Remember Wednesday night and keep it Holy?

[Fred Lamm]

I have held a service position in my Church for the last 10 years, I'm there every Sumday morning and Sunday night. I tithe and in my home life and day job, I'm the same Christian that I am on Sunday. All that being said, I become increasingly irritated by my Preacher constantly harping on Wednesday night attendance and labeling it as sin if you don't go. Jesus had every opportunity to mention wednesday night if it was important to my salvation, I believe that he did not because God only asks one day of us because he knows some of us need the other six to make a living and be with our families. I work 2 jobs to make ends meet and have precious little time to spend with my children. Don't get me wrong , I think Wednesday night service is a wonderful thing, but I wish my Preacher wouln't usurp the athority to make it a commandment. I know in my heart and with every fiber of my being that I am right with God and it grieves my spirit to be accused unjustly.

Have a Blessed Day,
Fred Lamm

 

[Angelina]

Hi Fred,
I'm sorry to hear that you are grieved over this situation. I know that your Pastor may mean well but It just does not justify him trying to manipulate his flock to get their attendance. If God wanted members to be at the Wednesday night service, I'm sure he would make the way available. Every day belongs to God because we are not our own 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, however, we tend to set aside a day [Sunday or Saturday] for the Lord. This is liken to a much needed sabbath day rest for us. You seem to be a very busy person. I will pray that God grant you the opportunity to spend more time with your family and go the Wednesday night service [if it is his will] without losing your job commitments. Better still, I will pray for a higher paying job so that you do not need two...

Be Blessed!

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

Fred .... print out a copy of your post and mail it to the preacher.

That way He knows too.

Most people would be surprised how little (honest) feedback pastors receive from the congregation

People will complain all week long about a pastor , but Sunday they only say nice things to his face

I thank God every day that I am not a pastor.

Best wishes

 

[williemac]

I have held a service position in my Church for the last 10 years, I'm there every Sumday morning and Sunday night. I tithe and in my home life and day job, I'm the same Christian that I am on Sunday. All that being said, I become increasingly irritated by my Preacher constantly harping on Wednesday night attendance and labeling it as sin if you don't go. Jesus had every opportunity to mention wednesday night if it was important to my salvation, I believe that he did not because God only asks one day of us because he knows some of us need the other six to make a living and be with our families. I work 2 jobs to make ends meet and have precious little time to spend with my children. Don't get me wrong , I think Wednesday night service is a wonderful thing, but I wish my Preacher wouln't usurp the athority to make it a commandment. I know in my heart and with every fiber of my being that I am right with God and it grieves my spirit to be accused unjustly.

Have a Blessed Day,
Fred Lamm

Why are you still attending that church?

 

[ChristianJuggarnaut]

Put on big boy pants and have a face to face meeting with your pastor. Airing your drama here is a little odd.

Chances are he is speaking to those sitting at home watching ESPN rather than those saints working two jobs, but unless he is a member of this forum he will never be able to tell you.

 

[Fred Lamm]

I have no problem confronting anyone, as I have confronted him on another matter in the past, and your assuming that I need to put on some "big boy pants" is condescending. I am not airing any drama here. I am looking for scriptually based insights on this issue and not a shoulder to cry on. Thanks to all who have replied in that spirit.

Have a Blessed Day,
Fred Lamm

 

[Secondhand Lion]

Fred,

I have read all of Christian Juggarnaut's posts and feel as though I know him well enough to apologize for him. Please forgive him. He does not seem to know any better than to speak that way to people. He is likely a Baptist or Apostolic. I know I shouldn't repeat myself but he likely thinks there is a difference. In church all he has learned is how to pass condemnation on to others, unfortunately something the church appears to have mastered.

Wednesday night is a very important service, I consider it the most important of the week also. That being said, I do not attend church any more. Wednesday service is a great oasis in the middle of the week to "recharge" your batteries and "get back out into the world" till Sunday. Most churches hold prayer service that night, and we all know how important prayer is.

My next comments could be taken one of two ways and my hope is that you will take them kindly. Could it be the Holy Spirit working on you and not the pastor? Does God want you there and the tugging you feel is Him gently pushing you that way? Trust me, I know it is hard to feed and clothe a family today...and the pressure to do it has not been higher in our lifetimes. May I suggest, find a way to get to just one Wednesday night service....if the "tugging" goes away...consider that. My concern is...God should provide peace if there is really no other way to get to church on Wednesday night, if it is not there...try going and see if you have peace.

