1. Sunday is the Christian Sabbath. It's the day we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior! What an opportunity! What a blessing to join with our brothers and sisters to exalt the name of Jesus! Would you limit this great blessing to an hour on a Sunday morning? What if we recognized that one out of seven days is devoted to the holy endeavor of worship! No, the Bible does not give the imperative of two worship services on Sunday, but neither does it declare the Sabbath hour on Sunday morning.
2. The proclamation of the Gospel is desperately needed in the church today. To hear, understand, and live out the full counsel of God is necessary among Christians. In a time that is clouded with false teachings, liberalism, and a general ignorance of Biblical truth; the message of full salvation, the character of God, and the lifestyle of holiness are needed truths! We do not need less preaching of these things; we need more!
3. The Bible calls Christians to not forsake the formal assembling times of the Church. The New Testament church did not gather only once on Sunday. They gathered together every day of the week. Worship birthed fellowship and fellowship birthed worship! Many Christians see other Christians only once a week for about an hour and a half on Sunday morning. What if we began to take steps toward more worship and more fellowship? Some Christian leaders spend more time in board and committee meeting than they do in assembled times of worship!
4. What do you think we will be doing in Heaven for all eternity? Certainly, worship will not be the only thing we do, but it will be the primary thing that we do gathered around the throne. The centrality of the beauty and blessing of Heaven will be centered around the one who sits on the throne! Revelation 19:6 "Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, 'Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns!'" (ESV) If we will be worshiping in Heaven, then maybe Sundays is a great time to get some practice in and spend some time in the 'closest thing to Heaven on Earth.'
5. What an innovative way to reach people for Jesus: a Sunday night service! Multiple services for some churches are a new idea and Sunday night services are old fashioned. What if we just reinvented the wheel? Maybe this is a great way for some people to make a service who wouldn't normally come? What about all those who work on Sunday mornings? What about the elderly who are unable get around early in the morning? If you have one service per week, there will be some who will be unable to ever attend.
6. Sunday night services make greater allowance for the family worshiping together. Sunday mornings and other services we tend to split up the family when they come through the doors: babies to the nursery, children to children's church, teenagers to youth group, fathers to men's group, women to the ladies' Bible study, etc. Is there ever a time when the family worships with the church community together? I know that it's hard to worship with a crying baby or fussing little ones, but maybe that's closer to Heaven than the alternative of splitting up the family.
7. Sunday night services tend to be less formal, less showy, and more intimate. There is definitely a different feel to a Sunday night service. It is hard to develop relationships on a Sunday morning only pattern. Sunday night's laid back feel fosters friendship among the saints! Early Churches of the Nazarene used Sunday night as their evangelistic service and Sunday morning as their discipleship service. Maybe these have been flipped over time, but both evangelism and discipleship are still necessary! Maybe Sunday night worship is what we ought to always
8. It may not always be the case, but some of the people who walk with Christ in the deepest way are those who attend a worship service on Sunday night. It's not an equation to holiness (that's works righteousness), but it gives me pause due to the correlation. There is a hunger among the genuine Christian for more of Christ, more of His Word, and more fellowship with His people. In areas of the world where the church is persecuted they still risk punishment, imprisonment, or even death to gather with one another!
9. Sunday night worship has ceased to be an obligation for me; it is a privilege. The reluctance of having a Sunday night worship service is usually referred in two areas: (1) lack of desire among Christians and (2) lack of desire by Pastors and staff to put on another production. Sunday night services might just indicate value & priorities for some of our church members today. Is it really too much to ask of people to spend another hour in worship? Is the "Sunday morning production" and the weariness it causes an indication that we are doing something in a counter productive way?
10. How can you go wrong from attending or promoting a Sunday night service? When we finish our journey on earth and stand before God will anyone testify that they spent 'too much time' worshiping the Creator? People accept Christ, receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and grow in Christ as a result of time spent in a Sunday night worship service. It really happens. It will never hurt, only help to gather again on Sunday night to glorify Christ. After all, He promised if He was lifted up that He would draw all people to Himself!
I'm asking different questions these days. It's no longer about how much church I have to attend to get to Heaven, but how much time can I spend in His presence? I am not dictating a secret recipe for church growth success or a quick 'fix all' to the problems your local congregation is having; I'm not really into "3 easy steps." I just think we do not spend enough time in corporate worship, singing praises to Jesus, listening to the Word of God preached, and responding to the Holy Spirit's call on us.
Maybe you disagree. That is okay. I have known churches that have a Sunday night worship service that are not very good churches. The only time they spend with Jesus is in the building. They only thing they do in response to God's grace is take up space on a pew or chair. They are greater 'hearers' of the Word, but not so good 'doers' of the Word. I know some churches that make their worship services a holy huddle, but never fulfill the Great Commission. I understand these things, and more, are a problem but that does not take away from the value of a great time of worship on a Sunday evening!
I will see you this Sunday night for worship! Why don't you come? You might just like it!
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