Posted on 08/22/2005 6:26:33 PM PDT by sionnsar
As this piece points out, the churches where you are least likely to hear Scripture read during services are often those where the authority and teaching of Scripture are most emphasized, particularly evangelical churches. Strange, but true. And the writer’s experience is that even Anglican evangelical churches often read Scripture in their worship less.
My personal experience as one with a evangelical/fundamentalist background? My current REC church is the first of my church homes where Scripture is regularly read during services outside the context of the sermon.
I think this is one way is which evangelical-style worship impoverishes itself. As I’ve experienced first hand, there is a power to formally reading the raw word of God in worship. I'd much rather sit and listen to the reading of Scripture than sing one more “praise and worship” song. And Scripture reading is a prominent feature of Jewish and Christian worship through the centuries. Why cut oneself off from that?
Yes, I greatly value the role of Lector, of reading the Scripture lessons aloud during services.
My reading duties begin this Sunday.
I was in a protestant church yesterday for a service (dedication of my grand-daughter) and I was flabberghasted that there were no Biblical readings! Only references during the sermon.
INTREP
This does not surprise me in the least. The Pastor usually reads a small portion of scripture as his "text" and then that is it. He then goes into his sermon and most of the time it has little to do with the reading. It is rather sad. At least this is my experience with Churches.
Sigh. If you have lurked around any of the Proddie threads you will know that the Calvinists are staunchly opposed to the "Seeker Sensitive" movement that is occurring in a large part of the Evangelical church today.
These churches are selling their souls in order to make people feel welcome. The thought is that if these churches use business models, bring in the Doctrine of Oprah instead of the Gospel of Christ, church growth will occur. And as we all know, in the American mind set, size matters.
On the flip side, traditional Proddies have become more interested in a social Gospel than Christ, it is no wonder that the traditional Protestant churches are losing members by the busload.
Never mind if churches preached sin, and restoration to God through the atoning death of Christ, people would beat down their doors like heroin addicts at a methadone clinic. That message is being preached in some churches, and those churches are growing solid, Biblical Christians.
Others, like the Arminian Cathedral to Health, Wealth, and Prosperity found in Houston Texas is growing a lot of briers, IMHO.
You are cordially invited to post 6.
GC
I actually heard someone say that Osteen was the next Billy Graham.
Our worship begins with a "Call to Worship(a reading usually from Psalms or Isaiah), and we usually have a OT reading and a NT reading sometime during the worship. The sermon text is prayed for before being read, and the benediction is from scripture. I would say that we hold fast to the importance of scripture in our services.
I'm not surprised. Our nation is full of folks who have itchy ears and are willing to offer up strange fire. Our country will receive the judgment that we deserve.
Did you see any of the recent articles about him? He seemed quite pleased with the fact that he never had any seminary training.
No, but he did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night...
(Is that right? I haven't seen American commercials in over a year.)
Nah, with his money it would be "The Four Seasons" or nothing.
Just because the Bible isn't read much during the service doesn't mean it isn't read. Episcopal churches typically have three or four readings (Old Testament lesson, Psalm, New Testament lesson and Gospel) on Sunday mornings. We see where that got them. Evangelical Protestants understand that their emphasis on Bible studies in small groups and personal devotion during the week is a much more efficient method of teaching Scripture than full reliance on readings in Church.
That person is typical of feel goodism religiosity where sound Biblical doctrinal truth is no longer relevant. As long as someone like Osteen, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, T.D. Jakes or a myriad of false teachers use the name Jesus and stir them up emotionally, truth doesn't matter.
Jesus was right, "there are few that find the kingdom of heaven"(paraphrase).
At worship services, we're reading the Bible, Evangelicals are studying it. That's not to say Catholics don't or shouldn't study the Bible. It's just that Mass is not the place for it.
This doesn't particularly surprise me. Being Catholic and being used to the amount of scripture either read or otherwise said during Mass (pretty much everything but the homily), it always amazes me while at a protestant service of any sort, how much of it is NOT from scripture. I've been to weddings where there weren't even Gospel readings. That just didn't work for me.
>>I actually heard someone say that Osteen was the next Billy Graham.<<
For kicks, I watched one of Osteens TV sermons a while back. A 30 minute sermon. He didn't mention God until the 22 minute mark. At the 28 minute mark, he closed with one verse from Hebrews that was taken entirely out of context and made irrelevant to the topic of his "sermon" on Emotional Bank Accounts.
What utter folly, and how wickedly deceived are the followers of this Snake Oil Salesman.
Preach the gospel. As it is, with no apologies or watering-down - and watch the Lord's work be done!
***At worship services, we're reading the Bible, Evangelicals are studying it. That's not to say Catholics don't or shouldn't study the Bible. It's just that Mass is not the place for it.***
As a Proddie, I agree with you. I see the worship service as a time for a proclamation of God's word, not for a time of in depth study. That's what Sunday School and weekly studies are for.
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