"The Word of God for the People of God"

David H. C. Read was one of the true masters of the Protestant pulpit.  He was a well-known preacher and a brilliant author.  He has been gone a long time now.  But I still vividly remember hearing him speak to a group of ministers when I was just starting out.  He had a lot to say about the craft of preaching.  But the one memorable line for me had to do with that which comes (usually) immediately before the sermon.  He had some remarks about the public reading of scripture.  He said, “I find two kinds of readers in worship.  One reads like they have never seen the text before.  The other reads as if they had written it themselves.”

It was a cautionary moment for me.  I have, since that day, tried very hard to make neither of these errors.  I hear that Scottish accent and that godly admonition every time I step to the pulpit.  Seeking that balance has helped me enjoy reading in the community a great deal. 

But if you light a candle you cast a shadow.  Dr. Read’s observation has made me aware of the tendencies of other worship leaders.  I would not think of naming a name or describing a recognizable circumstance for anything in the world.  It is not up to me to be the scripture police.

Having said that, I do make some general observations about the practice of public scripture reading.  I would recommend to anyone who accepts the charge to perform this act that they read the text several times.  Read it aloud in the same volume and cadence that you plan to use in worship.  Make certain that you can pronounce the names.  Check your phrasing to assure that the way you read makes sense.  Be confident.  And for goodness’ sake, slow down!  No one ever gets criticized for reading too slowly.  But even good readers lose their effectiveness if they rush through the reading.

To others I would say, “Remember the task that is yours!”   You are representing Holy Scripture, the Word of God, to the people of God during their adoration of their Creator.  It simply isn’t an activity that you can take lightly.  A reader can be serious without being somber.  If the reader doesn’t take the texts seriously, how can we expect the worshipers to do any differently?

A reader can’t be timid.  Nor can they murmur.  There is no power in “Mumble, mumble, mumble; this is the word of the Lord.”

This screed would be incomplete if I did not make a general observation on being just plain sloppy.  I see preachers who dash through their text as if they are trying to see how few breaths they can take before finishing.  Some treat the scripture text as if it were some kind of preliminary to get out of the way before the main event.  If they mis-read a lection, they react as if it didn’t make any difference.

When I am in worship, I appreciate that the entirety of the experience is greater than the sum of its parts.  And I am not faulting people who have prepared and executed their dead level best.  People have different gifts and it is important that a wide range of folks join in this vital community work.  What I do ask is that we treat the task with respect, with a sense of the holy.  This may be a worshipers’ only encounter with holy writ the entire week.  Let’s give it every chance to be a positive encounter.