Good evening.
I was hoping tonight to share a thought or two on the above subject as CFS is such a great forum to see opinion and view points, so I pray you might consider this question for my own personal prayers.
Every book in the NT was written to a church assembly in various places or overseers of churches and much of the teaching relates to how we are to treat and view each other, as Christians in the Body of Christ. Since Christ calls it a Body, it's clear that fellowship is God's greatest desire and even more of a desire for him to have a group of people he can truly live his life through, to reach the lost and love the one's we have. In this, God gave gifts and roles for us to follow as well as wisdom to care for all of the members whether they be infants, youth or elderly so he could fully move in the way he desires. Also as an assembly, a need to have the door open to some real and beneficial outreach to the lost.
As a Pastor I'm always aware of my responsibility to not be a leader or a Lord but a father, overseer and example overseeing the work of his spirit and not my own call. In this Christians need to be involved in the ministry as it's a body church with a living head so God can use each in their gifts and calls to function and allow God free reign in the service. You're also aware of the practical needs for example Mum's and Dad's, children etc and the need they have to be able to attend and be fed as we meet.
So, he subject I'm considering at the moment, is that the traditional day for us meeting together in our main service is a Sunday morning, following Paul's call for us to meet on the first day of the week and when you examine in closely, the light of God's desires, isn't a Sunday morning rather limiting in many ways? Wouldn't a Saturday evening be a far better time to hold a meeting for our great God to be present. Now sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday is, for those who follow, the sabbath so a Saturday night wouldn't offend those who follow this belief. It's also the beginning of the first day of the week so again it slots in quite well.
It's means a meeting could go on into the small hours of the morning allowing those who need to go for whatever reason to go and those who need to stay, especially those needing saved, to stay so the work of the Lord be not hindered. It also means, that for the working familys and Monday to Friday workers, they would indeed have a whole Sunday as a day of rest and hopefully after a great night of fellowship!
Now I'm not talking about scrapping weekday meetings or anything like that, I'm talking about having the main meeting on a Saturday Night, unhindered and unlimited so that God might fully work through his people whether it be ministering to his children or bringing folk in to be saved.
It's clear from God's Word especially in 1st Corinthians 12 of a design for his local church with spiritual gifts, ministries of the Lord and operations of God (chapter 12) including Apostles, Prophets, teachers as well as workers of miracles etc etc. Rounded off in chapter 13 in the truest expression of his love that God has a deep desire to fellowship with us and live his life through us what ever city we live. It just keeps coming back to me, how do we fit God's (genuis and simple) design into a Sunday morning service?
These are the thoughts I'm considering at this point in my life and I'd appreciate your thoughts especially if you're young, to this idea. I am seeking God deeply on this subject so please comment with respect to my query, I'd really appreciate some Godly Words.....
I was hoping tonight to share a thought or two on the above subject as CFS is such a great forum to see opinion and view points, so I pray you might consider this question for my own personal prayers.
Every book in the NT was written to a church assembly in various places or overseers of churches and much of the teaching relates to how we are to treat and view each other, as Christians in the Body of Christ. Since Christ calls it a Body, it's clear that fellowship is God's greatest desire and even more of a desire for him to have a group of people he can truly live his life through, to reach the lost and love the one's we have. In this, God gave gifts and roles for us to follow as well as wisdom to care for all of the members whether they be infants, youth or elderly so he could fully move in the way he desires. Also as an assembly, a need to have the door open to some real and beneficial outreach to the lost.
As a Pastor I'm always aware of my responsibility to not be a leader or a Lord but a father, overseer and example overseeing the work of his spirit and not my own call. In this Christians need to be involved in the ministry as it's a body church with a living head so God can use each in their gifts and calls to function and allow God free reign in the service. You're also aware of the practical needs for example Mum's and Dad's, children etc and the need they have to be able to attend and be fed as we meet.
So, he subject I'm considering at the moment, is that the traditional day for us meeting together in our main service is a Sunday morning, following Paul's call for us to meet on the first day of the week and when you examine in closely, the light of God's desires, isn't a Sunday morning rather limiting in many ways? Wouldn't a Saturday evening be a far better time to hold a meeting for our great God to be present. Now sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday is, for those who follow, the sabbath so a Saturday night wouldn't offend those who follow this belief. It's also the beginning of the first day of the week so again it slots in quite well.
It's means a meeting could go on into the small hours of the morning allowing those who need to go for whatever reason to go and those who need to stay, especially those needing saved, to stay so the work of the Lord be not hindered. It also means, that for the working familys and Monday to Friday workers, they would indeed have a whole Sunday as a day of rest and hopefully after a great night of fellowship!
Now I'm not talking about scrapping weekday meetings or anything like that, I'm talking about having the main meeting on a Saturday Night, unhindered and unlimited so that God might fully work through his people whether it be ministering to his children or bringing folk in to be saved.
It's clear from God's Word especially in 1st Corinthians 12 of a design for his local church with spiritual gifts, ministries of the Lord and operations of God (chapter 12) including Apostles, Prophets, teachers as well as workers of miracles etc etc. Rounded off in chapter 13 in the truest expression of his love that God has a deep desire to fellowship with us and live his life through us what ever city we live. It just keeps coming back to me, how do we fit God's (genuis and simple) design into a Sunday morning service?
These are the thoughts I'm considering at this point in my life and I'd appreciate your thoughts especially if you're young, to this idea. I am seeking God deeply on this subject so please comment with respect to my query, I'd really appreciate some Godly Words.....