R e v i t a l i s e t h e c h u r c h
Church activities should not conflict with a sensible daily schedule that includes adequate time to read the Bible...
By Andrew Mackinnon
The times of church activities should not conflict with the following sensible schedule:
> 5:00
Wake up after eight hours’ sleep, having gone to sleep at 21:00 the night before.
> 5:00 to 5:15
Get ready to read the Bible.
> 5:15 to 6:05
Read the Bible for 50 minutes according to a nourishing Bible reading plan.
> 6:05 to 6:55
Exercise for 50 minutes, alternating from one morning to the next between muscular exercise and aerobic exercise, six mornings each week from Sunday to Friday. Saturday is the Sabbath day of rest.
> 6:55 to 7:45
Get ready for the day over the course of 50 minutes, including showering and eating breakfast.
> 7:45 to 8:30
Travel to the weekday’s activities, such as work, university, college or school.
> 12:15 to 12:30
Make lunch.
> 12:30 to 1:00
Eat lunch.
> 5:45 to 6:45
Prepare dinner.
> 6:45 to 7:15
Eat dinner.
> 8:45 to 9:00
Get ready to sleep by brushing teeth, flossing teeth et cetera.
> 9:00
Go to sleep with the alarm set for 5:00 the next morning, to allow for eight hours’ sleep.
This means that no church activity, such as a mid-week leaders’ meeting, should extend beyond 20:30, so that church members have time to travel home by 20:45 and go to sleep at 21:00.
It’s obvious that mid-week, evening Bible study groups conflict with this schedule because it’s almost impossible for them to be able to conclude by 20:30. Under the format for church services on Sunday proposed on this website, Bible study groups take place on Sunday in the second half of the morning or afternoon church services, instead of mid-week during the evening under severe time pressure. Since Sunday is the first day of the week, it’s highly appropriate that the enlivening and nourishing, multilateral interaction between members of Bible study groups takes place on Sunday in the second half of the morning or afternoon services.