It seems to be Dr. Moore gave some rationale for his practice, also citing some examples to show it’s clearly not contrary to some things seen in Scripture.

However, that’s not quite the same as texts dictating the necessity of a practice (e.g., standing during the public reading of Scripture).

One quibble, though: it’s very trendy in our day not to be “prescriptive” about our practices–as Mike and Gunny Hartman have shown here–but it’s always bothered me when people justify their opinions with the Bible and then say it’s just optional. I mean, if the Bible supports a thing, doesn’t it move out of the realm of opinion and into something more… authoritative?

Granted, the passages you cite aren’t stating a rule or command. But in that case, why cite them at all?

Thanks for the example Dr. Moore

Here’s something else to consider when Scripture is read out loud in a worship service — try listening to it, rather than reading along in your own Bible. While the latter practice can be wholly innocent, it carries with it a constant temptation — especially for literate readers — to stand in judgment over the one who is actually reading the words out loud.

One is never simply reading along. While the eye scans the words on the page, the ear is judging whether the reader’s cadence is what it should be, or his pronunciation, or the inflections he gives. In this day, there are probably half a dozen or more different English versions in the hands of the congregation, bringing yet another temptation — to assess the various merits or demerits of the version being read aloud, rather than listening to what is being read aloud.

A nimble reader might actually misread a word or phrase with no real harm to the sense of the passage, UNLESS everyone is following along and catches his error. After that, no one is listening to the Scripture; they’re listening for the next bobble.

My parishioners have told me that at first listening to Scripture is hard to do, but after a while they’re grateful for the opportunity to make their ears entirely receptive to the sound of God’s Word.

After one speaker said something to the effect of, “Whenever the Scripture is read God’s people should stand to honor it,” a buddy nudged me wanting to know why we didn’t stand when the speaker read 7 verses of a supplemental text.

All I could do was smile.

Sometimes standing to read the text can be a good opportunity to get the people up and moving a bit, waking them perhaps prior to a longer time of sitting.

I think Bart’s on to something by ensuring folks understand “That’s how we roll,” but that doesn’t mean the other churches that don’t are stocked with heathen.

Good stuff, Dr. Moore. Thanks.

The rebel in me, I suppose.