# Mid Week Meetings and the RPW



## AV1611 (Aug 21, 2007)

Would the regulative principle remove the use of mid-week meetings?


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## Coram Deo (Aug 21, 2007)

I do not believe so, in fact since it is a stated meeting of the church, and we have examples of Prayer meetings during the week in the book of Acts I believe the prayer meeting must also be regulated by the Regulative Principle of Worship.....

Including that only men are to pray and that woman are to remain silent while making the prayers of the men their own prayers.

It should not be in little groups, but a corporate prayer session of the church as the Church Militant lifting up our supplications and prayers unto God with Holy Hands in front of all men....

Michael




AV1611 said:


> Would the regulative principle remove the use of mid-week meetings?


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## R. Scott Clark (Aug 21, 2007)

here's one possible problem with refusing to distinguish between stated Lord's Day services and other gatherings:

They are all raised or lowered to the same level of significance, authority, and obligation. 

By distinguishing between Sabbath services and other, week day, gatherings, don't we preserve the unique authority and obligation of the Sabbath day services?

rsc


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## Southern Presbyterian (Aug 21, 2007)

I've always thought that the RPW comes into play only when the Word is preached. But this post has brought this into question in my mind and conscience. I'll have to do some more studying.


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## Rev. Todd Ruddell (Aug 21, 2007)

I agree with Dr. RS Clark here. We have no authority from Christ to call His people to worship on another day that the Sabbath. However, on the Sabbath Day if we do not call them to worship, then we're not doing our duty in that respect.


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## AV1611 (Aug 21, 2007)

Rev. Todd Ruddell said:


> I agree with Dr. RS Clark here. We have no authority from Christ to call His people to worship on another day that the Sabbath. However, on the Sabbath Day if we do not call them to worship, then we're not doing our duty in that respect.



Is it therefore a violation of the RPW?


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## Rev. Todd Ruddell (Aug 21, 2007)

I should also add that I do not believe that the RPW precludes midweek prayer meetings, Psalm sings, teaching, etc. However, we have no authority to make such services *binding*. Also, I do believe that Biblical order and decorum ought to dictate the contents of such meetings. In other words, as far as is possible the RPW ought to govern such informal, or optional services.


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## KMK (Aug 21, 2007)

R. Scott Clark said:


> here's one possible problem with refusing to distinguish between stated Lord's Day services and other gatherings:
> 
> They are all raised or lowered to the same level of significance, authority, and obligation.
> 
> ...



I agree. That seems to be the pattern. More worship, prayer, teaching etc offered during the week, means less esteem for the Lord's Day. (I tell my kids, if you eat ice cream every day of the week, it isn't that special going to 31 Flavors on Sat night.) In theory, it should benefit the sheep to have more get togethers during the week, but in reality it seerves to tear down at the sanctity of the Lord's Day. 

In addition, many would love to come to a midweek prayer meeting instead of the Lord's Day service if given the choice. (Because there is no preaching or accountability)


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## Calvibaptist (Aug 21, 2007)

We gather together for prayer and Bible study on Tuesday night. But one thing I have tried to emphasize is that if the members of the church all came on Sunday morning and no one showed up on Tuesday night because they were spending time ministering to one another and building godly families, I would be thrilled. In fact, if that were going on, I would do away with Tuesday night Bible studies altogether.


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## MW (Aug 21, 2007)

The apostle Paul not only conducted his ministry in public, but also from house to house. Believers are to exhort one another daily (Heb. 3:13). There can therefore be nothing amiss in holding informal meetings. In fact, there is much Christian service which can be performed in informal meetings, which is not so convenient on the Sabbath day. The following is from Samuel Rutherford's Quaint Sermons:



> “I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem.” The Church, with much ado, hath escaped the hands of the watchmen; and finding small and very cold comfort from them, and no news about her beloved, turns her to followers and companions, and conferring with them to tell her well-beloved that she is sick of love for Christ.
> 
> This teaches what duty the saints owe one to another, to love one another (1 Thess. 4:9), and to teach one another (Col. 3:16); “Exhort one another daily” (Heb. 3:13); “Provoke one another to love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together” (Heb. 10:24, 25); and among themselves to speak that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers (Eph. 4:29), having speech always with grace seasoned with salt (Col. 4:6). This God commanded: “Say to your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ru-hamah. Plead with your mother, plead.” This charge is given to every one of the faithful to plead with the apostates of their time. And Mal. 3:16, “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened, and a book of remembrance was written before Him.” Our Lord thinks so much of the sweet and comfortable speeches among the faithful ones, that He lays to His ear and hears it, and writes it up in a book; and Zech. 8:21, “And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I will go also.”
> 
> ...


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## R. Scott Clark (Aug 21, 2007)

To clarify:

I'm not opposed to mid-week meetings. They are fine but, they are also a matter of Christian freedom. If one absents oneself from them he is not liable to discipline. The same cannot be said of stated Sabbath day assemblies.

As such, whatever their ecclesiastical connection, I'm not sure the RPW applies in the same way. 

It's with this understanding that we distinguish between chapel at WSC and stated services. We hold chapel on Tues and Thurs but they are not conducted as stated services. We do not administer sacraments and we're free to do things that I won't do on the Lord's Day stated services (e.g., sing uninspired songs and the like).

rsc



Rev. Todd Ruddell said:


> I agree with Dr. RS Clark here. We have no authority from Christ to call His people to worship on another day that the Sabbath. However, on the Sabbath Day if we do not call them to worship, then we're not doing our duty in that respect.


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## terry72 (Aug 21, 2007)

What do you guys think about partaking of communion during every mid-week service in addition to every Lord's Day worship service?

Blessings in Christ,
Terry W. West


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## R. Scott Clark (Aug 22, 2007)

In principle, the supper could be administered at every stated service. 

Thus, if a mid-week meeting is a stated service to which members are obligated, then it's appropriate. If it's an informal gathering, a bible study or the like, then no, it's not appropriate. 

Of course this scenario raises the question again whether the session/consistory has the authority to require attendance to mid-week meetings.

rsc


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