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 Do you stand for the reading of God's Word? |
bradfreeman |
At church? I heard a minister say that, if you don't stand, you don't respect God's Word.
At home? I gotta wonder if this same minister stands in his office while he's reading the scriptures. 
If you require/ask people to stand, why?
Is there any scriptural basis for this practice or are we just trying to improve blood-flow with some physical activity so people stay awake?
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I'm not saved because I'm good. I'm saved because He's good!
My website: www.bradfreeman.com
My blog: http://bradcfreeman.tumblr.com/ |
Acts-dicted
Posts: 9027
1/8/18 11:21 am
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| Re: Do you stand for the reading of God's Word? |
Aaron Scott |
| bradfreeman wrote: | At church? I heard a minister say that, if you don't stand, you don't respect God's Word.
At home? I gotta wonder if this same minister stands in his office while he's reading the scriptures.
If you require/ask people to stand, why?
Is there any scriptural basis for this practice or are we just trying to improve blood-flow with some physical activity so people stay awake? |
There is a basis for it (Ezra), but I think that it can be elevated to a place not intended. For instance, you can stand all day...AND STILL NOT RESPECT GOD'S WORD ENOUGH TO OBEY IT.
I have also, at times, noticed that it BROKE the flow of the service. If the minister had just gotten up and read/quoted his verse (instead of the long--and I think somewhat pompous thing of having everyone turn to the scripture, or standing), I think it would have had great effect.
One preacher I knew said something like this, "And if you don't trust me to read the scripture accurately, then go ahead and turn to it in the Bible." Which begs the question, "If you don't trust the guy enough to try to preach the word correctly, then why are you even in the service???"
Worse, some folks don't know the Word enough to even have a clue whether the guy is in line or not. |
Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology
Posts: 6042
1/8/18 11:27 am
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Dave Dorsey |
I think it's a function of the cultural connection between standing and displaying honor/respect.
I have to agree with Aaron that it tends to break the flow of the service, at least for me. To me, it has always made the reading of Scripture feel like something distinct and separate from the preaching of the message. I think that's bad.
It's good to call attention to the significance of the Scripture before reading it. My pastor will typically say "Hear God's word" before he begins reading the text for his message. But I'm seated, comfortable, focused, and engaged when he reads it; and I don't make a physical change in posture afterward that disconnects me from what just happened. My two cents. |
[Insert Acts Pun Here]
Posts: 13654
1/8/18 11:37 am
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Quiet Wyatt |
| Our congregation has a tradition where in every service, a chapter of Holy Scripture is read aloud. It generally has no direct connection to the sermon that will be preached. Over the past 25 years, the congregation has read completely through the Bible three times in this way. (It takes about 7-1/2 years to read the whole Bible at a rate of three chapters per week). This tradition was started by my predecessor, and, while I don’t think it is something necessarily mandated by God, I certainly see no harm in it, our folks really love it and are committed to it, and it obviously would benefit anyone to read the word of God. I typically ask folks to stand for the reading of God’s word, but I have never said (and don’t believe I would ever say) that if one doesn’t stand for the reading, one doesn’t love and respect God’s word. |
[Insert Acts Pun Here]
Posts: 12817
1/8/18 12:18 pm
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Dave Dorsey |
| Quiet Wyatt wrote: | | Over the past 25 years, the congregation has read completely through the Bible three times in this way. |
That's very cool! |
[Insert Acts Pun Here]
Posts: 13654
1/8/18 12:21 pm
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Clint Wills |
| I think it CAN be used as a moment to draw peoples' attention into what is happening. I don't really believe it is a theological issue as much as a practical one. We don't do it at LPC, but I do think that as people are finishing up with offering or getting moved around or whatever, that it could be used to create some focus and attention on the message. |
Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology
Posts: 5161
1/9/18 12:57 am
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