Have you ever been asked to read Scripture during the Divine Hour Service or any other church program? Could you be appointed to read the scriptures at any time? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then it’s time you learned the importance of reading the Scriptures before you attempt to read in the congregation’s presence.
Depending on your experience in the church or in any environment that requires public speaking, reading scripture, or performing other church-related tasks, it can feel daunting. Three Important Reasons to Read the Scriptures Before Presenting to the Congregation
- There might be a word you are not familiar with
If you think you are an English wiz, so did I. Hopefully, after reading my experience, you will recognize that you may encounter a word you don’t know. Shortly after I joined the church, I was asked to read scripture on one Sabbath. I was part of the platform party, and everyone had a role in the program. I tried to stay calm as I participated in the many parts of the service leading up to the scripture reading.
The closer I got to my part, the more nervous I became until, finally, it was my time. I rose, shook off most nerves, and began announcing where the scripture reading would be taken from. After the congregation found the scripture, I started reading, and just when I thought things were progressing well, I came upon a word I had never seen before.
The nerves started flooding back, and I was left to choose between the fight-or-flight response. Too nervous to pronounce the word correctly, I chose the latter, said something, and moved on quickly.
— P. A. Dawkins
The looks on the congregation’s faces, as they followed in their Bibles, told me I hadn’t even come close to pronouncing the word correctly. I continued reading the rest of the scripture and then quickly returned to my seat.
What made it worse was that when the speaker began the sermon, she did the scripture reading and pronounced the words correctly. All through that sermon, even if it wasn’t true, I felt the piercing eyes of the congregation staring at me as I sat on the pulpit. If that wasn’t bad enough, when I went home, a church brother called to recount the catastrophe and express empathy. This brought back the moment I had relived at church earlier that day.
Since I was an English person who loved to write before that happened, it wasn’t possible for a word to pop up that I couldn’t break down, even if I didn’t know it. So, I didn’t even think about doing a pre-reading beforehand. Looking back, I realize nervousness can throw you off balance, and because I hadn’t read the Bible all the way through, I should at least have scanned the verses beforehand.
- The scripture you are asked to read may not exist
In 2023, I visited a church, and an elder appointed to read the scripture was included in the platform party. When it was her turn, she stepped up to the podium and announced the scripture. It didn’t take long to realize that she and the rest of the congregation were confused, as the scripture she mentioned was not in the Bible.
For example, she announced that the scripture reading would be taken from ‘Genesis 52:5.’ Now, we know that Genesis only has 50 chapters, so no matter how the congregation searched, they could never find it. The person slated to speak momentarily provided her with the correct scripture, and she resumed her duties within just a few minutes.
It was evident that the elder not only did not take the time to read the scripture, but also needed to find and mark the chapter from which the reading would be taken before approaching the podium. Fortunately for her, she remained calm throughout the experience, but I am sure that beneath her demeanor, she wished she had taken the time to be better prepared.
- Pronunciation purpose
Whether you are an avid reader of the Bible, or especially if you don’t read your Bible very often, you may find some words challenging to pronounce. I’ve seen countless church members stumble upon big words, especially names of people and places.
If you are ever appointed to read the Scripture and find a word you may not be familiar with, you can always ask someone you think might know it and know how to pronounce it. My favorite is using my Bible app in sound mode to get the proper pronunciation. Practice saying the word out loud will also increase the likelihood of it flowing out of your mouth accordingly, even if you are nervous at the pulpit.
In closing, a solution that will benefit the reader on all three points above depends heavily on the texts being available beforehand. I am mindful that some speakers will provide the text so late that it leaves little or no time for the appointed person to review it. If the speaker is on their way to church, they should send the scripture beforehand so that the person can familiarize themselves with the passage.
These three examples should encourage you to read the scripture before approaching the podium. This is a surefire way to build up your confidence and save yourself and sometimes your family some avoidable embarrassment.
Additionally, remember that developing a daily practice of reading your Bible benefits every aspect of your life.
What about you? Have you or anyone you know had a similar experience to any of the points mentioned above? Share in the comments below.
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