Is a 1 1/2 hour Sunday morning service to long ?

[jeben]

Is a Sunday morning church service that last 1 1/2 hours just to long ? I myself can hardly stand it. I think one hour would be great ! No the preacher does not preach forever around a 30 min. sermon, it's all the other things before the preacher even start's that takes so long.
So what do you think?

 

[TCassidy]

Mini-services for mini-Christians?

 

[InTheLight]

Is a Sunday morning church service that last 1 1/2 hours just to long ? I myself can hardly stand it. I think one hour would be great ! No the preacher does not preach forever around a 30 min. sermon, it's all the other things before the preacher even start's that takes so long.
So what do you think?

It depends on the church. Larger congregations have more ministries and it might take an hour and a half to cover everything.

If it's an hour and a half every week and it's mostly singing then yeah, I'd say that's a bit long. It's just my personal preference, though.

My church has services that are around an hour and twenty minutes long, sermons are usually 40-45 minutes of that, and the time seems to fly by.

Sent from my Motorola Droid Turbo using Tapatalk.

 

[Iconoclast]

Is a Sunday morning church service that last 1 1/2 hours just to long ? I myself can hardly stand it. I think one hour would be great ! No the preacher does not preach forever around a 30 min. sermon, it's all the other things before the preacher even start's that takes so long.
So what do you think?

Why go at all? Just stay home and do what you would rather do instead?

 

[Squire Robertsson]

I guess you haven't attended a Evangelical Christian-Baptist service: two hours minimum, three preachers, and only five-ten minutes of fluff (aka announcements).

 

[Internet Theologian]

All the 'commercials' at church! Getting worse than a football game lol. Get to the message!

 

[JonC]

Is a Sunday morning church service that last 1 1/2 hours just to long ? I myself can hardly stand it. I think one hour would be great ! No the preacher does not preach forever around a 30 min. sermon, it's all the other things before the preacher even start's that takes so long.
So what do you think?

It depends on what's going on. If you mean do away with singing hymns, psalms and songs of praise to get to the message then perhaps you have misunderstood the sermon to be the "main course". If you mean limiting members participation, testimonies, and fellowship then you have misunderstood the assembly. The sermon is not more important than other functions of the church. But if you mean should people just waste time then that certainly would get old.

 

[revmwc]

I guess you haven't attended a Evangelical Christian-Baptist service: two hours minimum, three preachers, and only five-ten minutes of fluff (aka announcements).

I have a pastor friend who preaches/teaches for an hour by himself not including the song service

 

[Squire Robertsson]

I guess you haven't attended a Evangelical Christian-Baptist service: two hours minimum, three preachers, and only five-ten minutes of fluff (aka announcements).

A typical Sunday (morning or evening) service goes something like this:

A. The Pastor or his designee calls the service to order and gives the Invocation.
B. Choir number
C. Congregational hymn
D. The first preacher (the Pastor or the man in charge of the service has previously designated which of the preachers in the church will be speaking at a given service and in what order <Nezavisimaya has +/-12 preachers>) speaks usually for 10-15 minutes. This message is usually a Call to Worship or Prayer.
E. Congregational prayer (three maybe four men or women lead in prayer from their places in the meeting hall, with the preacher closing). This is a time of Thanksgiving for the God's provision in the last week. The preacher closes with a prayer for God s blessing on the coming service.
F. A congregational hymn
G. A senior choir number or
H. A children's choir or
I. A recitation of Christian poetry or song by an individual or group
J. The second preacher speaks (see d. above). This preacher brings a strong Bible Message for 20-25 minutes.
K. Repeat f-i.
L. The third preacher speaks (usually at Nezavisimaya this is the senior pastor). This man ties the two previous speakers together. (Or may launch off on his own message.)
M. See e. above
N. Congregational hymn and offering
O. Greetings from various churches given by various members of the audience both members and visitors.
P. prayer requests are taken and final prayer two+ hours later.

 

[preachinjesus]

JonC pretty much summed up what I was going to say.

As a pastor, our worship and production teams work hard at keeping our services flowing and balancing the weekly schedule. Personally, I don't preach beyond 30-35 minutes for a host of reasons. Our worship time, which I think is extremely important, takes up about 30 minutes each week with the various components we integrate. We use a progressive worship methodology so this isn't liturgical but is celebratory worship.

I've been to churches where two hours didn't seem enough and it flew by. Other times 60 minutes dragged on laboriously. A lot depends on the nature of the church. One senior pastor I served with in the past made no doubt about it and would preach for a solid 60 minutes every week. It was good content, but still, 60 minutes. Ironically, when a guest preacher would show up and only go for 35-40 minutes folks would complain it was too short.

