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Da Sheik

Preachers, be sensitive to your audience

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1860 **4/11/16 9:59 pm**

Let me offer a few caveats from the outset. Ultimately, we must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Also, I want to make it known that I can sit in church with the best of them. I remember services as a kid that would last 2-3 hours. Having said all of that, may I offer this as well? .....

We don't have Wednesday night or Sunday night services. We have two Sunday morning worship services and various Life Groups that meet during the week for bible study and fellowship. A friend of mine asked me if I would be willing to attend his evening services to evaluate them. He is concerned in the decline in attendance at these services. I agreed to attend on the condition that he conducts and moderates the services just as they always do. To give an honest evaluation, I needed to see how things happen on a regular basis. He agreed, and I made my observations. They are as follows :

I attended 3 different services and I found a common theme. The music lasted about 45 minutes each time with lots of "stand to your feet " and "you may be seated ". Lots up and down and standing. And each time, his teaching / preaching lasted about 45 minutes. I noticed that about an hour into the service, the people became restless and less and less attentive. The music was great, and the content of the sermons was great, but I sensed the weariness of the congregation. There are a myriad of reasons why people don't attend services regularly, but I honestly felt like if he could simply condense some of what was going on, there would be a positive response.

That got to me wondering about Sunday mornings too. I wonder how much of the "stuff" in our morning worship is superfluous. If we have a printed bulletin (we do) then do we really need to spend much more time making announcements ? Do our prayer request times descend into depressing speeches about how the devil is beating everyone down? Is there a tug-of-war between the choir and the pulpit for equal time ? I don't have all the answers but this caused me to reflect on my own church. I try to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and sensitive to the attention span of my congregation. I'm sure I fall short but I think it's worthy of discussion.

Cojak

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24282 **4/11/16 11:19 pm**

This is a much needed Ministry tool. A man is wise to ask for an evaluation from an outside source.
YOu have covered some very significant points. My wife and I were talking today and she was saying when my dad came to pastor their church, long before she was 'my girl' She and the other young folk were thrilled. The services no longer dragged on until 10 every night night service.

I gave her my reason for what I thought that was today as we walked. My dad had been a farmer and a Cotton Mill worker, he was sensitive to his people. I could say much more but I think you have a REAL point, sensitive to your congregation. Good stuff (from the pew, we appreciate it) Cool

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Some facts but mostly just my opinion!
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http://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/

Mark Ledbetter

When it comes to preaching,

Golf Cart Mafia Associate Posts: 2109 **4/11/16 11:40 pm**

an axiom I generally lived by:

Link

Acts-perienced Poster Posts: 11849 **4/12/16 9:40 am**

The pastor may be excited to speak a long time because that is the time he gets to use his spiritual gift and to express all his pent up thoughts. If he's salaried, he may think he gets paid to preach and wants people to get their money's worth (buffet style instead of small portions at fancy restaurant style.)

Musicians may be excited to use their spiritual gifts. Preachers and teachers see how important it is to minister the word. Musicians see how important it is for people to praise the Lord as they sing. So they all want to spend a lot of time doing their important ministry.

Then you've got the traditional Pentecostal pressure to attend church. How many times have you heard the phrase 'there every time the church doors are opened.' Some people think of that as the mark of spirituality. And traditionally, that's Sunday morning, Sunday night and once on Wednesday night.

I went to a church that had a foreign language service at night, but a meal after Sunday service (which was great), so we'd spend until 1:30 or 2. But they did have a mid-week, oh yeah, and training for teaching Sunday school, and a session for people in ministry, oh, and a prayer meeting. They were going to have another night meeting for someone else I needed to be a part of.

I realized that I hardly ever had devotions with the kids at night. The church was small and while Sunday school before church could be okay, I don't think the smaller kids were getting that much when they went out of service to go to the nursery.

I wondered if all this church activity was really that good for the kids. There were teens in the church who'd fallen into sin, too, who were raised with all those services.

I'm all for community, spending time in the word and fellowship, but there also needs to be some time for family life. We also need to realize that sometimes pastors don't have much chance to evangelize those who really need to be evangelized. And neither do those who go to 5 services a week and work a job. You can talk to your family and co-workers. With a lighter church schedule, believers can get involved in the local school board, local charities, organizations, hold small local political roles, etc. where they just might have a better chance to be salt and life. Kids sports may be overemphasized, but it just makes sense for some of the more talented kids to spend their time in those arenas if they can gain more influential places in society where they can be salt and light.

