Comments on: Long Sermon=Boring Sermon=Should Be Shorter Sermons? http://www.wccc.net/blogs/gospelprism/2008/03/14/long-sermonboring-sermonshould-be-shorter-sermons/ Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:10:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Aaron http://www.wccc.net/blogs/gospelprism/2008/03/14/long-sermonboring-sermonshould-be-shorter-sermons/#comment-51968 Aaron Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:04:27 +0000 http://www.wccc.net/blogs/gospelprism/2008/03/14/long-sermonboring-sermonshould-be-shorter-sermons/#comment-51968 There are some great points here. However, I can hardly sit and watch TV for two hours. I'm just not programmed to sit still and listen that long. Our church feels like services MUST be two hours long. If there is good content to fulfill the entire time I am totally OK with that. However, last weekend a great service/message lasted only 1.5 hours. Therefore, another pastor got up and rambled just so the service would go two hours. So yes, I'm fine with long services... but make sure the content is valuable if you're going to preach that long. Save the stories about the kids for the pot luck dinner in the fellowship hall. If you get your point across in 30 minutes then great! I'm fine with $4.00/gallon gas, as long as it's premium. There are some great points here. However, I can hardly sit and watch TV for two hours. I’m just not programmed to sit still and listen that long.

Our church feels like services MUST be two hours long. If there is good content to fulfill the entire time I am totally OK with that. However, last weekend a great service/message lasted only 1.5 hours. Therefore, another pastor got up and rambled just so the service would go two hours.

So yes, I’m fine with long services… but make sure the content is valuable if you’re going to preach that long. Save the stories about the kids for the pot luck dinner in the fellowship hall. If you get your point across in 30 minutes then great!

I’m fine with $4.00/gallon gas, as long as it’s premium.

]]> By: admin http://www.wccc.net/blogs/gospelprism/2008/03/14/long-sermonboring-sermonshould-be-shorter-sermons/#comment-51873 admin Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:38:34 +0000 http://www.wccc.net/blogs/gospelprism/2008/03/14/long-sermonboring-sermonshould-be-shorter-sermons/#comment-51873 Hi Pam, great question. I wonder if we continue down the route of adapting to people's habits, if we will whittle away the sermon to something so trite eventually that it will be devoid of it's power to proclaim the Gospel. Rather than adapting to a culture that cherishes sound bites and 3-second camera flashes, if we could raise a new generation of believers who can both care for the culture and live in it, and at the same time, resolve to love God's Word and its teaching, I think the Gospel would be proclaimed. Who knows, people might start actually enjoying longer sermons. However, this does not excuse the pastor's job of constructing well-thought out, applicable, and well-articulated messages. I would say that there is responsbility on the side of both preacher and listener. Hi Pam, great question. I wonder if we continue down the route of adapting to people’s habits, if we will whittle away the sermon to something so trite eventually that it will be devoid of it’s power to proclaim the Gospel. Rather than adapting to a culture that cherishes sound bites and 3-second camera flashes, if we could raise a new generation of believers who can both care for the culture and live in it, and at the same time, resolve to love God’s Word and its teaching, I think the Gospel would be proclaimed. Who knows, people might start actually enjoying longer sermons.

However, this does not excuse the pastor’s job of constructing well-thought out, applicable, and well-articulated messages. I would say that there is responsbility on the side of both preacher and listener.

]]> By: Pam Nelson http://www.wccc.net/blogs/gospelprism/2008/03/14/long-sermonboring-sermonshould-be-shorter-sermons/#comment-51866 Pam Nelson Mon, 17 Mar 2008 23:34:21 +0000 http://www.wccc.net/blogs/gospelprism/2008/03/14/long-sermonboring-sermonshould-be-shorter-sermons/#comment-51866 I heartily agree that for the Christian we should be desiring to hear more of God's word, but what about the new Christian or non-Christian that might be in church? As a public school teacher, I can attest to the fact that kids and adults just don't have the attention span of a generation ago. Take a look at the average TV scene which is usually about 1 second long. Where do we adapt but not compromise the church? Thanks. Pam I heartily agree that for the Christian we should be desiring to hear more of God’s word, but what about the new Christian or non-Christian that might be in church? As a public school teacher, I can attest to the fact that kids and adults just don’t have the attention span of a generation ago. Take a look at the average TV scene which is usually about 1 second long. Where do we adapt but not compromise the church?

Thanks.
Pam

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