Most churches no longer have Sunday night services. Over the years, that has by far been my favorite service. I have seen some powerful moves of God on Sunday nights. Let me tell you about one.
Many years ago I was preaching a revival in Palestine, TX at the Emmanuel Baptist Church. God really came powerfully that night. Right in the middle of the message, a thunderstorm started. The thunder clapped loudly vibrating the whole building. The lights went out in the middle of my message. We sat in the dark, nobody really knowing what to do.
Someone found a candle and brought it to the pulpit so I could finish preaching. What a powerful moment. It reminded me of Jonathan Edwards preaching by candlelight over 300 years ago. That excited me and I preached even more forcefully asking God to come visit His people. God moved even more powerfully. As I gave the invitation, a man got up to come forward. He did not go to the steps to pray. He came right down front in the center and turned to address the congregation. God was at work so I stopped talking and watched to see what would happen.
The man served as a deacon and Sunday School teacher. He came forward to confess the sin of not serving and ministering under God's anointing. He simply went through the motions of his ministries not believing for God's power to work through him. In his brokenness, people got up all over the building to come pray for their brother in Christ. That unleashed a night of repentance and prayer in several others. That night will be remembered for a long time by those who were in attendance.
Like I said earlier, most churches stopped holding Sunday evening services. I guess the justification to cease is because the attendance is so small. I have been in multiple Sunday evening services with barely half a dozen people present.
I will be the first to admit it is easier not to hold them for the preacher. It is one less message to prayerfully prepare and preach. It is added work. I find the reward well worth the effort.
I typically go back to my office on Sunday afternoons. I pray, look over my notes and prepare for any scheduled meetings for the day. That is exactly what I was doing when I got a text that left me bewildered. The text came from a lady in our church. She texted to inform me she was bringing a friend to the evening service that night we have prayed for many times over the past several months. I have prayed for this lady repeatedly though I had never met her. I immediately asked God what He was up to. This lady is facing severe health issues that are life threatening. I did not feel this to be coincidence. Nor did I feel like it would be another normal Sunday evening service. I left my office and went to the prayer room to ask God what He wanted to do that night. I had a message prepared on Gideon I was excited about. In a gentle whisper, I sensed God leading me to a different message.
The attendance this past Sunday night was at least double what we have seen in recent months for no apparent reason. People were there I have never seen at a Sunday night service. By faith, I preached the changed message and watched God work.
During the invitation the body of Christ gathered around the sick lady to pray for and over her. A beautiful and touching sight to behold. Faith ran high as people cried out to God on her behalf. Tears flowed. The saints prayed fervently. The results are left in God's hands.
What a special encounter with God we shared. People who chose not to attend do not know what they are missing. Churches who long ago suspended the Sunday evening service due to low attendance do not know what they are missing. We met God this past Sunday night, and more importantly He met with us. I want more of those encounters. I don't want to miss what He intends for us. Even on a Sunday evening.
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