All that to say, you have to go where you're encouraged, challenged, and rooted in community. If your current church isn't meeting your needs, examine where you're serving first and how you're contributing of your talents. If you feel led to move churches, only do so after considerable prayer and reflection. Sometimes church leaders are stuck in the rut of routine and that can hamper the Spirit's movement. Maybe they need some gentle encouragement.

 

[Salty]

Since I am in a church planting mode - at the moment, what we have is a Bible Study.
Once we grow and have a typical service - we will have a format as follows.

Worship will be about 65-75 minutes.

Opening Hymn
Prayer
Hymn
Mission moments
Choir/special music
Announcements
Offering
Hymn
Message (35-45 minutes)
Invitation

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Is a Sunday morning church service that last 1 1/2 hours just to long ? I myself can hardly stand it. I think one hour would be great ! No the preacher does not preach forever around a 30 min. sermon, it's all the other things before the preacher even start's that takes so long.
So what do you think?

So how bout this...only go to the Sermon portion, skip the other stuff.

 

[JonC]

So how bout this...only go to the Sermon portion, skip the other stuff.

Or just sit in the parking lot and listen to your favorite preacher's podcast (that way you can say you "went to church").

Our service lasts 1 hr. 15 min.
Open with a song
Greet each other/guests
Worship songs and congregational scripture reading
Sermon (45 minutes)
Offering
Announcements (if any) and dismissed.

 

[Deacon]

So how bout this...only go to the Sermon portion, skip the other stuff.

We've had a problem with late arrivers for years.
About 20% of the congregation show up almost half an hour late for the service.
...I wonder if they just don't want to stay for the hour and a half service.

Personally I arrive around 7:30 for set-up, teach a 45 minute class, attend service and leave after everythings put away about 5 hours later.

I suggest rather than skipping the "other stuff" you might find a place to serve in the service.

Rob

 

[revmwc]

I prepare my notes and let the Spirit lead in the length of the sermon. We have no choir so ours is all congregational music and a special. Offering taken after the second song. As the special is being sung I pray the more for the Holy Spirit to anoint and speak through me. Then it is Hos service for Him to lead. I normally don't follow my notes fully but the Spirit guides me in the presentation of His word.

 

[JonC]

We've had a problem with late arrivers for years.
About 20% of the congregation show up almost half an hour late for the service.
...I wonder if they just don't want to stay for the hour and a half service.

Personally I arrive around 7:30 for set-up, teach a 45 minute class, attend service and leave after everythings put away about 5 hours later.

I suggest rather than skipping the "other stuff" you might find a place to serve in the service.

Rob

My last two pastors (my current pastor and one from my previous church) both commented that if you could only attend one service it should be small group study. But if you have to miss one part of the service, it probably should be the preaching. At least for us, you can listen to the sermon at a later date. Missing the "worship" and fellowship (the church being the church....so to speak) is another matter. I don't say this to take away from the sermon (you don't need to miss that either), but too often the "other stuff" is simply seen as filler when it is...or should be....a part of the main meal. The local church was never designed to gather and hear a sermon. It was designed to gather and do kingdom work - to disciple, worship, teach, learn, meet each others needs, stand out as a unique community of people, etc. Segmenting the church and assigning importance to each element is probably not the best idea.

 

[Revmitchell]

People can sit in a movie house for two hours but struggle to sit in church. I suppose if the goal of the church service is to obtain something from those who stand on then stage then it can be difficult. However, if the purpose is to worship God then it changes everything.

 

[annsni]

An hour and a half is something you can hardly stand? Wow.

Our service is just shy of that because we need to clear out to allow the other church to get their worship team set up but an hour and a half is nothing - unless the worship is horrible and the preaching is worse. I'd love a good 40 minute worship and prayer time and if it's good preaching, keep going!! Our service order is:

Call to Worship
Worship Song
Greeting and announcements (announcements take no more than a minute or two)
3 worship songs
Pastoral Prayer
Offering with a song (congregational song - we don't do "specials")
Sermon
Closing Song (unless the preaching went longer than planned in which case we just dismiss)
Fellowship and coffee

 

[Iconoclast]

I have a pastor friend who preaches/teaches for an hour by himself not including the song service

And then the congregation shows up....?

 

[revmwc]

And then the congregation shows up....?

Well he my as well he his church only has about 10. They have a Hispanic church sharing their building