“Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.”

This is a quote from 1 Timothy 4:13, where Paul is instructing a young pastor named Timothy on how to keep his congregation engaged. The importance of preaching and teaching are easy enough to understand, but what about the public reading of Scripture?

Reading Scripture aloud is powerful.

The public reading of Scripture was a key aspect of faith in ancient times largely because few people knew how to read, meaning that it was their primary access to Scripture. So Paul and other apostles were routinely reading Scripture aloud. But this practice was also an important ritual for Jewish and Christian people. Though it is not as common today, it’s a practice that can connect us to a legacy of faith and our identity within the family of God.