How long should church service be ?
 

How long should be preaching ? I could praise GOD all day if it wasn't for this flesh that gets so tired and short winded. I could sing all day and give GOD worship. But the preaching, how long should it be ?

1) 20 minutes ?
2) 40 minutes ?
3) TWO HOURS !! LOL ....

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

Personally, a congregational service shouldn't be too long. Your listeners might say it was an exciting service... but they will have lost most of what was discussed. The shorter larger services are... the more retention people seem to have of what was taught. I mean, how many times have you heard people say (or said yourself), "Last night was a great service! Total blow out. We were there until midnight. I don't remember the sermon, but boy did we have a move of God!" lol

The larger congregational meetings we have are only about an hour and twenty mins. and the sermon rarely goes over 30 mins.

Midweek house church is a different subject altogether. When we have about 12 of us gathered at an elder's house for discussional meetings we eat, talk, and share thoughts until 1am at times. It's like we can't get enough. Especially if the elder guides us well. The body just begins to minister to itself and compile all the knowledge and different perspectives in the room. It's great!

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

this is what I'm thinking
20 mins singing/worship
10 mins offering
45 mins or less preaching
15 mins praying at altar

but, if people are worshipping God and God wants to speak through the gifts of the Spirit, then shorten the preaching up.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

Here is what I think...

Song service 30 min.

Sermon 30 min.

Dismissal and continued prayer for anyone who desires it.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

Over an hour of preaching, I start to zone out. But we do go over at times.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

As long as is necessary to get the point across without beating a dead horse

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"from the pulpit view, when you see people falling asleep..is that the signal that a horse has been beaten over and over ?" =)

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

Song service = 0 minutes
Choir = 10-15 (3-4 songs)
Special announcements = 10 minutes
IF Teaching = 20-60 minutes depending on the teacher and subject matter
IF Preaching = 2 minutes (the title of the sermon and all of the canned versus and shouting lines will have been used by then)
Alter call = Long as people want

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

I kinda find it funny that when the songs end is the exact time that people decide no more prayer is necessary. Hmmm....

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That's odd I thought it was the reverse...when the song ends that is when people put their hands up and praise God instead of singing the songs

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I just don't agree with music being played during alter calls, prayer and repentance shouldn't need emotional support.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

I think there is a reason that house church lasts longer and is not so tiring... it is interactive. I mean, how long can you sit and listen to someone before zoning out, and going places in your mind... unless the preacher/teacher has really got your attention... and there are some that can do this... but most preachers/teachers say all they really have to say in about 2-3 mins summed up.

However, in house church or bible study groups, things are much different. When you are able to interact, question, discuss, study, read, and so on, there is so much more potential to grow and learn in that kind of a setting.

For instance, when our family holds home bible studies together, which we try to do as often as possible, because they are so wonderful, all of us have our bibles, and take turns reading, and then discussing what we are reading. It is amazing the insight our kids have shown when being able to discuss what they have just read. They have said to me many times... this is waaay better than church, because now I can ask and discuss what is being said. They have learned so much more, and even now have study Bibles themselves, because they want to study and know the Bible more too. I couldn't be happier about this!

I think people in mainstream churches have a "preach it to me" mentality, and don't really want to take the time to study it out for themselves. They'd rather serve their conscience, listen to the preacher, and feel like they've got all they need for another week...

But when you are in a small group setting, and everyone has their Bibles out, it is amazing how much growth and learning can be accomplished. Instead of zoning out, you can participate, and learn, and truly this is why I think the Early Church went from house to house... it grows you as a believer far more than just passively sitting, and listening to someone preach or teach for an hour or more and where you can't ask any questions....

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

I remember back in the days we have church on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and two services on Sunday. Each service is about three hours on weekdays from 7:00 PM to 10PM - 12AM. Then back early to work the next day. I didn't mind, but ended up leaving church because I decided that was not the life that I wanted. I told GOD, I just want to be normal !! LOL.... But now church services have been drastically reduced. One hour prayer and bible study on Wednesdays, and 9:00 Prayer, 9:45 Christian Education, and 11:30 to 2:00 Church service, with young people every other Sundat from 4 to 5 PM....So I kinda want a feel of what everyone is doing. I like the house Bible Study as long s it does not interfere with the "Assembly of yourselves together" in Hebrews.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

There is no pat answer for this question. It really all depends on the situation and the circumstances. Each service is different. Each type of service is different. I would not expect the sermon for Wednesday night Bible Study to be the same length or type as the sermon for Sunday evening Evangelistic Service. Sunday mornings are probably the one service where I would feel most comfortable saying that across the board - any denomination, any church - the sermon should never run more than about 20 minutes. If you can't say what you need to say in 20 minutes, you should spend more time figuring out what exactly it is that you are trying to get across.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

I like that !! Straight, direct, no sugar coating !!! love your candor !

