SABBATH WORSHIP: WHO’S HOLDING BACK THE 12 O’CLOCK MANDATE?

 

By Ekpor Temple

The moment the President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Eastern Nigeria Union Conference, Pastor Bassey Udoh gently signaled the Communication team to go off-air right after his soul lifting ministration on Saturday 3 May 2025; I had a strong feeling that what would linger in the minds of the congregation that day would go beyond the sermon he just preached.

Something had just happened.

Something significant. Yet not many observed rightly, at least not at first.  Until he opened up his heart to the teeming membership.

But what could that be?

What could it be?

I can almost hear your thoughts racing, your curiosity stirred, your mind reaching for answers. You're wondering, perhaps even holding your breath eager to uncover what lies in the next paragraph. Well then, settle in. Adjust your seat. Quiet the noise around you. Because you're not just about to read another story, you're about to embark on a long, captivating, and soul-stretching journey that just might reshape your mindset and bring forth the change we desire to see in our churches.

Now, I’ve attended my fair share of ordination services across the South-East and South-South. If you’re familiar with our system, you’ll know that closing early on such Sabbaths is almost a miracle. It’s the kind of thing that makes you glance at your watch twice, just to be sure heaven hasn’t fast-forwarded time.

Understandably so, ordination days aren’t just your typical “high Sabbaths”; they’re full-blown, high-octane worship experiences. The ambience is different; the air practically vibrates with praise. There’s the spirited song service, deep-dive lesson study, solemn processions, power-packed sermon and at the heart of it all the sacred moment of induction.

But this recent ceremony at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Mile 3, Port Harcourt, stood apart. It was different, deeply different. In fact, it felt intentional. It seemed like Pastor Bassey Udoh wanted to do more than conduct an ordination service. He wanted to create an object lesson, a practical demonstration. One that would speak louder than the message of the day, heralded in our weekly news bulletins and echoed in cottage meetings, mid-week prayer meetings, and vesper service. One that would give local church leaders and teeming membership an experience they wouldn’t just witness but truly remember.

And yes, he did it. Aptly with striking precision.

By 11:48 a.m., Pastor Udoh had concluded his message. Calmly and pellucid, but with unmistakable truth, he took a moment to make a heartfelt appeal:

“Going forward, let’s ensure that all Sabbath worship services close by 12 noon. Church leaders, members should learn from today’s worship…”

It was like someone had dropped a spark into dry grass.

The atmosphere shifted instantly. The congregation came alive. There was applause, cheers, and a rare kind of joyful relief that pulsed through the sanctuary.

Someone behind me shouted, “Take us back to COVID!” A bold echo of support. Another person, an elder seated just adjacent to me, raised his voice in approval: “Pastor, tell them oo!” I nearly collapsed in laughter, cos his tone was blended in humor and holy frustration. The appeal was expressed in a very light and simple language but carries deep implication. The call was not arbitrary. It is a call to reawaken a principle we’ve gradually let slip in our worship.

As I sat there on the pew, absorbing the moment. I tried to understand why the congregation rejoiced in what had been said. Because this reaction wasn’t just about time, no, it wasn’t; it was about the burden members quietly carry every Sabbath but are too respectful to express. It's about the slow, creeping fatigue that long and disorganized services bring. It’s about the desire to feel refreshed on the Sabbath, not worn out.

This moment matters so much because it touched a nerve, gave voice to silent frustrations, said out loud what many members, families, young people, and visitors have whispered under their breath, etc. A culture of extended worship that is fast becoming a scourge, a burden instead of a blessing. And yet, we march on week after week as if heaven will not accept worship unless it comes with long hours.

Why can’t we close on time in our worship?

Having worshipped in over 215 Adventist churches across Nigeria, I’ve noticed a growing wave of common complaint from the lips of exhausted parents, restless children, visiting friends and time-conscious members who are professionals in various fields asking, “Why is your service dragging so long?” It’s a question that resurfaces regularly, yet, curiously, no researcher or scholar has yet been able to pinpoint a solution to this growing leader-member dilemma, one that seems poised to influence the next generation. It becomes topical weekly, even when we are all aware that the Sabbath was not meant to exhaust but to refresh.

Flashback to the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown era, the world paused.  We were forced to streamline worship. Church buildings were closed, and when reopened, we operated under strict health guidelines. As a church, we had no option but to adapt.

Do you remember?

We had strict worship schedules, in most places, the entire service lasted barely two hours and yet, everything still flowed that period; we still had Morning Dew (or as we call it in my church, Lord in the Morning), lively Sabbath School, precise announcements, promotions, our choirs ministered powerfully, and the sermons in the Divine Hour thundered with grace.

