Reading the Scriptures During Worship

[reformedminister]

One thing I have noticed through the years, when I have visited non-reformed churches in the past, is that there is little Scripture reading. Only a few verses are read and the sermon usually has little to do with the text. If people who attend these churches rarely read the Word themselves, they will never "hear" the whole counsel of God. One thing I make sure we do every Lord's day is read a chapter from each Testament (I may split the chapter up if it is a long one), and then I preach from something in one of the two chapters. This is a historic practice and ensures the whole counsel of God will be heard over time. I am just wondering why more Reformed churches don't do this?

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Forgetting why we did what we did.

We need reasons for our practices, and when they become rote, it is easy to forget them, and to replace them with practices not in line with our theology. Then the tide goes the wrong way, and what we DO influences what we believe, instead of our theology dictating our practice.

 

[Wannabee]

Laziness. Lack of vision. The infiltration of worldly philosophies. Seeker sensitivity. It's not creative enough. People are simply bored with God's Word.

We started doing it shortly after I arrived here. Currently we're going through Isaiah.

 

[he beholds]

Most churches I have been in do this, but they don't go through the whole books consecutively. In my church right now our pastor is preaching through I Peter, but he always reads a selection from the OT, too. The OT selection often corresponds with the sermon selection, but maybe not always and is not related to the OT passage that was read the week before.
Are you saying why don't they go through entire books of both Testaments...like, why don't they go through all of Isaiah, as mentioned above, or simply why don't they also read from the opposite Testament than the sermon is on?

 

[reformedminister]

Most churches I have been in do this, but they don't go through the whole books consecutively. In my church right now our pastor is preaching through I Peter, but he always reads a selection from the OT, too. The OT selection often corresponds with the sermon selection, but maybe not always and is not related to the OT passage that was read the week before.
Are you saying why don't they go through entire books of both Testaments...like, why don't they go through all of Isaiah, as mentioned above, or simply why don't they also read from the opposite Testament than the sermon is on?

I am asking why they don't read consecutively through the books, one chapter from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament? This is the recommendation from the Westminister Directory for Public Worship as stated:

"How large a portion shall be read at once, is left to the wisdom of the minister; but it is convenient, that ordinarily one chapter of each Testament be read at every meeting; and sometimes more, where the chapters be short, or the coherence of matter requireth it.

It is requisite that all the canonical books be read over in order, that the people may be better acquainted with the whole body of the scriptures; and ordinarily, where the reading in either Testament endeth on one Lord's day, it is to begin the next."

If your church has two services on Sunday (Morning and Evening), just imagine how much will be covered in just one year.

-----Added 6/8/2009 at 01:07:25 EST-----

I'm thankful to have, apart from the sermons proper, at least 4 Chapters of Scripture Reading and a brief (sometimes not) exposition of each every Lord's Day. In my humble opinion, it is an invaluable resource for the layman.

That's great!

 

[Theognome]

In our daily family devotions, we read full chapters, followed by a brief discussion on the chapter. We've now been through the whole bible three times this way (we did Judges 3 today- go Ehud!).

I mention this because our family devotions were modeled after what we saw happening in the pulpits. In those churches that do not treat well with God's Word, would you dare to imagine how the families in such congregations conduct family devotions, if at all?

Theognome

 

[he beholds]

That is a great idea.

 

[Montanablue]

I'm actually a little surprised by the OP, because in my experience, most reformed churches that I have visited do this. My own church (which is not reformed) also reads a large portion (usually a chapter) from the Old and New Testament each Sunday as well. Its a really good practice, and I'm sad that some churches are abandoning it.

 

[Glenn Ferrell]

I am bothered when I visit Reformed congregational worship and don’t find substantial portions of Scripture read apart from the sermon text; also, when the Scripture reading is interspersed with the sermon rather than being read on its own. The reading of Scripture is an element of public worship apart from the sermon.

 

[Jeff Allen]

The liturgical churches usually have three readings each Sunday, OT, Epistle ,and then they stand for the Gospel reading.
There is also a public confession of sins at the beginning of service.

It is beyond me how evangelical churches have thrown away these practices. Other than stated belief, you would think the Word of God does not mean much.

 

[he beholds]

I'm actually a little surprised by the OP, because in my experience, most reformed churches that I have visited do this. My own church (which is not reformed) also reads a large portion (usually a chapter) from the Old and New Testament each Sunday as well. Its a really good practice, and I'm sad that some churches are abandoning it.

