Articles
Do I have to Come on Wednesday Nights?
I am not here to argue whether or not the Scriptures anywhere specifically state that a Christian must attend every service. Such isn’t necessary in the first place. But to argue that we don’t have to be at every service is to show an amount of disregard for the purpose for these Wednesday night services, as well as the Sunday morning Bible classes (those who don’t attend one usually don’t attend the other). These assemblies are not planned to test faith, nor to hang bags of burdens around the people’s necks; they’re planned to help people grow and mature in the faith. Realization of that one simple fact will go a long way to help cure the problem of a lack of attendance at Sunday morning classes or Wednesday night services.
Please allow me to cite a few things about the mid-week services particularly that will perhaps encourage you to attend if you haven’t been doing so–and to encourage your continuance if you already do so. Hang on! Wednesday night services provide a refreshing oasis in the midst of our parched and difficult environs. We live in perilous times (II Timothy 3:1), times where it seems people are actually disinterested in morality, especially if it gets in the way of what they want to do. We must operate in a “wicked and perverse generation” at times (cf. Philippians 2:15), and that’s just not easy. Enter the Wednesday night services. The Wednesday night services give us a brief respite from the hot weather in which we have to live all the while. To the God-fearing Christian, Wednesday night services are like a cool, refreshing drink of water on a hot day.
Wednesday night services help us keep our guard up. We are under constant attack, brethren. We have to keep our defenses up if we want to deflect the constant volleys from the world. That today’s Christian must defend himself is obvious. He is attacked at every turn. That obviously calls for good defensive measures. A good defense calls for two things: good equipment, and a good strategy. The equipment is mentioned in Ephesians 6. If we are to stand firmly, we need truth to gird our loins; righteousness for our breastplate; feet shod with the preparation of the gospel; a shield of faith; and a helmet of salvation. All these implements are necessary to be constantly on guard against the advances of evil. And prayer. Prayer is a large part of our stratagem. We need prayer! And prayer is wont to be made at every Wednesday night service (in fact, in some places, the Wednesday night services are often referred to as “Prayer Meeting”). It’s hard to fight off the enemy if you don’t have anything to fight with.
Wednesday night services help with our personal discipline. Godly people operate in a disciplined way. Discipline helps defuse our indifference, inspire our activities. The discipline is called in scripture, “the oracles of God” (I Peter 4:11). It is those oracles which constitute the will of the Father and only by subservience to them can we glorify Him while equipping ourselves for opposing the constant onslaught we face. But we are sometimes like little children, needing constant, regularly imposed discipline that we may keep on the proper pathway. We must have regular reminders and strict surveillance or we’re apt to just drift off course. Wednesday night services help keep us motivated, concerned, actuated.
Wednesday night services offer a refueling stop as we run life’s race. No person can exist spiritually for very long without some sort of maintenance. We must refuel, if nothing else. And one of the best fuel stops for the Christian is to pull into the station on Wednesday night. I don’t know about you, but I have often come from work tired and weary, and thinking to myself, “I just don’t think I’ll go tonight.” But instead of giving in, I have pushed myself to go on. And many is the time when I was rejuvenated by having gone on to services. I came away ready to roll, prepared to get on with my Christian life. The Wednesday night services are a way for gaining new energy, for revitalizing the spirit, for re-inspiring our hope, thereby putting new energy in our walk.
Wednesday night services are just good for you. No right-thinking, spiritually-minded person would deny that. It’s just good for you to be there. “You can’t find a passage that say we have to be there on Wednesday nights,” you say? Maybe not, but I can sure come close. What about James 4:17? It says, “to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin?” Is it a good thing to attend on Wednesday night? Is it good to sing with the saints, to pray with them, to share with them in a study of God’s word? You have any other questions?
What will you do? First, those who need to consider these truths probably tossed this article aside when they saw the title. But perhaps, just perhaps someone who needs to attend on Wednesday night and has not being doing so will take the time to read and consider this little piece and decide to come. It’s written because we care. How about you?