Did we lose the presence of God? No!

Rather, worship became focused, the Holy Spirit still moved, members were blessed and guests stayed till the end. It became very evident to me that God was not confined by time, and neither were our blessings. If anything, we became more intentional with worship. We prioritized what mattered, fellowshipped and sang with clarity of purpose. We planned our preaching schedule and they were delivered with more power and less padding.

Just 5 years after this universal plaque, some churches have slid back into marathon worship, we have returned to the bondage of endlessness, where we now measure worship by length instead of depth.  Now, with no restrictions, some of the churches start their services late, drag unnecessarily, and spill into the afternoon.

Why has it become so hard to maintain the standard we once held so well? What happened, what changed us, or is this a nascent norm or perhaps a sign of neglect?

Who’s to blame, and who should cast the first stone?

Ah, this is the uncomfortable part, isn’t it? Who’s responsible for this drift? Is it the pastors who struggle to streamline their sermons and, in the name of “as the spirit leads,” feel entitled to dictate how the church should worship? They are compelled to pour out every word, and in the process, the service stretches on far longer than necessary.

Or could it be the church leadership, who, rather than drawing the line, allow departmental programs to spill over because no one wants to say “no”? They can’t resist the temptation of taking impromptu announcements or instructions from those in powerful positions, prominent members whose donations or respect make their influence undeniable.

Maybe it’s the members. Some of them, who habitually stroll in late to worship, see Sabbath timing through their own lens. They wake up sluggish, engaging in trivialities and then scramble to prepare, clean their Sabbath attire, and dust their shoes. If you ask me what they were doing within the week, you will be shocked at their reply. These prodigals often believe that without their presence, the worship isn’t complete. Funny enough, they are the ones who expect the service to stretch less so they can go home.

In truth, we’re all complicit. We’ve embraced a mindset that allows this to happen. We waste precious time with unnecessary singing, endless discussions in the vestry, and bloated announcements, forgetting that God isn’t glorified by the length of our worship, but by the heart, order, and purpose behind it.

We’ve proven to ourselves that a powerful worship experience can happen within 2 to 3 hours when we are focused, when we plan well, and when we skip the excesses, everyone will be blessed. We did it then, so why can’t we do it now by choice, not compulsion?

Let’s look at the Worship Structure from Scripture

God is not the author of confusion or cluttered worship. In the Bible, God is a God of order. “Let all things be done decently and in order.” – 1 Corinthians 14:40. The Old Testament sanctuary service model was precise and time-bound, with designated duties and schedules. It followed specific sequences with timely rituals. In the New Testament, Jesus Himself respected time in worship. His teachings were brief, clear, and focused, yet they stirred hearts for eternity. He withdrew when necessary, showing us that even sacred moments must be managed with wisdom.

The apostles, too, in the early church demonstrated orderly, moderated and impactful fellowship. They worshiped with intentionality, they gathered, read, prayed, and fellowshipped without chaos or excessive duration. They balanced spiritual depth with human capacity.

Scholars also have their say about time management in our worship. Ellen G. White, one of our church’s most respected voices, warned against turning the Sabbath into a burden through disorganized, never-ending worship. She was clear about the importance of order and time:

“The Sabbath should be made so interesting to our families that its weekly return will be hailed with joy. We are not to make it a day of weariness by protracted meetings and long, tiresome exercises.” — Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, p. 357

In her book, Evangelism, p. 446, she buttressed further, “Lengthy meetings fatigue the people. The Sabbath should be made so pleasant and interesting that its weekly return will be welcomed with joy.”

This collaborates with what some Christian educators and scholars on church growth also affirm that predictable, time-conscious worship enhances member engagement, friend appeal, and spiritual focus. In other words, the length of service does not always mean heightened spirituality. A long service that drains rather than uplifts is not God-honoring. When we close by 12, we honour time, we honour people, and above all, we honour God. Let us not allow indiscipline to rob our worship of its power and our message of its credibility.

How valid is the argument for prolonged Worship?

One of the recurring arguments against closing the church by 12 noon is rooted in concern for the sanctity of the Sabbath. Those of our members who hold this view often say that:

“The Sabbath is a full day of rest and devotion. If we release members too early, they may go home and misuse the sacred hours, engage in idle talk and business, watch ungodly movies, football matches on television, or even fall into temptation. It's safer and holier to keep them in church longer.”

