Why We Value the Sunday Evening Service

The following is a letter sent by the elders to our congregation reflecting on the value of our Sunday evening gathering.

It seems as though the Sunday Evening service, in many churches, is going the way of the dodo (ie. dead dead). As the pastors of this church body, we wanted to express why we value our Sunday evening service with the hope that these sentiments will resonate with you or help you develop new found love for the Sunday evening service. Of course, our ultimate aim is that we not simply love a service, but that we, as a church, aim to glorify God and to experience His grace in all we do together. 

What is the purpose of the Sunday evening service? 

There are several different things that happen in the life of our church family each week and they all serve a slightly different purpose. Perhaps a quick overview would be most helpful.

• The Sunday school hour and mid-week Bible studies serve to equip us as we learn to be better students of God’s Word and glean the fruit of greater trust and obedience to God. 
• Our worship service is the gathering of the whole body, made up of all its diverse members, to join our hearts, voices, and minds in worshiping God by singing, praying, and hearing His Word. It is the main feeding time for the flock. 
• Sunday evenings are a time for us to pray together, to discuss the sermon we heard in the morning, and to receive updates on missionaries, unreached people groups, and local outreach ministries. Additionally, we have a program for preschool through elementary age children with the goal of teaching them foundational theological truth at a child’s level. 

Each of the meetings, services, and studies serve a purpose, and we value all of them. As Shepherds we believe the priority is the Sunday morning time of worship. However, since the evening service is the one that often gets overlooked, we’d like to focus on why we value it with the hope of shepherding us to see its benefits and joyfully participate in it.

Reasons we value the Sunday evening service

1. It is the time we have set aside for praying together. It is such a joy to hear other brothers and sisters thanking God, praying for one another, and praying for the needs of our world. We see the early church was marked by praying together and can imagine that it was not a burden but a joy for them too (Acts 2:42, 4:23-ff; 1 Tim. 2). 
2. It is an opportunity to fulfill the command to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice (Rom. 12:15). This can and should happen one-on-one, on Sunday mornings, and at Bible studies too. But Sunday evenings provide a great opportunity for this as we are gathering primarily to pray together. We can thank God for engagements, births, and job promotions. We can ask for his mercy for those facing loneliness, losses, and trials (1 Cor. 12:26).
3. It is a great chance to interact with the sermon we heard. Sermons are the main feeding of our souls each week. Rather than having another teaching time (in addition to Sunday school, a Bible study, and the sermon) the elders wanted to provide a chance for us to digest the rich feast of God’s Word we just had during the worship service. We want to be doers of the word. Additionally, this allows an opportunity to ask questions and gain new insights together.
4. It is another time for fellowship. The more often we see each other and interact, the better the chances are that we will be able to move past merely socializing (which is good) to fellowship (encouraging one another in our walk with God).
5. As Christians, we want to be with fellow believers as often as possible. This has always been a mark of God’s people (Psalm 16:3, Acts 2:42, 46).  
6. It helps us keep Sunday set apart for special enjoyment in God. For centuries, Christians have referred to Sunday as “the Lord’s Day” (Rev. 1:10). Not that this is the only day that is His. Rather it is a day uniquely set aside to have more focused attention on worshiping Him and on being with His people. Sunday evenings give us the other bookend to the Lord’s Day. Without it, Sunday could easily become a day like any other save a 90-minute block of worship.

Consider being part of the Sunday evening service

There are reasons it may be hard to come. For some, the drive is too much to do twice a day. Those with young children might also find it difficult to come (though we have purposely set the service to run from 5-6 p.m. with the goal of making it easier for those with young children to attend).  We do not want to imply that it is sinful to not attend on Sunday evenings. We simply want to express why we, as your pastors, value Sunday evenings and encourage you to develop the habit of gathering with us. It is a commitment for the elders to lead another service, but we believe it is worthwhile. May it continue to serve as a blessing to our church family.

In Christ,
The Elders

"Why the Church Needs Intergenerational Friendships"

Do all your friends fit within your own age demographic? What might you be missing out on if this is the case? How might this be counterproductive not only in your own spiritual life but in the spiritual health of a local church?

Unfortunately, we are much like electricity, following the path of least resistance, when it comes to friendships. But when we do this, we fail to maintain and participate in the unity God has built into the body of Christ.  We can miss out on hearing more of God's great works, as Psalm 71: says,

So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come (v. 18). 

I recently read an article at the gospel coalition blog by Joseph Rhea entitled, "Why the Church Needs Intergenerational Friendships." In his article, Rhea lists several of the benefits of friendships across generational lines and some of the hard work associated with developing such friendships. Below are some excerpts, but you really should read the short article.

Benefits:

1. Wisdom "The most obvious gain is the wisdom that comes from perspectives other than our own."
2. Wonder "Learning the stories of God’s work in wildly different situations leads to wonder at his power and character."
3. Godliness He lists several areas, but one is love. He writes, "Loving someone different from me requires me to love more deliberately. I’m going to have to ask more questions and listen better. To hear things I don’t understand and maybe things I don’t agree with. I might have to sacrifice things on my schedule or my style. But developing that intergenerational friendship will make me into a more maturely loving person."

What it takes to gain these benefits (ie. to form intergenerational friendships). 

1. I must be willing to push through discomfort.
2. I must speak and listen charitably.
3. I must elevate Jesus above all else. 

A quick word about peer friendships. For some, it is hard to develop friendships with peers and, maybe, easier to do this with older folks. It is good to have those friendships with older folks, but don't neglect the benefits and unity with believers your own age within the church body. If you think they are too immature for you, then ask yourself, how should a mature believer respond to those that are immature? What does Christian love look like in such situations?