Would it hurt to go just one Wednesday night? Hey....it wouldn't be a total loss....you could pray for ChristianJuggarnaut while you are there! :blink:

SL

 

[ChristianJuggarnaut]

SL,

You are the kind of person who just wants everyone to like them. I can respect that. I speak for everyone here that you are a very kind and sensitive person.

I, on the other hand believe in telling it like it is. People don't like me and that's okay. At least you know where I stand.

He should speak to the pastor before coming here.

I apologize for my sarcasm. Most people have a filter that stops them, mine is broken.

Forgive me.

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

Fred ....

I have no problem confronting anyone, as I have confronted him on another matter in the past, and your assuming that I need to put on some "big boy pants" is condescending. I am not airing any drama here. I am looking for scriptually based insights on this issue and not a shoulder to cry on. Thanks to all who have replied in that spirit.

Have a Blessed Day,
Fred Lamm

Scriptural insight into what issue ??

Meeting thru the week ... ??

.... or the preacher saying it is sin not to ??

 

[williemac]

I have no problem confronting anyone, as I have confronted him on another matter in the past, and your assuming that I need to put on some "big boy pants" is condescending. I am not airing any drama here. I am looking for scriptually based insights on this issue and not a shoulder to cry on. Thanks to all who have replied in that spirit.

Have a Blessed Day,
Fred Lamm

It would have been less concerning if you needed to put on big boy pants, than to hear that you are not clear about the scriptures on this matter. If what you are describing is accurate, you are under spiritual abuse, and most certainly under scriptural abuse. The fact that you are looking for advice is a clue that you are in denial, for whatever reason. You want scripture? Sin is transgression of law. The only law you are transgressing is the one that your pastor has invented. Another scripture? Does your heart condemn you? Reading between the lines, I would say that it does not. Be therefore assured of confidence before God.

But a deeper matter is that if what you are describing is the true reality of your situation, your pastor has exposed some serious errors in his thinking concerning his position over his congregation. While many people think of spiritual leaders in terms of unquestioned authority, the truth is that he is first and foremost to serve as caregiver, protector, and mentor in things of the fruit of the Spirit; things such as kindness, gentleness, patience, love. His proper role is to make you feel safe. You have free will. You are not obligated to sit under a control freak. If he isn't one, then don't come here and make him out to be. That being said, what you are describing is very much like a controlling spirit. If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck......just maybe...... :wacko: blessings.

 

[Fred Lamm]

I came here to see if I had missed something scriptually on the subject of non-attendance on Wedsday night being labeled a sin. I wanted to be absolutley sure I'm right before I act. Instead of scriptually based arguments for and against, I get sarcasm and rebuke for my topic evidently not rising to the level of being worthy to post here. Please explain the requirements for posting here and I will comply.

Have a Blessed Day,
Fred Lamm

 

[Secondhand Lion]

I came here to see if I had missed something scriptually on the subject of non-attendance on Wedsday night being labeled a sin. I wanted to be absolutley sure I'm right before I act. Instead of scriptually based arguments for and against, I get sarcasm and rebuke for my topic evidently not rising to the level of being worthy to post here. Please explain the requirements for posting here and I will comply.

Have a Blessed Day,
Fred Lamm

Fred,

You seem a little irritated in your posts. I know you were not met here with open arms, but try to relax.

If you want a direct scripture about going to church on Wednesday...there is none. There is however biblical principle about "gathering together" as much as possible...especially as "things get worse" (Hebrews 10:25).

I am not going to jump on the "bash your pastor" bandwagon that seems to be going on a little here. I do not know what your pastor has said verses what you perceive that he said. This is not to say you are a liar, it is to say, I do not know the entire situation you are in. I do know that you need to be very careful approaching "God's anointed", if you really believe your pastor to be God's anointed. I just believe without knowing the entire situation...anyone who just bashes your pastor without knowing is walking on thin ice.

As many people have suggested, sit down and have a one on one with your pastor. There is no slam dunk verse that he would have about going to a church building specifically on Wednesday or any other day. He probably does however have something that God has laid on his heart, and would probably love to give an explanation in further detail.

