It has been said that pastors only work two days a week. While this statement is far from true, most pastor spend their weeks revolving around two days, Sunday and Wednesdays. As we walk out the doors of the church on Sunday our hearts and minds begin to churn about what will take place on Wednesday. These are the two biggest days of most pastors. While there is visiting, counseling, evangelizing, committee planning among other things that occur in the week of a pastor, the overwhelming amount of time, brain power and heart goes in preparation for the preaching and teaching of the scriptures on Sundays and Wednesdays. The sad thing about this though is, while the pastor does not usually have a day pass where he does not ponder on Sunday worship services and Wednesday night bible studies, many of the members only think about Sunday on Sunday and when they are deciding if they will attend service or if they will do something else that weekend. Even more sad is that while the pastor begins pondering, planning and praying for Wednesday night bible study, many members never even consider Wednesday night bible study. Below are listed three reason to consider attending your church's Wednesday night prayer and bible study
Relationship-
I would dare to say that most who attend Wednesday night bible study would agree, their friendship and relationship with the overall membership of their church is built before, during and after Wednesday night bible study. While we all enjoy fellowship on Sunday mornings it doesn’t meet the same level of fellowship that happens on Wednesdays. There is just something about Wednesday night where people let their guards down more, open up more, show compassion more and even laugh a little more. It’s through discussions on Wednesday nights that our relationships pass superficial and relationships develop into friendship.
I hear people talk about how they feel disconnected and as though there is not a place for them in the church. The majority of the time, an individual who has these feelings do not faithfully attend Wednesdays. Wednesday nights allows us to venture out of our cliques, family, and age groups into close relationships with the whole body. If you are struggling to find your place or connect with your church family consider attending Wednesday night bible study.
Support -
A big part of what happens on Wednesday nights in most churches across the world, is people discussing what they or a loved one are facing. Some pastors and members look down on these discussions during prayer request time or during discussion in the Bible study. This is actually part of the purpose of the church though and we are directed in the scriptures to do so. Galatians 6 teaches this principle. It is through individual members sharing, that the rest of the body is able to come along side them to pray, comfort, advise, support and hold accountability. If you feel like you are alone, drowning, discouraged, in need of someone to help you, consider attending Wednesday night prayer and Bible study
Spiritual Depth-
If we hope to grow spiritually we must make efforts to care for our spiritual man. The primary way we care for the spiritual man is through prayer and the study of the scriptures. These are the main elements of Wednesday night bible study. We, both young and old, meet with the purpose of praying and studying the bible. In most churches the people with the most opinions and think themselves the most spiritual are not faithful attendees of Wednesday night prayer and Bible study. These “spiritual” individuals put excessive priority on unnecessary comforts, concerns and cares of this world while neglecting an essential intentional time of spiritual development.
It is on Wednesday night where the pastor is able to address more in-depth the deeper subjects of the scriptures. On Sunday morning the preacher is preaching to an wider audience and dealing with more individuals who have not yet been converted or are not committed. Though the pastor should throw out some nuggets on Sunday mornings, he has to address more superficial issues. It is through the bible studies on Wednesday nights though that we are really able to mine the gems of the scriptures. We are also then able to polish these gems through the discussion among the saints. Beyond all of that there just isn't enough time during a Sunday morning worship service for a Pastor/shepherd to feed the flock enough to thrive for a whole week. If you are tired of surface christianity, if you are wanting to grow beyond the surface of the scriptures and begin gaining a deeper knowledge of the scriptures, if you want to get the extra sweet feed the shepherd has to offer consider attending Wednesday night bible study.
These are just three reason to consider going to gather with your church this Wednesday night. We live in a day where most believe they don’t need Wednesday night bible study, they don’t have time for it or they are just to tired. The truth though is, we make time for what we value. Wednesday night bible study was birthed out of the Great Depression and World War 2 when christians realized it was only through the hand of God that they could survive. Today I’m afraid we believe we don’t need Jesus as much as those who made up the Great Generation or the church who meet daily in the book of Act needed him