It doesn’t bother me anymore to hear a phone ringing during a church service. It’s part of life in the 21st century. But I’ll admit I was shocked last month when I heard a ringtone while I was preaching—and a woman seated in the third row pulled her phone out of her purse and began a lengthy conversation as if she were in the waiting room of a beauty parlor.

That incident prompted me to post a question on Facebook the next day. I asked my friends to share their own stories of rudeness in church. That triggered an avalanche of pent-up frustration about crinkly peppermint wrappers, loud music, smelly feet (yes, someone took off their shoes during the service), unruly children, coffee-sipping saints and parishioners who try to finish their pastors’ sentences during sermons.

When I tallied the responses, I came up with this list of the rudest things people do in church:

1. Talking during a service.

2. Texting or surfing the web during a service. (One person mentioned seeing people playing video games on their phones.)

3. Sleeping—or snoring!—during a sermon.

4. Clipping fingernails during church. (I was amazed at how many people listed this offense. One person said his church’s sound technician clipped his nails routinely during the sermon, and it was amplified over the loud speaker.)

5. Answering a ringing phone in church.

6. Constantly getting up and leaving the auditorium, presumably to use the restroom.

7. Walking out of a service early, especially during a prayer.

8. Letting babies cry incessantly in the service.

9. Chewing or smacking gum. (One friend from Puerto Rico said he is particularly annoyed when people “chew gum like a goat.”)

10. Public display of affection. (One person complained about a man and wife who enjoy giving each other back rubs during worship.)

Those were the most common replies. Other infractions mentioned in my unscientific poll included (1) “Pushing people to the floor while praying for them”; (2) “Saying ‘Amen’ 100 times during the sermon”; (3) “Taking change from the offering plate”; (4) “Swearing in church” (I didn’t ask for the details on that!); and (5) “Drinking beverages during the entire service.”

But as I mused over these replies, I couldn’t help but wonder: What does God consider rude?

I don’t think He’s too annoyed by crying babies or rambunctious children. Nor do I think God is offended if a husband and wife get slightly cozy in church. And surely God has compassion for a person whose tiny bladder forces them to go to the restroom more often than everyone else. Some of us just need to lighten up and extend grace to latecomers, fidgety kids, teeth-grinders, young mothers with infants and people who have to report to work promptly at 1 p.m.

But when I look at the Bible, it’s obvious God doesn’t like it when people refuse to focus their attention when He’s talking. He has called us to listen. Moses told the Hebrews they would be blessed if they listened to God’s commandments (Deut. 11:27, NASB). Solomon said that when we come to God’s house we should “draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools” (Eccl. 5:1, emphasis added).

Isaiah said that God awakened him “to listen as a disciple” (Isa. 50:4, emphasis added), while Jeremiah rebuked Israel because they “did not listen or incline their ears” (Jer. 17:23, emphasis added). And when Jesus was glorified in His transfiguration, the Father declared, “Listen to Him!” (Luke 9:35, emphasis added). There is no possible way we can please God or be His faithful followers if we don’t learn to listen.

Yet today we live in a distracted culture. We are sleep-deprived multitaskers. We surf the web while we watch TV; we text while we drive; we tweet while we work; we take calls when we are meeting friends for conversation. Some people even crash into each other while walking on sidewalks because they are too busy Googling to see another distracted Googler headed straight toward them.

We are so focused on everything that we can’t focus on anything. I sometimes wonder if the proliferation of fast food, sugary drinks, movies on demand, “smart” phones and 24-hour news isn’t rewiring our brains so we can’t focus on what’s really important. We’re turning into media zombies.

I’m not bashing technology. But we could lose the art of discipleship if we don’t reclaim the habit of careful listening. That means when we come to church, especially, we should not just turn off our phones but also tune out all other distractions so we can focus on what God is saying to us—through the preacher, the worship songs, the prayers and the Holy Spirit’s still, small voice.

Please don’t be rude to God. Don’t just go to church. Go and hear the word of the Lord. Don’t talk, text, sleep or take calls when He is speaking. Listen as if your life depended on it.

http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/40106-top-10-rudest-things-people-do-in-church

Even me the poster. I am already guilty of one of them. I am posting this right in the middle of a service. May be am not enjoying the choir's ministration.

2. Texting or surfing the web during a service. (One person mentioned seeing people playing video games on their phones.)

7. Walking out of a service early.

I'm only guilty of those two, which means I lost 20% in your assessment which is still an A

I feel like God will slap me if I do something am nt suppose tu do in church so I rarely do any of the above.

Well,I sing in the choir,and choristers makes d loudest noise even durin d sermon.somtyms I don't wish to talk but others make me do. I also murmur wen the priest is boring or taking too long repeating prayer point. I also frown,if the priest happens to be one that has offended me or that I heard or saw somting negative about. May God have mercy on us all.

I'm guilty of number 3.

LOL!! @ No. 4

I hate it when people take change from the offering basket while others are still waiting to drop their offerings

Hope drinking water during service is not consider rude Because I sabi drink water well well o.

kemmary: I hate it when people take change from the offering basket while others are still waiting to drop their offerings

Woah, I've never seen/heard of this before

I burbed once whilst the priest was doing the homily

people using their phones and tablets to read bible in church. the same phone wey blue film full!!!

