Question 20: Why don’t you interact with the congregation using set responses that they repeat to you?

Answer: On some occasions we do utilize responsive readings (see the back of our hymnal for responsive readings #573-#620) in our worship services. However, we do not make prayer a matter of memorized, repetition. Prayer should come from the heart. Most any time that an individual “mindlessly” recites back words written in a book or from memory, they are not from the heart. The Lord is not interested in His people simply “saying words,” he wants our thoughts, words, and actions to come from the heart. All else is useless – “as sounding brass or tinkling cymbal”