Cell Phone Ministry

I love my cellphone.
I think they're the best toys (or tools--you choose) that were ever invented for modern man.

Now I know that among my tens of readers, about 80 percent (that's an estimated 2.1 of you) will be saying, "Yeah!"

The other 20 percent (an estimated 1.9 of you) will be saying, "What are you talking about! I hate the blamed things; they're a nuisance!"

However, as that 1.9 percent probably aren't reading this, I can safely continue.

I too was once flabbergasted by the idea of cell phones. When they first came out, I remember telling my longsuffering wife, "That's so stupid! Why would anyone want to carry a phone around wherever they go?"

My longsuffering wife agreed. She always agrees.

Unless I'm wrong.

Which is another painful story.

But something changed my mind about cell phones. I had been doing my preachur thing in North Manchester and drove back to my home in Roann. Just as I was about the open the back door, Julie
(my longsuffering wife) met me.

"There's been a crisis," she said. "They called for you."

So I had to crank the car right around and drive straight back to North Manchester.

That same week I was asking about cell phones.

I was really proud of my first cell phone. I could keep it in my back pocket! It only protruded about two inches above my pocket, not including the (extendable!) antennae.

Boy was I slick.

But what I really liked was being in touch with so many people, and being always reachable for someone who needed me. That is why cell phones are the pastor's insurance policy. Nobody can say, "We were trying to reach you and we couldn't get you [insert whining tone]."

We can reply, "I had my cell phone! I was just a phone call away!"

As time passed, texting came along.

I swore by all the planets, my life and my momma's prosperity that I would never text.

Then one night my daughter sent me a text. I don't know what I was doing, but I was just bored or adventurous enough to answer with a short text.

And I thought..."That was fun!"

And it all began. Now I have a "texting phone" because I need to text faster as people are texting me and I am texting them. It's not a smart phone--it's still a dumb phone.

But it's a texting phone!

Boy am I slick.

I'm not sure why we like to text sometimes even more than we like to talk on the phone.

"News flash!! [insert dramatic news soundtrack] Cell phone technology is improving so fast, that now we are able--on some phones--to talk into the phone, and our words are printed and sent out as text! So, soon--if technology continues to improve--we might actually be able to talk on the phone  [gasps of amazement and glee]!"

I think we like texting because it allows us to be a bit more clever than speaking...and it keeps us from being ensnared in twenty minute phone conversations when we really only have a single message to deliver. (I can see how this appeals to men!)

Which brings me to the purpose of this post (yes, there is a purpose)!

I am discovering what I call "cell phone ministry."

When having devotions, as many of you have experienced, someone's name comes to you. That is the person the Holy Spirit especially wants you to pray for. Those are the people I like to flash a quick text to: "Praying for you." Or, "Jesus LOVES you."

Think about it. You're depressed, or stressed or hurting. Maybe thinking no one really gives a hoot, in spite of what they said at church. The enemy of your soul is building on that.

"Nobody gives a rip!" he says. "You might as well give up on those church people."

The devil loves lines like that.

And then your cell phone beeps and you see this message: "Praying for you."

See what I mean?

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."

You have a cell phone. Use it!