One of my favorite professors once asked this question, "What is the best thing that happens in church every Sunday?" Being that this was a preaching class, most of the answers centered on that topic, "preaching," "response to the message" etc. My professor proceeded to give the correct answer, "The Word of God is read aloud." The next question asked by my professor had the same answer (The word of God is read aloud) but this time the question was, "What is the worst thing that happens in church every Sunday?"
His point was not to be intentionally contradictory but to shed light on the fact that most people (especially pastors), in most churches, simply do not put much thought or practice into reading the Bible aloud. One of the ways my friend evangelist Denise Matthews blessed me was by her training me to read the Bible aloud. She would call out passages of Scripture and have me read them to her. As I read, she would critique my recitation and help me understand how to make the passage come alive to the hearer. I have asked many a fellow pastor and seminary graduate if at any time in their life anyone has ever done likewise for them (that is, have someone teach them how to read the Bible out-loud)and so far, sadly, I have never had anyone say yes. But (as my favorite professor pointed out) it is a skill sorely needed in our churches. Consider this question- what message is being proclaimed when preachers get more excited and passionate about the contents of a PowerPoint slide or "clever" alliterations than the Bible itself? Believe me, as a life-long student of preaching, I hear and see this occur far too often. The sad truth is that reading the Word of God aloud is the worst thing that happens in many churches every Sunday.
Let me give a personal example as an encouragement- a few weeks ago, I was preaching Daniel chapter 3. During the sermon, people in our church began to cheer and clap as I read the account of the 4th man in the fire. That's right, people responded to the Word of God being read aloud; not a clever illustration, anecdote, or famous quote. People who have heard me preach for over a decade got excited when I "simply" read the Bible… it was the best thing that happened in church that Sunday.
Here is my exhortation- We must read more Scripture in church every Sunday (a few verses a week is not enough) and we must do a better job reading it. I encourage pastors (and anyone else who reads the Bible aloud in church) to find someone to coach them as Denise did for me, you and your church will be blessed by this training. I also encourage all of us to read the Bible aloud daily to our families, to ourselves, and to our God. Last but not least, everyone who reads the Bible aloud in church ought to practice their Scripture selection several times before Sunday.
This world needs to hear the Bible. We owe to God to read it well.
