Miniskirt meetings

[OLD fashioned preacher]

So what do ya'll think of "miniskirt" meetings? By that I'm talking about 2-3 days special meetings (miniskirt because they ain't long enough to properly cover anything). It's been my observation that most churches need no less than 5 days to get past playing "it's church time" and get down to business. Many times it takes a while before the pastor will admit that he's convicted and does something about it. Probably why so many pastors will swap favors (you preach my meeting and I'll preach yours) instead of having an evangelist.

[Jerry]

Normally, when my church has special meetings, they go from Sunday to Wedneday. That would be four days - and Sunday's meetings would cover all three services. One conference, they had two speakers for at least one night of the conference (not sure if they did that on the other nights as well, as I was working and only able to attend Sunday night (which had one speaker) and the weeknight that had two speakers.

[tired]

Ours usually starts on Sunday and ends Wednesday. One last year was Sunday to Sunday. That was a special event though.

[Anon]

We usually do Sunday to Wednesday...we are lucky to get people out for every service even in those, plus we probably couldn't afford to correctly pay a preacher to do longer.

[JerryNumbers]

I get the logic of using the word "miniskirt."

But really, is it good to apply that word to an event to be held at one of Jesus' Churches?

The local SBC Church in town, have what they call "Girls Night Out." I think its sad for them to use that phrase for it bring to mind for most people a night that the girls go bar hopping and partying.

Why do we adopt so many worldly phrases? And we know well that the world is trying its best to get into Jesus' Churches.

[deputydog530]

kitagrl wrote
We usually do Sunday to Wednesday...we are lucky to get people out for every service even in those, plus we probably couldn't afford to correctly pay a preacher to do longer.

That is what we usually do also. We to suffer in attendance. This year our revival is Sunday to Friday. Im very worried about attendance. This is where I really have to put it in the Lord's hands and pray the people would want true revival. :pray

[Pastorj]

Kitagrl,

If you think about it, the cost of a Sun-Wed is the same as Sun-Fri. The evangelist cannot get another preaching engagement for Thursday and Friday, so he is in limbo until Sunday. Having him preach the additional nights costs the church a couple more meals and maybe a couple nights in a motel.

I like the Sun. To Sun., but that messes the evangelist up also. I go with Sun-Fri and we have seen the majority of decisions being made on those last two nights.

[John81]

Kitagrl,

If you think about it, the cost of a Sun-Wed is the same as Sun-Fri. The evangelist cannot get another preaching engagement for Thursday and Friday, so he is in limbo until Sunday. Having him preach the additional nights costs the church a couple more meals and maybe a couple nights in a motel.

I like the Sun. To Sun., but that messes the evangelist up also. I go with Sun-Fri and we have seen the majority of decisions being made on those last two nights.

:thumb :amen:

[HappyChristian]

We had a three week meeting a few years ago. It was great. We don't have revival meetings per se. We do have a preaching conference once a year in which several preachers come, and we hold morning and evening services most days. It begins Sunday morning, with chapel on Monday rather than a scheduled service (a lot of the guests and speakers come in on Monday). Than on Tues - Thurs we have morning and evening services. It isn't planned, but every year it seems that the Holy Spirit leads the men to preach along the same theme.

For weeks before the conference, our preacher exhorts us to pray that God will work in our lives through the meetings.

As far as two or three day meetings go - if the pastor of the church preaches what he should on a regular basis, and the people are praying about the meetings, the Holy Spirit will be able to work even in those few days. Longer may be better, but not always necessarily, IMO.

[Guest Guest]

So what do ya'll think of "miniskirt" meetings? By that I'm talking about 2-3 days special meetings (miniskirt because they ain't long enough to properly cover anything). It's been my observation that most churches need no less than 5 days to get past playing "it's church time" and get down to business. Many times it takes a while before the pastor will admit that he's convicted and does something about it. Probably why so many pastors will swap favors (you preach my meeting and I'll preach yours) instead of having an evangelist.

Hello O F!

IMHO I have never thought much of the meetings as you descibed above. If we are going to have a meeting it will be with an EVANGELIST whom the Lord has sent our way with the message from the word of God. I have not asked a pastor of a local church to be away from his church or his people, nor do I intend to. If an Evangelist cannot stay at least Sun. through Fri. then I look for someone who can ( no ill intent or harm directed at the individual). We try to have at least three meetings a year, last one we had lasted for two weeks. Thanks be unto God, we met with the Lord, and still see the fruits of that meeting!

