Rethinking the Sunday Night Service
April 1, 1994
Toying with my coleslaw, I tuned in to the conversation at the other end of the table. (District Prayer Conference is a wonderful place to get inspiration and encouragement, as well as to get a feel for what lay people think about churches and pastors.)
A rotund and thickly bespectacled woman was clearly speaking to more than just her friends across the table. "I guess--for a new church--it's a good one, but … " Her voice trailed off, and her little audience leaned forward to get the real scoop. "They don't have an evening service."
Her listeners shook their heads.
"And you know what else?" She leaned forward, this time with even more graveness than before. "Pastor Marks doesn't even want one!"
Eyes rolled heavenward, mouths opened wide, they stared at each other in disbelief.
Not in the mood for dessert, I quickly made an exit. They were talking about a daughter church ours had begun, and Pastor Marks was a good friend. It was true. Wilsonville Alliance Church did not have an evening service.
I was jealous. Very jealous.
FOUR STRIKES AGAINST IT
Fourteen years have passed since that overheard conversation, and since then my feelings about Sunday evening service have swung from negative to mildly positive, but it is not hard to recall why I viewed Sunday evenings with a combination of dread and distaste.
Fatigue.
Weekends are anything but relaxing for a pastor. As a youth pastor, I was usually out late on Saturday nights. Sunday morning the alarm went off at 6:30. I arrived at church around 8 A.M. for the 8:30 service. By Sunday night my adrenaline wanted to be down not up. I wanted to veg, not put on my suit and tie and pretend I was happy for yet another chance to be with the saints.
The pressure of the empty sanctuary.
As pastors ...
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