How long should sermons be

[Earth Wind and Fire]

This will requite some effort on your part --but you will have to exercise p-a-t-i-e-n-c-e. You have made a point of saying that you have little of that commodity.

Check out Leonard Ravenhill. On his first page of 25 he has 2 that are in the 80s. D.A. Carson has 1 that is over 90 minutes!

Again....what on earth could they have imparted in 90 minutes that they could not of done in 45?

 

[Rippon]

Again....what on earth could they have imparted in 90 minutes that they could not of done in 45?

Pay attention. I told you to have patience and l-i-s-t-en. Begin with Carson. Don't complain. Just do it.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Amazing such an ugly discussion could develop over such a minor topic.

 

[InTheLight]

He needed 50 minutes to say what exactly?

What the Holy Spirit told him to say. Sermon was on obedience and the text was Matthew 21:28-32, parable of the two sons. Major theme was repentance.

You've stated you don't attend church. When was the last time you heard a sermon? You've got strong opinions for a non-participant.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

What the Holy Spirit told him to say. Sermon was on obedience and the text was Matthew 21:28-32, parable of the two sons. Major theme was repentance.

You've stated you don't attend church. When was the last time you heard a sermon? You've got strong opinions for a non-participant.

I attend a variety of different churches & yes I do have strong opinions.....you want to make something of it!

BTW, I can listen to sermons anytime I want to ....its called the internet. There I can stop a sermon, advance a sermon, flip to another sermon or shut it off completely. God is good! :laugh:

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Pay attention. I told you to have patience and l-i-s-t-en. Begin with Carson. Don't complain. Just do it.

OK you pick the sermon cause I wouldn't know Carson from Johnny Carson. If its Ben Carson....he would grab my attention. :laugh:

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I just listened to 15 minutes of Carson.....hardly a George Whitefield. Could not endure him longer than that and have no interest in anything else. Sorry but if that's an example, didn't cut it.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I just listened to 15 minutes of Carson.....hardly a George Whitefield. Could not endure him longer than that and have no interest in anything else by him. Sorry but if that's an example, didn't cut it.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Amazing such an ugly discussion could develop over such a minor topic.

Anytime you threaten to disregard a person or group of individuals performance job tasks, you are asking for it.

All I asked for was a timetable...one I could use in my own ministry. Then it morphs to criticisms to name calling and the "for shame & blame"game. Stunning how some people really are and how threatened a simple question can be to them. Well this is the Internet so I don't have to elaborate much more......its just a kooky world we live in and amusing as all heck.:laugh:

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

I don't think there is a 'should be' answer. There is no right or wrong time frame. I normally preach about 35 minutes. It suits our church and I normally am able to get the point across. I have finished in as little as 25 minutes and have gone as long as about 50 minutes. I don't think the 25 minute message a sermonette and I don't think the 50 minute message was dragged out.

We could use a little bit of liberty on this topic.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I don't think there is a 'should be' answer. There is no right or wrong time frame. I normally preach about 35 minutes. It suits our church and I normally am able to get the point across. I have finished in as little as 25 minutes and have gone as long as about 50 minutes. I don't think the 25 minute message a sermonette and I don't think the 50 minute message was dragged out.

We could use a little bit of liberty on this topic.

Take all the liberty & time you want. my question origionally was not geared for traditional church service anyway, it was geared to all those who have fallen away. One of the reasons given to the falling away (and there were many) was that the sermons dragged on & on & on & on without any beginning, middle & end given to it ..... and seemingly no point. As we know, that could happen but mostly the pastor has prepared for a meaningful message. I personally cant tolerate meandering & endless personal stories.....but not everyone does this. Again, my agenda was to find a proper timetable for those WHO HAVE FALLEN AWAY.....not the normal walking around church crowd. They are "conditioned" to put up with 35 minutes to an hour.

But Nodak made a point. What about the guys with prostate problems, the mother with her kids in the pews, the farmer with his livestock needing care, the old woman with hemorrhoids yada yada yada.....you know, they really have needs. So lets consider these poor souls as well. Try staying in some type of reasonable timetable will ya? And if your answer is no, fine then.....let me know that up front & I will find a place that does consider it important to keep up a boundary. ... malcontent that I am. :tongue3:

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Other than the life stock needing care in that extra 15 minutes all of those other problems can be solved by getting up and moving around or going to the toilet or feed the child or whatever. There's no rule that says you have sit in one spot the whole time of the service or even the message.

And, if a person needs to get up and leave that's fine too.

No problems here.

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

Yeah, that'll work -- a bunch of meandering-around-the-sanctuary Southern Baptists listening to their meandering-with-the-message pastor.

Really? Is that a serious suggestion?

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Yeah, that'll work -- a bunch of meandering-around-the-sanctuary Southern Baptists listening to their meandering-with-the-message pastor.



Really? Is that a serious suggestion?

I think you're missing the direction of my post. If, indeed there is such a rare case where a person cannot sit more than 15-20 minutes then we need to accommodate it.

In more than 40 years of either going to church or preaching I've only seen that a few times.

This just isn't an area where I am going to join the little fight.

Have fun guys.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I think you're missing the direction of my post. If, indeed there is such a rare case where a person cannot sit more than 15-20 minutes then we need to accommodate it.

In more than 40 years of either going to church or preaching I've only seen that a few times.

This just isn't an area where I am going to join the little fight.

Have fun guys.

There is a guy out in the Lehigh PA area who televises his sermons each week.....a young fella, good looking & dynamic. anyway Ive watched him for months now & his sermons are timely, spot on & they have weight to them. Now hold onto your hats & bonnets.....each sermon is 30 Minutes. He holds peoples attention. Ain't that the shiz! Too bad he is an hour away from me. :BangHead:

 

[Revmitchell]

Take all the liberty & time you want. my question origionally was not geared for traditional church service anyway, it was geared to all those who have fallen away. One of the reasons given to the falling away (and there were many) was that the sermons dragged on & on & on & on without any beginning, middle & end given to it ..... and seemingly no point.

Sure they did.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Sure they did.

Its a job :sleep:

 

[Rippon]

Other than the life stock needing care in that extra 15 minutes all of those other problems can be solved by getting up and moving around or going to the toilet or feed the child or whatever. There's no rule that says you have sit in one spot the whole time of the service or even the message.

And, if a person needs to get up and leave that's fine too.

No problems here.

the above is totally reasonable --therefore reprehensible to some.

 

[Rippon]

Yeah, that'll work -- a bunch of meandering-around-the-sanctuary Southern Baptists listening to their meandering-with-the-message pastor.

Really? Is that a serious suggestion?

You are totally off the proverbial beam.

 

[annsni]

Yeah, that'll work -- a bunch of meandering-around-the-sanctuary Southern Baptists listening to their meandering-with-the-message pastor.

Really? Is that a serious suggestion?

We have numerous people that can't sit for very long and need to move around. That's no problem for us. They go to the back of the sanctuary and really only my husband can see them. A child might need to move around and that is fine too. My own husband needs to sit because of a severely injured foot years ago that pains him terribly if he stands too long. As long as attention is focused, that's what matters. His is on the Word and the congregation, and theirs is on him and the Word.