[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by Ohio

For example, I still treasure the practice of praying the scriptures, much as Ray Graver used historical patterns of this in his booklet "Lord, Thou saidst." But how this ever deteriorated into merely shouting scriptures or reciting outlines with PSRP in beyond me.

Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah

I thought you weren't allowed to say this on this forum.

Originally Posted by Ohio

Shhhhh! Maybe they won't catch us.

Sometimes you guys really crack me up

Actually what is not allowed are wisecracks about supposed heavy handed, prejudicial moderation

Anyways....I haven't read Ray Graver's book in quite a while, but I don't believe he was able to give any quotes that support the kind of "pray-reading" that is practiced in the Local Church. And the reason he was not able is that no other Christians throughout history have practiced such a thing. The Local Church has produced other similar works that supposedly illustrate "calling on the Lord" as well, but those "proofs" fall flat on their face as well.

After many years away from the garlic room, and after many years of reading, observing and experiencing what other evangelical, orthodox Christians have practiced since the beginning, I believe these Local Church mainstay practices (pray reading and calling on the Lord) are best left for INDIVIDUAL practice and not for corporate practice in Church meetings. In my observation and experience over decades in the LC, these practices become somewhat mindless and ritualistic, and even worse they have a tendency to become a kind of performance. So they become very unprofitable - the saints are not edified or helped, and God is not praised or glorified.