Read, Pray, React

10 Tips on Reading the Bible Better in Church

The last three posts have been a call to action, establishing the dire need to read the Bible better in church. This is not just for its own sake and for the benefit of the preaching. It is for the glory of God who has, in his kindness, given us the Scriptures which are a script which lends itself to being read aloud, since that is how most people have experienced it historically. But it requires some practice and time. Plenty of time. Here’s how to use that time:

1.     Read, Re-read & Re-reread

At least a week ahead of time, read the passage. Read it several times. Read it every day for a few days. Read it to yourself and aloud. Read different translations. Think about it. Get familiar with the words. Make sure you’re not stumbling over names and places. Maybe listen to or watch David Suchet read it. You may even like to copy it out by hand. Okay, you might not like to. But why not try it?

2.     Pray

I often say this to my kids: it’s not cheating to pray. Ask for God’s help to do this better – and ask for God to help you understand this passage. And pray through the passage. Think about it. Meditate on it.

3.     Practice on Kids

Seriously. Ask your kids, grandchildren, nieces or nephews if they mind you practising on them. They probably won’t mind. In fact, they might like it. If you do that, you will probably slow down, emphasise various words and phrases. You might even throw in a few voices. Clearly the Book of Joshua isn’t exactly The House At Pooh Corner. But the discipline of reading the story to people who might struggle to understand or follow it will help you. After all, the people in church are only half paying attention and plenty will struggle to understand or follow it.

The kids might have questions. This could lead to discussion which might have the unintended consequences of children being discipled and engaging with scripture. That’s probably okay.

4.     Pastor Input

As you think about what’s happening in the passage and the main idea, you might need some help. In which case talk to the preacher or your pastor. They would be delighted to discuss it with you. Seriously. It’s in their interests that you read the passage well. And they normally love talking about the Bible. It’s one of the reasons they’re a pastor. So do ask.

But what about the delivery? You don’t need to go RADA to do it well. Here are a few things to focus on.

5.     Play the Surprises

We no longer find it surprising that Jesus turned water into wine, or met Elijah and Moses on a mountaintop. But don’t read it like we’ve heard it all before, as if it’s a safety instruction video at the start of a flight. Make sure you emphasise the surprise. Plus there will be details in there you’ve forgotten about that are surprising. Make the most of those.

6.     React

A way to play the surprises can be done by playing the reactions of the characters in the story, if it’s a story. Remember that they don’t know how the story ends. Cyrus may have fasted all night, but he didn’t seriously expect Daniel to make it through one night in the lions’ den. So when reading his reaction, bear in mind he is amazed, thrilled, surprised and relieved.

If you want to hear me read this story, listen to the Cooper and Cary Have Words podcast where we talk about these techniques.

7.     Repetition

Lean into the repetition. It’s in the text on purpose. Don’t shy away from it or pass over it quickly. In fact, sometimes it’s funny. The most obvious example is in Daniel 3 when we get “satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials” multiple times, along with “the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music”. In most other passage, a repeated word is probably significant. So don’t throw the word away.

8.     Pitch, Pace & Pauses

As you’re playing the surprises, reactions and repetition, you may want to consider varying your pitch and your pace. That means the register of your voice and the speed at which you are reading. You may even want to pause. Nothing will get the congregation’s attention more than a dramatic pause. Don’t over do it. Less is more. But have some.

9.     Multiple Voices

You might want to consider breaking the passage up into multiple voices, especially if it’s a long passage. Or you could have different characters played by different readers. You might need to cut and paste the text into a Word document and script it so everyone is clear on who is reading what. This won’t take long and could be really effective.

10.  Maybe Move Around?

If it’s a really long reading, or you’re feeling brave, there’s a case for moving around. I did that recently reading the story of Jesus on his way to heal Jairus daughter – and being waylaid by the woman with internal bleeding. I think it worked quite well. I started at the lecturn, and when Jesus moved from his spot, I moved to the front of the church, and stopped. And then when Jesus finally went to girl, I went towards the pulpit, climbed the steps and finished the reading there.

So there you go. Some hints and hacks on reading the Bible better. But all the above take time, practice and, above all, commit to doing it better. And then better each time after than.

If you have a gift for this sort of thing, why not try working on that gift for the sake of your brothers and sisters in the congregation?

And if you have no aptitude for this sort of thing at all, why not try doing something else for the sake of your brothers and sisters in the congregation? Like welcoming? Or making good coffee? Seriously.