Till I come...

To the credit of what folk call traditional African American Baptist churches, there is a time for a straight reading from the Holy Scriptures. This is in obedience to Paul's command to Timothy, and by implication all ministers, found in 1 Timothy 4:13.
In that passage, Paul states, "Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." When Paul states "give attention to reading" he means the reading of the Holy Scriptures. For Paul, the Holy Scriptures were the Old Testament. In the New Testament Church, there was still the reading of the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms. Does this mean that we in the New Testament church have innovated in our reading of the New Testament? No. Paul commanded the Colossians to read the letter he wrote to the Laodiceans, and vice versa (see Colossians 4:16). We are to read both the Old Testament and the New Testament in the public worship.

I've seen this command executed in a few ways. First, I've seen an Old Testament passage read and a New Testament passage read at every worship service. Second, I've seen an Old Testament passage read in the morning, and a New Testament passage read in the evening. Third, I've witnessed random readings.

I believe the most useful execution of this command is to read a passage from both testaments at every worship service. This allows the worshippers to know the connection between the testaments, and comprehend that there is no disjuncture in the Holy Scriptures.

One more thing that is needed in the reading of the Holy Scriptures: one needs to give the meaning of the passage. This is what Ezra and other priests and Levites did as recorded in Nehemiah 8:1ff. The Scriptures owing to their inspired nature are able to give one the wisdom that leads to salvation that is in Christ Jesus through faith (see 2 Timohty 3:15). With explanation, the reading of the Holy Scriptures can lead sinners to salvation by the power of the Spirit. Because of this, it is important that Scripture reading should not be neglected in African American Baptist churches. Also someone qualified to teach should read the Scriptures so to give a proper interpretation of the passages. This would include ministers, lay teachers, and deacons. Children and women are disqualified biblically from reading the Scriptures in public since women are precluded to teach in public assemblies and precluded to teach men (see 1 Corinthians 14:34; 1 Timothy 2:11-15), and children are under the subjection of their parents (see Exodus 20:12; Eph 6:1-4).

Let us be churches always reforming.