Problem with church attendance

[easternstar]

For reasons I won't go into, I can only attend evening church services. The only churches in this area that have evening services are Baptist, RC, and Charismatic/Pentecostal. However, since Covid, many churches have ceased their evening services. I have only gone to church one time since Covid blew up. Now I'll make a statement that may be judgmental: I don't think a church is a serious church if it doesn't have an evening services. I don't understand why churches have stopped their evening services. Why did the people who were going prior to Covid not come back? I am very limited now where I can go to church. One thing I'm certain of: I could never be RC.

 

[Ascetic X]

I don’t care for Zoom services, I prefer in person meetings, but some churches do Zoom only events since Covid.

A real Christian church, in my view, ideally should have Sunday morning worship, Sunday night worship, Tuesday men’s group / women’s group, Wednesday night prayer meeting, Friday night evangelism, Saturday Bible study. The specific days can differ, but the 6 different services are mandatory for me to consider a church as properly fulfilling members needs.

There are some churches in my town that have only Sunday morning services, and I consider them to be pathetic and dying.

 

[easternstar]

A real Christian church, in my view, should have Sunday morning worship, Sunday night worship, Tuesday men’s group / women’s group, Wednesday night prayer meeting, Friday night evangelism, Saturday Bible study. The specific days can differ, but the 6 different services are mandatory for me to consider a church as properly fulfilling members needs.

There are some churches in my town that have only Sunday morning services, and I consider them to be pathetic and dying.

That would be the ideal for me, too. Before Covid, almost all Baptist churches around here that I knew of, as well as Charismatic/Pentecostal, and Church of the Nazarene had Sunday morning and Sunday night worship services, and Wednesday night Bible study. But now, many of those churches only have Sunday morning service and a few still have Wednesday night Bible study. I don't really understand why people would not resume coming after the worst of Covid has passed. What has happened to Christians, I wonder.
Two Catholic churches within 30 miles have multiple services every week, and those are not large Catholic churches either. However, the small Catholic church in my rural town is not as active.

 

[JonC]

For reasons I won't go into, I can only attend evening church services. The only churches in this area that have evening services are Baptist, RC, and Charismatic/Pentecostal. However, since Covid, many churches have ceased their evening services. I have only gone to church one time since Covid blew up. Now I'll make a statement that may be judgmental: I don't think a church is a serious church if it doesn't have an evening services. I don't understand why churches have stopped their evening services. Why did the people who were going prior to Covid not come back? I am very limited now where I can go to church. One thing I'm certain of: I could never be RC.

I don't know why churches stopped evening services.

I attend a new church. We do not have evening services, only Sunday morning and throught the week within the community.

But we also do not have a church building (which I actually like). So nights are not really an option.

The church started specifically to reach people in the community about 8 months ago with 5 or 6 members. Last week at a Thanksgiving supper we had about 200 (which includes those in the community who are not members). We normally have about 100 attending on Sundays and groups meet throughout the week.

I am 57 years old. My wife and I, along with 1 or 2 more couples, are the old folks. I have been enjoying seeing God work within the younger generation.

I do not attend regularly as I would like because I work shifts.

Anyway, I guess my question would be why meet on Sunday night. Each church should ask that and if they believe they are called to do so hold evening services.

 

[Salty]

I've heard some have stop having Sunday night service so families could spend time together.
In the past, many churches did have Sunday night - service - but just because everyone does it - is by no means it is reqired.
In fact, I wonder if the early church had Sunday night service!

But I do have a suggestion - how about having a Bible Study in you home?

 

[easternstar]

I don't know why churches stopped evening services.

I attend a new church. We do not have evening services, only Sunday morning and throught the week within the community.

But we also do not have a church building (which I actually like). So nights are not really an option.

The church started specifically to reach people in the community about 8 months ago with 5 or 6 members. Last week at a Thanksgiving supper we had about 200 (which includes those in the community who are not members). We normally have about 100 attending on Sundays and groups meet throughout the week.

I am 57 years old. My wife and I, along with 1 or 2 more couples, are the old folks. I have been enjoying seeing God work within the younger generation.

I do not attend regularly as I would like because I work shifts.

Anyway, I guess my question would be why meet on Sunday night. Each church should ask that and if they believe they are called to do so hold evening services.

Sounds like you've got a good church there.

