Volume 33, No. 2
January 13, 2008
Cultural Disconnect
Many of the world’s communications giants are hanging up on the pay phone
business, once and for all.
In the U.S., the number of coin operated telephones has plunged from 2.8
million in 1998 to under a million today and some experts predict they’ll be
a thing of the past by 2012. Companies like At&T are yanking the cord
entirely, saying pay phones don’t pay. They blame the cost of maintenance,
vandalism and coin collection and — more than anything else — the explosion
of cell phone popularity. As British Telecom explains, the decline of coin
operated telephones is “driven by a complete culture change in
communications.”
Though AT&T will be out of the pay phone business by next year, other
providers like Verizon are going slower. A typical unit costs about $50 a
month to operate, needing 150 calls to break even. If a pay phone
consistently gets less, Verizon shuts it down.
But last year, the company partnered with the Canadian firm Freefone Inc.
to set up a network of free public telephones. Callers use the phones in
front of a 15-inch monitor showing advertising, which pays the bills. There
are 600 such phones in North America, mostly in busy areas such as malls and
universities, with many more on the way.
But — at least in Canada — pay phones won’t disappear any time soon.
Though their revenues are falling about 17 per cent a year and the number of
public telephones is dwindling, providers say they’re committed to keeping
enough to ensure public safety. Analysts point out that only 52 per cent of
Canadians have cells, mobile service isn’tavailable in some areas, and pay
phones are a necessary backup when portable phones lose their charge. They
say public telephones are especially important in rural areas and places
like schools and hospitals, especially for the elderly and low-income
families.
But public phones will continue to evolve. The Freefone units come with
free wireless access, and the latest phone booths don’t even have a phone.
The Cell Zone is a soundproof enclosure that offers mobile phone users a
quiet place in bars, restaurants and libraries while sparing other patrons
from having to listen to annoying conversations. There’s a parallel to
what’s happening in Christianity. Across North America, the number of
people who regularly attend worship services has declined steadily,
prompting some to question the future existence of the church. Already,
countless congregations have closed up and some denominations have suffered
a dramatic decline driven by a complete culture change in communications
with God. Specifically, a growing number of people say they take their
faith everywhere — they don’t have to go to a specific spot on Sunday to
worship.
The truth is, most people who use that justification seldom do worship
God, anywhere. But even those who do are missing an essential Biblical
principle. In his wisdom, God calls us into community because He knows we
all need encouragement and accountability, and the capacity to love and
support others. That’s what family is all about. Yes, we need to have our
own faith and take it with us everywhere, but that includes church. “Think
of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds,” we’re
commanded. “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some do, but
encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of [Jesus’]
coming back is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24,25)
Each of us will lose our spiritual charge, or face an emergency, or find
ourselves in a place where we can’t seem to connect with God on our own.
That’s why a living, loving and uplifting church is so vital — and there are
many out there, despite the cultural stereotypes. Most churches still offer
the essentials but are evolving to help people encounter Christ in fresh,
relevant ways. In those places, the love of God and his people is
absolutely free and waiting for you. It’s your call.
By Rick Gamble. Published in Cross Current, the weekly newsletter of the
followers of Christ congregation in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. Reprint at
will in not-for-profit publications. To subscribe to this free weekly
article, send a note to Rick at
rgamble@bfree.on.ca