There is no part of the corporate gathering that is passive. When someone is praying, we pray with them. When someone is preaching we lean in actively listening. When we sing we sing out for the sake of the Lord and our brothers and sisters - even when we don’t like the songs, even when we don’t know the songs. We show up ready to serve, love, and give - not simply prepared to receive or take.
Corporate readings are an easy way to increase active participation in the corporate gathering. Simply reading a passage of Scripture aloud together, reading something as a call and response, reciting a prayer, or reading from the Book of Common Prayer, the Worship Sourcebook, The Valley of Vision, or simply reading lyrics to a hymn.
Because we have been made in the image of a God who speaks, the ability to speak is a divine gift. God spoke the universe into existence and sustains it by the word of His power. Scripture says that there is the power of life and death in the tongue. Our words matter and are significant in the formation of our minds, hearts, and souls - as well as in the formation of the family of God.