I'm 70 -- it kind of sneaked up on me. When I was young, we had 'BTU' on Sunday night -- Baptist Training Union, a kind of night Sunday School, and then a worship service. BTU faded away some years ago. I miss those days.

I think the reason for the ceasing of Sunday might services is the increasing worldliness of Christians -- they are giving other things precedence, like football, shopping, eating out, etc. I like sports as much as anyone, but that would never replace my desire for good Christian fellowship and worship, even in my present weakened state of faith.

 

[easternstar]

I've heard some have stop having Sunday night service so families could spend time together.
In the past, many churches did have Sunday night - service - but just because everyone does it - is by no means it is reqired.
In fact, I wonder if the early church had Sunday night service!

But I do have a suggestion - how about having a Bible Study in you home?

Nobody wants to do that either.

 

[JonC]

Sounds like you've got a good church there.

I'm 70 -- it kind of sneaked up on me. When I was young, we had 'BTU' on Sunday night -- Baptist Training Union, a kind of night Sunday School, and then a worship service. BTU faded away some years ago. I miss those days.

I think the reason for the ceasing of Sunday might services is the increasing worldliness of Christians -- they are giving other things precedence, like football, shopping, eating out, etc. I like sports as much as anyone, but that would never replace my desire for good Christian fellowship and worship, even in my present weakened state of faith.

I remember BTU. I also miss those days.

But I kinda have them again. It's just with the youth in my living room .

Last night my wife and I got home (we were going to pick up the dog for a ride). A young man was at the front of the house, waiting for others to get there. We let him in and told him we'd be back in 20 min. Got home and a small crowd was there. My son (who invited them) got home later.

I never know what's going on. But it's good.

That is their type of training union, I guess.


But we had Training Union on Sunday night, church on Wed. (RAs and GAs). So much centered around church. I see that with the young people today (just a different way).

But sometimes it seems that a generation was missed.

 

[Salty]

Nobody wants to do that either.

(having a home Bible study)

1) have you asked everyone in your church (starting with you pastor - he should be made aware)
2) have you asked any of your neighbors?
3) Have you prayed about it?

When I arrived in Germany, (with the US Army) I attended the Chapel the first Sunday - which ended up being a waste of time. I started a week night Bible study - for several weeks the attendance was spondaic. Fast forward about 6 months - we had a Sunday Moring service and the 20 or so in attendance voted ourselves as a Baptist church! Remember where 2 or 3 are gathered together!

 

[Ben1445]

I don’t care for Zoom services, I prefer in person meetings, but some churches do Zoom only events since Covid.

A real Christian church, in my view, ideally should have Sunday morning worship, Sunday night worship, Tuesday men’s group / women’s group, Wednesday night prayer meeting, Friday night evangelism, Saturday Bible study. The specific days can differ, but the 6 different services are mandatory for me to consider a church as properly fulfilling members needs.

There are some churches in my town that have only Sunday morning services, and I consider them to be pathetic and dying.

That is an interesting perspective that I have never heard before.
There are some some rural churches that are definitely less than ideal for you that I would like you to consider and tell me what you think.
In a typical Sunday school, morning and evening service, and Wednesday evening service church, there are some members who commute 1.5 hours one way to work. So in order to make it to midweek meetings, they leave the job site and drive for an hour and a half, eat dinner and drive another 45 minutes past their house from the direction of work to get to the church.
The pastor also works a side job.
At what point is it unreasonable to meet six times a week?
There will be some people who are going to say that people should go to their local churches. Considering the topic including the lack of good churches and the silliness of refusing members based on commute times, what is your recommendation?
The example is not an outlier. It’s representative of a good portion of the church.

 

[Ben1445]

That would be the ideal for me, too. Before Covid, almost all Baptist churches around here that I knew of, as well as Charismatic/Pentecostal, and Church of the Nazarene had Sunday morning and Sunday night worship services, and Wednesday night Bible study. But now, many of those churches only have Sunday morning service and a few still have Wednesday night Bible study. I don't really understand why people would not resume coming after the worst of Covid has passed. What has happened to Christians, I wonder.
Two Catholic churches within 30 miles have multiple services every week, and those are not large Catholic churches either. However, the small Catholic church in my rural town is not as active.

It may sound harsh but the serious churches didn’t stop meeting during Covid.

