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Sunday and Wednesday services

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Doeroftheword, Jun 30, 2009.

  1. Doeroftheword

    Doeroftheword New Member

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    I was thinking about this and seriously was wondering something. I go to church Sunday mornings but as our church is a small church and we have a early service of the night I don't go on Sunday nights and Wednesdays. I know this may sound awful but I was wondering if anyone else have a struggle with going to every service when the church is open . Anyone have any thoughts or does everyone want to stone me already laughs
     
  2. Pastor Larry

    Pastor Larry <b>Moderator</b>
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    A couple of questions:

    1. You say it is a small church. How does that factor in? As a pastor of a small church, it is very discouraging when people stay home, particularly for no good reason.

    2. Why wouldn't you go? What is the struggle about?
     
  3. SBCPreacher

    SBCPreacher Active Member
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    Good question. Another one (or three) is this: why don't you want to get together with brothers and sisters in Christ and worship God? Is it that you don't want to get with your brothers and sisters in Christ? Or is it that you don't want to worship God?
     
  4. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

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    It is a very special blessing to have the three services a week. I know of churches locally that do not have Wednesday night, and some let off on Sunday nights for things like the Super Bowl. Wednesday nights are the best of the three for learning the Bible for me. Missing it would be missing a great blessing.

    We have had discussions about where Wednesday night got started, and to date, have no answer.
     
  5. Jon-Marc

    Jon-Marc New Member

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    I am not a morning person (I'm a night owl), and going to a morning service is difficult.
     
  6. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    Okay, I know plenty of people who are coming from the same background. I currently get to serve in a larger church that doesn't have Sunday evening or Wednesday night (we'll do some semester style classes twice a year on Wednesdays) services. My last several positions have been in churches with this model.

    One of the hard things is that we think the Christian life is contained within the walls of our local body of believers. If I wasn't serving on church staff I would make sure I was involved in Sunday morning services and attend the occassional evening service, if the church had it and maybe in a special emphasis. Wednesdays would be okay, but probably not a consistent thing.

    I hang out with lots of people throughout the week. I don't need to be at a building to enjoy the fellowship of the saints (not saying anyone here has said otherwise.) We live in a changing and busy society. I think the idea of keeping a Sabbath in our lives is a good one. But remember even the most Jewish Jews only attended Temple in the morning. :)

    I was taken to church everytime the doors were open growing up. We were fortunate and had a great church to learn about the ways of God in. We had great people to learn from. I don't think that we need to force our community. Rather let it happen organically and plan strategically to help peoples' calendars.

    Maybe this doesn't make any sense. I dunno. I guess it boils down to the reality that you need to embrace worshipping God daily and allow for times to commune with others. If Sunday nights are a hindrance, by all means avoid Sunday nights. Thankfully our relationship with Christ is bigger and more important than when and where we meet together. :thumbsup:

    great thread idea btw
     
  7. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    we should attend worship service regularly, but nothing says we must be there everytime the door is open.
     
  8. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    Next time I need some excuses to miss church, I'm going to come back to this thread! :)

    "nothing says we must be there everytime the door is open"

    "I hang out with lots of people throughout the week."

    "I don't need to be at a building to enjoy the fellowship of the saints"

    "We live in a changing and busy society."

    "even the most Jewish Jews only attended Temple in the morning."

    "I am not a morning person"
     
  9. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    I replanted a church that was nearly extinct. So it was very small. My aim was to train the people in such a way that they could reproduce themselves in the lives of others. That small number of people were so busy doing things. When I was new to the community and began asking about their neighbors I found out that most knew little about them. So I cancelled everything except Sunday morning and Sunday School. At first they did not like what I did but soon they began reaching out to people in the community. Eventually we had ministry all over the place. It was amazing the quality and number of ministries the people led. Their heart was in what they did and not just in fitting into a program. There was an intense excitement and their prayers were very different.
     
  10. Doeroftheword

    Doeroftheword New Member

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    well thats what I am saying. Its not that I don't go on Sunday nights but I think part of it is that when by the time we get home in the afternoon its almost 1 and then we eat dinner and usually rest for the afternoon. then 5 hours later then church starts again. Now I am not trying to say I dont want to worship or I dont want to fellowship with other believers as I do but what I am saying is when its a small church such as a church with only 20 or 30 members and then only half or less show up on Sunday and Wednesday . I am just wondering if other people have this issue and not just Me
     
  11. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    I don't understand what it being a small church has to do with anything? I've attended a church that had about 30-40 on Sunday mornings and now i'm currently in a church with about 500 on Sunday mornings. The size of the church never even entered my mind when I decided if I would show up for any particular service in either church.
     
  12. Pastor Larry

    Pastor Larry <b>Moderator</b>
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    As a part of a small church, it is doubly important that you go to these other services. The reason only "half or less show up" is because people do what you do. Break the mold. Go and encourage others to go. It will greatly encourage your pastor, other church members, and give you great opportunities for ministry.
     
  13. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    I found in the past, that there were times that I was too tired to attend Wed evening, but I would go, and often I would receive a special blessing.

    Now, that I am a pastor, what would my church members think, if I decided to skip a Wed night?:smilewinkgrin:
     
  14. sag38

    sag38 Active Member

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    Salty, most of the time the ones who get upset about a Sunday evening service being canceled aren't the ones who attend on a regular basis (they are happy to get a break every now and then, to include me) but the ones who never attend.
     
  15. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    We only have a Sunday a.m service and Thursday evening prayer service. I don't go to the Thursday evening service because I don't see my wife that often and we walk together as a family in the evenings. We do the small group things weekly, though, which I haven't read yet here on this thread and is just as important as any of the other services. A church that doesn't offer small group discipleship is doing a disservice to it's congregation.
     
  16. Harold Garvey

    Harold Garvey New Member

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    Sunday morning attendees are those most in need of coming back to the other services because they show a lack of wanting to fellowship with others.

    people need each other and those who don't attend the services are denying others the blessing of their presence and disregard the benefits of others being present.

    People who come Sunday night are those who love the church and those who are not providentially hindered come on Wednseday nights are those who love the Lord the most. Their actions are a clear indication of their hearts.

    I know everyone can't be at all services, but we should be sure to let the devils know where we'd want most to be!
     
  17. Pastor Larry

    Pastor Larry <b>Moderator</b>
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    While we have small groups in our church, it is probably an overstatement to say that one without is doing a "disservice" to it's congregation since most churches through history did not have this. It is a modern idea of the last few decades.
     
  18. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

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    It seems very predictable how many will show up. If you take the Sunday morning figure, give or take a few, the Sunday night crowd will be half the Sunday morning, and the Wednesday night crowd will be half of the Sunday night, on an average week. Does it seem about the same at your church?
     
  19. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    really, so ahve you got a bible verse that proves me wrong? nope you don't. makes you feel more righteous though doesn't it.
     
  20. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

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    If I did not want to go Wednesday night, I would not go. I do not go because of a Bible verse, or what the deacons or pastor thinks, or if it hairlips the Pope, I go because I enjoy being around believers, but most of all, it is a great way to learn the Bible.
     
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