion of the wording of the Divine Liturgy is based on the Bible (so we're "hearing" it constantly), and then we do have an Epistle and Gospel reading as well. There's no expository type preaching, so there's really no need to bring the Bible book to church; there's not much time when we're sitting and looking at something; most of the time we're participating in the liturgy. 

When I was protestant, though I took my Bible to church a lot of the time. 

[lulalu]

I brought mine in the past for years. Then our church bought some for the pews, and it is displayed on the power point. So I don't anymore. This way I am following the same version being read. 

For life group I always bring mine. My hubby uses his Bible app. He has had a few older generations comment that he is playing on the phone. But it is easier to just have the phone. 

 

[happi duck]

On 11/11/2018 at 8:51 PM, ThisIsTheDay said:

We bring our own Bibles to church. It would surprise me if anyone came to our church for any length of time and did not bring a Bible or read from an app. It's always struck me as sad to pass by a church when the vast majority of people are walking in empty handed. (This goes back to waaaay before apps.)  Our pastor teaches through one book at a time, several verses or a chapter at a time. He reads out loud and we read along before the teaching begins. He will occasionally point out word variations in translations if it makes a difference in context. He'll also often refer to different scripture, and we are encouraged to flip around to follow.

My husband brings his Bible but doesn't take notes at all. My Bible is heavily annotated, and I write several pages of notes each time, as it fits my learning style. Based on the amount of notes I've taken over the years, I can tell when we were a part of churches with great teachers or when they weren't so great. It's been pretty eye opening.

There are maybe 150-200 people on Sundays, 75 on Wednesday nights. There are extra Bibles in the back for guests or anyone who needs to borrow/take one. Songs are on the screens, but the verses being taught are not.

 

 

I can't stop thinking about your "struck me as sad" comment.

Some churches emphasize preaching.  The sermon is long and central to the service.  Sermons often work through the Bible week after week. 

Some churches are celebrating the Eucharist when they gather and that is what is central to the service.  These services are filled with scripture (as mentioned upthread) but are not a time for Bible study.  Bible study takes place at other times.

[Rachel]

On 11/11/2018 at 9:16 PM, emba56 said:

I find it interesting that some have mentioned not bringing their own because the speaker uses a different translation. I actually often carry a different version than the version predominately used at my congregation on purpose because I find that the slightly different wording can at times be interesting and illuminating.  I usually carry a paper copy but also use an app if I get off without the "real thing".☺

 

I like reading different translations too. Sometimes it can give the verse a different feel or even change the meaning. I really like it when the preacher goes into what the original Greek or Hebrew said and how different people chose to translate the word or phrase. 

[lulalu]

On 11/11/2018 at 9:15 PM, school17777 said:

 

This is similar to what one of our old pastors said why it’s important to bring your own Bible (or read along in a church Bible) - so you know the pastor isn’t adding/taking away words.

Yes! I visited a KJV only church about three years ago. (I don't hold the same thoughts) But Sunday school was all focused on the errors of NIV. The pastor simply put up two verses from the book of Daniel as proof. So glad I had my Bible with me to show farther down where the same wording as NIV showed up in the same chapter. The pastor had no comment to that! And well I never went back, as I couldn't handle such carelessness with the Bible. I have seen the same little quick postings on fb on the different versions. People really need to read it all in context and not just look at one little thing and come to a conclusion. 

 

Anyways, that was off topic but just came to mind. 

[ktgrok]

Zombie alert!

[Carol in Cal.]

I always have a Bible in the trunk of my car, but I don’t generally bring it into church.

I am pretty familiar with the Bible from all my years of reading and going to church and 9 years of Lutheran school education, and I do notice if a pastor goes off the rails, but that is very unusual in confessional Lutheran circles because there is such an emphasis on letting the Bible speak for itself.

We use the pericopes, just like in RC or Episcopal churches, and they are printed in the back cover of the bulletin at my current church, but I don’t generally follow along because I believe that hearing the Word of God is more like it was intended to be used than reading it, and if I listen when it is being read I absorb it a bit differently, and, I think, better.  Which is funny in that generally I hate to be read to and don’t listen to, say, books on CDs in the car.

A factor in my leaving my previous church was that the pastor started to get sloppy in how he represented the Bible.  That’s really really not cool and again very unusual, and after one particularly egregious example of this I was so agitated that I actually left the service to go get my Bible out of the car so I could look some passages up.  I was sorry to be right that the pastor was wrong, and I started hauling the Bible in with me to each service.  My Bible is a big study Bible with large print, so it’s HEAVY, and it’s in a cover case with its own handle, so I felt kind of conspicuous doing this.  We did have pew Bibles at that church, but they didn’t have any concordances or cross references, which were important to the specific misrepresentation issues.  After several examples of this I found another church.  Sorry to say, that former church is being shifted, and not in a good way.

[HS Mom in NC]

US-45 years in large city in SW, 3 years in large city in SE.

Yes, I've always taken my Bible to church.  Mine is on my kindle now. It's always fun to see what advertisement will be on the screen when I open it.  For some reason they really want to sell me romance novels even though I've never purchased or borrowed one.

Sometimes I have the same translation as the reader/preacher and sometimes I don't.  I still follow along in my own. I find it helpful doing it that way so I reinforce my familiarity with where passages physically are in my bible. Also, when the sermon veers off in repetitive or irrelevant territory (not often, but let's face it, it happens) I can redeem the situation by reading on and still getting something out of that time.

I've always attended churches (Baptist, Bible Church, Calvary Chapel, now Presbyterian) that had a pew Bible or ushers who handed out bibles to anyone who didn't bring one with them if they wanted it. The churches that hand them out also tell people to please it take home with them if they don't already own a bible as a welcome gift from the church. The churches that had screens also posted them.

[Insertcreativenamehere]

No, but our church has pew Bibles and I have one on my phone. 

[HS Mom in NC]

On 11/11/2018 at 9:56 PM, Quill said:

I think differing translations are illuminating for study. But when reading along (whether aloud with the speaker or in one’s head with the speaker), differing translations are just awkward. It’s like that annoying thing that happens when people from slightly varied trditions are reciting The Lord’s Prayer together and some people are saying, “forgive us our debts...” while others are saying “trespasses...” and it communally sounds like “...and forgive us our debtspasses as we forgive our debtorsose who tresspass against us.” ?

I don't find either of those things bothersome at all. But then I can read aloud in part of a passage while reading ahead silently farther along into the same passage. When that many people are reciting something like the Apostles Creed or The Lord's Prayer it doesn't bother me that I learned it different phrasing (this happens to me every Sunday) because no one else is listening to me, they're just focused on reciting it the way they learned it.

[Carol in Cal.]

On the subject of pastors changing the wording of the Bible, a few years back I decided to read “The Purpose Driven Life” for the first time, since it was referred to so often in Christian conversations.  There were so many inaccurate quotes in it that I never got past the second chapter.  I was routinely looking up these quotes in multiple Bible translations on Bible Gateway, to be sure that I wasn’t wrong about thinking that they were misquotes, and they were, indeed, misquotes, some of them quite egregious.  It was kind of shocking to me.

If I didn’t know the Bible pretty well, I might not have caught this; and this is a Christian best seller that people cite routinely and often.  It’s not a book of terrible advice, but it’s not nearly as Biblical as it claims to be.  It’s important to be careful sometimes.