My watch alarmed in church

Once I purchased a new wrist watch that automatically alarmed every hour. I made the mistake of wearing it to church. At exactly high noon, as the preacher momentarily paused during his sermon, my watch alarmed with twelve shrill beeps. Everyone looked around, but I didn’t let on that it was my watch.  In reality, it was more than the chiming of the hour. The watch sent the preacher an unintended subliminal message.  The alarm said, “Preacher, it’s 12 o’clock and you are preaching overtime.” 

Unless the Holy Spirit falls on a congregation, a preacher loses his audience at high noon or after 25 minutes in the pulpit, whichever comes first. Most people are thinking about that roast in the oven or how long they will have to wait in line at the restaurant. Watch the employees depart their workplaces at lunchtime. When both clock hands point to twelve, they all make a mad rush to leave their work stations. It is no different in church on Sunday morning. At 12 o’clock, the congregation grows restless and many worshippers will make a furtive glance at their watches.

Speak too long, and the congregation becomes fidgety and inattentive.  A person’s attention span seriously wanes after 20-minutes.  The most effective messages are delivered in 25 minutes or less. A long-winded message will put people to sleep.    Such was the case when the Apostle Paul preached long into the night at a church in Troas. A young parishioner there named Eutychus grew drowsy and fell out of a three-story window. 

One hour of preparation is required for every minute of delivery; consequently, a 20-minute sermon requires 20-hours research, study and script preparation. A pastor, known for his well-prepared and succinct sermons, was the famous Peter Marshall. When Dr. Marshall pastored churches in Covington and Decatur, people would line up in the rain outside the church to hear him preach. 

The greatest sermon in history was Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount which can be read slowly in 20-minutes.  Another notable sermon was Peter’s message at Pentecost that saved 3,000 people.  Peter’s recorded message can be recited in 10-minutes. 

The most effective homilist I have ever heard was a Baptist preacher who typed his messages word-for-word and never spoke longer than 20-minutes. I actually timed him one Sunday.  His message lasted exactly 13 minutes and 7 seconds.  This pastor’s sermons became the talk of the town, and everyone who came to hear him preach knew the service would be over at high noon, if not before. Church attendance doubled.  Two morning services had to be installed to accommodate the overflow crowds that came. As a result, church attendance dramatically increased, Sunday School enrollment swelled, and many were walking the aisles to accept Christ as Lord and Savior.