Sunday Nights Church Services?

[12strings]

It seems that there is a Trend in churches away from Sunday Night Services.
Observed: Many churches have large declines in Sunday night attendance.
Observed: Many churches have eliminated their sunday night service in favor of small groups, or simply no service.
Observed: Any new church plant that has both an AM and PM Sunday service would be the rare exception to the general trend.

Question 1: Is this an entirely bad thing, a good thing, or simply a cultural change that churches should not try to fight?

Question 2: Can a healthy church eliminate their evening service and still be a faithful, effective body of disciples?

WHAT SAY YOU???!!!

 

[ktn4eg]

It seems that there is a Trend in churches away from Sunday Night Services.
Observed: Many churches have large declines in Sunday night attendance.
Observed: Many churches have eliminated their sunday night service in favor of small groups, or simply no service.
Observed: Any new church plant that has both an AM and PM Sunday service would be the rare exception to the general trend.

Question 1: Is this an entirely bad thing, a good thing, or simply a cultural change that churches should not try to fight?

Question 2: Can a healthy church eliminate their evening service and still be a faithful, effective body of disciples?

WHAT SAY YOU???!!!

IMHO, I'd say that each individual and/or church would have to answer these questions for himself, depending upon the circumstances that he finds regarding his own particular local church.
In the case of my own particular local church, we tend to most nearly fit the parameters of your second observation.

http://www.lighthouseministries.org

 

[humblethinker]

funny, our church just launched our public service this past Sunday night. We meet in small groups in homes throughout the week. We will not be having a Sunday morning service for the next few months until we change locations, maybe not even then.

It seems impossible for a traditionalistic church to change.

I do think it is a cultural issue. Times are changing... regarding things that aren't essential, bend or break.

 

[Tom Bryant]

It seems that there is a Trend in churches away from Sunday Night Services.
Observed: Many churches have large declines in Sunday night attendance.
Observed: Many churches have eliminated their sunday night service in favor of small groups, or simply no service.
Observed: Any new church plant that has both an AM and PM Sunday service would be the rare exception to the general trend.

Question 1: Is this an entirely bad thing, a good thing, or simply a cultural change that churches should not try to fight?

Question 2: Can a healthy church eliminate their evening service and still be a faithful, effective body of disciples?

WHAT SAY YOU???!!!

It depends on if they make sure they have some teaching opportunity at other times. I think the church will miss that chance to teach some deeper things that can't be addressed on a sunday morning.

We changed our Sunday nights to the fellowship hall around tables. I'll teach a little then the groups (that are changing week by week as people sit at a different table) talk about it with either my own questions or those they come up with.

Although meeting everyday was a descriptive thing in Acts rather than prescriptive, I think the principle is an informal kind of teaching opportunity. Healthy churches come in all sorts of packages.

 

[Berean]

It seems that there is a Trend in churches away from Sunday Night Services.
Observed: Many churches have large declines in Sunday night attendance.
Observed: Many churches have eliminated their sunday night service in favor of small groups, or simply no service.
Observed: Any new church plant that has both an AM and PM Sunday service would be the rare exception to the general trend.

Question 1: Is this an entirely bad thing, a good thing, or simply a cultural change that churches should not try to fight?

Question 2: Can a healthy church eliminate their evening service and still be a faithful, effective body of disciples?

WHAT SAY YOU???!!!

My church has both an 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM Service (both blended) with a combined total of 1500 to 1600. Our evening service runs from 350 to 500. The evening service is more informal with the message usually geared to discipling. We do have small groups meeting both in homes and the church. I do believe we will eventually eliminate the PM Service.Which I have no objection as long as the small groups continue to function as they should, It is important that you have the right leadership for the small groups, especially someone who is sound doctrinely. We are an SBC church over 150 years old with a lot of traditionr, but that is changing with atriction.

 

[Dempster]

Scrapping the Sunday night service and adding some groups during the week is right out of the playbook of the book, "Simple Church".

 

[Thousand Hills]

Our church still has Sunday Night and Wednesday Night services. There is a significant decline from Sunday A.M.. I try my best to make it because I need it. I need the refreshment in God's word and the fellowship with other believers.

 

[matt wade]

Just got back from Wednesday night service. 3 saved and a teen boy dedicated his life to service for the Lord. Praise God!

 

[HAMel]

If one were to compare today's believers with those who walked with Jesus back then, we all would be considered a sorry lot.

Compared to the Prophets of old who spoke the very words of God by inspiration and witnessed their determination and zeal for the spoken Word of God, consider their warnings against sin..., we, today, would be considered a sorry lot.

Liking us today to the Apostles of Jesus's day..., we would fall way short.

Should we become street preachers? No. Not hardly. I am of the opinion however that anyone "willing" to be a street preacher is the kind of Person our Lord will use to bring glory to Himself as His Spirit will more readily emanate from us to the lost.

