Wednesday night service.
The pastor of the First Baptist Church, a dear friend of mine, called
one day and asked how many we had in prayer meeting last Wed. I said
"279." Our ushers always counted in every service and put it on a card
and on the pulpit when they came to take the offering. We were having
400 to 500 in Sunday morning services. He was having 1200 but less
than 200 in Prayer meeting. He called the three other large churches
having 1000 in Sunday morning. None had 200 on Wed.
How did we do it?
I WORKED AT IT. Not to have more than anyone else but I loved our
people did all I could to see them love the Lord God of glory, His
word, the church, the lost and one another. I preached like a mad man
and told them, you do not eat one big meal on Sunday and live on it
all week. You can't. Neither can you eat one big meal spiritually
Sunday morning and live on that all week.YOU CAN'T. That is a rock
bottom belief of mine.
From 1,000 down to 400.
Now hear the other side. A church I know was having 1,000 or more on
Wed. The pastor was so busy he could not prepare for PM so he got
others to preach and teach on Wed evening. Of course they were not as
good as the pastor and the attendance dropped to 400 in no time. You
don't build a church like that. You must put your priorities whey they
ought to be. I say it again, PM is a great place to follow up new
believers and to fire up good and godly church members. I have found
it pays off greatly.
No center cut baloney
Then I assured them they would not get a center cut baloney sandwich
on Wednesday night but filet mignon steak with all the trimmings. They
came and ate it up.We had several good music specials, often
testimonies (they were as good as the sermon) People are starved and
if we will feed them full and flavored meals each service, I have
discovered they will come. By the way, it was not uncommon to have
people saved in Wed evening services.
Every ball team could use the superb player who never makes an error,
always get a hit the only trouble is you can not get him out of the
stands and get in the game. Every church needs everyone in the game.
Are you?
Enter the drawings for a pack of tracts to 10 people in the general
drawing and a pack of tracts and with one book on pastoring to 5
winners in the pastors drawing.
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