I only talk when I need to speak urgently or if I'm sitting by my friend. Personally I'm always the one who rebukes the people who do such things in church. For instance this morning the choir was singing(we have a very small group) a little boy was laughing at the voice of one of them I had to hit his chair to keep him shut. You don't laugh at God's ministers. The worst is chewing gum. I'll personally slap the gum outta your mouth if I catch you

i have disdain for eople who walk wit swagger n feel pompous in church.the most annoying are those girls n guys who glance flirtatiously at d opposite sex

Doing ajasa in d church,"carrying on pastor" esp from d back benchers,,,

Blowing whistle in d church,not ǧ☺☺ϑ enough,,,instead if U̶̲̥̅̊ really enjoy d ministration,keep ur head cool and enjoy it

Doing ajasa in d church,"carrying on pastor" esp from d back benchers,,,

Blowing whistle during sermon,not ǧ☺☺ϑ enough,,,instead if U̶̲̥̅̊ really enjoy d ministration,keep ur head cool and enjoy it

Oga pastor hope sai service close before you post this thread so oh sho which you dey na.

It is free world

Abeg make I cme back from church ooo

You pastors get annoying sometimes too and I'll tell you what I mean, folling your highlights:



6. Constantly getting up and leaving the auditorium, presumably to use the restroom.



You don't know the medical condition the person has and if they can't get up to use the wash room because they are in church and a pastor may get offended, then all I can say is 'I'm shock'!




7. Walking out of a service early, especially during a prayer

What most of you pastors don't understand is the fact that a service is supposed to end at 11 am and you keep at it till 12 and a few people are saying: preach on brother doesn't mean everyone wants to stay put. Its high time you guys realised there's is time for everything. Let people go home when the time comes otherwise, some people will always walk.



8. Letting babies cry incessantly in the service.


How exactly are these nursing mothers expected to keep the baby from crying incessantly. U stand on the pulpit to say children are gifts from God and barren women should get cry of babies while inwardly you condemn and show concern how more baby's cries would multiply. Pretence!


3. Sleeping—or snoring!—during a sermon.

Of course when messages are too long and unending it gets boring

Tabtab: Doing ajasa in d church,"carrying on pastor" esp from d back benchers,,,

Blowing whistle during sermon,not ǧ☺☺ϑ enough,,,instead if U̶̲̥̅̊ really enjoy d ministration,keep ur head cool and enjoy it

hmmmmmm

My friend lost her phone right inside church during morning mass in lagos some days back. I think they are part of the things we do against God. A woman that sat beside her open her purse collect her set as she went for offertory.

some people even use handset as bible and stuff the net in pretence that they are reading the bible

Well, some of them are unavoidable and shouldnt be on the list

Acelifted: 1. Talking during a service.

C'mon mehn, they are not zombies. They could talk but not chatter! for instance, brother John can ask from brother James what verse of Acts pastor Luke just mentioned.

Acelifted: 2. Texting or surfing the web during a service. (One person mentioned seeing people playing video games on their phones.)

Okay, so this one is not nice...but sometimes when the sermon is becoming unusually long...(Ok, not good altogether)

Acelifted: 3. Sleeping—or snoring!—during a sermon.

Well, as led by the holy spirit It is called 'sleeping in the Lord'

Acelifted: 4. Clipping fingernails during church. (I was amazed at how many people listed this offense. One person said his church’s sound technician clipped his nails routinely during the sermon, and it was amplified over the loud speaker.)

lolz, aint that funny? thank God na fingernails, what if na toe nails the bros dey clip nko?

Acelifted: 5. Answering a ringing phone in church.

Not good...at all...even if na $1m contract from Dangote, don't pick the call.

Acelifted: 6. Constantly getting up and leaving the auditorium, presumably to use the restroom.

This shouldnt be on the list. Some people are meant to use the washroom every 10mins...otherwise service go quick end...gaseous effect

Acelifted: 7. Walking out of a service early, especially during a prayer.

They missed the blessing already.

Acelifted: 8. Letting babies cry incessantly in the service.

Shouldnt be on the list. I mean, can u tell a crying baby to shut up? Let the babies cry, it is a sweet sound to the Lord (IMO)

Acelifted: 9. Chewing or smacking gum. (One friend from Puerto Rico said he is particularly annoyed when people “chew gum like a goat.”)

Whoever does that needs special deliverance...

Acelifted: 10. Public display of affection. (One person complained about a man and wife who enjoy giving each other back rubs during worship.)

You mean in the church?

Acelifted: (1) “Pushing people to the floor while praying for them”

;

Acelifted: (2) “Saying ‘Amen’ 100 times during the sermon”

What's wrong with this anyway? na holy spirit dey work bro ;

Acelifted: (3) “Taking change from the offering plate”

i only know 3 people wey fit perform this miracle - lagos boy (first timer in church), Area (my waffi bros) and nna bros (especially if he isnt expecting any container from abroad, every change is worth keeping ;

Acelifted: (4) “Swearing in church” (I didn’t ask for the details on that!)

This one serious oh!
; and

Acelifted: (5) “Drinking beverages during the entire service.”

This shouldnt be a problem na...why cant people drink beverage or what during service?

Hmmm... May God help us all. Truth is a rarely do any of those but i can say i've picked calls a number of times in Church. Not doing that anymore.
Some pple even read novels in Church.
Some exchamge love notes.
Some even throws insults at others and use fowl languages.
When i was still young an elder was seen behind d Church building smoking cigarette (spelling?), while the sermon was on.
They are just too numerous to count.

kemmary: I hate it when people take change from the offering basket while others are still waiting to drop their offerings

Ǟяɇ Ý๏ǖ freaking kidding ϻё...ǟяɇ Ý๏ǖ for real?...which Church is dat pls ?

Hm! May God give us more understanding about Christianity.
I m guilty of one.

chewing gum can make me wanna kill in d church

i am guilty of all the above * sobbing *

[size=13pt]Watching Porn while sermon is going on[/size]

dani1luv: [size=13pt]Watching Porn while sermon is going on[/size]