Why do we have "Extra" Services?

[USN2Pulpit]

Originally posted by SaggyWoman:
Let that be the door turner at your church, and it will change your attitude.

In addition to that, prepare to worship before you even get in the car...and see what happens.

As far as the extra services go, I believe they're just fine to have. All of these things we've pointed out can be useful. It's good to learn of the Lord.

The key is in the membership. A member of a local body ought to support the church with their attendance at all times unless truly hindered by health or circumstances. Notice I said a member. A person joins the local body of their own free will, and ought to do so with thought, knowing the implications (and expectations) of membership. (Unless, of course they believe they're joining some kind of social club that you can take or leave at your own whim.)

 

[Pastor Larry]

Originally posted by troutkiller:
I often wonder what their Sunday School, Discipleship, and Worship Services were like (just kidding

... absurd to stimulate thought).

I am curious as to what's absurd about this. Do you think that the NT didn't have teaching times (such as SS), discipleship, and worship?? I don't see anything absurd here at all. I in fact wonder the same thing. I am not sure what it looked like. What the NT tells us is that it took place everyday.

Saggy says it is not about being at the church, it is about being salt and light in teh world. On what scriptural basis do we act as if there is a separation betwee these?? Why do we act as if one is more important than the other. Should we not say as Christ did, This you should have done and not have left the other undone?? IMO, with no offense to Saggy or anyone else, it sounds very pious to say such a thing but it is devoid of a Scriptural basis. These are not things that the Bible sets in tension. To be at church, faithfully involved in the body is being salt and light in the world. It is impossible to do one without the other.

 

[Bethelassoc]

Getting back to Dr. Bob's original statement about the norm, I've seen that churches use these extra services to "keep" their members there. There are too many churches that "steal" members to build attendance, so all must fortify the stronghold and keep members continually going. It reminds me of going to a job.

S.S. and services other than once a month Sunday morning was instituted in my association back in the 40s and 50s. When Sun morning service became every Sunday, churches stopped fellowshiping with each other, not just sister churches but other Baptists even Methodists. Now we are down to once a month fellowshiping within the association.

The early church met daily, but their meeting was not incoporated like it is today. Churches anymore view attendance like profit margins. Discipleship is based out of the New York Times best seller rather than the Bible.

 

[Pastor Larry]

Originally posted by Bethelassoc:
Now we are down to once a month fellowshiping within the association.

Where did God command us to fellowship with the association??

The early church met daily, but their meeting was not incoporated like it is today.

Really?? And how do you know this?? What do you think the differences were between today and the early church?

 

[Bethelassoc]

PL:

The association meets as a body of believers. We meet once a month to fellowship together and have church, along with our business throughout the year.

Far be it from anyone that can say what the early church was doing except following the example given them by the apostles and the Word.

I think the point is being missed with what Dr. Bob was getting at. What is the point in what churches are doing today? Why all this extra stuff? Is it working? Is it not?

I think he's posed a question that is being overlooked.

 

[Pastor Larry]

Originally posted by Bethelassoc:
I think the point is being missed with what Dr. Bob was getting at. What is the point in what churches are doing today? Why all this extra stuff? Is it working? Is it not?

I think he's posed a question that is being overlooked.

I haven't overlooked this question at all. In fact, I have challenged its validity, based on what we do know for sure about the early church. Bob's question assumes that any thing more than Sunday AM church is an extra service. My answer is to direct us back to the early church where every day meetings were considered normal, not "extra."

So the bottom line is that there is no reason to call it "extra stuff."

Now, is it working?? Depends on what you want to accomplish. I find that Sunday PMs and Wednesdays work extremely well for us becuase it enables us to study the word of God, to minister to one another througn fellowship, and to pray together. If those things are not what we as a church want to accomplish, then no, it is not working.

I think too many people are focused on the wrong things. They are still asking teh question, What is the least I can do and still be considered faithful? CAn I get away with only attending Sunday AM since God never told me I had to attend Sunday PM as well? (BTW, the night service recorded in Acts went until midnight. Most of us aren't that biblical in our evening services.) The bottom line is that we are looking at church too much as if it is a to do list that we have to check off. We need to look at it like it is a body. Your hand doesn't only work for you one day a week. Your knee doesn't whine about having to get you up out of your chair to get a cold Coke. Why do the hands and knees of the body of Christ complain about doing what the body of Christ is supposed to do??? I just don't get it ...

 

[Dr. Bob]

I do NOT think the early church met every day. Maybe for a short time in Jerusalem (after Pentecost) that was normative but I don't see it elsewhere. This would be a good study in itself; why don't YOU start a topic!

They met regularly and systematically. What I am saying is the Sunday School and the Evening Service and the Midweek, et al, are recent additions to the typical weekly church service of Christianity from AD50-1800.

And much of it is tradition and nothing more.

 

[Bethelassoc]

I would like to see a thread on this topic.

From what I've read in Acts, the apostles were daily in the temple which was typical until the temple was destroyed.

I read that the early followers met daily, but not necessarily in a "church setting" and not necessarily a commandment to do so.

 

[micah]

So, should we shut down hospitals and not get sick on Sunday mornings? Or heaven forbid have a child during Sunday services? I dont know about u but I cant tell my body when to get sick or when to go into labor.So we need medical staff on duty 24/7 And I also appreicate having firefighters and police on duty 24/7. So when can those who cant attend church atleast on a regular basis on sunday mornings go if we didnt have several services? Besides were does it say that we cant get together in groups and worship him several times a week. We all know that society needs more folks in church and less folks out robbing and any way. So why not accomade folks instead of taking away? We should really be worried about saving souls and filling services rather than too many services.

Sorry if im rambling.

Originally posted by Dr. Bob Griffin:


So for 2000 years we have had "church" on Sunday. Only in the last 200 or so years have we added REQUIRED services (chide: You're not a good christian if you don't come every time the doors are open) early Sunday morning, late Sunday night and Wednesday or Thursday midweek.

Why? If I were to say "our church will not have evening service", 95% of the baptists I know would immediately think "neo".

What's your thinking? [/QB]

 

[John Crerar]

Hi, It's a good topic about extra services!
I've never thought of them as extra services. I've grown up with them. What a blessing.
A few years ago when I was teaching English in Korea in 1996-97, for 1 year, I had to pick a church to attend. The one I picked had the services I was used to. The other good church didn't have an evening service, so I would have missed the teaching and the fellowship on a Sunday evening.
Unfortunately, most of the Evangelical churches here in Ontario whether they're Baptist or not have dropped the evening service. Most of these people who attend these churches are now watching more TV.
We shouldn't feel it a burden to attend services. The Lord understands if we can't for various reasons such as health or work. Another good reason to have an Evening Service. In 2 weeks I will have to work every 2nd sunday morning. I will hate it.
As for the Sunday School, it also is not as big as it was 20 years ago in most churches. When a count of the number of adult church members was taken it was stunning the number who had become Christians through coming on the sunday school bus to sunday school. Most people become Christians before they are teenagers.
It is true we can become too busy in church life. Each one of us has to know our limitations.
This is a great topic!

 

[GODzThunder]

Our Soutern Baptist Church does not have an evening service but we do meet Wednesday nights. I am thankful for the mid week service because we devote all that time to prayer (and have started a short Bible study afterwards but mainly focus on prayer, member led). Though it is not required in the Bible to meet mid-week I have found that several of our members believe that the mid-week service is a life saver because of the ability to get prayer over their needs before Sunday.