Time keeps on slippin, slippin, slippin …
The fact that the length of service is even included in an article is refreshing for me. As you may recall, I grew up in essentially three churches that I remember, and visited very few. As I have been doing the CIU thing and visiting lots of churches, I have found that people preach a lot longer then I am used to. I guess my Presbyterian pastor preaches about 20 minutes and my Baptist preacher preaches for about 30-40. Eddie, the Baptist preacher, is a gifted storyteller and preacher and I rarely lose focus with him. However, here in Columbia, I have been to lots of churches that preach for 45 minutes to an hour, and I wonder if most of them could have said what they needed to in 15-20 minutes. Some, like Andre Rogers, have no trouble keeping my attention, but that seems to be the exception to the rule. I understand that culture plays a huge role in the length of a service, but my gut feeling is that they are preaching for a long time so that it seems what they say has weight and that it is a habit of that Body of believer. How long do the pastors at your churches preach and do you think that is a good amount of time? Do you have any hints for staying engaged? (in the service, not to Mandy)
My pastor preaches 20-25 minutes. But I hang in it all week long, listen to it several times even. Ironic, I think, because it is only the extra push that gets the plane off the ground.
Seems we do have a form fallacy between length and volume. Just as you can’t measure distance traveled with a thermometer, you can’t measure spoken content by the clock.
20-25 minutes is the same time at the church I go to also!!
I think that this is definitely a good amount of time. However, like you said this applies to the culture (but as well as the denomination). At Church of the Apostles they do a lot of things where the congregation is participating: standing up, reading aloud, etc…So it is hard not to stay focused on what is going on.
To help with staying more focused I would say don’t think of the sermon as a separate thing in the service. You know how they teach you that you need a good opening line, joke, story, etc… to start your lesson or speech? That thing that hooks everyone in? Well, I think that if you can become hooked at the beginning of the service than you should be good. I’m NOT saying that we need to start every Sunday morning with a joke or something. I’m saying more focused, centered and directed towards God. If we can initially have our thoughts be put on God as a congregation I would think that there wouldn’t be a problem of staying focused for the rest of the service.
I don’t know about all you other people who are engaged to Mandy but as for me, I find it really difficult to maintain our engagement under such trying circumstances such as school and worship class…
anyway, my pastor back home usually preaches for about 30-40 minutes and he usually does a very good job at maintaining everyone’s attention. And he doesn’t even use videos or flashy powerpoints or funny stories. He just preaches the Word and brings the truth home and that is usually enough to make everyone want more and more. He ties in the scripture he is reading with other scriptures and explains the context of the culture and the setting of the passage. Then he goes on to explain the language that was used and what it meant in that time period. He really does a good job at keeping everyone’s attention on the Word and not on himself or how much time he has left.
I think the standard time for a Mennonite sermon is 30 minutes. Any over that and we start looking at our watches. Any under and we criticize the pastor for being underprepared : ) I think when a pastor simply states propositional truth for 20 to 30 minutes, people will automatically start tuning out. It’s how we are put together. We were not created to be entertained, but we are living creatures who need stimulation. One thing that I think is sadly missing from sermons is “outside the box” kind of creativity, visuals and object lessons. Sermons that stick with me are ones like the Operation Mobilization guy with the 10 foot globe and the Christian Life speaker who used the black and white wooden cross. Stories and jokes are another great way engage people’s minds during sermons.