There is no commandment in the New Testament about when we should meet, only that we should meet regularly (Hebrews 10:25). So Christians have chosen to meet at different times and on different days depending on what is convenient. For example, Christians living in Muslim countries often meet on Fridays because that is the Muslim day of rest. But most Christians throughout history have met on Sundays. This is partly out of convenience (most of us don’t have to work on Sundays) and partly based on the historical tradition.

The practice of Christian worship on a Sunday goes back to Bible times. Initially, all Christians were Jews and they went to the synagogue on Saturday (the Sabbath). Perhaps to avoid the Sabbath, they held their Christian services on Sundays (or possibly after sunset on Saturday).

There are a couple of hints of this practice in the New Testament. When in Troas, the church met to break bread (i.e., to share the bread and wine as Jesus commanded) on Sunday:

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7)

Another possible hint is in 1 Corinthians where Paul instructs the believers in Corinth:

On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. (1 Cor 16:2)

Probably this meant that they were to take up a collection at their regular Sunday meetings.

Outside the New Testament, there are also several references to this practice. The Didache is an early document from approximately 100 AD which describes some of the activities of the Christian churches of that time.

Didache 14: But on the Lord’s Day, after that you have assembled together, break bread and give thanks, having in addition confessed your sins, that your sacrifice may be pure.

The “Lord’s Day” refers to Sunday, probably because it was the day of Jesus’ resurrection (John 20:1). Some clear early references to the “Lord’s Day” meaning Sunday are in the apocryphal Gospel of Peter (c.150 AD), the letter of Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth (c.170AD), the apocryphal Acts of Peter (c.190AD), the Acts of Paul (c.190AD), the Didascalia (3rd century) and in Apostolic Constitutions (4th century).

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7 Responses to Why do Christians go to church on Sundays?

  1. Ed says:

    Sunday worship was instituted by the Catholic Church – ask a priest and he’ll tell you so.

  2. Grahame Grieve says:

    Well, yes, the Catholic Church claims to be the original and true church. Ask a priest, and he’ll tell you so.

  3. Ed says:

    People go to church on Sunday for various reasons – but mainly due to tradition. The majority of the protestant religions keep Sunday as a day to worship – and have done so for centuries. Thus, people raised in this religious culture keep Sunday as a day to worship.

    The origin of Sunday is an institution of the Roman Catholic church. They compromised the true sabbath (Saturday/ Seventh day of the week) for the Sunday/ first day of the week.

    • Jonathan Morgan says:

      It is true that tradition is a strong factor in which day we worship. That does not mean that using that day is any more right or wrong than worshipping God on any other day (Romans 14:5 – 6).

  4. mary zamora[jesus on mainline] says:

    important debates is to gather together in one mind an one accord .to worship an honor god with your attendance. come into his house with thanksgiving.an praise hear what his word has to say to the individual for there good. god loves us so much he gave us jesus as friend we can go to an recieve new life . god bless you as you follow his path.mary z.

  5. mary zamora[jesus on mainline] says:

    GOD HAS A PLAN FOR EACH ONE WHO COMES TO EAT AS HIS TABLE.HE PREPARES ,READ HIS GOSPEL MATH. MARK .LUKE, JOHN .THEY WALKED WITH AN TALKED WITH HIM .THEY KNEW HIM AN LOVED HIM NOW U WALK THE PATH AN KNOW BEST FRIEND WHO WILL NEVER ABANDON YOU.TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

  6. angel falese says:

    Church is where you are equipped and empowered to be a blesser, comforter to the world.
    Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Ish6:8

    The Church is a progressive movement with a global agenda, every Christian has a heavenly manifesto assigned to them, ‘to be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth’. The Bible tells us that the earth is of the lord and all that is in it, He created it and has put us overseers over the land.

    The Church equips each individual with the knowledge of the purpose of God to every life, nobody is created by mistake and every person has been sent on earth for one mission or the other, hence our talents and gifting’s. To some He gave one, to some He gave five. You become aware of the awesome power within you, to build, to bless, to be proactive in every way.

    The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me, to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners Ish 61:1

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