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SCRIPTURE READING PRAISE CONCERT
Barbara Brown
Scripture Reading Praise Concert
praise from Scripture. This resulted in a
(SRPC): How It Began
wonderful time of praise.
In the early 1970s when I was just begin-
ning my campus ministry, I stumbled
It has been over 30 years since I did this
across a simple, effective way to lead a
exercise with the Columbia University fel-
group into a transcendent praise expe-
lowship and I have done it many times
rience. At the time, I was working in New
since with different-sized groups and un-
York City and the charismatic movement
der various circumstances. Almost every
was spreading rapidly. A number of stu-
time, it has proven to be effective in lead-
dents in the InterVarsity Christian Fellow-
ing us into God's presence. On a number
ship groups that I staffed were Pentecos-
of occasions, the experience has been
tals and before long I too had become
overwhelmingly powerful and has transi-
more "charismatic" in my view toward
tioned into meaningful and uplifting times
worship. But my newness in that world left
of intercessory prayer. I began to call it
me a bit uncomfortable in settings where
"Scripture Reading Praise Concert" be-
we were led to "just praise the Lord." As
cause as we read the Scripture aloud, we
those around me would begin speaking or
formed a symphony or concert of many
shouting out praises, I would often cite
voices blending together, praising God un-
Scripture or think about a song I could
der the direction or guidance of the Holy
sing. Though I felt a bit out of place during
Spirit.
those times of spontaneous praise, I ap-
preciated the experience of witnessing and
Benefits of SRPC
entering God's presence with such power.
The exciting thing about this exercise is
Over time, I grew more comfortable with
that it provides a way to praise God in
this open, candid display of praise.
spoken prayer. In my experience with
leading prayer, I find there is a weakness
Not all of the NYC fellowships that I staffed
among many when it comes to verbal,
had Pentecostal or charismatic students.
spontaneous praise of God. When in-
One such fellowship at Columbia University
structed to praise God, the response
consisted mostly of Chinese-American stu-
usually becomes one of giving thanks to
dents from Chinatown who came from fair-
God. Thanksgiving is a directive for Chris-
ly conservative church backgrounds. One
tians, but it is not the same as praise. We
day when I was meeting with six of the
are told to "Enter his (God's) gates with
fellowship leaders, I encouraged them to
thanksgiving and his courts with praise."
be more spontaneous in their praises to
(Psalm 100:3)
the Lord. Knowing that they would not be
comfortable with openly sharing their
Secondly, this exercise can serve as a
praises, I suggested we read passages of
bridge to bring charismatic and non-
2
charismatic believers together. Charismat-
Praise Concert. Instead of reading the
ics who are familiar with spontaneous
Scriptures out loud, I requested that they
praise can expand their praise vocabulary
read in more subdued voices. As they did
by reading Scriptures of praise. Non-
that, I prayed for guidance, since I was
charismatics who are familiar with praying
more accustomed to the Spirit's presence
the Scriptures can learn spontaneous
during times of spontaneous, overt praise.
praise and move to a deeper level of one-
After a while, one person began reading
ness with the Spirit.
praises out loud. Then another individual
followed, and then another, until almost
everyone had participated. Finally, in con-
clusion, I read my praise out loud as I cir-
Group Experiences Using Scripture
cled the perimeter of the group. The whole
Reading Praise Concert
experience was electrifying.
As I mentioned earlier, I began using this
On the third morning of the National Black
exercise with a small group of Columbia
Student Conference, I led the guided
University students. Many times since, I
prayer time for the entire conference of
have done the praise reading with Inter-
well over 300 attendees. The expositions
Varsity fellowship groups. I usually do it in
were from the book of Jonah, and this
conjunction with other teachings on prayer
group of student leaders had already been
and within a large group setting of 30+
receiving significant faith walk challenges.
students or during a weekend conference.
As staff, we found this group of students
The largest gathering in which I introduced
to be spiritually open and exciting to work
and facilitated a praise concert included
with. As I prepared to lead them in prayer,
over 300 participants.
I knew that the morning's exposition
would deal with the idols in our lives. To
Prayer is the ideal context for introducing
move them into God's presence, I walked
a praise concert and for teaching about the
them through the purpose of the Scripture
Holy Spirit. It is very exciting to be in a
Reading Praise Concert. The Spirit moved
group experience in which you can sense
so powerfully among us that we had an
the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit.
extended time of praise. Following a brief
Two concerts that stand out in my memory
time of quiet, I got their attention to give
took place at the 2008 InterVarsity Na-
them guidance for our time of continued
tional Spiritual Formation and Prayer Con-
prayer. I shared my sense of needing to
ference and the National Black Student
pray without words and proceeded to lead
Conference.
them in a guided session of moaning in
prayer. instead of beginning to moan, I
The SF & P Conference was held at a love-
began to cry aloud and engage in repen-
ly Catholic Retreat Center. Since quiet is
tant prayer. Caught up by the Spirit's
the mood at the center, I decided to
overwhelming presence, others also began
change the instructions a bit during my
to shout and cry out to God. For the next
time of leading the Scripture Reading
hour you could hear and feel the deep
3
mourning of souls that sought repentance
Spirit will be felt. The reading will con-
for their sins. My scheduled 20 minutes
tinue until the Holy Spirit signals it to
lasted the remainder of the morning ses-
end. That signal is what I have come to
sion.
refer to as a "holy hush." The talking
will slowly begin to decrease until you
How to Do Scripture Reading
finally hear the "sound of silence."
Praise Concert
The length of the reading passage is not
Leadership
important. If the praise is continuing after
the passage has been read, read it over
Spiritually sensitive leadership is the key.
again or select another passage to read. If
The leader needs to prepare the group for
the group is starting to get quiet before
the session. This may include a time of
you are done reading the passage, then
praise and worship, a message or Scrip-
just stop reading. At other times, someone
ture reading about the Holy Spirit, or a
may be led to read on, out loud, even
personal time of confession and repen-
when it gets quiet.
tance. After the praise concert, the leader
needs to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's
direction in how to proceed or follow up.
The group leader can give further instruc-
tions depending upon the leading of the
Holy Spirit. This may include
The Reading
Each person needs to have a Bible or a
sitting quietly for a few minutes.
copy of a praise section from the Scrip-
spontaneous singing or reading
tures. Any Bible passage of praise can
praise Scriptures
be used. Suggestions: Psalm 95, 96, 97,
98, 99, 100, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149 or
a time of intercessory prayer
150.
prayers of repentance
Allow time for silent reading of the se-
lected Scriptures.
Stand. Pick several people, one at a
time, to read aloud 3 or 4 verses from
their Scripture selection.
After the last person has read, encour-
age or direct everyone to begin reading
the Scriptures out loud in their normal
voices (or slightly louder), as acts of
praise to God. Don't mind what others
are reading, just praise God.
The Holy Spirit is the conductor of this
praise concert. The movement of the
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