[sionnsar]

[I hesitate to post this, because I think there is an unnecessary "division" here; the 'evangelicals' I know spend a significant time in the Bible *outside* of church, but here's an opportunity to speak out, and maybe some of you will click through and respond on the blog... --sionnsar]

[Salvation]

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.

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP

[ladyinred]

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.

[irishtenor]

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.

[HarleyD]

While I'll agree with the author public reading of the word is important and faith comes from hearing, there must be a desire among Christians to want to know and follow God. A case in point is Ezra:

"For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel." Ezra 7:10

[bobjam]

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.

[old and tired]

You know, I guess it all makes sense really. I think we Catholics probably read more scripture in Mass than the Evangelicals. However, I would put the difference down to obvious reasons. For us, the consecration is the point of the Mass. For evangelicals, a single verse from the Bible could be the point of the worship service.

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.

[Desdemona]

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.

[the invisib1e hand]

I don't understand how one can really worship without the Eucharist. But that's why I'm a Catholic.

[Terriergal]

The Emergent church nonsense strikes again.

Can't use the Bible, it isn't seeker-friendly!

[Terriergal]

But then you have people like this:

Lutheran leader calls for an ecumenical council to address growing biblical fundamentalism
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1467440/posts

[TommyDale]

I have been to a "Holiness" church locally where they didn't even pray. I have been at an Assembly of God in Wake Forest, NC where the pastor preached that worshipping God is equated to making love to a spouse. Nothing surprises me anymore.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

My grandfather's Southern Baptist Church only ever used one short scripture reading as a jumping off point for the sermon. Since there was no set plan of reading, it was easy for the Pastor to jump around and avoid inconvenient verses.

I liked to needle him that we had 4 times as much Bible reading in the Catholic Church - Old Testament, Psalm, Epistle, and Gospel.

[AZhardliner]

I am seeking to have more Scripture in our services, not less. We seek to sing, read, pray and preach Scripture.

[GAB-1955]

In my Missouri Synod church, I am honored to be allowed to take part as a worship assistant. One of my duties is to read the first lesson, which is usually from the Old Testament, except for Easter season, when it may be from the Acts. (I am also honored beyond words can express by the privilege of helping to distribute Communion, but that's another issue).

We read three lessons, usually from the Old Testament, the Epistles, and the Gospel.

If I may give some advice, it is to practice reading the lesson first, to avoid mispronunciations. When you read it, do use change of pace and emphasis of voice so that it sounds more exciting than a laundry list--but don't put so much into it that it takes away from hearing the Word.

Your parishioners will read along in the bulletin, if they're like ours. I personally prefer not to when I'm listening. I think "faith comes from hearing," and if you're reading along, you're not listening--and you may miss something new!

[murdoog]

I'd much rather sit and listen to the reading of Scripture than sing one more “praise and worship” song.

Given the choice between sitting through all the begats in the Bible and singing "Pass It On", I would choose the former. And it's not because I'm a genealogy buff.

[cornelis]

Guaranteed OT and NT readings at mass.

[righttackle44]

"Yes, I greatly value the role of Lector, of reading the Scripture lessons aloud during services.
"My reading duties begin this Sunday."

God bless you, friend. It is a great responsibility to
read the Scriptures before the people. It is a great ministry.

[franky]

All I know is that the Catholic Mass has the Liturgy of the Word every day and bible verses are read and the priest discusses the passages and their meaning to the parisioners.

[Salvation]

"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." (St. Jerome)