Appropriate Length of Time in Preaching

The point: Let all things be done unto edification, which determines the appropriateness and reasonableness of sermon length.

Spurgeon's advice to a young preacher to preach about '40 minutes' is quoted to show a historical perspective on sermon length, though Martin cautions against absolutizing it.

absolutize on this issue, and since all of the factors which determine both reasonableness and appropriateness vary, it is irresponsible to make absolute or rigid rules in this area. Now, Spurgeon comes very close to absolutizing where he had no business doing so when he writes on page 134 in lecturing to his students under the subject of attention, in order to maintain attention, avoid being too long. And there he's right. An old preacher used to say to a young man who preached an hour, quote,

3:58 - 4:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Learn to face realistically your ability to hold people's interest; do not preach beyond that limit, as it builds resentment and undermines usefulness.

Dr. Lloyd-Jones's quote from 'Preaching and Preachers' is used to support the idea that sermon length is relative and varies with the preacher, making rigid rules ridiculous.

issue very directly and perceptively when he writes on page 241 of his work, Preaching and Preachers, My final word, and it is not inappropriate at this point, is the length of the sermon. And I would say that we must not be mechanical or too rigid either way. What determines the length of the sermon? First and foremost, the preacher. Time is a very relative thing, is it not? Ten minutes

10:55 - 11:28 Read in full sermon

The point: Seek the counsel of competent assessors and critics to determine if you are preaching beyond your ability to hold attention.

Spurgeon's advice, 'If you ask me how you may shorten your sermons, I say, study them better,' is quoted to emphasize that thorough preparation leads to conciseness.

Spurgeon speaks very wise words. On page 135 of Lectures to My Students, he says, When the preacher first settles, no, wrong quote. That's for the next point. If you ask me how you may shorten your sermons, I say, study them better. Spend more time in the study that you may need

16:18 - 16:41 Read in full sermon

The point: If you err, err on the side of assuming your people's spiritual condition to be less than it is until they prove otherwise, and be a bit too brief.

The analogy of a healthy person eating a five-course meal versus a sick person sipping soup is used to illustrate how the spiritual appetite of a congregation affects their capacity for a longer sermon.

there are many things I would like to tell you about Melchizedek, but I am not going to, seeing you are dull of hearing. And though it has reference more to the content, certainly by analogy, it has to do with the length. People with healthy, wholesome spiritual appetites can take more than those who have an unhealthy spiritual appetite, just as a healthy man or woman can sit down to a five-course meal, whereas someone in the midst of a flu will only be able to sip a little soup. And there the apostle in 1 Corinthians 3 says, I am not able to feed you with meat, but with milk. You were not abl...

22:12 - 22:53 Read in full sermon

The point: If you err, err on the side of assuming your people's spiritual condition to be less than it is until they prove otherwise, and be a bit too brief.

Spurgeon's quote about a preacher settling and gaining 'affectionate veneration' over time is used to illustrate how the preacher's relationship with the people influences what he can 'get away with' in terms of sermon content and length.

sounded more like the braying of a donkey. What is your relationship to the people at this particular point in time? I can get away with things now which, if I tried 15 years ago, I'd have been given my walking papers. But the years of intimate interaction with one congregation have created a context, both with regard to content and time, that are peculiar to the chemistry of that relationship. Now, here's the other quote from page 135, the one at the

25:12 - 25:48 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second category considers the congregation: who they are (e.g., ministers vs. families with young children), their spiritual climate (hungry vs. shriveled appetites), the…

A story about a farmer complaining about a young preacher going too long, causing his cows to wait for milking, is used to vividly illustrate the importance of considering the physical circumstances of the congregation.

you go too long, but the people will. In some country places, in the afternoon especially, the farmers have to milk their cows. And one farmer bitterly complained to me about a young man, I think from this college. Quote, Sir, he ought to have stopped at four o'clock, but he kept on till half past, and there were all my cows waiting to be milked.

28:37 - 29:00 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second category considers the congregation: who they are (e.g., ministers vs. families with young children), their spiritual climate (hungry vs. shriveled appetites), the…

Martin's personal experience preaching in a hot, un-air-conditioned building is used as an example of how physical circumstances (like weather) should dictate sermon length.

and those related to the surroundings of our people? I can remember the days when in the old cracker box we had no air conditioning, and when we'd have 180 or 200 people packed in that place, and that's before we had insulation blown into the roof, it would have been cruel both to myself and to the people to have gone on for the length of time it's appropriate to do here in the summer where you sit in here and it never gets warmer than 70 degrees in the hottest weather. Well, that's a very vital factor in the whole area of the length of your preaching. And here our Lord is the great example. Y...

