“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise: Give thanks unto him, and bless his name” (Psalm 100:4 KJV).
Growing up in the church, my family was surrounded by singing. We would sing in all the regular services. Periodically there was a 5th Sunday singing. There were singings in surrounding congregations that we would attend. Our family would also sing when we had family gatherings. After I got married, my husband’s family and mine would gather at one another’s house to sing.
We can look to the scriptures to find out more about singing.
Singing is a command:
“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19 ESV).
Singing is a way of teaching others about God:
According to Paul’s words,
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16a ESV).
Singing helps summarize Bible truths to “dwell in you richly”:
There are phrases we memorize, singing them over and over through the years, and they stick with us.
Singing can be used to strengthen each other during trials and tribulations as “Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God” (Acts 16:25a) while in prison.
Singing is also a way of praising God:
“Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord” (Psalm 68:4).
Singing is to build one another up:
In Colossians 3:12–16 we see singing at the end of a long list of duties and encouragement that God wants his chosen ones to show. He wants us to have compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another, forgiving each other as we have been forgiven, binding everything together with love and harmony, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
Singing does all of this: it lets the word of Christ dwell in us; It teaches and admonishes each other; Singing helps us praise God; and give thanks to God. While singing we are all united in harmony in the musical sense and in the spiritual sense. We are all praising God and giving thanks. I am so thankful God gave us voices to sing praises to Him.
There is no greater opportunity than the present to reflect on the importance of the home as the training ground of our families for the worship of God.
God has created the home to be the primary vehicle by which young souls are raised “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph 6:1-4). In what would become a daily prayer (the Shema), Israel was expected to make the homestead a welcome environment for God-talk (theology), reflection, and spiritual meditation of God’s word:
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (English Standard Version)
Christians, in keeping with Israel’s identity (Gal 6:16), are expected to continue this focus to make the home a spiritual incubator for faith to blossom within all its members. Faith will often not blossom where its seed is not planted and nor its soil cultivated.
Even though the worship assembly is a primary venue for the whole church to hear the public reading (1 Tim 4:13) and proclamation of God’s word (Acts 15:21), the faith that has meaning is the faith that is transmitted from one generation to the next. Paul reminded Timothy that his faith had its roots in the faith of his mother and grandmother who made him more familiar with the saving and transforming word of God (2 Tim 1:5, 3:14-17).
We are increasing becoming aware of the diverse settings the people of God are forced to encounter as they offer up worship to God and encounter the presence of God in the Word of God. It is important to remember that settings may change but the call to be a worshipping people has not.
Parents, guardians, and those who have children that you raise, remember that worship is not just for the adults, it must be a multi-generational experience. So raise children to participate in worship, be spiritual role models, and provide a pathway to help your children succeed in engaging worship.
Raising Children for Worship
One of the most precious sounds which may “compete” with the sermon is the sound of a babe giggling with their parents. The training of children going through those “noisy” stages as they develop is to be applauded. God loves babies, we -the church- must love babies too.
Remember the words of rebuke that Jesus used toward his disciples who were creating a barrier for the parents that brought their children to Jesus?
And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
Mark 10:13-16 (English Standard Version)
The scene is striking. It certainly underscores the importance Jesus gave to our need to connect our children to him. Churches need to always keep children on their minds. We must never hinder their access to Jesus.
As any engaged parent would agree to, each child has their own unique needs during various stages of development. There may be a genuine need to create a special space that meets these needs. Many church facilities have rooms like a “cry room,” “nursery,” or a “training room.”
For children with special needs, it would be prudent to have a multi purpose room where both the family and their child(ren) may stay connected to the worship of God.
Churches offer a wide range of attempts at “managing” older children during worship, and some of these methods have reinforced the notion that worship is suppose to be “fun” and “entertaining.” Grooming our children with the expectation of “entertainment worship” only sets them up for a failure to engage in the sanctity of worship. It is vital to reinforce that worship is our expression of gratitude and joy toward God, it is not a human-centric experience.
There is no substitute for parents who are raising children for worship. Parents must take a “hands on” approach while the church must develop a culture that helps parents, guardians, and stewards of these children to succeed.
Living as Spiritual Role Models
Parenthood is a huge responsibility, and those who enter into it must realize the awesome task they have assumed upon themselves. In the Psalms, it says, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Psalm 127:3). Children are a heritage of souls from the Lord (Psa 127:3).
The prophet Malachi says that one of the goals of the marriage mystery of the “one flesh” is to produce godly children. Read these words:
Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring.
Malachi 2:15 (English Standard Version)
Parents are called upon to teach their children the word of God. This is to be accomplished through exposure to the Bible at home, and by participating the teaching ministries of the congregation.
