“IS LESS  BETTER?”                                            

 Matthew 4: 23-25;  7: 28-29

A few weeks ago I took with me several items from the grocery store  to illustrate the point in the sermon for the need to check the listing of 

calories – cloistral – etc.  One of the things I did not bring out was how many of the products use the word “LITE.”   Well, this skinny little adjective is 

supposed to convey the idea that all these “lite” food items HAVE THE SAME TASTE BUT ARE LESS FILLING. In other words, consuming them 

won’t add as many pounds to our frame as the normal brands.  And these products really are LIGHTER - - because they have far fewer calories and 

far lower fat content - - which makes them fit in with the current trend that says “LESS IS BETTER.”

The problem I have with this way of thinking - - “IS LESS BETTER?” Well, the reason I mention “LESS IS BETTER” philosophy is now found not 

just in the aisles of grocery stores  but also in the aisles of many churches! You see, these days people seem to want LESS church. I mean, they want 

the same “taste” when it comes to the “spiritual food” churches dish out - - but they want it to be “less filling” when it comes to their weekly schedules.  

In short, they want what the church can give - - but they aren’t willing to invest as much time in getting it.[+]

 Constructively, I want to talk about the many church’s in the last few decades of church history, and you’ll see what I mean.  When  we first 

became Christians  we  went to Sunday School at 9:45 AM and to worship at 11AM - -  after which we went home for lunch and the  afternoon nap. 

Then, we came back at 5:30 PM each week for youth work and adult Bible study. - - O yes, I know things have changed - - followed by another hour 

long evening worship service - which was structured just like the morning service: sermon, choir, offering, announcements, the whole bit. [+] 

 Back then there was the mid-week prayer meeting which included a 45-minute Bible study PLUS all the other monthly meetings we 

went to - -,  various choir rehearsals, etc. I believe all this is what inspired Will Rogers to point out that the American people pay millions of dollars 

in taxes each year to build the country’s roads - - but then the Churches  wear them out going to meetings!~~

 Well, over the last fifty years we have really reduced our contribution to the wear and tear on our nation’s highways because there has been 

a definite “lightening” of the typical weekly schedule of most churches.  How many  Churches do you know off that  still have 

Sunday A.M. – P.M. and mid-week services.~~  How many C.P. Churches do you know of have Men’s Fellowship – Ladies meeting, and 

Youth work each Sunday?  The Christian’s intake of “spiritual calories” continues to be, “LESS IS BETTER.”  These days the emphasis seems 

to be on WORSHIP ONLY because more and more Christians expect to have all their spiritual needs met in that one hour.~~ So, I guess you could 

say that these days, “LITE CHURCH” is in because people want a church schedule that is trimmed down to one hour a WEEK.~~

[In part from: “The Importance of Sunday School” +]

><))):>   In "HIS" Service  
                 Bro. Roy