The ministry of Scripture Speakers has grown mightily in the past year. Honestly, it has exploded in comparison to what it was: my own small and tentative step forward to follow the Lord in ministering to people outside of my own church with a nice new book in hand to share. I’ve been blown away both by what God has done and by the community that exists in Scripture memorization.
Before I published my book, “Speaking Scripture,” I had no idea just how many people were out there already memorizing and connecting with each other. Not only has this fact been so encouraging to discover, but this community of people has proven to be a wonderful network of believers ready to help each other grow.
One of the places you can enjoy this community is at the ministry website Bible Memory Goal. BMG is run by Josh Summers and features many wonderful resources including their online Scripture memory community. You can join the community just like any other social media platform, except this platform is entirely set aside for Scripture memorization. If you haven’t joined yet, I am SURE you will be just as thrilled as I was to join and meet these brothers and sisters around the world. You can hop over and join the community HERE.
It was in this community that I connected with Kam, a brother in Christ who had trained to be a professional actor and has been using those skills in his own Scripture memory work to bless us in the online group and in his own church family. I’ve developed my skills of recitation through trial, error, sweat, tears, and an associate’s degree in communication but not in professional acting. I was very curious to see what wisdom we could glean from his training and if it would be different than the wisdom I brought over from speech-making. I was encouraged by his thorough responses and am grateful to apply these insights to my recitation work in the future. I’m sharing this written interview with you so that you too, reader, can be blessed by our brother’s dramatic wisdom.
Also, fun fact: after receiving Kam’s responses, I was reading them over for editing purposes and repeatedly had to change “memorise” to “memorize.” I finally decided it was an odd typo to keep repeating and looked it up, and to my chagrin, “memorise” is perfectly correct because our brother here is British. Without further ado, here is the written interview of a speech maker interviewing a professional actor for Scripture recitation.
1. Thank you for participating in this written interview! I’m certain it will be a great blessing and resource to a lot of people. To get us started, would you please share what it means when you say you are a former actor? What training did you receive, and what acting work did you do?
Before the LORD saved me 18 years ago, I trained at an accredited London Drama School for 3.5 years. There we had lessons on:
- Acting (characterisation, improvisation, text studies, historical context, Method Acting) ,
- Voice (articulation, oratory, e.g. Martin Luther King “I have a Dream” speech, Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, voice safety, diaphragm breathing, vocal range, projection, accents, pacing, resonance warm ups, radio technique, poetry recitals),
- Movement (Posture, Alexander technique, animal studies, gestures, mime),
- Dance (classical, musical theatre),
- Singing (musical theatre, vocal warm ups),
- Stage fighting.
There we performed plays from Shakespeare, Jacobean Theatre, Russian Literature, Modern English/American plays, Musical Theatre. We did 3 plays every year, plus memorizing monologues and songs every 2-3 months.
I say “former actor”, but on reflection, I guess I’m still an actor, because when I read the Gospels aloud, I read from the characters point of view. I’m not a Jewish Pharisee, I’m not John the Baptist, (I’m a Chinese British citizen) but I read it “as if” I was a Pharisee, or John the Baptist. When I read the Serpents line (Gen 3), I know I am not the Serpent, but I read it from the Serpents point of view
I did not complete my drama training but I did a few shows in the summer.
2. How much of your acting training and experience do you bring into your Scripture memorization and recitation?
Interesting question. Firstly, there have been unbelieving, professionally trained actors who have memorised Marks Gospel and performed it on stage dramatically. So the technical skills I impart in this interview can be used by an unbeliever, (but that doesn’t mean we should dismiss the technical skills, for GOD created all things, including technical skills! See end of interview about “plundering Egypt”)
Post conversion, I left the Acting course halfway through my degree. Like the Corinthian Christians, I turned from my sins, and I turned away from everything even remotely connected to my sins, so I fled the theatre world and all its practices.
Then slowly, as I matured over the years, I noticed that some of Christians were reading the Bible aloud in a very rushed manner, 30 words per second. So, to lead by example, I read the Bible aloud, and left dramatic pauses as I used to do in my drama school. Other saints noticed the dramatic power.
