[pneumasax]

I've usex mine to preach from on several occasions. I'm still waiting for a good bible app though. Contacted YouVersion to see when/if they were coming out with one for the PB but got no response.

[Tre Lawrence]

I've usex mine to preach from on several occasions. I'm still waiting for a good bible app though. Contacted YouVersion to see when/if they were coming out with one for the PB but got no response.

Details are still being worked out. They usually have great CS, but I am admittedly biased!

[RescueCop]

I'm a bit of a contradiction - a tech geek who's also very much a traditionalist. I really enjoy working with modern technology, but I love printed books (esp. Bibles) with real leather covers, congregational singing from hymnals, and so many other things that remind me of the church services of my childhood. Ultimately, though, my preferences aren't the real issue. As a deacon in an independent Christian congregation and a public safety chaplain, my responsibility to God and other people is to spread the Word every way that I can. Many people today are more comfortable with words on a display screen than with words printed on paper, and it ultimately doesn't matter what the media is so long as those words are His Word. If it works to reach people, I'll use it.

I still prefer to read the Bible in hard copy when I'm at home, but I use my Playbook (64 GB) almost exclusively as my Bible in church, for ministerial visits, and at any time that I'm not at home. Not only is the Playbook very portable, and convenient to use - it also looks very much like a slim book when enclosed in a nice, fold open Blurex leather case. (E-reading with a leather cover.... yes!)

I'm the IT / networking guy for my church, so yes we have wireless, but I rarely use WiFi during services. e-Mmanuel+ lets me store the versions of the Bible that I read regularly on the Playbook, so I don't need WiFi access to read them. (This feature is really handy when I want to go someplace quiet for a little solitude and Bible reading.) Tablet and phone Bible readers still aren't extremely common in our church, but we have a few and the number's growing steadily.

For those looking for good Bible software for the Playbook, I highly recommend e-Mmanuel+. It's loaded with features, it is very inexpensive ($1.99), and the developer ( jetstreamblue ) does a great job of cranking out useful updates on a regular basis. As I noted above, I really appreciate the fact that I can download the translations that I want to the Playbook so that I don't have to depend upon WiFi access or Bridge for Bible reading. I sometimes need to go places where WiFi is all but unheard of and cellular data service is intermittent at best. With e-Mmanuel+ all I have to do is drop my Playbook into a cargo pocket and I have a Bible - and many other handy tools for ministry - with me, even when I don't have an Internet connection.

Thanks to the OP for a very good thread. Happy new year and blessings to all!

[peter9477]

Wow this thread has hit 10 pages and there's been no flames, arguments, or name calling...I don't think that's happened around here in a long time! This thread is a great example of what brought me to CrackBerry in the first place - community (well, that, and a BlackBerry device needing some help!)

That's because, despite the title, it's not a "religious" discussion. ;-)

[Chaplain_Clancy]

Wow this thread has hit 10 pages and there's been no flames, arguments, or name calling...I don't think that's happened around here in a long time! This thread is a great example of what brought me to CrackBerry in the first place - community (well, that, and a BlackBerry device needing some help!)

I've been investigating tablets for a while now, have been wanting to go paperless, but had no idea until this thread, just how awesome the PB can be for ministry. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge here.

When the angelic messangers spoke of Christ bringing peace on earth, I think he really meant it. Praise Jesus for the Holy Spirit's presence in this thread.

[nighguy]

I'm a pastor too and a tech geek / Crackberry addict! I picked up the Playbook (64g) the week it came out and have been using it ever since for sermons and weddings. I've done 4 weddings w/my Playbook and most people, including the bride and groom, never even noticed that I was holding a tablet and scrolling through my notes. I use it every Sunday when I speak. I save my Word docs on Dropbox, download them through Bluebox or the Dropbox website. I keep notes and research on Evernote, prayer requests on my BB memos. Some great ideas in the thread of other things I can try.

Thanks for the tip on e-Mmanuel! i just bought it and am looking forward to using this app.

