In public worship, church leaders or lay leaders read a portion of scripture out loud to the congregation. Then the church leader delivers a sermon about that scripture. In some churches, the church leader builds his or her sermon around the prompts in a Lectionary, a schedule for reading Scripture. For example, at a Christmas service the leader could read thematically or topically related passages from Isaiah, Psalms, and Matthew.

Sometimes, small groups of believers meet regularly and study the Bible using a study guide or related curriculum. In private worship, individuals read from the Bible on their own time. As in the group studies, individuals can use study guides or other aides.