Text Without Ceasing

DAYTONA, FL - Youth Pastor Chad Talbot of Oceanside Baptist Church has discovered an inventive way to get his youth to communicate much more frequently with God: texting. In fact the youth group's new slogan is simply, "TEXT WITHOUT CEASING!" (Click here for their inspiration.)

According to Chad, "I could tell that most kids in the youth were not spending much of any time in prayer. The truth is that the quiet nature of traditional prayer is just too slow, too silent, and too un-technological to appeal to this generation. Instead of complaining about that, I figured that we should go with it. Since every kid these days likes to text, why not encourage them to do so?"

Amy Phillips, a sixth-grader at Oceanside, told TBNN, "I text my friends all the time. Ever since my mom got me unlimited texting, I probably text my friends more than I actually talk to them. When Pastor Chad suggested that we text God, at first it seemed a little weird. But then after I did it a few times, it was great. Now I'm texting God at least ten times per day, which is way more than I ever used to think about Him."

Pastor Chad has laid out a few guidelines in the "TEXT WITHOUT CEASING!" program. He has suggested the following: First, when you text God, don't do it while talking with friends. Second, when you text God, don't cut Him off to take a call. Third, when you text God, make sure you have a signal. Fourth, when you text God, remember to thank Him once in a while."

Chandler Harris, age 14, said, "I enjoy texting God, but I do have a problem. I'm always telling Him about things I need, but I never seem to hear back from Him. I have a Blackberry Bold, so I can get e-mail, too. He never seems to want to tell me anything."

Pastor Chad has one final warning to his kids, "Above all else, when you text avoid using OMG!"