Reading Through Romans.

The apostle Paul tells Timothy, “…devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13, ESV). Therefore, when we come together, we choose to follow Paul’s exhortation.

A New Approach

So, instead of the traditional sermon with 3 points and a conclusion, we read Scripture and talk about it. The format is an open, more dynamic approach where people ask questions, share insights and comment upon the reading. Much like a small group, as we read each section, the preacher facilitates discussion and shares insights from the text.

The version from which we have chosen to read from together is the English Standard Version (ESV). Our hope is to have a conversation with the author of the text, together, and to inspire each other to practice reading through the entire letter privately or in other settings. The emphasis is upon the author and the historical background of the immediate audience to whom the author is writing.

A Long-Standing Tradition

Reading God’s Word in our assemblies is something that has always been a common practice in both the Jewish and Christian communities. It is based upon our shared belief that the Bible is God’s Word that we need to hear and apply to every aspect of our lives. The Bible Project summarizes this principle in the video below:

Everyone is Welcome to Join Us in our Quest

Our quest is to lift up Jesus Christ. We believe that a primary source for knowing Him is to study His word. Therefore, we take God’s word seriously because, from the first sentence to the last, God’s word points to His Son, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

The book of Romans provides an excellent opportunity to get to know Him better. So, we read it, together.