This means that parents must teach their children the word at home and lead by example by participating with their children in “church services.” Parents, guardians, and stewards must demonstrate that growing in faith is important to them as well. We have too many parents sending their children to “Sunday school,” to Christians schools, to Bible Camps, as if they have done the duty. But unless these children see an example of commitment to faith, these measures are often “baby sitting” by another name.
Children must see their parents living out the teaching of the gospel (Phil 1:27). Children are not unaware of their parents’s hypocrisy. And while there is no excuse for using the poor example of another to justify one’s own spiritual failures (Prov 25:19, Psa 118:8), parents truly leave an indelible mark upon their children’s faith. Be the example they need. Shepherd their souls to the Father.
Providing “In Worship” Training
Providing “in worship” training begins with one simple step: attendance. How do parents expect their children to grow into spiritually sensitive individuals if they are not participating in worship with their children?
Sometimes parents do not have a plan to provide structure for their children during in worship. Remember, for children to succeed they must have right the atmosphere and right the activities.
It is very surprising what little children can do. When age and skill allow, have your children bring notebooks and train them to write down every book of the Bible they hear in the sermon, or every time they hear the word “God,” “Bible,” “Jesus,” “love,” “gospel,” etc. Training the children to take notes can be quite simple and effective for training.
Tote bags of spiritually related materials can be a fantastic resource for training. Bring Bible related children’s books (prayers, Bible stories, etc.), or Bible related coloring books. I know of a congregation which provides tote bags with coloring books and Bible story books with crayons. Another has a children’s bulletin filled with “church related” games and activities, and coloring pages. These can be quite effective in grooming little ones into the atmosphere of worship.
Older children often have other problems to manage. Developing children begin to really test their boundaries, and let’s be honest it can be exhausting to rehash the same battles. This is often where parental battles are won or lost. Parents are called to lead their children. It is “children obey your parents” (Eph 6:1; Col 3:20) not “parents give in to your children.”
Some behaviors can be limited. Attention can be improved by not allowing the youth to stay up so late that they cannot stay awake during services. To reduce the temptation of gaming on their phones, swap out their phone (with their “Bible app”) with a physical copy of the Bible.
Provide your growing youth with interactive activities. For example, have them get a special study notebook that they like. Challenge them to try to outline the sermons and Bible classes they heard. Ask them to write down their own spiritual questions, and leave space to find biblical answers. This forces them to mentally engage the material. This will help develop them to be hears of the word so that they may become doers.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
James 1:22-25 (English Standard Version)
Conclusion
Parents, where you lead them, they will follow. Don’t give up. You will reap a good harvest soon enough (Gal 6:9). Take a “hands on” approach to the spiritual development of your children; do not expect the church, the “youth group,” or the “youth worker” to do it for you. We must train our children in the way of faith, in hopes that they will continue on with their own faith:
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Reprinted with permission from the March 2017 issue of Gospel AdvocateMagazine.
A vital element to the worship assembly of the body of Christ in the first century was the reading aloud of the Scriptures (1 Timothy 4:13; Acts 13:15). Today, it is probably hard to imagine a time when God’s word was accessible only when assembled with God’s people; it was a communal experience. The proliferation of Bibles today has truly made reading Scripture an individualized practice; yet, this has not always been so. In fact, the meaning of “church” (ekklesia; “an assembly”) presumes a people gathered to hear, to commit to, and to act upon the Word of God (Matthew 16:18; Deuteronomy 4:10-11; 31:9-13). Thus, hearing God’s Word is part of who we are as “the church” (Acts 11:26; 14:27).
The church needs to elevate the importance of the Scripture reading assignment in our assembly (Act 13:15; 2 Corinthians 3:14). There is a tendency to be too casual about this assignment. Perhaps it is because we take literacy for granted, though the capacity to read words is not the same as understanding the words being read. In this connection, we may then take for granted that anyone can read the Scripture aloud to the church. In some societies, reading is still regarded as a technical skill, much as it was in Bible times.
If reading the Scriptures will make a child of God “complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17 ESV) when read for private devotion, then the same God-breathed writings read aloud will provide the same effect for the congregation. In the Scripture reading, God is speaking to His people. For this reason, the public reading of Scripture is a crucial element of the worship assembly and should not be taken casually or lightly.
A Note on the Context
In fact, Paul anchored to this very core principle when he wrote to Timothy to provide a strategy for the faithful to protect themselves from a departure from the faith, which will consist of Christians “devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). The antidote against “irreverent, silly myths” (4:6-7) and any possible competitors to divine revelation is the healthy teaching from God (4:13). Public reading of Scripture inoculates against false teaching and invites faithful discipleship and commitment to God (Exodus 23:22; 24:7). It syncs us up with God.
