Happy Sunday to my fellow Nairalanders,

I am a tech savvy person and for the past 4-5 years, apart from filling cheque leaves or other forms, I can't remember any other thing I use a pen for. I am so used to typing on my iPad that my handwriting is now very horrible. If I go for meetings where I can't write, I simply make an audio recording of the proceedings. I also type church sermons on my iPad and I'm fast at it. I have different Bible versions and commentaries on it and I can make comparisons.

Recently, my Pastor's comments regarding using tablets as Bible are making me feel very uncomfortable in Church. Many of you already know what those who are against it usually say. He added that even herbalists and Ifa priests now use tablets and that what a Christian uses should be different. During the prayer session today, he asked us to raise our Bibles up as weapon to fight our enemies and pray with the 'weapons' raised up. Everybody including the Pastor raised their Bibles but I raised my iPad. I just can't describe the look of an outcast which I suffered from other obedient Bible-carrying Christians in the Church today.

Does God really frown at reading Bible on an electronic gadget?

Just Die, then when you stand before God in judgement, Ask him

No sir.. to be more logical, how can your pastor ask 'em to raise the Bible up as a weapon? is it the paper that's needed or the content? he missed it.

If your pastor frowns at it, personally ask him the reason for him doing so... or do you chat and browse in the church? if not and if you brought it to church to actually read the bible and not otherwise, I don't see any reason for him to frown at such. except he is against technology. then he should remove all the light bulbs in the church and throw away the microphone and speaker, he should also throw his phone down the sewer

When the bible was written in stone it was accepted, in parchment and order materials it was also accepted, but doese not end their, but also transfered to paper where it is currently.
Today its also in tablets and phones and will also be accepted as usual as long as the massage remains the same.

Sir God doesn't only if it is held sacred.

1. What are other contents of the tablet? Do they enhance your focus on Christ? Do they agree?

2. Do you hold the tablet in order to show you are '21st century compliant'?

3. Are you using it as an item of pride?

These and many more will determine. Even your conscience tells you.

THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE CHRISTIAN YOUTH

Would the social media ever have a positive impact on the Christian youth? Especially with the advent of various websites filled with varying categories of sexually explicit materials flying over the Internet and being made accessible to all, even at the comfort of one's privacy. Sexting, gossiping, quest for recognition, pride in ones ideology, seeking public approval and a lot of non-Christ-like attitude are being displayed by different users of the social media. Yet, just like the words of Dimka Philip. He said and I quote:

"Nothing has touched entirely the soul of human existence, after God- it is the social media/Network. "

The fact remains that the Internet is a vast cloud of information. Just like the black hole, its size for all sort of information is inexhaustible. However, information on the Internet or the use of the information on the Internet isn't limited to a sect, a tribe, a culture, a nation or an individual. Just as the mind is being flooded daily with different kinds of thoughts yet, as a Christian youth, you choose what to think upon. So also is it with the Internet.

Why do you now think it's difficult to choose what you want from the Internet. Why do you think it's difficult to use the social media positively in accordance to the biblical principles you had built your life upon over time?
The Positive impact of the social media on the Christian youth are far more enormous than it's negative Impact because, the social media is all about creating relationship, connecting with people, establishing relationship, confessing fault one to another, which are all but a truth of what Christ want the Christian youth to do.
According to the site pro-con. org, 60 million Americans received help with major life issues through their online social network. If this 'help' is by anyway defined, it means that people look unto those in their social media network for advice. This thereby allows Christian youth within the network to share Christ where appropriate.
Moreover, social media breaks down the barrier of not having to ask personal questions on the Christian faith as you would likely be a friend to a fellow Christian on a social network, who had undergone the same challenges you are passing through and came out victoriously. To the Christian youth, the social media makes you know that you are not alone in this faith.

"Go ye therefore and teach all NATIONS..." Matthew 28:19(KJV)

How best would you have obeyed the above biblical injunction as a Christian youth without much financial aid to travel to nations, if not with the advent of the Social Media. Your testimony of salvation could encourage a fellow in Atlanta Georgia just by a click away. You might ask, what then is the role of the church if preaching is to be done on the social media?
We can't shy from the truth that the church in this 21st century is seen as a religious gathering with much preacher, but less result. Which is also our responsibility to bring back the church to it's original foundation; Christ. People goes to church these days to get values; values only defined by their own terms. And not just values, but to also earn a sense of belonging. But these, especially the latter, they seems not to get anymore.
The social media community has given a lot of people wonderful sense of belonging that they find much hope and comfort in these online communities than they would ever find in any face to face gathering. As Christians share their stories about their spiritual journey, even people who are yet to know Christ are being influenced.
The Russian-based Nigeria pastor of the largest church in Europe, Pastor Sunday Adelaja offers mentorship to vibrant youths all over the world just from his base in Ukraine. How does he achieve this? through the social media platform. What a great privilege to be mentored by such a personality in the in our world today. All thanks to the social media.
Blogs can also be a great source of information for Christian youth. I visit blogs too and they had been helpful. YouTube, the second largest search engine in the world can also be a source of discipleship and mentoring as well.
I believe that God is everywhere. He can be found on twitter, instagram, whatsapp, Facebook, youtube, if only you search for Him there. God can be seen in all of us through our activities on the social media.

I am a Nigerian youth. And more to that, am a Christian. I believe that we are meant for one another. To encourage one another, to challenge one another, to strengthen one another and to inspire ones another. But how best can we achieve this if what we share on the Internet speaks otherwise.

Most times, our conversation during online chat doesn't have to always end with 'lol' or 'kisses'. Words like 'I feel really blessed, thank you,' am comforted by your words,' 'your pix inspires me... ' could also end our conversation as well. I receive that a lot and it inspires me to be available when needed as often even to as many. All you need to do is simple. Understand what the person at the receiving end of your chat is passing through and be the solution he/she craves to get.
#BEINSPIRED
© 2016 ABAIRE OLAWALE
www.abaireolawale.

I believe it is supposed to be an advantage that the word of God is taken closer to one's life through technology. Even when it may not be convenient to carry an extra book (bible) to on work days, you can now read the word of God there and some people think they are holier by carrying big bibles on Sundays. God is soon coming to judge them all...

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