Some "advice" has been given to me, " No need to have meetings that last past Wed. anymore, folk are too busy, they won't come anyway".... or .... "you won't have good crowds for the rest of the week". Let them stay at home ( people are going to do exactly what they want to do anyway). I see no reason to ignore the Lord's will for a few who would not rather be there. I've even heard of services cancelled because Sister Suzie Q's family will not be able to attend- since when does one family determine the direction of the Lord's lead for the local church?

"You preach my meeting, and I'll preach yours" I've seen so much of this it makes me sick. I could understand-- once in a while, and I mean a while. But for the trend I have noticed, it's all the time--- no more EVANGELISTS to come, just the local pastorate! I have also noticed the "buddy' system, they will preach each other's meetings and will puff up and exalt one another in front their church, and not preach on particular sins, no! no! no! Do not upset the people! This will insure a return meeting in the spring or fall, and another padded pocket.

Hey OF.. Do you have in your area one of those preacher cliks,fellowships, or groups where you notice one or the other is always preaching a meeting for one of the fellas in the ring? I've been to those get togethers, during breaks they all immediately pull ther calendars out and start booking one another for a meeting, while the Evangelist books are empty.

God called Evangelists are a special people, I love them dearly, and pray that God will continue to use them mightily. I have no use for the flatfooted flowerchildren that these modern seminaries of the formalistic frozen chozen are pumping out into the world. They are yellowbellied, spineless, comprimisers that are afraid to preach on repentance, sin, and the new creature. Once they get rooted in a local church, that mindset is spread like poison, the meetings suffer and they will infuse their modernism into their 'fellowships'.

When I go to meeting, I want to hear from the Lord, I want to hear HIM from the pulpit speak directly to my shortcomings and failures, and then be drawn to that precious restoration and forgiveness that is in the person of the precious Lamb of God. I want to hear sin exposed, sinners told of the coming judgement of the Lord, sinners told of the danger they are in - right now, and then hear Jesus lifted up and magnified as the Saviour of all who will come to Him.

I do not hear from the Lord in the details of the golf game, or uncle willie's dog chronicles...


Yes, Old Fashioned, I say let's have a meeting, a real meeting with the Lord, Amen!



[stepping down off of the soap box now]

[Jerry]

As far as length of the meetings (ie. whether 3 days or all week, etc.), that is up to each church' leading by the Lord - no one else has the right to dictate or call another church wrong because they had a four day meeting instead of seven. That might be exactly how long the Lord wants those meetings to go at that particular church.

[HappyChristian]

As far as length of the meetings (ie. whether 3 days or all week' date=' etc.), that is up to each church' leading by the Lord - no one else has the right to dictate or call another church wrong because they had a four day meeting instead of seven. That might be exactly how long the Lord wants those meetings to go at that particular church.[/quote']

Amen! And if the pastor is preaching what he should before then, the people are praying, and the Holy Spirit will move! (although I have to admit, when I worked for Joe Boyd, I REALLY enjoyed those week long revivals!)

[chev1958]

Probably why so many pastors will swap favors (you preach my meeting and I'll preach yours) instead of having an evangelist.

Or it could be that newly planted baby churches can't afford to pay evangelists decently.

[JerryNumbers]

As far as length of the meetings (ie. whether 3 days or all week' date=' etc.), that is up to each church' leading by the Lord - no one else has the right to dictate or call another church wrong because they had a four day meeting instead of seven. That might be exactly how long the Lord wants those meetings to go at that particular church.[/quote']

Right Jerry, you just did not say enough, I would be careful in condemning what others do, who they have preach their revival, when they have it, how many days it last.

What you think you see may not be exactly what is there, so you should refrain from condemning them on who they invite to be their speaker and or speakers.

In saying that what's gets me is a church who has a revival, them goes out and invites many to come, them they pass the collection plate in front of their invited guest as if they expect the guest who they invite to support their revival. After all a revival is for the church members, not the guest, and the church should not in no way make it seem as if they want the guest they invited to support their revival, they should be treated as guest in all way.

But some churches will go to any lengths to get money out of who ever they can, this is a very poor witness for a church, it makes them seem as if its about money, not about peoples lost soul in grave danger of spending eternity in hell.

Oh, I might say, if the church does not get revived at each service, something is definitely wrong within that church.

[Carlos]

It depends on the topic.
It depends on the speaker.
It depends on the Holy Spirit.
It depends on the receivers.
Why do most IB's always want some type of formulae, some rule, or some man telling them how it should be?
It constantly ends up in disagreement, and some form of contention, because ultimately, someone somewhere will disagree.
I have been a listener to messages that have gone for less than 20 mins, that have completely changed my life, as I am hopeful you have been too. :Green
1 day, or one week, it's all good depending on the above.
God Bless.
In Christ,
Carlos.