Whether public or private, the reading of God’s Word is not a mere formality; it is a means of grace. Yes, that has been a deeply biblical and historical conviction among many sound Christians throughout the ages.
When Scripture is read, whether in the gathered assembly or in the quiet of one’s home, it is not simply the mechanical recitation of words. It is God Himself addressing His people. The Reformers called the Word of God one of the means of grace. Although it may seem like an ordinary thing to do, it is a God-ordained channel through which the Holy Spirit communicates life, faith, and sanctification.
Several key biblical truths support the conviction about the importance of reading Scripture.
The Word is Living and Active
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
The Word of God is no lifeless page of ink and paper. It is “quick”, alive and living with the breath of God; and “powerful”, able to accomplish all His purposes. When we read it, whether publicly or privately, the Holy Spirit wields it like a finely-honed sword, cutting through our self-conceited ideas and deception, exposing the thoughts and intentions of the heart, and laying us bare before the Lord. Yet the same blade that pierces also heals, bringing conviction that leads to repentance and comfort that restores the weary soul.
The Word of God is living and enduring; it is the divine seed by which we are born again (1 Pet 1:23). It works faith in the heart through hearing (Rom 10:17), sanctifies God’s people in truth (John 17:17) and transforms lives by the Spirit’s power to the glory of Christ. To read Scripture is to place ourselves in the hands of the living God, who searches us, sanctifies us, strengthens our faith, and shapes us into Christ’s likeness (cf. Isaiah 55:10–11; Jeremiah 23:29).
The reading is not a dead ritual because the Spirit of God wields it to pierce, convict, and comfort.
Private Reading of the Word
Private reading of the Word draws the believer into intimate fellowship with the living God. As we open the Scriptures in solitude, the Spirit takes the inspired truths and speaks them personally to our hearts, guiding, correcting and comforting us.
Like the psalmist, we can say, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (Ps. 119:97); and testify, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Ps. 119:105). In those quiet moments, the voice of the Shepherd is heard (cf. John 10:27), leading us deeper into His will and nearer to His heart.
The psalmist’s delight in God’s law (Ps. 1:2; 119:97) demonstrates that meditation on Scripture serves as a means of daily refreshment and spiritual growth. The act of reading and meditating on God’s Word is a means, not an end, for God Himself is the end. Through the Spirit’s working, the Scriptures read in faith draw us closer to our God and Saviour.
In the New Testament, we see private engagement with the Word shaping the lives of disciples. The Bereans “searched the scriptures daily”, to examine and be sure of Paul’s teaching as Scriptural (Acts 17:11), showing diligence in personal study. Timothy, who was taught the Scriptures from childhood, was urged to “continue… (in) the holy scriptures” (2 Tim. 3:14-15), underscoring the lifelong role of Scripture in the personal growth of a young believer. Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:27-35) reveals God’s readiness to meet those who read and seek understanding. These examples show that private reading is not isolated from God’s presence; it is where He meets His people, instructs their minds, and kindles within them love and worship for Him in their hearts.
Reading and Instructing of the Word in Our Homes
From the earliest pages of Scripture, God’s covenant people have been charged with making His Word central in the home. The family is God’s first institution, and it is designed to be a miniature sanctuary, where His truth is known and obeyed.
The LORD God commanded His people to teach His Word at home. His command through Moses is foundational: “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deut. 6:6–7).
This charge is to parents to act as instructors of His Word, by reading and teaching it in their households. The Word is to be woven into the rhythms of daily life: in conversation at the table, in journeys, in rising, and in resting. Such dissemination of instruction assumes the Word is known, read, and applied in the home. Family worship, with the reading of Scripture, prayer, singing unto and praising of God, is a practical outworking of such a commitment.
Christian homes were not merely residences, but centres of teaching, hospitality, and mutual exhortation – first to their household and then to others (cf. Acts 2:46; 5:42; 10:22, 24; 16:32; 18:7–8; 20:20; 1 Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15; Philem. 1:2).
Public Reading of the Word in the Church
Public reading of Scripture is a God-ordained element of worship, not a mere human tradition. Paul’s charge to Timothy (in 1 Tim. 4:13) — “give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” — places it alongside preaching and teaching as central to the church’s life. Paul’s instruction to Timothy shows that reading is not a filler between hymns and sermons — it is an act of worship and ministry!
