I have a reputation in the world of blogging for being long-winded, even though most of you have not had much, if any, opportunity to hear a sermon of mine. The average Bart Barber sermon lasts between 30 and 40 minutes. That’s shorter than some of the preaching I heard in my growing-up years and longer than other sermons I’ve heard. I choose to believe that I am in the middle somewhere.
I write today not to argue that sermons should be the length that mine are. Rather, I write today to advance an argument about what criteria you should employ to determine the length of your sermons.
Everyone includes the attention span of the hearer in the mix. For how long can the average church member sit and listen to preaching productively? I do not deny that this is an important factor. Some of the analyses that I’ve encountered treat this factor as though it were a one-way street, but I do not believe that. I think that, although the average attention span of the listener should have some effect on a pastor’s preaching ministry, a preacher’s ministry can also have an affect upon the average attention span of the congregation. Show me a congregation that has a culture of receiving 45-minute sermons and I’ll show you individual members whose attention spans for preaching are longer than those at the congregation with a culture of 15-minute sermons.
Some people include the demands of the text. How long should the average pericope be, and how much time does it take to deal with the text accordingly? This is an important factor, and one worthy of more consideration than perhaps it always receives.
Perhaps some will search history for an answer. Here’s how early Baptists described their worship services:
The order of the worship and government of our church is: First we begin with a prayer, [and then we] read some one or two chapters of the Bible, give the sense thereof, and confer upon the same. That done we lay aside our books, and after a solemn prayer made by the first speaker, he propounds some text out of the Scripture, and prophesies out of the same, by the space of one hour, or three quarters of an hour. After him stands up a second speaker and prophesies out of the same text the like time and space, sometimes more, sometimes less. After him the third, the fourth, the fifth, & as the time will give leave. Then the first speaker concludes with prayer as he began with prayer, [and] with an exhortation to contribute to the poor, which collection being made is also concluded with prayer. This morning exercise begins at 8:00 am and continues unto noon. The like course of exercise is observed in the afternoon from 2:00 pm unto 5:00 or 6:00 pm. Last of all the [business meeting] is handled.
Hugh and Anne Bromhead (spelling, terminology, and grammar modernized)
So…yeah…then there’s that.
I’d like to put before you another factor to consider as you decide how long the sermons in your church ought to be. I preached my first sermon when I was fifteen. I’ve now been preaching for thirty-one years. Seventeen of those years I have passed at FBC Farmersville. Considering only my Sunday Morning sermons, here’s a map depicting every chapter in the Bible along with how many sermons I have preached from that chapter. Chapters in red have yet to see a single sermon from me on a Sunday morning in seventeen years.
Genesis | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | |
41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | |||||||||||
Exodus | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | |
Leviticus | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | ||||||||||||||
Numbers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | |||||
Deuteronomy | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | |||||||
Joshua | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | |||||||||||||||||
Judges | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Ruth | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
I Samuel | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | ||||||||||
II Samuel | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | |||||||||||||||||
I Kings | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | |||||||||||||||||||
II Kings | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | ||||||||||||||||
I Chronicles | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | ||||||||||||
II Chronicles | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | |||||
Ezra | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ||||||||||
Nehemiah | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | |||||||
Esther | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ||||||||||
Job | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | |
41 | 42 | |||||||||||||||||||
Psalms | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | |
41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | |
61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | |
81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | |
101 | 102 | 103 | 104 | 105 | 106 | 107 | 108 | 109 | 110 | 111 | 112 | 113 | 114 | 115 | 116 | 117 | 118 | 119 | 120 | |
121 | 122 | 123 | 124 | 125 | 126 | 127 | 128 | 129 | 130 | 131 | 132 | 133 | 134 | 135 | 136 | 137 | 138 | 139 | 140 | |
141 | 142 | 143 | 144 | 145 | 146 | 147 | 148 | 149 | 150 | |||||||||||
Proverbs | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | ||||||||||
Ecclesiastes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ||||||||
Song of Solomon | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||||||||||||
Isaiah | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | |
41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | |
61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | |||||||||||||||
Jeremiah | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | |
41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | |||||||||
Lamentations | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||||||||
Ezekiel | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | |
41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | |||||||||||||
Daniel | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ||||||||
Hosea | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | ||||||
Joel | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
Amos | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |||||||||||
Obadiah | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
Jonah | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
Micah | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |||||||||||||
Nahum | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
Habakkuk | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
Zephaniah | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
Haggai | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
Zechariah | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | ||||||
Malachi | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
Matthew | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | |||||||||||||
Mark | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | ||||
Luke | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | |||||||||||||||||
John | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Acts | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | |||||||||||||
Romans | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | ||||
I Corinthians | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | ||||
II Corinthians | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | |||||||
Galatians | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||||||||||||
Ephesians | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||||||||||||
Philippians | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
Colossians | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
I Thessalonians | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||||||||
II Thessalonians | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
I Timothy | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||||||||||||
II Timothy | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
Titus | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
Philemon | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
Hebrews | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | |||||||
James | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||||||||
I Peter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||||||||
II Peter | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
I John | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||||||||
II John | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
III John | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
Jude | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
Revelation | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
21 | 22 |
I’ll confess that I publish this with a little fear on my part: Someone is going to say in the comments “You haven’t preached enough out of [insert my favorite book here].” I am willing to take seriously any such comments from anyone who (a) will publish his own corresponding record and (b) has done better in as many years of preaching. I know I haven’t done it perfectly. I know that much soil remains untilled.
And THAT my friends—THAT VERY FACT ITSELF is the factor I want to advance as one worthy of our consideration in planning the length of our messages. The only way to be a good text-driven preacher while preaching shorter messages is to take shorter pericopes, bring less of them into the sermon, or learn to be more efficient. I confess that I need to learn to be more efficient. But I also confess that I despair of completing the task of preaching the whole counsel of God before I die. There’s a lot of red in my graph. I’d venture a guess that there’s a lot of red in your graph, too.
How many years ought a follower of Jesus Christ to have to wait to be taught the Bible from the pulpit?
I think my graph is also a good argument for Sunday Evening services and Wednesday Evening services. My graph looks a lot better if you include those efforts in the data. One hour every week is not enough.
In conclusion, I’m not arguing that this should be the only factor that you weigh in determining the optimum length of your sermons. I’m not even arguing that it must be the most important factor. I’m simply asking that you take this reality into consideration. When you plan the length of this Sunday’s sermon (if you’re a preacher), consider that you have but one lifetime to preach the Bible (2,080 Sundays to preach 1,189 chapters of the Bible if you have a forty-year ministry), and the members of your congregation have but one lifetime to hear it preached.
I wish I had been thinking this way when I was fifteen. It would have changed many of my earlier sermons.