Reading the Bible Out Loud
0 comments | Posted by Matthew Davies on 03 Sep 2009 in General ::
For most people, the fear of public speaking is greater than the fear of death. Jerry Seinfeld says that means that at a funeral most people would prefer to be in the coffin than give the eulogy.
When it comes to reading the Bible out loud in church there is the added pressure of publically reading the word of God. Plus you have to pronounce odd names and places and you only get about one chance a year depending on the roster.
But there are some people who are really good at reading the Bible. They read in a way that is clear, that is captivating, that makes the words come alive. So if they can do it so well, how can I do it better?
Firstly we can recognise the pressure that we place on ourselves. We feel the fear of public speaking and of reading aloud. It can feel quite unfamiliar and uncomfortable. But we can control this pressure. Notice I said ‘control’, I have never been able to get rid of the hit of adrenaline that I feel when I am standing up in front of a group.
Let’s forget the trick of relaxing by ‘imagining everyone in their underwear’. Firstly this never works and secondly it isn’t really the thing to do in church. Then we need to switch our brains from ‘my performance in front of you’, to ‘you hearing God’s words’.
The key to this is preparation. Read through the entire passage before you come to church. Read standing up and out loud. Do it again. Speak to Steve about how he will pronounce the names and places in his sermon and use the same pronunciation.
(There will be no one in our church wondering whether you’ve correctly pronounced Ancient Hebrew).
Practical tips
- Take your time. Use pauses. Read like a story. Use appropriate emotion.
- You should be close enough to the microphone for it to amplify your voice but not so close that your breath makes a popping sound. Feel free to adjust the mic up or down to where you think it will pick you up.
- Practice after church one day. That may feel awkward but if you feel comfortable standing behind a lectern and adjusting the mic, then when it comes to your turn to read, you can focus on the reading.
- In your introduction give the book, chapter and verses as well as the page number for those visitors new to church and unfamiliar with the bible’s layout.
- The Word of God is alive, believe it and read it that way.
- Relax. Take a breath. Read.
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