If we Christians of today were as bold as were those early Christians were Sunday Evening attendance would be equal to Sunday morning. We all fall short.

 

[DiamondLady]

Our church still has Sunday evening services as well as Tuesday Bible Study and Wednesday evening Bible Study and Prayer Meeting. Our Sunday evening attendance is probably 2/3 of our morning worship (especially as we move towards time change and it getting darker earlier...many of our older members don't like driving at night). We have between 25-30 on Wednesday evenings and our Tuesday morning Bible Study (which has been in existance at our church for close to 30 years) has around 20 attending.

While these may not seem like large numbers to someone who has 1500 on Sunday morning, ours is a very small conservative KJV church who competes with a modern megachurch about five miles down the road and averages around 75 on any given Sunday morning. It works for us, and I haven't heard a word about changing it or giving up any services.

 

[clark092504]

I don't really agree with that. I think that our faith may be stronger than those of past simply because the only physical truth we have is the word of God. Blessed are those who do not see and yet still believe. You can't measure those who saw Jesus everyday to those of today. We are empowered with the holy spirit which is ever so present than it was in Jesus day. I would say our faith is stronger than those of apostles. By their fruits you shall know them. I don't believe that there was church both day and night every Sunday during that cultural time. Jesus taught everywhere, not just in one place. Church both day and night can't be compared to bible times. If there is a passage please let me know. I am a humble man I always want to learn more and be wrong and right from time to time. Thanks.

 

[David Lamb]

Answer to Question 1: If churches are eliminating their Sunday evening services because they want to reduce the time they spend worshipping, or hearing God's Word, then it is a bad thing. But (as far as I know) there is nothing in the bible telling churches how many services they should have, or how long they should be. So a church might not have (or decide not to have a) service during the hours we call "evening", without it being wrong.

Answer to Question 2: Sorry to answer a question with a question, but why ever should a church's faithfulness/effectiveness be dependent on whether its services are morning and evening, morning and afternoon, early morning and late morning, or any other combination?

 

[HAMel]

clark092504, do we come across with determination? With expression? With fire in our souls warning the lost of their everlasting torment?

...no.

At best, most of us provide a little wishy-washy sermonette regarding their need and extend an invitation to visit our church next Sunday morning and that's about it. We certainly don't want to offend anyone.

"Go and tell the word....."

Any church worth their weight in salt should be the center of the believers community. Something should be going on every night of the week. Burn that electricity. Let vehicles be seen in the parking lot. Activities for the kids, outside, weather permitting will catch the eye of those passing by.

Nope. The church goes dark Sunday Evening and that's it until Wednesday. Then dark again until next Sunday. No activity.

 

[preachinjesus]

We don't do Sunday evening services. Our people are asked to plan on spending quality family time together before the week gets rolling.

 

[Jerome]

We do Sunday evening services. Our people are asked to plan on spending quality family time together before the week gets rolling.

 

[Mexdeaf]

We do Sunday evening services. Our people are asked to plan on spending quality family time together before the week gets rolling.

It's a shame that a family HAS TO go to church on Sunday evening to spend "quality family time". Seems to me that would be the mark of a dysfunctional family.

 

[Jerome]

It's a shame that a family HAS TO stay away from church on Sunday evening to spend "quality family time". Seems to me that would be the mark of a dysfunctional family.

 

[humblethinker]

Scrapping the Sunday night service and adding some groups during the week is right out of the playbook of the book, "Simple Church".

I have not read Simple Church. It sounds like you don't like the idea of small groups. Our church began with small groups and small groups are an integral part of the strategy of our future. I spent 20 years in a church that did not do small groups and I couldn't see the use or need for them as I now do.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Question 1: Is this an entirely bad thing, a good thing, or simply a cultural change that churches should not try to fight?

Question 2: Can a healthy church eliminate their evening service and still be a faithful, effective body of disciples?

WHAT SAY YOU???!!!

This is a hugely frustrating issue to me. For about 30 years of my Christian life Sunday night service was a major part of my life. Even in our little church plant here in Ireland our Sunday night Bible study was seemingly vital and integral.

However in the last 2-3 years numbers have dropped to almost nothing. We are now trying a once a month all church Bible study and encouraging folks to host a Bible study or prayer time in their homes, but even that is not working.

I battle how much of it is important, and how much is just ingrained 'three to thrive' mentality.

 

[dcorbett]

We eliminated Sunday School this past week in a experiment. We moved age-grouped classes to Wed night, and after 2 Wednesdays, it has been a major success!!! Plus we aren't pressured by time. We run the vans on Wed nights now to pick up the kids, and it is working fine.

In the process, Sunday evening service has picked up in attendance! I think people felt like there was too much on Sunday mornings, and now
enjoy the expository preaching on Sunday night.