Then I left the Pentecostal Church, and went to a Reformed Baptist Church, where the Pastor went to the theatre with his wife. Then I engaged with Wayne Grudem’s books, where I learnt about Common Grace, which means that unbelievers are still made in GOD’s Image, and are still capable of doing great plays, music, technology etc.
7 yrs post conversion, I was on the church Bible reading rota, and I began bringing all my acting school techniques back into it. I began doing my daily articulation exercises again. I would be given the reading a week before, and I would practice it. The rhythm, inflections, when to go loud, when to be quiet. When to go fast, when to go slow. The intentions. Saints would say “If I did a film about GOD, Kam would play GOD’s voice”
3. If you could give only ONE tip to someone reading this to help improve the effectiveness of their recitations, what would that be?
The people at the back row of the church hall have to be able to hear you. Voice, voice, voice! “An actor with a naturally loud voice can easily quieten it and will still be heard; whereas an actor with a naturally quiet voice will always be full of strain, because it feels wrong when he has to go loud” (Peter Barkworth, About Acting, p.96).
Do your diction exercises, lip trills, chanting, breathing, yawning, singing every day. You should be able to fill the room easily with your voice, without strain. Your neighbours should be able to hear you! (Have moments of silence too, to rest your voice!)
Place your voice in the nasal resonators, not in the throat (otherwise you’ll ruin and dry out your voice like Al Pacino).
Also, I know that GOD’s church wants to hear GOD’s word, but that doesn’t mean that the Reciter recites in a monotone dull voice for 30 minutes. GOD’s people will not endure that. Hence the voice must be flexible, have a big range from low notes to high, fast and slow, sonorous with liquid notes (think Helen Hunt, Judi Dench, Michelle Obama, Kenneth Brannagh, young Patrick Stewart, Jacky Hill Perry, Voddie Baucham).
Note how the songs of David Phelps (O holy night, No More Night) & Shane and Shane (Is He Worthy?) tend to start in 1st gear, & slowly builds to 3rd then 6th gear by the end of it!
Just like an album has a variety of beats, fast songs & slow songs, likewise a recital should be varied.
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4. What’s the most common ‘problem’ someone should watch out for when they recite Scripture to others? How can they move past it?
Some Christians’ (because they haven’t had formal training) forget to take a breath at every full stop or comma. They are not in control. Full stop means new sentence, which means new thought, which means new breath, which means a pause to let the previous thought sink in.
They are so terrified, they just rush through the reading, they want to get off the stage and therefore the audience/congregation don’t hear GOD speak, which is not good.
Silence can also speak volumes, and the pause has to be earned, and you have to be present when you take the pause.
More on dramatic pauses:
“My first encounter with the power of the pause was when studying the plays of Harold Pinter at high school. Pinter was a master of the dramatic pause. A pause on stage is where the characters are not speaking, but they are perhaps doing something, and certainly thinking, and that adds to the drama. A pause adds importance to what precedes it and to what follows it.”
Why are dramatic pauses important?
“A dramatic pause is used to set up and spotlight what you will say next. For example, “Do you know what happened …?” (Pause, pause, pause.) This heightens tension in your narrative and gets the audience involved.”
5. What advice would you give to someone who is interested in vocal training and is completely new to the idea?
I thank God for drama school (because I use these skills for his glory and my joy), yet I thank GOD for taking me out of drama school (because the whole atmosphere is worldly/sensual), so I don’t recommend drama school for any Christian. I don’t think a Christian needs any private lessons or drama school lessons either.
The Apostle Paul says that Christians need to “work quietly and to earn their own living.” (2 Thessalonians 3:12). So that is our first priority. You won’t get steady employment in theatre, but you will get consistent employment in McDonalds, Hospital work, construction etc.
There is LOTS of free Youtube videos on singing, acting, voice warm ups, articulation exercises. So you can practice at home for free.
There’s lots of free articles about voice and articulation exercises as well on the Internet.
