Standing to read the Message Text

Most of the churches we've attended have asked that we stand then.

 

I go back and forth on doing it.

I used to not do it because of what SaltCity said re: standing everytime a text is quoted. If a text is read, I like standing. But quoting a text is a bit different. Standing to hear a text at the beginning of a sermon signifies that you're standing in honor of the preaching event where a sermon is about to be delivered. It shows honor for the text and the preaching event, where the preaching of the word of God has historically been viewed as an act of God, if not the word of God itself as Calvin articulated. The quoting of a text usually occurs during a sermon, so you've already stood for that. Now if a text lesson is read prior, yes, you'd stand there or else be inconsistent.

But were baptists....we don't read that much scripture anyway in our services. We're a people of the book....the hymn book :tear:

 

[off topic]

 

In the Church of England, there was a different lecturn for reading from scripture and everyone stood for those two readings. Then there was the pulpit for preaching, but no one sood for that. We did kneel at every prayer.

In the Baptist Churches I served, we only stood for prayer, never a reading of scripture. In some sermons people would be up and down like a yoyo! I don't think standing or sitting is an expression of respect or disrespect. It is just silly!

Cheers,

Jim

 

At my church we stand for congregational Scripture reading every Sunday, but not during the sermon.

 

I have been in churches where they did stand. I have been in churches where they don't.

When I have visited Ukraine, in churches there, they stand when they pray, because they are talking to God.

Half a dozen of these, seven of the other.

 

I don't ask the congregation to stand in honor of the scripture. I'd much rather them honor the scripture by living out its precepts in thier daily lives. Anybody can stand when scripture is read.....

 

Never heard that myself, but that's just me.

 

Our former pastor would ask us to stand, but not when he was using a lengthy passage. We currently do not do it.

I don't have a problem with it on principle, but my knees are not so hip on standing three-four times during congregational singing/prayer/offering, and then playing jack-in-the-box during the sermon.

 

This topic couldn't be any more fitting for my current situation! I have just taken a new church (been there 3 months). A few Sundays ago I was approached by three members of the church who wanted to know why I didn't have the congregation stand when I read scripture at the start of my sermon? I told them it was not a practice I had done in the past, and that I felt the emphasis on honoring the Word of God should be upon living the Word in our daily lives rather than in an act of standing in honor of the reading of scripture. These three members have now taken it upon themselves to stand when I read the sermon text while everyone else remains seated!

 

What these people fail to recognize is that they're now putting the attention upon them instead of the Word. I guarantee you, some others in the congregation likely think of them as buffoons.

 

I don't ask my church to stand as I read scripture. I also don't necessarily read the text at the beginning of the message. I don't disagree with those who do, I just don't see it as necessary.

What bothers me is those preachers who have everyone stand and them they make commentary all the way though as they read. Standing for Scripture is one thing - standing for the message is another!

 

I think one of the problems, we Baptist have is that we want it our way.
I've never been in a church that when the Scripture for the sermon was read that all didn't stand. But if I ever were and it bothers me, I just wouldn't come back, not cause a fuss or draw the attention to myself.

I've been in churches where women didn't wear pants, so I wore pants and my wife wore a dress, no big deal. If it would bother us that much, we just wouldn't come back, find a church where we fit in better.

Now if they called you to be the pastor and that was a big deal, they should have gone over it with you first. Now if the rest of the congregation goes with you, all is fine, if not you might have to change. Still no big deal, if all is done for His' glory.

 

Sounds like you, then you and a deacon or two, needs to have a talk with them. Standing in respect is one thing, but standing in defiance is another. To me it sounds like the problem runs a lot deeper than just standing for the reading of God's word.

Amen, brother. And if we can't get our way we sull up like an old bullfrog and pout. Least ways, that's how I've seen most around here act.

 

The church I grew up in did this. It was nice.

In our current situation we don't ask the congregation to do this. It can cause some confusion when you start to read the other texts related the the message.

I'm sort of torn because of my theological heritage (but that happens with a lot of things.) It got to the point in one church where some people would stand up every time a Scripture was read...that got weird.

One thing that was done in the church where I grew up was the message text was read before the message, then a song sung, then the message. That seemed to help.

 

I think this is why God allowed the original manuscripts to disappear.....He didn't want the scriptures worshipped.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Very good point...though we Baptists are rather good at lapsing into biblio-idolatry quicker than most.

 

Nehemiah 8:5
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.