Twice a year (usually a couple of weeks after the vernal and autumnal equinox), we have to reset our time clocks per the rule “spring forward / fall back”.
No problem. All we do is set the alarm clock before we go to bed and we will be on schedule. Not according to the pentecostal mindset….
You see, the concept of daylight savings time was viewed by many within the church as ‘the great subversive Satanic attack’ specifically designed to make people late for Sunday school / church to ‘miss out’ on God’s blessing. The announcement in the previous week’s bulletin was bolded. The deacon who started the service would heavily emphasize this announcement. The monthly magazine from denominational headquarters would highlight this in the calendar at the back of the magazine.
However, this mentality indicates a very serious problem. It indicated that the leadership (and/or God) did not have faith in us to be responsible and disciplined enough to change the alarm clock and set the alarm clock ourselves. Instead, adults had to be badgered like little children over and over again to make sure that this would be done and that you would be at church on time. It was as if there was a mindset that people were really undisciplined, irresponsible, and really wanted to play hooky from God on Sunday morning and would use every excuse possible to do so and get an extra hour of sleep.
The cardinal unwritten rule at this time of year was to never admit that you did forget to set the alarm clock and/or you did forget to change the clock for daylight savings time. The condemnation, sneers, and guilt along with the mentioning of being a weak and inferior christian resonated throughout and that people who did these things were expected to ask for forgiveness of the sin and repent to God because the Finney mindset of perfectionalism was strongly at work in the church dynamics.
Amazing at how people believed it in the name of becoming the mega remnant Christian.
