Based on the prominence public reading of Scripture has had through the millennia, Timothy Raltson said, “Public reading and preaching within worship exposes His demands, our inadequacy and His grace. It calls for covenant renewal and lies at the heart of spiritual revival. Therefore, how can we offer acceptable worship if His Word does not have a prominent place in our liturgy?”

The Bible often is read poorly in our church services; but when read well, it can minister as deeply as a Spirit-empowered sermon. Unfortunately, in many churches public reading of the Bible is little more than homiletical throat clearing before the sermon; but as W.E. Sangster asserted: “Bible reading offers the widest scope for the enrichment of public worship, and it is a great pity that the Scriptures are often so badly read…When the Book is well read and made to live for the people, it can do for them what sermons often fail to d It can be the very voice of God to their souls.”

Craddock concurs, observing, “For all the noise ministers make about the centrality of the Bible in the church, the public reading of Scripture in many places does not support that conviction.” Public reading is important because of the principle lex ordandi lex credendi (worship practices display the Church’s belief, and they also form the beliefs themselves).

Allow me to offer five arguments which can provide grounding to increase the quantity and quality of our public reading.

Argument #1: We are commanded to read the Bible publicly.

I’m referring to 1 Timothy 4:13, “Devote yourself to the public reading.” The word devote (Gk. prosecho) means to “hold the mind toward” or “pay attention to, give heed to, or apply oneself.”

Paul’s command to Timothy needs to be understood in light of first century culture when few people knew how to read and very few manuscripts existed. That was a day of chirography (handwriting), not typography with mechanically produced texts. If a pastor wanted to build up his people in the most holy faith, it was mandatory to read the Bible aloud.

Jeffrey Arthurs is Professor of Preaching and Communication and Dean of the Chapel at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts.

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