Does your church read from the same book each week until the book is finished? I think that is what the OP is talking about. When I read it, and when I read your reply, both sound like what all the Reformed churches I've been to do, but I understood the OP incorrectly. You might not have!

 

[Rangerus]

In our church it varies. Our sermons are usually Biblical exegesis of 5 to 10 verses at a time. We week by week respectfully go through each verse, critically explaining and interpreting them until we get through an entire book.

Our preacher continually and strongly urges daily quiet time to include reading through the Bible at least once a year.

I would like to see more reading the Scriptures as a part of Worship. Although I have never seen this practiced in Southern Baptist Churches.

 

[Montanablue]

I'm actually a little surprised by the OP, because in my experience, most reformed churches that I have visited do this. My own church (which is not reformed) also reads a large portion (usually a chapter) from the Old and New Testament each Sunday as well. Its a really good practice, and I'm sad that some churches are abandoning it.

Does your church read from the same book each week until the book is finished? I think that is what the OP is talking about. When I read it, and when I read your reply, both sound like what all the Reformed churches I've been to do, but I understood the OP incorrectly. You might not have!

Ohhhh.... I see. No, I think I misunderstood the OP too. We do not read through entire books. Often the passages/chapters are chosen because they are relevant to the sermon, at other times they are seasonal. (In the spring, we often read resurrection passages, in the Christmas season, we often read chapters from the birth narrative etc.)

 

[Archlute]

If there is an evening service that allows, through its combination with the preaching in the morning service, both testaments to be covered between them then I think just reading blocks of scripture apart from the sermon is a bit pedantic, especially if you tend to preach on larger portions (thus involving larger readings before the sermon) of Scripture.

I find it much more helpful to incorporate Scripture readings in a liturgically thoughtful manner, and one that is more conducive to actual worship (in the same way that not all expository sermons can be considered as moving one to worship Christ in His glory, just because they happen to be expositions of a text - H.O. Olds is great on elucidating this point). You can read an entire Psalm, or a larger portion of one, as your call to worship. There is much in the prophets and all the NT that can be used in reading the law and gospel for your prayer of confession and assurance of pardon. Then of course you should be preaching on more than just half a verse at a time, so your sermon(s) will involve a good amount of scripture reading, and along with that your benedictions can draw from quite a variety of places in Scripture, and so there is more of God's Word spoken there as well. Also, for those of us who take care to observe Christ's birth, death, resurrection, ascension, sending of the Spirit on Pentecost, etc, those services can incorporate a series of traditional readings that many find quite edifying as a remembrance of those historic and important salvation events. Even for those who don't observe these days, there are plenty of texts related to communion and baptismal services that can also be read.

All that is mentioned just to show that there are other ways of getting Scripture into your peoples hearts and minds than a bare block reading inserted into some liturgically unconnected portion of the service. It is good to think about how the readings fit the flow, and not just that they are "there" (which is a good part of the reason that so many can begin to doze with those longer readings - they don't "get" why they are listening to them in the first place).

This is not to say that block readings are not preferable to having nothing at all, but I do think that it says something about the reason why many churches may have dropped the practice in their past. The soul has been made with the capacity to worship God (only by regeneration now, of course) and to worship God in a manner that is thoughtful, orderly, and in wonder at his merciful and glorious nature. If we are able to key into that set up as we plan our readings and how the function within the course of the service, I think that it will become much more profitable in the long run in helping our people to understand why we are reading what we are reading, and how that is actually a part of our active worship, again, worship being different in nature from straight ahead pedagogy, although often still incorporating a pedagogical function.

The above are just my thoughts on the matter, and are not meant to be taken as intentional jabs against any benefit that the above posters have received from the practice as they have had it, or taught it, in their own churches.

 

[LeeJUk]

thanks for just describing my church ReformedMinister

 

[Denton Elliott]

We currently read 1 Psalm during worship, but I like the advice to also read from NT...I will bring it up with the elders...

 

[rbcbob]

One thing I have noticed through the years, when I have visited non-reformed churches in the past, is that there is little Scripture reading. Only a few verses are read and the sermon usually has little to do with the text. If people who attend these churches rarely read the Word themselves, they will never "hear" the whole counsel of God. One thing I make sure we do every Lord's day is read a chapter from each Testament (I may split the chapter up if it is a long one), and then I preach from something in one of the two chapters. This is a historic practice and ensures the whole counsel of God will be heard over time. I am just wondering why more Reformed churches don't do this?

