It would seem reasonable however to argue that the function of preaching by virtue of a bishop's licence whilst remaining an unpaid member of the laity which is the unique feature of Reader ministry should take precedence over "conducting or assisting in conducting worship" because of the decline in the frequency of Morning and Evening Prayer in some parishes due to the expectancy created by the 'Parish Communion Movement' for a weekly Eucharist . There is however a counter argument to this position because the shortage of clergy has led some parishes to re-introduce Morning Prayer to ensure that a regular service does take place. It is also the practice in some parishes for the Reader to conduct the 'Ministry of the Word' either in the presence of a priest or whilst a priest commutes between several parish churches. This is a controversial topic which produced a wide range of conflicting views from corespondents which are discussed below.

The Reader is also expected to co-operate with other ministries and participate as part of a diverse team. An example is Local Non-Stipendary Ministers (LNSM) who may not be required to preach frequently when they work with Readers.