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Starting on Time

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Salty, Nov 8, 2013.

  1. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Most, if not all churches have a stated starting time.

    Does your church abide by this, or do your services often start late?

    Is there a reason this happens? If so, what have you done or what should be done to correct it?

    Is there sufficent time from the ending of SS, or do some teachers go over the alloted time?

    Other thoughts?
     
  2. padredurand

    padredurand Well-Known Member
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    Our service is scheduled to start at 10:08. We usually get started around 10:30. Here's the deal. We rent the auditorium at the high school. We have folks that drive over an hour to come. They start rolling in around 9:45 and get talking. They catch up on what's happened since last week. I've watched them laugh, cry and pray together all in the same conversation. I've served a lot of churches and I have never seen a group of people that loved each other as much as this bunch.

    I have two retired pastors in the church who have said repeatedly that they would still be in the pulpit if they had congregations like this one. If a visitor comes someone will latch on to them, show them where the restrooms are, get them a song book and take them around to meet folks.

    Nothing gets cut out. We do all the music, prayer time and I don't cut sermons short just because we started late. That time the folks spend together is as important as any other part of worship.
     
  3. Gib

    Gib Active Member

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    Our worship "service" starts at 11am according to my watch. Occasionally we have a few stragglers that get out of SS late.

    SS is supposed to start at 9:45am. Some classes don't start until 10:15 and then complain there's not enough time to get the lesson done. We are working on that.

    I will and have cut songs or verses if it looks like we are running over. Our church has historically gotten out at noon or a little after, so I make sure the pastor has the appropriate time for the message.
     
  4. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    We start at the posted times, we have countdown timers on our screen letting folks know how long until we start.

    We have a 20 minute transition time between services (we have multiple services) and this provides plenty of time.

    Each church is different, with definite exceptions must should start on time and it is a good stewardship of folks' time to do so. We have people that come in 5, 10, 20, and even 35 minutes to late our services. (For several they come in every week about 35 to 40 minutes late...I can tell where I should be in my sermon because of their arrival.) Makes no difference to us, we start and end on time. It is part of what we do. :)
     
  5. nodak

    nodak Active Member
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    We start and stop on time.

    In fact, we've been known when new in a community to eliminate from consideration churches that didn't. When leadership is that disorganized or disrespectful of your time, you soon find that bleeding into everything the church does.

    One caveat: on the rez when we lived down there, time is viewed as expandable. So if you go out to serve a rez church, expect to do a lot of waiting. It is part of the culture.

    That said, a lot of native American leaders would beg us NOT to follow rez customs. That mindset does not serve well those wishing to get higher educations, good jobs, and just generally improve the rez.

    So even there, we moved to a more rigid schedule.

    Yes, sometimes the Holy Spirit does get a hold on a service it will run longer. But honestly, most of the time it is just time wasted so folks can gab longer, or so a song leader can show off some riffs, or so the preacher can either chase a lot of rabbits or try to cover more ground than the mind and seat can absorb.

    After church we have a built in fellowship time with coffee and goodies. Those that want to gab can stay and do so, but those with other obligations can leave if need be.

    We usually take borrowed children to church with us. Neighbors and family want to know when to expect their children returned to them. Seems very rude not to be able to answer because Sister Sue forgot to set her alarm, lives 40 minutes away, and of course we all have to wait for her.
     
  6. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    At our campus, we start right on time. Today we were 10 seconds late according to the timer on the screen. :) But we decided that we're not going to punish those who make it a point to get to church on time for those who don't plan well. We have coffee available before the service and a corporate prayer time 30 minutes before and we have been trying to get people there in time to pray with us. Really, rarely is there a good excuse to be late. Those who have to set up the service every week get there an hour and 15 minutes before the service so you are fully capable of being there on time. You want to fellowship? Stay for coffee afterwards and enjoy. But be on time.
     
  7. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    Being on TV, we have to start on time.
     
  8. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
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    Our church starts on time. However there are many, many people that disrespect the starting time and stroll in whenever they please, up to half an hour after the start time. This is a large congregation so we might have 300 people walking in 5 minutes or more after the service is in session. There is routinely 100 or more people that take seats at least 15 minutes into the service. This really bugs me! I wish the worship leader would say something about this. Those of you that are pastors or pastor's wives, how can you tactfully tell people to be on time?
     
  9. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    We had one of our deacons address it during announcements but since announcements are after the first song, there were still people who came in afterwards.

    We started the prayer time 30 minutes before the service in hopes that it will draw more people to be at church on time and it's helped some but not completely. I understand a couple of people being late but when about 1/2 the congregation come in from 5-30 minutes late, I just think that's downright rude and as such, can be addressed from the pulpit.