30:11 - 30:50 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second category considers the congregation: who they are (e.g., ministers vs. families with young children), their spiritual climate (hungry vs. shriveled appetites), the…

Jesus's action of feeding the hungry multitudes is used as an example of not forgetting physical circumstances even when people are spiritually hungry, applying to sermon length.

and those related to the surroundings of our people? I can remember the days when in the old cracker box we had no air conditioning, and when we'd have 180 or 200 people packed in that place, and that's before we had insulation blown into the roof, it would have been cruel both to myself and to the people to have gone on for the length of time it's appropriate to do here in the summer where you sit in here and it never gets warmer than 70 degrees in the hottest weather. Well, that's a very vital factor in the whole area of the length of your preaching. And here our Lord is the great example. Y...

30:11 - 30:50 Read in full sermon

The point: If a passage demands extensive exposition and application, consider dividing the material into two or more sermons rather than condensing it poorly.

Broadus's advice on varying sermon length, sometimes short and sometimes long, depending on the subject and audience, is quoted to support flexibility in sermon duration.

Day, with your review and your application, you may be 40 minutes. Broadus speaks to this issue very wisely on page 536 of the Dargan edition. Quote him in your hearing. As to the length of a sermon, it would be well for a pastor to get it understood that he may sometimes make the sermon very short, sometimes quite long. There are subjects which can be made

34:08 - 34:34 Read in full sermon

The point: If you err, err on the side of being too brief, rather than force-feeding your people to the point of discomfort.

The analogy of a big dessert after a satisfying meal, leading to discomfort and gluttony, is used to illustrate how an extra five or ten minutes can ruin the positive effect of a sermon.

I constantly, when addressing this subject, use the analogy of a good meal. You've enjoyed a meal over a course of forty-five minutes and your host or hostess or hostess or hostess offers you a big heaping pile of dessert and you say to yourself, I'm afraid if I take it, I'm going to feel so stuffed. All I'm going to be conscious of is being stuffed and having a bloodied conscience for being a glutton. Yet if I don't take it, I may offend my hostess. And so you rationalize and you take it. And what it does is it effectively

40:55 - 41:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not be overly sensitive to a malcontent minority of unspiritual people who chronically complain about sermon length.

The parable of children in the marketplace is expounded to illustrate that unspiritual, malcontent people will complain about a preacher regardless of whether he preaches too long or too short.

Don't be overly sensitive to a malcontent minority of unspiritual people who may chronically complain about the length of your sermons. Never forget Matthew 11, 16 and following. I have been so thankful for this passage in so many ways over the years of ministry. Jesus, speaking with reference to his ministry and the ministry of John the Baptist and the rejection of both by the religious leaders, said, where unto shall I liken this generation? It's like

42:50 - 43:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Don't be overly influenced by the excessive enthusiasm of a hungry but insensitive minority, especially singles without children.

The experience of nursing mothers feeling uncomfortable when a sermon goes too long is used to illustrate the need for sensitivity to the physical needs of the congregation, especially when influenced by enthusiastic singles.

They've got no cows that need milking. They've got no cow wife that needs to give milk. They don't know what it is to have a wife feeling uncomfortable when she goes a half hour beyond nursing time and she's so programmed she can hear the kid cry and her milk is coming in in the middle of the sermon and she's hurting and squirting and all the rest. And some of you married men know exactly what I'm talking about.

45:18 - 45:42 Read in full sermon

The point: If preaching expands unexpectedly, bring the sermon to a close at the point where you struck fire, even if it's homiletically untidy.

Martin recounts an experience in England where he was preaching on male-female roles and, sensing the audience's engagement with the first point, decided to stop and cover the remaining material didactically later, illustrating how to adapt when 'striking fire'.

I had an experience and an example of this when I was over there in England dealing with new material, male-female relationships and roles and I had three headings in which I was opening up the materials out of Genesis and the related passages in the New Testament, the original role concepts in creation, then the effect on those role relationships by the fall and then their restoration and redemption. I found when I got into the creation the eyes were getting larger and larger and I sensed that this was the way it was just like new material to these young people. So I just winged it and I just...

54:54 - 55:38 Read in full sermon

Driving home: When weariness begins to be felt by the hearer, edification ends.

William Taylor's quote, 'When weariness begins to be felt by the hearer, edification ends,' is used to underscore the negative impact of excessively long sermons.

