Expert: William Radvansky - 11/27/2008

Question
QUESTION: the begining of double sunday morning services

ANSWER: Thank you Ekow for allowing me to answer. Having two or more Sunday morning services has always been a matter of expedience. Our church, for instance, outgrew the capacity of our auditorium, so we had to have 2 morning services to fit everyone. We moved to another church building thinking that we would be able to go back to just one Sunday morning service. About 1 year after moving in to the new facility, we had to once again offer two morning sevices for the same reason. We are currently building a church that we hope will provide adequate room for just one morning service.
I am not sure when this began. It probably originated with the Roman Catholics who have had multiple service times for as far back as I know. I know that this is not a comprehensive answer, but I am not aware of it being a matter of church doctrine, nor should it be for convenience, but out of neccessity.  Bill

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: how long is enough for one to stay in church to have a spiritual fulfilling service/

Answer
Dear Ekow,
       Thank you for using AllExperts.com and for selecting me to answer your question. I think that the focus of the worship service and exactly how the time is spent is much more important than the length of the service is itself.
  When I first received Christ as my savior, I went back to the same denominational church that I had been brought up in. It was a dry, ritualistic type of service where everything was preplanned and took the same amount of time each week. There was no call for salvation and repentance, no Bible teaching, testimonies, or prayer requests etc. I then began to attend a rather large charismatic church where more time was spent on “praise and worship” than preaching, teaching, or exhorting one another. We would be in the auditorium for more than two hours, yet I would come away not having learned anything about God and his word, if it was even preached at all.
  I now attend an Independent Fundamental church where we sing great hymns of the faith, pray for each others needs, and are ministered to by special music from someone in the congregation. The predominant element of the service, however, is the preaching of the word of God. Our Pastor exposits the scripture for us each week, by explaining, illustrating, and showing us how to make application of, the truths of God’s word. The sermon is usually about 40 minutes long with everything else comprising approximately 25 minutes.
  All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness.(2 Tim. 3:16) I want to leave the church service each week having had the word of God search me and try me and see if there be any wicked way in me. (Psalms 139:23) I find myself repeating the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 122:1, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD”. If I am more Christ like because of the time that I have spent in his house, then it has been profitable to me, regardless of the time involved.
  I hope that this is a help to you. If you have a follow up question please feel free to ask. Thanks.  Bill