    Then again, there can always be the great giveaway that happens 2 minutes after the service and if the winner is not there, they don't get it! :)
     
  10. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
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    How? What was said?
     
  11. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    It was a bunch of months ago but he said something along the lines of "It would be great if we could all make an effort to be here on time. Pastor Bob drives the farthest and has the most kids so if he can get here, you can too!" We drive 30 minutes (almost 30 miles) and have 4 kids including 2 big girls who need to shower, do their hair and change 4 times before we leave. LOL
     
  12. nodak

    nodak Active Member
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    If you have a large percentage or large number that always arrive late, it could signal the need to reevaluate that early portion of the service.

    We don't have many Baptist churches in our area from which to choose. I can tell you we did not choose the largest one because:

    the first hour of the service is standing doing contemporary music. Don't care for it and besides it hurts physically to stand that long. Sitting might be an option, but you can't sing along because you can't see the screen, just backsides. (Limited front row seating means all seniors cannot sit there and see.)

    The next 30 to 40 minutes is usually the pastor ranting about his pet peeve of the week, or stories from his past, or political talk, or just plain time wasting as he has difficulty segueing from the music to the prayers and the sermon.

    He throws a fit if anyone leaves the service early, but doesn't if folks come late. I would guess about half leave after the music (younger families with small children, no nursery provided.) About half come in after the music ends (families with teens, no kids, and older folks.)

    That church is "elder led" and the elders are on board with super long services with lots of time wasting. Apparently the congregation isn't and chooses to self select which portion of the service to attend.

    I don't want to get a worship war going about their music. Not the point EXCEPT that aside from the elders, their families, and the pastor and his family, the church WAS a well attended for the full service traditional/blended church. As a more rock concert type contemporary, very few actually attend the whole service. It cuts into SS attendance, because if you want to skip the music you probably won't come to SS and then sit around in your car until the music ends. Easier to just arrive on campus in time for preaching.

    So if a huge number of folks or large percentage come really late every week, maybe you might want to find out if they hate whatever music you are doing, or find the whole service just too long, or what.
     
  13. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Lets see - SS begins at 930, MW begins at 11 am - SS attendence is only about 4 or 5 - MW attendence is 15 -25. Most dont arrive until 1055. There are at least 2 families that are consistently 10-15 minutes late.

    HOWEVER - when we have a breakfast at 830 am - EVERYONE shows up in plenty of time.

    Key word PRIORITIES

    I like what Nodak said in post # 5: "When leadership is that disorganized or disrespectful of your time,"

    and it interesting what Nodak said in post # 12: "He throws a fit if anyone leaves the service early, but doesn't if folks come late"

    I Cor 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
     
  14. Servent

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    We have 2 services the first has to start on time or the second is late, So music starts on time if your there our not.
     
  15. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
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    we do our best to start on time and finish in accordance with how the Spirit leads the preacher....long sermon, short sermon.

    but we start on time, because worship is TO the Lord, and it don't feel right to keep Him waiting for worship from His people that is totally due Him. of course, that's just us PB's.
     
  16. thisnumbersdisconnected

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    I have never seen our services -- any of the three on Sunday morning (and I've attended them all, at one juncture or another) -- start late. Our Music Pastor times out the service to the second, seemingly, and particularly the first two services have to start on time to give the attenders a good 20 minutes to clear the sanctuary before the next one.

    That is a problem sometimes, but our SS teacher is awesome, and no one complains. Still, our class meets in the annex across the street, and sometimes we have only 10 minutes to do the restroom break, get to our cars, cross a busy street with traffic, and get parked and into the sanctuary before the service. My wife and I solved this recently by deciding to attend the early service, go to SS, and then go home ...

    ... to watch the Chiefs' game. SHHHHHH!
     
  17. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    I bet this is a real challenge for churches with 2 services...actually, like mine. Normally attend the first service and then go to small group, but I have attended the second. I recall starting late because the first service ran over (which was a good indication that I'd not make my lunch reservation).
     
  18. SaggyWoman

    SaggyWoman Active Member

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    Maybe they should meet after the morning service.
     
  19. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

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    Our church starts on time. There are a few who come late, but quietly get seated once they arrive.

    At our last church, we had one family in particular that would arrive 20-30 minutes late, stroll in and chat to friends on the way to their pew, and generally disrupt the service. The man said he couldn't sing and didn't "need" to be there for the music part of the service. It bored him.

    It's like coming late to dinner because you only want the dessert. It's rude to the host and the other diners. I understand about health issues where one needs to sit or whatever, but if I couldn't at least worship along in my heart during the music, I'd seriously consider finding another church.

    I wonder, would we treat our employers the way we treat God? If I showed up for work late, participated only half-heartedly, and grumbled about having to do things the boss's way, would the employer put up with that? I think not.
     
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