T. Allen Burr Ministries

Why have many believers, churches, and denominations stopped standing for the reading of God’s Word?

We stand for a bride coming down the aisle, for a judge entering a courtroom, for the declaration of the Pledge of Allegiance, for the singing of the Star Spangled Banner, and for other people of particular importance entering a room.

Why do we still stand for these things but not for the reading of the Word?

Creature Comforts

It boils down to comfort. Many churches want their congregants to be comfortable. They’ve replaced pews with padded chairs, physical Bibles with Scripture on screen, bulletins with social media posts (though that one is a whole other issue that I’ll address in another post), not to mention the replacement of one’s Sunday best with ripped skinny jeans and form-fitting clothing. Many churches have adopted “seeker friendly” practices that make visitors more comfortable when they first attend. These practices often carry over into the rites practiced in the church.

Over the last few centuries—and increasingly quicker nowadays—churches have moved further away from anything that seems remotely traditional or liturgical. That is largely because culture has become more relaxed, unstructured, and irreverent. The seeker friendly model of ministry requires certain concessions to be made in order to cater to the needs of the seekers. One of the things that many denominations have given up in pursuit of catering to new generations of seekers is standing for the reading of God’s Word.

Not A Mandate But A Privilege

Nowhere in the Bible will you find a passage commanding that we stand for the reading of God’s Word. It’s true! Go and look. You won’t find one.

That said, you won’t find any law in U.S. code requiring that you stand when a judge enters the courtroom nor when the national anthem is performed or the Pledge of Allegiance is recited nor when the President enters a room. And you most certainly won’t find one requiring you to stand when a bride walks down the aisle. Yet we do! Why?

We do these things because they’re societal norms. To participate in events featuring those actions and failing to observe them would be a social faux pas at best and a societal affront at worst. Consider Colin Kaepernick kneeling or sitting down during the national anthem or the student who refuses to recite the Pledge. Why do these stories make national headlines?

These types of stories catch the attention of Americans across the nation because the actions of those involved are perceived as disrespectful—and understand me, here—by some. By not standing, irrespective of their intended message, they communicate a lack of respect . To many, standing for the Pledge or the national anthem is seen as a privilege, not a right. For many, we in the United States are blessed to live in a land that values the things it does, and as a means of showing appreciation for the freedoms granted to us by our nation, we stand for the national anthem, the Pledge, the President, or a judge.

If this is the case, shouldn’t standing for the reading of God’s Word be orders of magnitude more important than these cultural norms?

An Attitude of Reverence

Christians view the Bible as the Word of God. That should hold some weight to it. If the Bible is God’s Word, shouldn’t we revere it? Shouldn’t we show it equal or greater honor than the Pledge of Allegiance or the President? Even though there is no direct commandment to stand for the reading of the Word, it should be done and done with an attitude of reverence.

For some denominations, the sermon is simply an extension of the worship experience. That said, there always seems to be a hard break between the atmosphere of a worship service and that of the sermon. If the sermon is to be considered as an extension of the worship service, that atmosphere of worship must carry on through the sermon. One way to facilitate this is by having the congregation stand for at least a brief portion of the reading. Doing this helps set the tone for the sermon; it helps determine the atmosphere.

Standing for the reading of the Word communicates reverence both to God and to those experiencing it with you. So, the question is: Will you stand with me for the reading of the Word?