Gospel minister Victoria Orenze has criticised worshippers who record videos on their phones during ministration, urging them to put their devices away and concentrate on their encounter with God.
Orenze expressed her displeasure during a recent ministration, warning congregants against prioritising video recordings over active participation in worship.
The singer argued that some worshippers appeared more focused on capturing moments for social media than engaging spiritually with what was happening around them.
She urged the congregation to preserve the experience in their hearts rather than through phone recordings.
“Everything is about capturing, and yet you will have nothing inside. You want to capture? Capture in your heart. Drop those phones. Have an encounter with God,” she said.
Orenze also challenged what she described as the growing dependence on mobile phones, questioning why worshippers felt the need to record moments during a religious gathering.
To reinforce her point, she referenced biblical accounts of people who sought Jesus’ intervention, including blind Bartimaeus and the woman who suffered from a prolonged issue of blood.
She noted that neither figure relied on recording a moment with Jesus, but instead sought his attention and intervention directly.
“Blind Bartimeus didn’t carry a phone and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David.’ He was shouting,” she said, adding that the woman with the issue of blood did not attempt to film Jesus as he passed.
The minister’s remarks centred on the importance of being spiritually present during worship rather than treating the experience primarily as content for digital platforms.
Her comments have drawn attention to the use of smartphones during church services and the balance between documenting religious gatherings and participating fully in them.