SL

SL,

You are the kind of person who just wants everyone to like them. I can respect that. I speak for everyone here that you are a very kind and sensitive person.

I, on the other hand believe in telling it like it is. People don't like me and that's okay. At least you know where I stand.

He should speak to the pastor before coming here.

I apologize for my sarcasm. Most people have a filter that stops them, mine is broken.

Forgive me.

It is okay, my friend, but you haven't offended me. You seem to have offended Fred.

The situation helps me remember a time I was walking down the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, I think it was Jericho Rd? I ran across a guy in a ditch that you must have also run into just before me. He was all bloodied and bruised. Meh...I tried to help him out also as best I could. Sometimes all we can do is help clean up the mess the robber has left behind. I mean after all....the robber only cared about what he could get out of it, not what he was doing to the other guy.

God can help that filter thing out, it may take some time and some pain getting there, just turn it over to Him as best as possible.

SL

 

[ChristianJuggarnaut]

Fred,

There is much freedom here to post many things. However, there will be honest responses that many times will not agree with your point of view.

I did not notice that this was your first thread and want to apologize again for my sarcasm.

 

[Fred Lamm]

Apology accepted but not neccessary. I think you guys have given me what I needed in the form of no one coming up with any scipture that shows me to be in the wrong, and please believe me when I say that I don't want to bash my pastor. Thats one of the reasons I'm discussing it here because I can't duscuss it with anyone in my church without the possibility of making it a stumbling block in his ministry to them. I don't want to tear down his ministry, I just want to be able to perform mine with the same joy that I used to have. Thanks for your replies.

Have a Blessed Day,
Fred Lamm

 

[This Vale Of Tears]

Why are you still attending that church?

You're asking somebody who's been involved in ministry in a church for 10 years to pop smoke and bail at the first irritation. That's ten years of forming long lasting friendships, committing one's self to the service of others, and he should just bounce as soon as the pastor says something he doesn't like? Is that what you do, hop from one church to another because you don't like the music ministry, the associate pastor's stutter, the lighting, or a special emphasis on Wednesday night fellowship?

As a more general lesson, God can't work in people's lives when they scoot at the slightest sign of adversity; when they don't stay in their assigned seat when God turns up the heat. It's far better to endure then to escape because it builds character, temperance, and humility to submit to imperfect leadership as a greater act of submission to God.

Put on big boy pants and have a face to face meeting with your pastor. Airing your drama here is a little odd.

Chances are he is speaking to those sitting at home watching ESPN rather than those saints working two jobs, but unless he is a member of this forum he will never be able to tell you.

Not nice and I wonder how it is that the OP is being attacked just for asking for advice on how to handle a situation.

I have held a service position in my Church for the last 10 years, I'm there every Sumday morning and Sunday night. I tithe and in my home life and day job, I'm the same Christian that I am on Sunday. All that being said, I become increasingly irritated by my Preacher constantly harping on Wednesday night attendance and labeling it as sin if you don't go. Jesus had every opportunity to mention wednesday night if it was important to my salvation, I believe that he did not because God only asks one day of us because he knows some of us need the other six to make a living and be with our families. I work 2 jobs to make ends meet and have precious little time to spend with my children. Don't get me wrong , I think Wednesday night service is a wonderful thing, but I wish my Preacher wouln't usurp the athority to make it a commandment. I know in my heart and with every fiber of my being that I am right with God and it grieves my spirit to be accused unjustly.

Have a Blessed Day,
Fred Lamm

I think your pastor is guilty of nothing more than not communicating effectively. My pastor stresses the importance of attending weekly Mass and other church functions and observations, but he's quick to add that we are to do so to the best of our ability factoring in job and family commitments. I think your pastor is likely just as reasonable, but sending the wrong message by omitting that second part. Since you are not alone in having commitments that hinder participation in certain activities, you might do well to represent that portion of your congregation by giving your pastor some friendly advice on this

 

[ChristianJuggarnaut]

Vale,

Did you bother to read the apology and the acceptance thereof?

 

[This Vale Of Tears]

Vale,

Did you bother to read the apology and the acceptance thereof?

I did. And somehow it doesn't contradict what I said.

 

[ChristianJuggarnaut]

Just checking.