Paul makes similar requests in other letters to the churches of the first century. When detailing the unveiling of the mystery of Christ, Paul anticipates and expects the church to share his understanding (Ephesians 3:4-6). After he writes on the supreme role of Christ in redemptive history, he expected the Colossian congregation to letter swap with Laodicea (Colossians 4:16). And, to the Thessalonians, he was quite strong when he placed “an oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers” (1 Thessalonians 5:27), for through the reading aloud of his letters they would be taught (2 Thessalonians 2:14-15). And in the final revelation of Jesus, the apocalyptic portrayal of divine victory through the gospel is framed as one that must be read aloud and safeguarded against addition and omission (Revelation 1:3; 22:16-19).
Reading Scripture aloud can bring the church into sync with God’s word. The more exposure, the better our biblical literacy; then, ideally, the healthier our churches will become. Let us switch gears, now, to provide practical suggestions for this powerful act of reading Scriptures aloud in our worship assembly.
Six Suggestions for Reading Scripture Aloud
There must be a spiritual gravitas connected to reading Scripture before the assembly. I had a mentor, Don W. Hinds, that would stop me when I misread a passage aloud. He would use the adage, “take heed how you read,” to instill in me the importance of properly reading the biblical text aloud. I would like to use this as a refrain as we consider some practical guideposts for reading the Scriptures aloud when the church is assembled for worship — although these suggestions can be applied in various settings of church life.
Furthermore, in many congregations, those who manage or arrange the various elements of the worship assembly (deacons, elders, etc) should seriously consider the points below as they select public readers of Scripture. We are worshipping God and engaging in spiritual and divine matters, we are not merely filling a roster. God’s word must be the centerpiece of our worship.
First, the reading should be met with a respect for proper pronunciation and performance. This is the “oral” spiritual heritage of God’s people, to hear and understand God’s word (Nehemiah 8:1-8). Not only should one practice to read clearly and distinctly, but some types of Scripture (genre) require an element of performance (cf. Psalms). For example, we should not read a psalm of lament (Psalms 51) as if it were a genealogy. Take heed how you read.
Second, we should consider the verbal skill set of those who will read before the assembly. The goal is to instill an understanding of God and to invite the church to obedience. There is no verse that prohibits individuals with speech problems from publicly reading Scripture. We should both be sensitive and inclusive. Fortunately, audio technology facilitates what requires loud speaking in other settings. Still, as long as the public reading reaches its goal then it has accomplished its purpose. Take heed who will read.
Third, the reading selection should be long enough to understand the message. This is especially true when the selection is independent from the sermon. Some congregations may design their readings to go through a book (Psalms) or a large section of Scripture (Major Prophets). Other times, they are connected to the sermon. The readings must be of sufficient length to provide context and understanding and should have a natural and intended connection to the worship service. All things being equal, we may ask, “why read from the Song of Solomon when the sermon is on the ‘second death’ of Revelation?” Take heed what you read.
Fourth, the readings must be the Scriptures free from alteration. From time to time some like to add a few impromptu thoughts in connection with the reading of the Scripture. The points may be very excellent, but they run the risk to be of another variety. It is important to keep to the task at hand, which is to read the assigned portion of Scripture. There are many reasons for this. The most significant reason is to elevate the word of God over the words of men. As Revelation 22:18-19 warns, the text must be read without omission and addition. Take heed that you read.
Fifth, the reading of Scripture must be purposeful. There should be communication before hand to prepare those who will read aloud in worship. Sometimes we can displace others when we lean upon “good readers” in a pinch. With a purposeful schedule, we can give enough notice so that our readers can prepare, become familiar with the text, and develop a comfort level. Preparation and practice are the best helps to reduce “stage fright.” Take heed before you read.
Sixth, the reader should not cause a distraction by what they wear. It is true that God seeks and looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7; Matthew 15:8), but one should dress for the spiritual occasion (Matthew 22:11-14). While attire may sometimes be a distraction, it is more important that the reader’s lifestyle should not be a distraction. If those who pray in assembly should have “holy hands” (1 Timothy 2:8), what of those who read Scripture. Paul told Timothy that he should be an example; this would make an additional influence when he would read aloud the Scriptures to the church (1 Timothy 4:12). Take heed by whom you read.
Concluding Thoughts
The public reading of Scripture was an essential component of the first-century worship assembly. If in today’s time, the church seeks to be in conformity with the early worship practices of the New Testament church, then it will seek to incorporate this practice and develop those who will read. Moreover, the church will grow when she integrates the three-fold instruction given to Timothy: the public reading of Scripture, the exhortation, and the teaching (1 Timothy 4:13). In a day and time when so many church groups are seeking new and innovative methods to “enhance” worship, the age-tested and inspired method to read aloud God’s word must be in the forefront of our worship assemblies. Blessings to the reader, and blessings to the hearer.
Jovan Payes preaches for the Highland Church of Christ in Bakersfield, Calif.
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