Our church has read consecutively through the New Testament in the morning worship and the Old Testament in the evening from our first day nearly twenty years ago.

1 Timothy 4:13 13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Robertson’s Word Pictures:
1Ti 4:13 - Till I come (heôs erchomai). "While I am coming" (present indicative with heôs), not "till I come" (heôs elthô). Give heed (proseche). Present active imperative, supply ton noun, "keep on putting thy mind on." The reading (têi anagnôsei). Old word from anaginôskô. See 2Co 3:14. Probably in particular the public reading of the Scriptures (Ac 13:15), though surely private reading is not to be excluded. To exhortation (têi paraklêsei), to teaching (têi didaskaliâi). Two other public functions of the minister. Probably Paul does not mean for the exhortation to precede the instruction, but the reverse in actual public work. Exhortation needs teaching to rest it upon, a hint for preachers today.

 

[he beholds]

One thing I have noticed through the years, when I have visited non-reformed churches in the past, is that there is little Scripture reading. Only a few verses are read and the sermon usually has little to do with the text. If people who attend these churches rarely read the Word themselves, they will never "hear" the whole counsel of God. One thing I make sure we do every Lord's day is read a chapter from each Testament (I may split the chapter up if it is a long one), and then I preach from something in one of the two chapters. This is a historic practice and ensures the whole counsel of God will be heard over time. I am just wondering why more Reformed churches don't do this?

Our church has read consecutively through the New Testament in the morning worship and the Old Testament in the evening from our first day nearly twenty years ago.

1 Timothy 4:13 13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Robertson’s Word Pictures:
1Ti 4:13 - Till I come (heôs erchomai). "While I am coming" (present indicative with heôs), not "till I come" (heôs elthô). Give heed (proseche). Present active imperative, supply ton noun, "keep on putting thy mind on." The reading (têi anagnôsei). Old word from anaginôskô. See 2Co 3:14. Probably in particular the public reading of the Scriptures (Ac 13:15), though surely private reading is not to be excluded. To exhortation (têi paraklêsei), to teaching (têi didaskaliâi). Two other public functions of the minister. Probably Paul does not mean for the exhortation to precede the instruction, but the reverse in actual public work. Exhortation needs teaching to rest it upon, a hint for preachers today.

So, to start fresh at this, would you recommend a church starting in Genesis and in Matthew?
And you read at least three portions of Scripture?
1)OT chapter
2)NT chapter
3)portion to be illuminated with sermon?

 

[Michael Doyle]

My church reads through quite a bit of scripture including the call to worship. OT and NT are both usually read however not quite as much as Joshua described.

 

[rbcbob]

One thing I have noticed through the years, when I have visited non-reformed churches in the past, is that there is little Scripture reading. Only a few verses are read and the sermon usually has little to do with the text. If people who attend these churches rarely read the Word themselves, they will never "hear" the whole counsel of God. One thing I make sure we do every Lord's day is read a chapter from each Testament (I may split the chapter up if it is a long one), and then I preach from something in one of the two chapters. This is a historic practice and ensures the whole counsel of God will be heard over time. I am just wondering why more Reformed churches don't do this?

Our church has read consecutively through the New Testament in the morning worship and the Old Testament in the evening from our first day nearly twenty years ago.

1 Timothy 4:13 13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Robertson’s Word Pictures:
1Ti 4:13 - Till I come (heôs erchomai). "While I am coming" (present indicative with heôs), not "till I come" (heôs elthô). Give heed (proseche). Present active imperative, supply ton noun, "keep on putting thy mind on." The reading (têi anagnôsei). Old word from anaginôskô. See 2Co 3:14. Probably in particular the public reading of the Scriptures (Ac 13:15), though surely private reading is not to be excluded. To exhortation (têi paraklêsei), to teaching (têi didaskaliâi). Two other public functions of the minister. Probably Paul does not mean for the exhortation to precede the instruction, but the reverse in actual public work. Exhortation needs teaching to rest it upon, a hint for preachers today.

So, to start fresh at this, would you recommend a church starting in Genesis and in Matthew?
And you read at least three portions of Scripture?
1)OT chapter
2)NT chapter
3)portion to be illuminated with sermon?

Each eldership must prayerfully decide how to implement Paul's directions in first Timothy 4. Wisdom, sensitivity to strengths and weaknesses within the makeup of the particular congregation, number of services on the Lord's day, etc. The goal is to first of all be doing it and secondly to seek to be continually doing it to greater edification of the flock and the glory of God.

