The similar phrase 'Worldly Christianity' is one used by Bonhoeffer. It's J Gresham Machen that I want to line up most closely with. See his Christianity and culture here. Having done commentaries on Proverbs (Heavenly Wisdom) and Song of Songs (Heavenly Love), a matching title for Ecclesiastes would be Heavenly Worldliness. For my stance on worldliness, see 3 posts here.

Lord's Day September 24 2017


We were back up to fifty on Sunday, although some were away. Numbers were boosted by the return of a large family of Hungarians, as many as nine from the Seminary and three visitors from Aberystwyth, among others. I preached the next section in Acts on Philip and the Samaritans. In the evening we were down to something nearer 15 with two Filipinas along, who we had not seen for a while. I preached on the closing verses of Matthew 13. There were around 9 in Sunday School.
I have been trying to analyse the numbers over the past month or so. Since August 27 almost a hundred of all ages have attended, ie about 20 members, 30 regulars, about 25 others and around 25 visitors. In some ways that is very encouraging but we have never had a hundred there or even 75. On a good Sunday we should be getting somewhere near 60 plus any visitors, whereas it is more likely to be 40 to 50. My interest is not numbers as such but the individuals.

2 comments:

Dave G said...

Interested to read of the variations in attendance...... When you preach to, say 15 people. Do you still stand at pulpit or lecturn as you would if the Church was packed, or do you preach more informally.... sitting, say, or standing below the pulpit?

Gary Brady said...

Yes, I always preach from the table. There are about a hundred chairs. Rarely does anyone sit in the front two rows, however (32 chairs worth) so 15 doesn't look so very different to 50.