When Did Multiple Services Begin?
“As far as I can tell, the first Protestant church in America to hold two identical morning services is Temple Baptist Church in Los Angeles, CA…. ‘two elaborate services in the morning’ for Easter 1913.” - 9 Marks
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Great topic, but I wonder if he has gone back far enough! Lutheran and other Protestant congregations have been well known, for many decades, for offering multiple services ... including things like Saturday night services, long before that was any kind of a popular trend.
Of course, many times rural congregations in an area shared a single pastor. So, if you count that as multiple services, the concept probably goes back centuries.
Generally speaking, many in these groups treasure their (often historic) buildings, and keep adding services rather than even considering massive and expensive building projects to accommodate fluctuations in the crowd.
On the other extreme, sometimes we fundamentalists can get the urge to build really quick ... like the first time we have to set out a folding chair :-)
Church Ministries Representative, serving in the Midwest, for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry
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