 

[Curt]

In our Sunday morning worship services we have a reading by an elder prior to the beginning of the service, then a call to worship. We have a consecutive reading from both the OT and NT and we also have the reading of the text for the sermon.

 

[reformedminister]

One thing I have noticed through the years, when I have visited non-reformed churches in the past, is that there is little Scripture reading. Only a few verses are read and the sermon usually has little to do with the text. If people who attend these churches rarely read the Word themselves, they will never "hear" the whole counsel of God. One thing I make sure we do every Lord's day is read a chapter from each Testament (I may split the chapter up if it is a long one), and then I preach from something in one of the two chapters. This is a historic practice and ensures the whole counsel of God will be heard over time. I am just wondering why more Reformed churches don't do this?

Our church has read consecutively through the New Testament in the morning worship and the Old Testament in the evening from our first day nearly twenty years ago.

1 Timothy 4:13 13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Robertson’s Word Pictures:
1Ti 4:13 - Till I come (heôs erchomai). "While I am coming" (present indicative with heôs), not "till I come" (heôs elthô). Give heed (proseche). Present active imperative, supply ton noun, "keep on putting thy mind on." The reading (têi anagnôsei). Old word from anaginôskô. See 2Co 3:14. Probably in particular the public reading of the Scriptures (Ac 13:15), though surely private reading is not to be excluded. To exhortation (têi paraklêsei), to teaching (têi didaskaliâi). Two other public functions of the minister. Probably Paul does not mean for the exhortation to precede the instruction, but the reverse in actual public work. Exhortation needs teaching to rest it upon, a hint for preachers today.

So, to start fresh at this, would you recommend a church starting in Genesis and in Matthew?
And you read at least three portions of Scripture?
1)OT chapter
2)NT chapter
3)portion to be illuminated with sermon?

Just two, OT chapter and NT chapter. The sermon would be from one of the two readings. Yesterday we read Genesis 30:1-22 and Romans 5. The sermon text was Romans 5:1-5. We actually started with Genesis and John. I plan to read through only one of the gospels each time we read through the New Testament, and treat the book of Acts as the continuation of Luke.

-----Added 6/8/2009 at 04:07:19 EST-----

In our daily family devotions, we read full chapters, followed by a brief discussion on the chapter. We've now been through the whole bible three times this way (we did Judges 3 today- go Ehud!).

I mention this because our family devotions were modeled after what we saw happening in the pulpits. In those churches that do not treat well with God's Word, would you dare to imagine how the families in such congregations conduct family devotions, if at all?

Theognome

We do this too in our family devotions. My oldest Son, who is 23, is in the Senior pastor's Sunday School class. Everyone has been coming up to me and telling me what a pleasure it is to have him in class because he has a lot of interesting things to say and knows a lot about the Bible. I wonder why?

-----Added 6/8/2009 at 04:14:40 EST-----

Many liturgical churches today read through the lectionary, but this is not the same because they do not read consecutively through the Bible, and skip many things. It is interesting that I was looking at an old Methodist book of worship (1952). They did not follow a lectionary but recommended reading a chapter from each Testament. This is similar to the format prescribed in their 1939 hymnal.

I know different churches do different things, and the main point is to get the Word into the people. However, historically Scripture Reading had a larger place in Reformed worship, and the sermon text was from one of the two readings. Think of it this way. In your personal reading, are you going to pick up the Bible and read at random. I hope not! You want to read it cover to cover or maybe consecutively from both the Old and New Testaments.

 

[Glenn Ferrell]

The liturgical churches usually have three readings each Sunday, OT, Epistle ,and then they stand for the Gospel reading.
There is also a public confession of sins at the beginning of service.

It is beyond me how evangelical churches have thrown away these practices. Other than stated belief, you would think the Word of God does not mean much.

Puritan and Scottish Presbyterians would have rejected a prescribed lectionary based upon a liturgical calendar. However, they would have read through the Old and New Testaments in consecutive order, with at least two readings each serice. They would also have sung through the entire Psalter.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

I think it is worth mentioning that while I am in favor of more Scripture reading in the worship, it is going to cost something: more time either added to the service, or drop something.

Just pointing out that minutes are minutes. Sometimes people have to be brought along to want more.

Another thing that should be mentioned is there is one dynamic that has changed from the early 1500s. Every family and individual (just about) has their own Bible. Back then, there was basically one way to learn the Bible's content: listen to it read aloud on Sunday. So, naturally the Reformers wanted lots of it in the worship, even parts that would not necessarily be expounded that day. Because over time, the whole Bible would be read, and form the connected consciousness of the listener. To which the expositional sermons would be added.