[poppingman]

Using a tablet in church seems a little over the top, even for pastors. Seriously, I doubt that God is amused...

I don't think God cares if your Bible is on a PlayBook or any other device. He is more concerned that people actually read it. I use my Bible app all the time on my Torch. I think God is pleased that His Word is more accessible to people. There's nothing sacred about the physical book, it's the words contained therein.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[tstarks]

I actually asked my Pastor to get a PB back when they first came out for the very reasons mentioned on this thread. As a faith techy it made so much sense when I saw how the PB multi-tasks. It is just really nice to see others doing the same thing that I would do with my PB.

[drumrdfox]

Any specifics on how you use the PB with music - apps, websites, etc? I know quite a few musicians who use their ipads on stage. We need ammo for the PB cause!

I use Docs To Go for my own drum charts. I use a metronome app sometimes and another app called Steppy if I am trying to figure out how to write out a rhythm. My church uses www.planningcenteronline.com; I use the browser to reference song lists, lyric/guitar charts, and listen to music we'll be playing. I use the media player to practice to.

[jtwarrin5]

I got out of bed yesterday morning and started to review the answers in Genesis lesson that I was teaching to my jr. Sunday school class and I thought "shoot, I could show a video today from the Answers in Genesis website. I recently purchased a 10ft microHDMI and new I could hook it up to the television in the class. I found the perfect video and was able to reinforce what I was teaching on with the video. In addition, I had the Playbook in my hands and was able to paused it any time I needed to make a point! It worked great!!!

My wife teaches the 5-7 year old children and I was able to use the Playbook for her class to pull up a video on Youtube about the Good Samaritan. The only thing that bugged me this morning is that I had three people today ask me if it was a Kindle fire! The Playbook's a Great device! I can't wait until our new 64GB gets here this week!

[Claidheamhmor]

NICE! ILove my BB, but am still very nostalgic about my big HONKIN leather Bible!

Wellll....you could always do something like this:

[Delirious D]

Using a tablet in church seems a little over the top, even for pastors. Seriously, I doubt that God is amused...

Are you kidding me. God has the ultimate sense of humor. look at the platapus for one. lol.

We can all look back at our lives and see moments that werent quite "there"

To me God loves a good joke. its what makes him so caring and forgiving. If he was a stick in the mud, game over for all who sin. lol

[sirk25]

Not an entirely new concept...

My mother had always been an ardent church goer....then one day she brought the attached to church (about 20 years ago) , I couldn't help but feel it was somehow sacrilegious lol

When it stopped working I "inherited" it.

WOW!! I haven't seen one of those for a long time. My mom had one as well. Cutting edge technology. lol

[Chaplain_Clancy]

Are you kidding me. God has the ultimate sense of humor. look at the platapus for one. lol.

We can all look back at our lives and see moments that werent quite "there"

To me God loves a good joke. its what makes him so caring and forgiving. If he was a stick in the mud, game over for all who sin. lol

Platypus a joke? How many beavers have looked at a seal and a duck and thought "With those flippers and that beak I could rule the world. I'd be awesome!" God simply decided to place perfection in the only place to appreciate it. Australia!

[Delirious D]

Platypus a joke? How many beavers have looked at a seal and a duck and thought "With those flippers and that beak I could rule the world. I'd be awesome!" God simply decided to place perfection in the only place to appreciate it. Australia!

im just saying according to science mammals dont lay eggs. birds are the ones with the bills.

we try to find the meaning of life and creation. and HE was like haha explain this one. Gotta love em. Platapus are awesome look at Perry (pheneas and ferb)

[Tbonist]

I'm a Lutheran pastor in Michigan, and have used the PB extensively in church as well. Very handy for all sorts of things.

I use the BB convertible case, so when I hold it in my hand like a book (and lock orientation) it serves very well for wedding liturgies. I set up a docx that includes all of the hymns, liturgy, sermon, prayers, and any special notes that I will need. Naturally, the bride and groom's names are included so that I don't forget anything in the excitement of the moment.

