Considering Time and Worship

"Fix your eyes upon Jesus..."

The length of worship services has been an issue for as long as the church as existed.  Paul preached so long at one evening gathering that a guy fell asleep and dropped out the window.  Most of us are used to people falling asleep on us.

Some shared an article from our cousins over the pond about the length of worship services.  The basic point of a bishop was that more people will come more regularly if the service is shorter.  At one point the Anglican service was about 50 minutes.  Knowing they celebrate the Table each Sunday, I find this hard to believe.

But the Bishop of Lichfield thinks that servies have become too long and too complicated.  As a result, non-regular church goers are increasingly confused and unwilling to show up.  One survey indicates that Anglican clergy are preaching for as long as 42 minutes and services have crept up to 90 minutes.  But it isn’t just the sermon that is longer.  They are singing and praying longer (perish the thought- discipline these hacks!).

Time was an issue in my first congregation.  I’d hear “the service is too long.”  I worked with the worship committee to save time here and there.  I found out later this really meant “the SERMON is too long.”  That is quite subjective.  I was preaching too long, for me.  I was trying to say too much and moving out of my “sweet spot” as a preacher.  As Dirty Harry said, “A man’s got to know his limitations.”  I’m best in the 30-35 minute range.  John MacArthur thinks you can’t do a passage justice in under 45 minutes.  Not many have John’s gifts and 45 minutes would be pure torture for pastor and people.  This requires wisdom.  But the 8 minutes that the Vatican has recently recommended won’t cut it.  Neither will the 20 minutes that I was encouraged to preach.

Seriously, look at the most prominent preachers.  How long do they preach?  It isn’t 20 minutes.  Yes, we should not needlessly exercise the patience of the people.  But we must also feed the sheep (I just listened to C.J. Mahaney preach on the shepherd’s call for 75 minutes- great stuff).

Not only that, but people need to praise him- express what is in their hearts through song (and prayer).  They need to confess their sin and be reminded of the promises of pardon in the gospel.  The pastor needs to pray for the people.  The people need to gratefully give.  All these things take time.  If we didn’t celebrate the Lord’s Table each week, our services would be about 70 minutes long.  But we do celebrate it each week.  So we are there 75-85 minutes on average.

Liturgical services are a bit longer because we recognize a greater number of elements for worship than “low church worship” (they have a liturgy- it is just simpler with fewer elements, typically sing, pray, give and listen).

Is there a biblical answer to the question of the length of a worship service?  Not directly.  I think your understanding of your own need for Christ will shape how long you think a service should be.  That and whether or not your satisfaction is sought in Him or something else.

I know I need Jesus.  I don’t need a quick fix of Jesus.  Not a quick stop in the midst of a long trip to grab fast food as though it were an interruption.  I need to sit down and spend time with Him, feasting with Him.  Bottom line: I need grace, and lots of it.  Maybe some people don’t think they need grace, or just a little.  But my heart is constant bombarded by the temptation to find my satisfaction in a million places other than Jesus.  I need regular reorientation.

Let’s put it a different way.  Since we worship Father, Son (our brother) and Spirit; public worship is essentially family time.  Would your family flourish on 50 minutes of family time a week?  Would you be able to share your deepest thoughts, fears and hopes in 50 minutes a week?

Yes, I’m not arguing for daily worship or 5 hours of worship.  I’m just trying to put the time in perspective.  Worship should not be viewed by a regenerate soul as a big inconvenience or burden (though poor worship services and preaching can make it one).  My main point of consideration is not to argue for a particular amount of time.  My main consideration is about the heart.  What does your “ideal time” say about your heart?  Is that what you want it to say?