At face value, this may sound noble, perhaps even spiritual. But we must pause and ask: To what extent should this belief be practiced? And does it align with the spirit of true Sabbath observance?

Let me stress that this isn’t a new theology or a strange doctrine. It’s a practical reform rooted in love, wisdom, and the urgent need for order in the house of God.

A Closer Look at the Concerns:

 

1.     Yes, the Sabbath is Holy: Indeed, the Bible declares the seventh day as holy unto the Lord (Exodus 20:8-11). It is a day for rest, reflection, and reconnection with God. However, holiness is not preserved by confinement but by conviction. Keeping people inside the church walls longer does not automatically make them more spiritual or more obedient.

2.     Prolonged and Deeper Worship: There is no direct correlation between the length of service and the depth of spiritual impact. A poorly planned, stretched-out worship experience can dull spiritual enthusiasm. In contrast, a timely, well-structured, Spirit-led service can leave members uplifted and eager to carry the Sabbath spirit into their homes and communities.

3.     The Sabbath is not just about church attendance: E.G. White opines, “The Sabbath should be made so interesting to our families that its weekly return will be hailed with joy.” This implies that Sabbath joy must overflow from the church into the home. If our members feel that holiness only exists within the church building, then we’ve failed in teaching the true purpose of the Sabbath.

4.     Idle Time Is a Discipleship Issue: If members go home and misuse the Sabbath hours, that is not solved by prolonging worship. It is solved by intentional Sabbath education, by equipping families and individuals to engage in godly activities: mission visits, Bible study, nature walks, family worship, spiritual reading, or community outreach.

How long worship affect the image of the church

When worship stretches far beyond 12 noon, it has a profound effect on the Public relations we are building as a church. Here are the reasons:

1. Families struggle: When the Children's department ends their worship before the adult church, children grow weary, their parents grow restless and become uncomfortable which makes them even forget the divine message of the day.
2. Visitors get discouraged: Visitors and young people unfamiliar with our style of worship may feel overwhelmed, bored, or unwelcome when services are unnecessarily long and unstructured. First-time guests often leave early or vow never to return.
3. Afternoon programs suffer: AYM progressive classes, Bible studies, and outreach plans are often rushed, poorly attended, or cancelled.
4. Fellowship is hindered: When members are mentally worn out by long worship past 12 noon, they lose the joy of Sabbath interaction, hospitality, family bonding, visiting the sick, outreach etc.
   
   

Someone once said that “More is not always better. But sometimes, less is more effective.”

So, Where Do We Go From Here?

That day at Mile 3 Church may go down as a turning point if we let it. Like Pastor Udoh said, “We can do better, we must do better and it starts now.”

Here’s what every church can start doing to get back on track:

1.     Model it from the Top: Pastors and leaders must lead by example. Prepare a prompt, purposeful and thorough programme outline. Avoid unplanned add-ons. And stop playing God.

2.     Plan well: Every Church should structure the Sabbath program with clear time limits. Departments must plan within the overall time frame, not around their personal preferences. Elders and worship leaders must manage every department’s slot. Prepping in the vestry is desired so the person knows he is timed. This is not to police but to protect the flow of worship.

3.     Encourage Members to be Punctual: Delays at the beginning lead to overflows at the end. We must be intentional and prepare to be in the church before 7:30am so that worship can commence and the crew members can start Sabbath school.

4.     Respect every segment: No department should hijack the worship schedule. It’s not about you, but total member involvement (TMI) and let us be conscious that God’s temple is not a place for competition. There’s no history you will create in the church that won’t be surpassed someday, be very careful.  The goal is inspiration, not impression.

5.     Train members: Let everyone understand the beauty and benefits of time-conscious worship. Encourage them to be impactful without being excessive. Less storytelling, more substance.

6.     Use printed bulletins or media screens to project hymnals, Bible text, event and display program time allocations.

Can we redeem the Time?

This article is not about being mechanical to the truth; rather, it’s a strategic response to the modern-day worship experience. An appeal to elevate our public relations stronger with a new culture.  We are competing with noise, digital distractions, and time constraints. A timely, power-packed, orderly worship service is a testimony in itself. It tells visitors that we are people of purpose. It tells members that their time matters to God.

The Sabbath is not a test of endurance but a gift of rest and renewal. The Sabbath is holy. And holiness includes discipline. We must resist the temptation to overcrowd it with our programs. When we manage worship time wisely, we magnify God's glory not just in the pulpit, but in the hearts of the people.

I look forward to getting your thoughts on the comments sessions as we eagerly anticipate another Sabbath worship just a few days away, hoping that our churches will put these insights into practice.