I preach from the pulpit, and the case comes in handy again, this time in portrait mode. I just lay the thing open, and the lid of the case keeps the PB up from the bottom lip of the desk in the pulpit, and this is a great spot for glancing down while preaching. It takes a bit of practice at first to get used to finding your spot on a page that now moves, but a few times through and I'm delivering now like I used to from paper.

It's handy for meetings to have calendar, email, and (through bridge) web features handy without having the barrier of a laptop in between me and others in the meeting.

Much of my work is with college students, who use our chapel as a student center between classes, etc., and so it's handy to just be out in the lounge (we have wi-fi) and stay connected at the same time to things I'm reading, studying, preparing, etc.

It hasn't replaced the hymnal/altar book for Sunday morning, but I have most of that memorized anyway, and so any device - paper or electronic - would be superfluous for those things.

God bless people's use of technology to become more efficient servants of the Lord - anything can become a hindrance or crutch to ministry, but making the most of any technology is a matter of disciplining yourself to focus on the essential ministerial needs and balancing between what makes things truly convenient and more efficient, and those things that you know you do better without the gadgets.

Pax et bonum,
Jon

[Bob31464]

I used my PB for the 1st time from the pulpit tonight and WOW!!! It was so easy going back and forth from app to app, within minutes I felt completely comfortable using it. Just goes to show ya, you can teach an old dog new tricks!

[PG923]

I love using mine to do my sermons from too! I got in contact with YouVersion around Christmas and they told me that they are working on the Playbook App as we speak...

I actually like e-Mmanuel a lot! I have a lot of people at my church that have Ipads...I'm actually the only one with a Playbook...and after looking at YouVersion on their Ipads and the version on my phone, e-Mmanuel blows it out of the water in my personal opinion.

[Bob31464]

I love using mine to do my sermons from too! I got in contact with YouVersion around Christmas and they told me that they are working on the Playbook App as we speak...

I actually like e-Mmanuel a lot! I have a lot of people at my church that have Ipads...I'm actually the only one with a Playbook...and after looking at YouVersion on their Ipads and the version on my phone, e-Mmanuel blows it out of the water in my personal opinion.

It's funny that you said that because I've decided after getting used to e-Mmanuel more I like it better than YouVersion. It just does what I need and is more comfortable to me. Well worth the money.

[herculesinwyoming]

i am very happy my post has helped our crackberry pastors!

[Wright_PC]

I project lyrics, message points, and scripture references and occasionally run sound in my church. When I get the pastor's notes soon enough I copy them into a YouVersion Live event. I have seen several smart phones, android tablets, Nooks, and Kindles used almost every service and several people have thanked me for makeing the notes available in YouVersion Live.

[revdoug]

I will be bringing my 32gb playbook to Israel as I lead a pilgrimage. I used to use my iphone for quick note referrals and scripture readings while on the go, but the text is just too small as presbyopia sets in. First time I went, was with a Palm V! Things have come a long way. Last year as I led a clergy tour our bus had WiFi, which was outstanding! I am looking forward to trying out the playbook camera and video this time around. Might be the first playbook used in the Holy Sepulchre!

[john_v]

....the text is just too small as presbyopia sets in...

Growing up Baptist, I always thought presbyopia was fear of presbyterians!

I've been to Israel twice...now my kids are begging to go. I told them in a few more years when the youngest is old enough to appreciate it, and we can go together as a family.

[Tre Lawrence]

I project lyrics, message points, and scripture references and occasionally run sound in my church. When I get the pastor's notes soon enough I copy them into a YouVersion Live event. I have seen several smart phones, android tablets, Nooks, and Kindles used almost every service and several people have thanked me for makeing the notes available in YouVersion Live.

I use YouVersion Live heavily. Use it on Nook Color and my EVO. Very handy.

[rotorwrench]

Whereas I've been using YouVersion for years, I find e-mmanuel much more versatile, especially when it's inconvenient or impossible to be online. I prefer to have my Bible and notes on the PB, not the cloud. And I'm thankful to the developer for continuously updating and improving the app. Great job!!