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I always find it funny, if not annoying and sometimes offensivly disrespectful of others time, that most Pastors I know will say frequentlky that 30-40 minutes is plenty of time for a sermon/lesson. That "it is long enough for a good sermon, and too long for a bad one".

Yet they get the pulpit and decide to go on and on for an hour or more. I guess for them it is fine to just ignore what they have said to countless others about only needing to go for 30-40 minutes.

Oh I know...they are in the "anointing" so it's ok. I guess all the rest of us preachers and teachers were just fakin git so we have a time limit.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attenti...th_of_the_span

speaking of attention span:

Length of the span

Estimates for the length of human attention span are highly variable and depend on the precise definition of attention being used.
Focused attention is a short-term response to a stimulus that attracts attention. The attention span for this level is very brief, with a maximum span, without any lapse at all, that may be as short as 8 seconds.[2] This level of attention is attracted by a ringing telephone, or other unexpected occurrence. After a few seconds, it is likely that the person will look away, return to a previous task, or think about something else.
Sustained attention is the level of attention that produces the consistent results on a task over time. If the task is handling fragile objects, such as hand-washing delicate crystal glasses, then a person showing sustained attention will stay on task and will not break any dishes. A person who loses focus may break a glass or may stop washing the dishes to do something else. Most healthy teenagers and adults are unable to sustain attention on one thing for more than about 20 minutes at a time, although they can choose repeatedly to re-focus on the same thing.[2] This ability to renew attention permits people to "pay attention" to things that last for more than a few minutes, such as long movies.

Attention span, as measured by sustained attention, or the time spent continuously on task, varies with age. Older children are capable of longer periods of attention than younger children.[3]

For time-on-task measurements, the type of activity used in the test affects the results, as people are generally capable of a longer attention span when they are doing something that they find enjoyable or intrinsically motivating.[2] Attention is also increased if the person is able to perform the task fluently, compared to a person who has difficulty performing the task, or to the same person when he or she is just learning the task. Fatigue, hunger, noise, and emotional stress reduce time on task. Common estimates for sustained attention to a freely chosen task range from about five minutes for a two-year-old child, to a maximum of around 20 minutes in older children and adults.[2]

After losing attention from a topic, a person may restore it by taking a rest, doing a different kind of activity, changing mental focus, or deliberately choosing to re-focus on the first topic.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

Amen. A BIG benefit of house churching and home Bible study groups.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

Ummmm... for the first 200 to 300 years the vast majority of Christians met in homes to study the Word and learn about Jesus. Church buildings came in as Christianity was Romanized and the Emperor took temples and made churches out of them to gain Christian approval and solidify his power. So technically, when the writer of Hebrews talks about our "assembling together"... he's most likely talking about fellowshipping, breaking bread, learning the Word, and worshiping Jesus in a smaller home based group. :)

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

Of course I have to admit... I could listen to Bro. Jerry Jones all night long. lol I love how he weaves his stories and his expository preaching. He's absolutely amazing!

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

To me it is the preachers who, half way through, says "I know I'm going long tonight...." to which someone in the audience shouts "Preach it!" followed by someone else saying "Take your time!".

This situation always reminds me of being in school 10 minutes before a class was scheduled to end, some stupid girl shouting "Mrs Higgins! Mrs Higgins! Weren't you going to give us a quiz today?". I sent the same mental daggers to her as I did the person who shouted "Take your time!".

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

:highfive

... Sometimes I wish there was a smilie that says "preach it" LOL!

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

:thumbsup

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

I am going to contribute. My rule for a message (this is just me) if I start repeating things I have already said one, it is time to stop.

I have seen times when there was no singing or preaching because of the spirit of prayer that manifest itself. I have seen the spirit of worship so strong that there could not be preaching. I have seen times when the Spirit moved quickly to the proclamation of the Word. I have seen the message come to a sudden end due to the conviction leading people to the altar.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

I've listened to Hugh Ross speak about Creationism for several hours in a row, and HE sounds a lot like Ben Stine! "Bueller? Beuller? Beuller....?" But it was many orders of magnitude easier to listen to then a preacher who does nothing but repeats the title of the sermon and a dozen canned versus designed to get people shouting.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

"Church. Church. Church.

