How long should a sermon be? I write this because after our Easter service and my 15 minute sermon, many folks in our congregation commented that they thought I was just getting started when I gave the invitation. One lady even stopped me and said, “Great sermon, but just one thing…it was too short.” Honestly, that is the kind of thing preachers dream of hearing and I was elated. However, it does beg the question, how long should a sermon be?
George Burns once quipped, “The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending, and to have the two as close together as possible.” Martin Luther once said,“The three marks of a good preachers are these: He stands up, speaks up, and knows when to shut up!” And yet we know that many of the world’s greatest preachers have preached for extended periods of time. Jonathan Edwards first sermon is said to have lasted for about two hours.
How long should we preach, then? I think the answer is found not only in exegesis of the text, but of the the congregation as well. To whom are you preaching and what is the context? A woman once told me, “The heart can only absorb as much as the butt will allow.” If that is the prevailing view of the congregation, then you need to pack as much as you can into concise and pointed sermons and gradually work your way into more meat and potatoes. And even if you have the privilege of preaching to a congregation that appreciates and expects long sermons as mine does, keep in mind that there are times when your church will be filled with people who are not used to your preaching and whose attention span may not hold for a worship service that runs one and a half hours.
As a result, the length of your sermons should change to fit the occasion. Edwards preached two hours in his first sermon, but it is also said that his hearers listened so intently that they were unaware of the time-lapse. Essentially, your sermon needs to be no longer than you are able to hold the attention of your hearers. Keep in mind your audience as you prepare to preach and keep in mind your goal. Is your goal to preach a fantastic 45 minute sermon that you can brag to your friends about or to proclaim the glory of God and see it work salvifically in the lives of your hearers.
Remember preachers, we will not stand before God and see him impressed by our sermon length, but we will stand before him and be held accountable for the way we have shepherded the people he has called us to serve, and shepherding includes preaching. Give your sheep something they can digest, not something that will win you a prize.
My first year Bible professor said it should be like a woman’s skirt; long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to keep you interested.