You don’t need any books either. But I have these on my shelf which you can buy if you feel inclined:
About Acting by Peter Barkworth
The Actor Speaks: Voice and the Performer by Patsy Rodenburg
· “The actor is onstage to communicate the play to the audience. That is the beginning and the end of his and her job. To do so the actor needs a STRONG VOICE, superb DICTION, a supple, well-proportioned BODY, and a rudimentary UNDERSTANDING of the play.” (David Mamet, True or False)
p.s. I have this line I created, which Randy Alcorn also quoted (Great minds think alike!)
“The Holy Spirit wrote the Play, the Father directs the Play, and the Son is the Lead Actor/Hero in the Play”
If you really want, you can buy private lessons with a voice teacher, but just be aware that the voice teacher is likely to be an unbeliever who disagrees Scripture and it’s assertions!
6. Do you “feel” the emotions of the text when you recite Scripture? How do you do this?
1 Timothy 4:13 - Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.
There are no emotions. Only actions. Only words that I speak in order to achieve an objective.
Memorize your lines, do you understand the text? Get on stage, say your lines loudly, let GOD speak through you, and then you get off and spend time with your family and friends. Simple
Love is actions. A husband and wife love each other regardless of their feelings, because they’ve made a covenant. A nurse has to stop this patient from bleeding to death, regardless of her feeling compassionate or not. People at the bar tell stories, they don’t work up an emotion just to tell a story. GOD commands us to worship him, and he gives us the power to worship him, regardless of how we feel.
Yes I do feel emotions sometimes, but it comes from saying the lines truthfully. The action is in the lines. There’s an illusion or appearance of feelings,
Firstly, you have got to have lines memorised. Anthony Hopkins reads his script “250 times, and this gives [him] a tremendous sense of ease and the power of confidence.” The words just fall out naturally, because he’s repeated it hundreds of times.
Actors are taught to sincerely play the ACTION, not the emotion.
The Bible is filled with actions, GOD saving, GOD teaching, GOD commanding, GOD describing, GOD judging, GOD warning, GOD promising, GOD sending his Son.
(If an emotion comes, don’t deny it, let it fall out. Then carry on with the recital. But it doesn’t need to be a tear falling down, it could be a lump in your throat, subtle facial expression, or crack in your voice, or your voice gets louder, emotionally charged e.g. GOD accusing idolatrous/adulterous Israel in Ezekiel 16).
If you play the action, the emotion will come. And even if the emotion does not come, be courageous, and you say the lines anyway. The Actor performs the Action, and carries on with the Recital, with or without emotions.
So one example might be:
My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law. (Psalm 119:136, ESV)
John 11:35 - Jesus wept.
John 20:11 - But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb.
The temptation might be to try to “work” yourself into crying, when all you need to do, is just say the line heartily, simply, truthfully. You’re just telling a story.
Allow a dramatic pause between each full stop. The audience want to hear the Word, not some amateur trying to work tears out of his eyes. This is bad acting.
Actors don’t act, they perform actions, they tell stories, they are a vessel for the playwright.
We call this “gilding the lily.” Which is a disapproving Idiom meaning to improve or decorate something that is already perfect and therefore spoil it: “Should I add a scarf to this jacket or would it be gilding the lily? Damaging and spoiling.”
GOD’s Script, the Holy Scripture, is already good, we don’t need to add unnecessary facial contortions, or “crying voices”. Simplicity is beauty.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Heb 4)
Therefore we must bear in mind that reciting GOD’s Word is also in the context of “apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,” (Ephesians 4:11), so I’m not sure how much emphasis Christians need to place on emotions, acting and story telling in light of the call to obey Scripture and understand its teachings e.g. the Return of Christ, should women wear head coverings today? Healings? The Afterlife, Repentance, Election, is Jesus the only way. I guess we need both.
Just as Jesus memorised the OT, he also explained the OT (Luke 24)
And also, the prime aim of Scripture is to edify us and to sanctify us. This happens regardless of:
- whether Kam will “become” the Apostle John, wear a robe and sandals, and recite Johns Gospel,
- Or whether Kam will remain a 21st Century Christian, and recite Johns Gospel to a 21st Century church.
