Are Your Sermons Too Long?

4/28/2015

I'm working on preaching shorter sermons. My goal is 20 minutes because that's what a TED Talk typically is (I think that's TED's limit). During my contemplation this morning, I realized why my sermons get so long: I think I try to answer too many questions or solve too many problems during a sermon. It's not that those ideas are bad. They are all inspired from the scriptures as something the congregation needs to hear...just not all at once. They could be split up into multiple sermons and form a series, or be a part of a different series. My best sermons are the ones that focus on one idea so people leave remembering something.

I'm using an online coaching resource at www.therocketcompany.com to help me improve. According to them, the average length of the most watched sermons on YouTube is just over 38 minutes. I tend to think "less is more." I've heard that if you can't say it in 5 minutes, you probably can't say it in 30 minutes either.

What Do You Think?

What is the ideal length for a sermon? What do you think? How long are your sermons? Does the length change based on context/community (I assume it does for a special occasion)?

your sister

4/30/2015 06:31:48 am

in seminary we were given a 15 min timeline to get the sermon finished if we went under or over we got docked points.... I try to stick to that 15 minutes when I craft sermons. If its a teaching sermon rather than a narrative sermon I tend to go longer...

Jeff Jaekley link

4/30/2015 12:37:32 pm

I usually preach for about 25 minutes. If I go longer than that it's often because I'm trying to say too much, had too little prep time or both.
I've thought about trying to shorten them up; however, the length of my sermons has not been brought to me as an issue.

Comments are closed.

About Me

I am a Software Developer, a career shift made in 2018. So far, I have experience with C# .Net and Angular. I continue to let curiosity lead me into learning new technologies. I plan to share what I learn along the way about technology and personal/career life. Previously, my vocation was United Methodist pastor. So in addition to coding, I'll share about theology, the Church and The Bible. I also enjoy running, music, and I'm a deeply committed father and husband. Maybe my experiences will help you. I know it helps me to share.

Be Curious.