- There is a cost to discipleship. One of the most prevalent—and concerning—reasons churches drop Sunday evening services is for lack of interest. Too many people, they say, are not interested in the added time commitment of Sunday evening services. To me, this indicates a need for Sunday evening services. Committed disciples have never based their decisions related to spiritual growth on convenience.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. —Matthew 16:24
- Sunday evening is a unique preaching time tailored for Christians. While morning services tend to have a gospel-preaching emphasis, Sunday evening messages allow greater freedom for strong preaching, concentrated toward people who, by their very presence, have indicated greater commitment to the Lord and a hunger for His Word.
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. —2 Timothy 4:2
- Sunday evening allows for a full “family-style” gathering as a congregation. Gathering at church is not solely for the purpose of preaching; it is also for the purpose of relationships with a church family. The church is a flock—a group—and we need collective time together. Churches with a strong ministry emphasis in the morning services have people spread out helping in children’s classes, bus routes and various ministries on Sunday mornings. Sunday evening is like the “family dinner” in a home. It allows a church family to all gather at once for mutual edification and encouragement. (In churches such as ours, with two Sunday morning services, the Sunday evening services are especially needful in building continuity as a congregation.)
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. —Acts 20:28
- Having another service time allows for missionary presentations or guest speakers. Hearing how God is working in other places—especially on the mission field—is needful for churches, and it follows the first-century pattern of missions.
And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. —Acts 14:27
It’s worth mentioning as well that Paul preached as a guest speaker in Troas at a Sunday evening service until midnight.
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. —Acts 20:7
- Having another service time allows for practices and meetings. Admittedly, this is a matter of practicality, but I see it as a needful matter of practicality. Our church choir practices before services on Sunday evenings, and our orchestra practices after church on Wednesday evenings. Other ministries of the church are able to have quick meetings or training sessions at a time when everyone is already coming to church.
- Revival has not come to a country with less emphasis on gathering for the preaching of the Word and prayer. I long and pray for revival in America. But history doesn’t indicate that it will begin in churches that have given in to the lack of fervor of Laodicean-like Christians who are comfortable with token Christianity. It doesn’t come to people who say, “I’m fine and in need of nothing,” but to those who hunger for God and are desperate for His reviving.