Today, the Bible is much more accessible. Not that we need it read less in worship, but maybe we don't need it read in the same ways.

 

[Wannabee]

It does seem to be an interesting dynamic in our culture that people take God's Word for granted now. Sure, they can read their own Bibles. This is what we teach and pray they will do. But the regular reading on Sundays should engender a greater desire to know more. That doesn't mean it will though.

 

[reformedminister]

I think it is worth mentioning that while I am in favor of more Scripture reading in the worship, it is going to cost something: more time either added to the service, or drop something.

Just pointing out that minutes are minutes. Sometimes people have to be brought along to want more.

Another thing that should be mentioned is there is one dynamic that has changed from the early 1500s. Every family and individual (just about) has their own Bible. Back then, there was basically one way to learn the Bible's content: listen to it read aloud on Sunday. So, naturally the Reformers wanted lots of it in the worship, even parts that would not necessarily be expounded that day. Because over time, the whole Bible would be read, and form the connected consciousness of the listener. To which the expositional sermons would be added.

Today, the Bible is much more accessible. Not that we need it read less in worship, but maybe we don't need it read in the same ways.

I agree with you about the time. However, our service is still kept to about an hour. We have a call to worship, confession of sin, pastoral prayer, offering, the Lord's supper, three hymns and a psalm, and about a thirty minute sermon. Regarding the dynamics of the time of the reformers, the Bible is much more accessible today. Ironically, however, there is less Scripture reading in Church, and most Christians read the Bible less today than in the days of the Puritans, when there was at the most one Bible to a household.

 

[Rogerant]

I actually do manage to read large portions of Scripture, sometimes quite a few chapters, during what others participate in what some would say "passes for worship". If I actually participated in "what passes for worship" in our church, I would have say that my experience with the "god" that was worshiped leaves me without a propitiated expiation of my wrath. The end result is that I expiate it on those who share the car ride home!

Pray for reformation in my church.

 

[toddpedlar]

If you can get a copy of "Many Verses: The Importance of the Reading of Scripture in Reformed Worship" by Ernest Springer (out of print from Old Paths) you will be blessed, convicted and encouraged. It's a very brief book, but a sound perspective on the reading of God's Word in worship. We read some in our church, but not nearly enough - several passages each week that tie in with the order of worship our pastor has put together... but we don't read consecutively, nor do we often read more than a chapter at any one time.

Reading personally and reading in worship are two completely different things - and both are important practices. We shouldn't feel satisfied that enough Scripture is read in our private and public worship if all the Scripture reading we experience (or 95% of it) is done in private. We also should not bow to the pressure of time wherein people start complaining if too much "idle time" is spent. There's a great deal of pressure, I think, to "keep things moving" in worship - and a common incorrect perception that when the congregation ("audience" in modern terms) is sitting still and passively listening to something like the Word of God being read (come on, folks, it's the Word direct from God's own mouth!) is a waste of time. Those who lead in the churches MUST never bow to such opinions, but instead give heed to what the Word prescribes for us in worship, and what God has ordained for the nourishment of souls.

 

[Brian Withnell]

Forgetting why we did what we did.

We need reasons for our practices, and when they become rote, it is easy to forget them, and to replace them with practices not in line with our theology. Then the tide goes the wrong way, and what we DO influences what we believe, instead of our theology dictating our practice.

I have more hope for a church that worships properly for the wrong reason than a church that worships incorrectly. Services that are at least proper in form can lead to proper in theology ... though it would be better to have the form follow proper theology.

 

[Tim]

I have a few observations.

At the church I currently attend, many of the men who lead worship will read a bit of scripture (usually only part of a chapter). But then they will start to comment on what they just read (they are not ordained ministers of the Word), I suppose to get us to appreciate the spiritual truth that was just introduced. Sometimes I wish they would just stop and read us scripture - whole books at a time! That is truly what I desire to hear: my precious God speaking to us through His holy scripture!

The other thing that sometimes happens is that they will read a hymn or ask us to meditate on the words of a hymn for a few moments. We are never asked to meditate on a passage of scripture.

It beats my why it would be done this way.

In a way it reminds me of radio stations. Some music stations have too much talk. Others advertise, "more music...less talk". I would apply this to church: "more scripture, less comment" (unless it is the pastor actually preaching the Word, of course).

Dear pastors, please give us the good stuff! The meat!