As I say, you can read this as well as I, but to give you a little idea of the flavor of it. I only add in this connection that a sermon to be effective must not be inordinately long. When weariness begins to be felt by the hearer, edification ends. When weariness is felt, edification ends.

58:05 - 58:25 Read in full sermon

Driving home: When weariness begins to be felt by the hearer, edification ends.

Hoppin's historical overview of sermon length, noting the shorter sermons of Latin fathers and the longer ones of Puritans, is quoted to provide context and show that practices have varied.

He says, as to the length of sermons, we would add a word. The history of this subject is somewhat suggestive as well as amusing. The sermons of the first five centuries varied in length according to preacher, place, circumstances as they do now. But Moule remarks that as a general rule the discourses of the Greek fathers are the longer and of the Latin fathers very considerably the shorter of the two.

59:34 - 59:57 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin concludes with advice from historical figures like William Taylor, Hoppin, and Beecher, emphasizing that sermon length should not be rigid but guided by common sense…

The historical practice of preachers using an hourglass and inviting hearers to 'another glass' is described to illustrate past methods of managing sermon length.

And then he mentions people preaching by the hourglass. And the time was measured by the hourglass standing on the pulpit. When the hour was finished, the preacher turning it over would invite his hearers to another glass. And that's the way they would express it.

60:15 - 60:31 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin concludes with advice from historical figures like William Taylor, Hoppin, and Beecher, emphasizing that sermon length should not be rigid but guided by common sense…

Simpson's quote about quitting before 'taxing the attention and patience of the congregation' is used to emphasize the importance of not wearying the hearers.

Simpson, whoever he was, I don't know if he was a relation to David or not, says, the question then arises, how long should the sermon be? The only safe rule is to quit before taxing and to quit before taxing the attention and patience of the congregation so that they'd be unwilling to return again to the house of God. Long sermons also are a strain upon the minister who delivers them, which if he possesses earnestness of manner will very unlikely unfit him for a protracted ministry. So if you see a congregation growing and people maturing in grace, then you can assume that with respect to the...

62:00 - 62:43 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin concludes with advice from historical figures like William Taylor, Hoppin, and Beecher, emphasizing that sermon length should not be rigid but guided by common sense…

Watson's suggestion that a sermon should end when it has 'culminated after a natural fashion' is quoted to advocate for stopping when the message has achieved its purpose.

But if you find people who are otherwise spiritually minded, reluctant to come, it may be that they're just being tortured week after week with excessively long sermons. Taylor was another who was opposed to long sermons and then he quotes from the section in William Taylor. This is one of the Yale series, so I'll not weary you with that. Watson suggested, when the sermon has culminated after a natural fashion, it ought to end, leaving its effect to rest not on rhetoric but on truth.

62:43 - 63:13 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin concludes with advice from historical figures like William Taylor, Hoppin, and Beecher, emphasizing that sermon length should not be rigid but guided by common sense…

Beecher's advice that sermon length 'never should be determined by the clock, but upon broader considerations' and should vary with the subject, is quoted to support flexibility.

There may be times when for the effect the sermon may cease suddenly some letters before Z because the audience has surrendered without terms and the sermon has served its purpose. So he's saying if the word of God has carried the people and the issue has been settled, then why go on if the end for which you stood to preach has been realized? On the length of sermons, Beecher said, one word is to the length of sermons. That never should be determined by the clock, but upon broader considerations.

63:14 - 63:47 Read in full sermon

Driving home: He would never condescend to empty talk merely for the sake of filling up what had come to be regarded as the canonical time. He has been known to sit down at the end of twelve minutes simply remarking he had no more to …

John Brown's account of Alexander McLaren stopping his sermons when his 'wool was done' and not 'blethering' (running off at the mouth) is used as a powerful example of concise preaching.

John Brown mentioned Alexander McLaren as one who sometimes ended his sermons earlier than expected. And this is a fact. This is what John Brown said. Further, that his, Alexander McLaren's mode of preparation had this effect sometimes that his material did not always last as long as he had expected.

64:07 - 64:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Be done and leave your people expecting and desiring more, rather than glutting them and leaving them restless, irritable, or under false guilt.

A story about Dr. A.W. Tozer stopping a powerful sermon abruptly by saying he didn't know how to close, is used to illustrate that an untidy but impactful ending can be more effective than an artificial one.

I remember one of the most powerful sermons I ever heard from the late Dr. A. W. Tozer brought you right up to a point of shattering pressure from the word.

65:15 - 65:27 Read in full sermon