I am going to church.

Church is looooonnnnngggggggggggg!

Do I wear a church on my head?

Do I?

Nooooooo! :)"


Make EVERY moment a learning moment!
http://www.diabolicalplots.com/wp-co...y-clapping.jpg

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

I still say I get way more out of a bible study discussion group than a regular church service. Reason being is that it is interactve, and requires you to be a part of what is going on, and less time for you to "zone out" when you are actively looking up scriptures, reading, and discussing. It keeps you on your toes, and as "iron sharpenth iron" you need others to interact and discuss the word of God.

Just like here on AFF, you can open up a topic for discussion with a firmly held belief, and before the discussion is over, you see things in a differnt light, perhaps because of a scripture brought forth or a thought that puts a different perspective on the issue.

In church, you are listening to one man speak his thoughts only, and you can't interrupt, pause, or question any of what he is saying to clarify....

In Bible study, that is not the case, and that is truly where growth really happens, I believe.

I would encourage everyone to try to be part of a bible study group or fellowship, even if it is with one or two people in your church... It is amazing the growth that will take place in your life, when this happens... and again... it is what the early church did... they went from house to house.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

Interesting question! Lol my home church seems to have long services to my ADD, but they actually aren't any longer than other churches in our movement. So though I am a part of a microwave generation (21 years old) I know that what we need is to go until the Spirit releases us. Paul preached for 9 hours until a miracle was done. Too often we are so quick to just 3 songs, no heart, no seeking after God. The Apostles were in the upper room for 7-10 days (jury's still not out) before God moved. I think we should judge by what God wants to do. Sometimes we just need teaching or preachign. I think that 30-40 minutes (sermon) is good unless God wants the altar call to be sooner or later. too many times us ministers can quench the Spirit because we want to finish what we are saying even though God is moving. A mentor told me the best thing you can do when preaching is make the altar call when God starts moving to make it. Obviously the Spirit is subject to the prophet, but let's take that in context please. Even Paul didn't want to grieve the Spirit or quench it.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

Got this from the internet.....

I'm reminded of the country preacher who went to his pulpit one Sunday and looked out and noticed there was only one old gentleman sitting on the front row.

No one else was there.

He looked at the gentleman and said, "well I guess we might as well go on home. It's just you and me."

The old gentleman responded. "Rev. I don't know anything about preaching, I'm just and old farmer, but I do promise you this, if I went out to feed the cows and just one old cow came up I'd go ahead and feed her."

The Pastor said, "Well if that's the way you feel, okay." And he opened his Bible and 1 1/2 hours later he finished his sermon.

Looking down at the old gentleman he asked. "Well what did you think about that?"

Where upon the old gentleman replied, "Well, Rev. like I said, I don't know anything about preaching, I'm just an old farmer. But I do promise you this, if I went out to feed the cows and just one old cow came up I wouldn't give her the whole wagon load!"

Been Thinkin

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

I've noticed that quite often too, Matt.

I am starting to think this way too. Those poor musicians need the altar time
as much as anyone else.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

Well, if you want the Biblical answer....

Acts 20:9. And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.

This is just the preacher part of the service, of course, but it's a start.

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

:toofunny :thumbsup

Billy Cole once quoted his father, "30 minutes is long enough for a good preacher and too long for a bad one." :heeheehee

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

So, when you hear a thud, you know your time is up? :heeheehee

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

:thumbsup

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"After the offering we will proceed with the preaching and we will be dismissed after the first thud you hear tonight. Amen."

:heeheehee

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

:lol

Re: How long should church service be ?
 

what a funny thread.... some of them love to talk don't they.... THE MOST POWERFUL SERVICES I HAVE BEEN IN HAVE BEEN THE SHORTEST PREACHING... ITS SHORT ANNOINTED AND AN HOUR OF GOD MOVING AFTER :O)

my husband and just watched a service online and couldn't help but chuckle that he called them to the altar and still talked to them 15 more m inutes.... Now I don't care, if I feel I need to go to the altar I just go while he finishes up, you know I mean no disrespect though... its like the message touched you, you want to go to the altar and feel you can't til he's done talking... like when you have to pee and are trying to hold it and wanna just get to the bathroom?

In a really strange mood today, don't mind my analogy...