In Nehemiah’s day, “they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense” (Neh. 8:8), and the people worshipped. The New Testament continues this pattern. Jesus Himself read publicly in the synagogue (Luke 4:16-21). In Acts 13:15, after the reading of the law and the prophets in the synagogue, Paul was invited to exhort the people — showing that public reading prepared hearts for preaching. In Colossians 4:16, Paul instructs that his letter be read publicly in the Colossian church and also in Laodicea. The Book of Revelation opens with a blessing upon “he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy” (Rev. 1:3), affirming the spiritual benefit of hearing Scripture together. These examples reveal that from Israel’s assemblies to the early church, God has ordained public reading as a channel of grace, instruction, and corporate encouragement.
Conclusion
The reading of God’s Word is never presented in Scripture as an optional or ceremonial exercise. Whether in the secret place of private meditation, or in the living room of the house for family worship, or in the worship hall of a church gathering, the reading of Scripture is a holy duty, a privilege, and a means of grace. The Lord has given His Word not to be kept on the shelf, but to be read, that it might dwell richly in His people and be passed from generation to generation.
Mission to Cebu City, Bogo and San Antonio
5th–10th August 2025
The theme of our short-term mission trip was “Looking Unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2a), with the theme song “Look to the Lamb of God.” Guided by this focus, the mission sought to glorify Christ through a twofold purpose: first, to proclaim the Gospel, bringing the message of salvation to those who have yet to know Him; and second, to encourage and strengthen our fellow brethren in the Lord, particularly in the congregations of Cebu City, Bogo, and San Antonio. With eyes fixed on our Saviour, we went forth prayerfully, trusting Him to work through His Word for the salvation of souls and the building up of His church.
To fulfil the first aim of the mission, Elder Eliezer sought permission from a school in Bogo for the team to conduct an evangelistic outreach within the school compound; if permission was not granted, the team would instead carry out street evangelism. In addition, Rev. Reggor requested permission for the team to visit a reformative centre in Cebu City. Children’s outreach programmes have also been planned for each of the sister churches.
To accomplish the second aim, the Committee arranged for the team to visit the homes of fellow brethren in each of the three cities, and the sister churches adjusted their regular prayer and fellowship meetings to accommodate the team’s participation.
On the afternoon of 5th August, the team was warmly welcomed at the airport by many brethren from Cebu GBPC. Despite his physical affliction, Rev. Reggor had thoughtfully prepared a gift for each member—a farmer’s hat, serving as a meaningful reminder of our mission in the Lord’s vineyard.
The team was granted permission to minister to 320 Grade 10 and 11 students in a hall and to conduct evangelism on the premises of Cebu Roosevelt Memorial College (CRMC) in Bogo on 7th August. Our Omnipotent God moves in mysterious ways. On 29th July, a week before our departure, the principal unexpectedly offered the use of a newly renovated sports hall for us to minister to the entire student population of 950! With our Master’s piercing words ringing in our hearts, “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest” (John 4:35), the team unhesitatingly, yet prayerfully, redesigned the programme to hold a Gospel Rally for the students and staff of the school.
Being of short duration, the pace of the mission was intense. Besides the Gospel Rally to 900 students and staff of CRMC (Bogo), the team visited the Department of Health-Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (DOH-TRC) for Women, which has 76 residents and 30 staff, and conducted a Gospel meeting for about 30 adults at Sis. Ophelia’s home (Cebu). In all these outreaches, the Gospel of Christ was faithfully preached, accompanied by the singing of hymns and the theme song, and complemented with personal testimonies. The Children’s Outreach programmes held at San Antonio, Bogo, and Cebu City saw participation from 22, 31, and 64 children respectively. The Children’s Ministry also taught God’s Word to 41 children in the prayer and fellowship meetings and worship service in Bogo and Cebu GBPC.
The team ministered to 17 families of brethren scattered across the three mission locations, paid a visit to TGCM (Cebu), participated in prayer and fellowship meetings, and attended the Sunday worship service at Cebu GBPC. In all these gatherings, the messages and personal testimonies were focused on looking unto the Lord Jesus Christ and living for Him so that His name might be glorified. The families we visited, as well as our Filipino brethren in the sister churches, were grateful and comforted by the mission, and we, too, were greatly encouraged by the fellowship we shared in Christ.
The team formally concluded the mission trip with a prayer session for Rev. Reggor and his family, as well as for the fellow brethren in Cebu GBPC. We safely returned to Singapore in the early hours of 11th August, filled with joy at being enabled by the abounding grace of God and used by the Lord to accomplish much in His harvest, particularly in sowing the Gospel seed to more than a thousand souls in Cebu. All praise and glory be to the Lord!
