Sunday Night services

I have taught high school, and note that every couple of years or so they change textbooks and the curriculum. The Math I took in high school certainly is not the math they are teaching now.
I was in the pastorate for 30 years, and presently teach in a Bible College.
Preparation for Bible College courses (various ones) can be just as difficult as preparing a sermon, and the effect on the students just as devastating, as one is preparing them to go into the ministry full time. I teach every day. I must be prepared to stand in front of my students fully prepared to teach them the Word of God every day. I often preach and counsel as well. I don't believe my load is any less than that of any pastor. In fact the consequences of the quality of my teaching may have a greater and far more reaching effect than that of most pastors.

 

I certainly agree with the importance of being a biblical professor & the work load it requires being equivalent to a pastor. But a biblical professor is not really a secular job-b/c what ur doing is sill ministerial work. I am honestly amazed at the biblical professors who are still full time pastors & personally believe that they can only accomplish both jobs adequately b/c the Holy Spirit has gifted them in this manner. But not everyone called to be a pastor has this ability & should not have their limits pushed just b/c some traditionalists assume we must have church on Sunday nights.

 

Ultimately the decision as to how many services a local church will have is up to each individual local church. We will all give account of ourselves to God. Baptists are not denominational (or supposed to be). We have people join our church because of others in the area that don't have a Sunday night service.
Again, the early church met every night of the week.
Our society is Biblically illiterate, and that is a shame.
However, it is not my decision, it is that particular local church's decision whether or not to have a service on any particular day, and how they decide to disciple their people.

 

Completely agree--& by the way—I think you as a biblical professor have a much harder job than anyone really recognizes- b/c you’re the one training the future pastors in God’s Word! So if you don’t get it right your not only hindering them, but possibly hindering the masses that will encounter their teachings. I’ve got much respect for the biblical professor & if God willing will one day call this my full time job. But if this is the case—I don’t know if I can personally be a full time pastor as well, b/c of the responsibilities both jobs require. Nevertheless, I’m glad to see professors taking the time to come to the bb & share the biblical knowledge God has granted them with.

 

As a new Christian - and I welcome comments if you think i'm way out of course with this thinking - I love the Sunday evening services - but don't often attend as having only recently come to faith, and having a non-Christian husband and children, I don't want to be out of the house for 3 hours in the morning, and then for 2.5 hours in the evening, and for my family to think that I am abandoning them for the Church, and that they then become resentful of the Church - does this make sense?

I feel that I am walking a very fine line, but I pray that God will accept that in order that one day my family may come to faith, that I will not alienate them by taking away Mum on the only day of the week we are all home.

Cheekily asks for prayers for my family that they too will come to faith in our Lord raying:

 

You certainly are in a hard situation. The important thing is that you yourself are at lest attending church & hopefully your family will follow your example & attend. But if not just keep praying for them & relaying to them the biblical truth you get from church & your personal Bible study time. I don’t personally think it’s a sin or even a problem if you cannot attend every Sunday night service, & as annsi pointed out your family needs you. Further, you could personally dedicate Sunday night time as time for witnessing to them, even if its just being there for them as a Godly mother or subtly repeating to them the things you learned in Sunday morning service.

 

Correct!

Get a job in the manufacturing field, and tell you boss you don't want to work 10 or 12 hours a day 6 days a week because you are tired. When he stops laughing at you, he will tell you to go back to work or find another job!

 

Glad to see you think the manufacturing field can be equated to the complicated task of being a pastor. Is the manufacturing employee on call 24-7, in a position that is like having ur life on a big screen to be critiqued by everyone, or have the tedious task of studying the Bible as much as possible, so as not to lead others astray with heretical teachings. Its not that manufacturing jobs are not important, its just that secular jobs in general cannot be compared to the life of a pastor b/c he doesn’t just have a job-- he has a way of life that he never gets a day off from.

 

Chill out a little! I never said anything about pastoring being an easy job. I can only imagine the trials and difficulties associated with it, along with the responsibility. But, working outside the ministry can be difficult also, you don't have a monopoly on work-related problems. We all have our situations to deal with, but for a pastor to say I don't want Sunday night services because I have to study my bible a little more just doesn't seem reasonable to me. Frankly, I don't care if you meet Sunday night or not. I don't attend your church. I enjoy Sunday night services, but you can stay home; I won't be upset!

 

Good I can rest easier now, knowing I have ur permission. God Bless! :smilewinkgrin:

 

Fellowship is something we give and receive. The one who needs it most could be you.
MB