I think the 2nd option is better, more real, and actually what GOD calls us to do.
Remember eye contact:
Mark 10:23 - And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
Mark 10:27 - Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
7. Is there ever a chance someone might “over-act” for a passage of Scripture? What does that look like, and how can we avoid it?
Yes… Less is more. The audience do have an imagination, let them do the work. Less is more.
Again, just recite the Scripture heartily, boldly, so the saints at the back can hear and be edified. And when they get home, they can ponder what the Apostle Paul meant. That’s all you need to do.
Actors and reciters need to : Simplify, simplify, simplify.
8. How do you choose which things to emphasize in a passage of Scripture and how do you practice that?
When there’s a question, really do ask it, and once you’ve asked it, leave a pause:
8 Will you even put me in the wrong?
Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?
9 Have you an arm like God? and can you thunder with a voice like his? (Job 40)
In acting, emphasize the verbs:
Psalm 54:6 - With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.
Psalm 57:9 - I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.
You’re allowed to experiment and place emphases on different words, but it should sound “right”, and if it sounds “off”, the emphasis probably is off. Ask a friend to listen to it, and ask them where the emphasis should be. Listen to an audio recording by other Christians and see how they emphasise it.
Think of emphasis in songs too. And remember, ultimately you are genuinely communicating GOD’s Mind to the audience. You want them to understand GOD’s Word.
What is GOD doing in this letter? Is he warning? Is he encouraging? Is he exhorting? Is he reassuring? Is he teaching? Describing? Comforting? Is he pleading? Accusing? Is there a command to obey? Is there something about GOD that we need to see?
Moreover, have you heard the crescendo and climactic ending of the “I have a Dream” speech delivered by Martin Luther King? There is absolutely no doubt that portions of Scripture need that same crescendo and powerful climax (e.g. Psalm 24.7-10; Phil 2.5-11)
We are here to celebrate Jesus!
9. Do you recite for other people? If so, do you get nervous, and how do you handle that nervousness?
At drama school, I would know my lines so well, that I could do whatever I wanted with them. I could do it in the style of opera, do it extremely quickly. I controlled my nerves, by playing the action that I had already practiced 500 times before in rehearsal. Concentrate.
Because I’m a healthcare professional, I only recite from memory for the Bible Memory Online Community. And I don’t get nervous because by the time I’m ready to submit it, I’ve recited it about 100-200 times aloud. Just like Michael Jordan has practised a shot 500 times, or Anthony Hopkins has said those lines 500 times before going on stage. Repetition leads to strength, which leads to safety, which leads to confidence.
Moreover, GOD promises me:
Colossians 3:23-24 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. (Prov 16.3)
“Nerves are normal, but you have to control/channel your nerves” (Judi Dench)
But if I was to recite 1st John to a live audience in church, I will probably rehearse it 500 times before performance, because I’m a perfectionist!
One of acting tutors once said “you are not going to die when you stand up there”
And as Judi Dench once said to a nervous Anthony Hopkins, “remember there are kids starving in Africa right now”
Be strong and courageous. Have a good hearty meal before your recital. Bring a bottle of room temperature water. Warm up your voice, making it go high and low, and just go out there and speak your lines loudly for the people at the back. Then mingle with your Christian friends afterwards, ask them what they think. If they give praise, say “thank you.”
Closing thoughts.
Thank you again, brother Kam, for sharing with us the wisdom you were able to receive from your professional acting training. It has helped me grow both in my own skills and in my ability to explain to others how we can recite more powerfully. Thank you, reader, for enjoying all of this post to the end. If you found it helpful, please share it with the people in your circles who can also benefit.
If you would like to receive more encouragement for Scripture memorization or recitation, you can check out my book, “Speaking Scripture: How to Memorize and Recite with Purpose and Delight.” In it is the wisdom I’ve gleaned from my background in communication and the years of trial and error in reciting Scripture as a ministry. The Lord has taught me much through the years and I’m so blessed to share with you what He has taught me.
In His service,
Rachel Eernisse, Scripture Speaker.