 

[Ascetic X]

@Ben1445 Long commute times to church would be a challenge. If a sizable proportion of church members live a long distance from the church, Zoom meetings might be good. If quite a few live close to each other, but distant from the church, small group meetings in homes could be arranged. But most members of the churches I have attended locally tend to live fairly close to the church.

I have wondered what a Baptist person does when there are only a few churches in a town (say, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Assembly of God) and no Baptist church within reasonable driving distance. Just attend a church that is “good enough” to fellowship and worship?

I recently attended a very nearby Lutheran church. When I mentioned to a member that I liked prayer meetings and wished the church would consider having them, the guy laughed mockingly, and asked “What do you do at a prayer meeting?” as though it sounded ridiculous.

 

[Ben1445]

@Ben1445 Long commute times to church would be a challenge. But members of the churches I have attended locally tend to live fairly close to the church.

But I have wondered what a Baptist person does when there are only a few churches in a town (say, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Assembly of God) and no Baptist church within reasonable driving distance. Just attend a church that is “good enough” to fellowship and worship?

I recently attended a very nearby Lutheran church. When I mentioned to a member that I liked prayer meetings and wished the church would consider having them, the guy laughed mockingly, and asked “What do you do at a prayer meeting?” as though it sounded ridiculous.

When you have to pack a lunch to go to Walmart, your perspective of distance changes.
But for most, when Amazon delivers to nearly every door, convenience is probably more important than truth. I suspect that we live in a time dominated by the thought that we are “rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing.”

 

[Reynolds]

For reasons I won't go into, I can only attend evening church services. The only churches in this area that have evening services are Baptist, RC, and Charismatic/Pentecostal. However, since Covid, many churches have ceased their evening services. I have only gone to church one time since Covid blew up. Now I'll make a statement that may be judgmental: I don't think a church is a serious church if it doesn't have an evening services. I don't understand why churches have stopped their evening services. Why did the people who were going prior to Covid not come back? I am very limited now where I can go to church. One thing I'm certain of: I could never be RC.

I have told my pastor same thing. People, including pastors, got lazy.

 

[Salty]

It may sound harsh but the serious churches didn’t stop meeting during Covid.

Ours did - we were very small and all had some serious medical conditions within 2 months we did start meeting again.
AND we are a serious church!

 

[Reynolds]

Ours did - we were very small and all had some serious medical conditions within 2 months we did start meeting again.
AND we are a serious church!

Ours stopped meeting. In hindsight, I think it was a grave error. We should NEVER let Govt tell Church it can’t gather!

 

[Ben1445]

I’m not here asking for confessions. You can say whatever you want to though. I’m not asking for a pat on the back.
When Jesus said that his disciples would take up serpents and be able to ingest poison without harm, He wasn’t giving instructions on how to conduct a carnival or freak sideshow in church as some have interpreted it to mean.
All power is given to Christ and He promised to be with us always. If that promise coupled with a clear command in Scripture to not forsake assembling, was not enough, then I am just here to exhort that churches not forsake again. My opinion of the previous health crisis is completely separate from this thought.
There are people who think that they know the Lord and instead He will say “depart from me, I never knew you.”
There are people who are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, but they don’t realize that they are poor and miserable and wretched and blind and naked.
To these last is counseled to to “buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”

 

[Walter]

I’m not here asking for confessions. You can say whatever you want to though. I’m not asking for a pat on the back.
When Jesus said that his disciples would take up serpents and be able to ingest poison without harm, He wasn’t giving instructions on how to conduct a carnival or freak sideshow in church as some have interpreted it to mean.
All power is given to Christ and He promised to be with us always. If that promise coupled with a clear command in Scripture to not forsake assembling, was not enough, then I am just here to exhort that churches not forsake again. My opinion of the previous health crisis is completely separate from this thought.
There are people who think that they know the Lord and instead He will say “depart from me, I never knew you.”
There are people who are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, but they don’t realize that they are poor and miserable and wretched and blind and naked.
To these last is counseled to to “buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”

A local evangelical church continued to assemble during Covid and a significant number of members contracted Covid and also a number of deaths. The Church ended up closed and a new evangelical congregation now meets in their building. Covid was real, it was a killer and too many of my friends died from making foolish decisions during a very dangerous time.