Pray-Reading is Scriptural

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by UntoHim

So is "Pray Reading" as it is outlined in the various references given on this thread scriptural? Absolutely!

Is "Pray Reading" as it is practiced in the Local Church of Witness Lee scriptural? Absolutely Not!

40 years ago we had a practice of repeating verses to one another in the meetings before a brother would minister. It was a preferred alternative to not reading Bible verses at all in the meeting. Some of it was fun, educational, nourishing, and enlivening. Sometimes public prayer would result. I still think that was much more edifying than everyone speaking in tongues.

Every practice is just that. "A" practice. Most any practice can be a help, and every practice can be abused. Church history is filled with stories. There are thousands of diverse practices in churches, but Paul did tell Timothy to "give attendance to the reading" of scripture. (I Timothy 4.6-16) The LC's I was part of used this scripture to support the practice.

• Being nourished with the words of faith v.6
• Exercise yourself unto godliness v.7
• This faithful word is worthy of all acceptance v.9
• Attend to public reading v.13

Once we remove the Spirit of reality from any spiritual practice, we are left with something robotic, empty, and vain. The same thing happened to Israel. God told them He was bored and disgusted with their offerings.

The problem with public "pray-reading" as orchestrated by LSM was the departure of God's glory from their temple. Without the Spirit of reality, the practice morphed into something unrecognizable to Christians. Something called PSRP was introduced in 1993. The practice departed from what any of us would call "prayer," or "reading the scripture." It became shouting and repeating the outlines of Lee. Today it is worse. They now shout and repeat the outlines of the Blendeds supposedly based on the outlines of Lee.