Over at TGC-Australia, there has been a great discussion about sermon length with Rory Shiner arguing for shorter but better-prepared sermons, and then with Mikey Lynch arguing for slightly longer sermons. Both guys make some good points! So how long should a sermon be? Well, it is hard to say, and there’s no single correct answer.
I have always preached 25–30-minute sermons aimed at exploring the key word of the passage with a balance of biblical background, exegesis, and life application. My homiletics professor, Dr. Perry, from TEDS artfully fleshed out the difference between expository teaching and expository preaching. By the gracious empowering, illuminating filling of the Spirit my parishioners were nearly always asking for more. Perhaps that was better than their snoozing through an hour-long message. I did tell them that if they slept, they were to nod in agreement. I find your discussion, Dr. Bird, very interesting. Balancing the needs of more emotion driven, surface thinking congregates with the need for a deeper exploration of the text is always a challenge.
I find a 20-30 min sermon at church on a bible passage (read before the sermon) gives me just enough pointers to whet my appetite to go home and look into it more myself. I don’t want to preacher to be the guru who tells me all there is to know. Just a knowledgeable person who points out that there is more to know than what the passage first appears to say.
I don't think we need sermons with lists of application points. Instead, we need sermons that teach us how to better understand the Bible, which should transform us as images of God.
I have always preached 25–30-minute sermons aimed at exploring the key word of the passage with a balance of biblical background, exegesis, and life application. My homiletics professor, Dr. Perry, from TEDS artfully fleshed out the difference between expository teaching and expository preaching. By the gracious empowering, illuminating filling of the Spirit my parishioners were nearly always asking for more. Perhaps that was better than their snoozing through an hour-long message. I did tell them that if they slept, they were to nod in agreement. I find your discussion, Dr. Bird, very interesting. Balancing the needs of more emotion driven, surface thinking congregates with the need for a deeper exploration of the text is always a challenge.
20 minutes of quality is more than enough!
I find a 20-30 min sermon at church on a bible passage (read before the sermon) gives me just enough pointers to whet my appetite to go home and look into it more myself. I don’t want to preacher to be the guru who tells me all there is to know. Just a knowledgeable person who points out that there is more to know than what the passage first appears to say.
As a BOP chaplain it was easy to preach a 20-30 minutes sermon. But for the life of me, I can’t do that at church (45-60 minutes)!
I don't think we need sermons with lists of application points. Instead, we need sermons that teach us how to better understand the Bible, which should transform us as images of God.