Extolling the virtues of 'being there every time the church doors are open' can actually discourage people from being salt and light in other areas of their life. Specifically reminding people that they don't have to attend mid-week if they can be a part of the school board or PTA may be helpful. Even encouraging people to go be a part of these influential roles while those who attend pray for them may be a better route. We are concerned with some of the garbage that's being promoted in schools and in government. There are things we can do about it.
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Link

Old Time Country Preacher

Re: When it comes to preaching,

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15570 **4/12/16 10:13 am**

bonnie knox

Re: When it comes to preaching,

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 14803 **4/12/16 10:23 am**

Hey, I think most movies are too long, too. If I had been editing, I could have cut out at least a third of It's a Wonderful Life.

c6thplayer1

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 6385 **4/12/16 10:29 am**

Ours is around a 30 minutes sermon and 30 minute music. Works great.

Old Time Country Preacher

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15570 **4/12/16 10:33 am**

Da Sheik

Hopefully my point isn't being lost ..

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1860 **4/12/16 11:53 am**

I'm not making an appeal for shorter services necessarily. I'm saying sometimes we (pastors ) are not sensitive or perceptive as to how the congregation feels. Link makes a great point. We often study and prepare for hours each week so we feel excited / obliged to share everything in that one message. I can assure you if you come to the pulpit with 20 pages of notes the congregation won't absorb a third of it.

In one of my first pastoral assignments we had a local tv ministry. I never ever watched the broadcast until one evening I decided to see how I was doing. It was very eye-opening to see myself from another perspective. There were mannerisms, repetitions of catch phrases, cliche's, and other irritatIng things I wasn't even aware of. Sometimes our churches are declining or plateauing because of a failure to make simple changes.

THE LOVE OF GOD

Friendly Face Posts: 385 **4/12/16 12:08 pm**

We must remember to allow time for the Holy Ghost to move or all of our work is just work. My relative goes to a COG where the whole service is programed down to the minute - even allowing 2.2 minutes (example) for a video, x number of minutes for each song and etc. At the end of the programed time, there is a clock on the back screen (audience would have to turn around and see it) that tells if the service has gone over the alloted time. It will say - whatever minutes that it is over. Everything is timed and alloted. I think we should have a program but easily dispose of it if the Lord wants to move in a particular way. I wonder where there is room for the gifts of the Spirit to be in operation.

Mark Ledbetter

Boxed In?

Golf Cart Mafia Associate Posts: 2109 **4/12/16 4:44 pm**

While it has been awhile since I pastored a church with two Sunday morning services, I never felt "boxed in," or like I had to hurry the earlier service for the sake of the second. Everything went smoothly, and just so OTCP can rest assured, the Holy Spirit always had freedom to work as He/She pleased.

Yet, recent trends in some cases include two or more Sunday morning services. Have they "boxed" themselves in in order to meet logistic demands?

I know of one church once operating out of a theater and had to be through by a certain time - but they never reported any issues, but that circumstance would seem limiting, possibly.
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roughridercog

Acts Mod Posts: 25306 **4/12/16 5:20 pm**

Cojak

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24282 **4/12/16 6:02 pm**

Da Sheik

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1860 **4/12/16 6:15 pm**

Our service times are 8:30am and 11am. There have been some instances where Sunday School classes have been disrupted but it's rarely an issue. We don't script everything to the minute but we are mindful of time constraints. But I can assure you if someone needs further assistance or prayer we do not "quench" that. We have no Sunday School services that meet in the sanctuary so we don't rush anyone out or encourage them to leave the altars if God is moving.

Some see long services as a badge of honor or a mark of superior spirituality. I'm of the opinion that the corporate worship service is actually the smallest aspect of the worship of God. It's important, but what we do the other 6 days to glorify God are far more telling.

Cojak

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24282 **4/12/16 6:15 pm**

I have heard a lot of PK's tell what went on in their parsonages concerning discussions of members. I was raised in a parsonage like some on this Forum. I NEVER once heard my dad speak 'bad' of members.

I said that to say this: On the second night of one revival Dad thought I was already up in my room. He and the evangelist were having coffee. I was shocked, I heard my dad firmly say:

Son, those two ladies you preached at tonight will not be back. They were not 'painted barns' they did wear lipstick. Now if that is the only type sermons you have, we will pay you for the week, but I will finish the revival. These folk work in the mill 40-48 hours a week. Some will work all night after leaving the revival service. They deserve to be fed and blessed. Your job as an evangelist is to bless folk and win souls to the Lord, my job is to keep and teach them. Think about it and let me know in the morning.

To me that was an example of being sensitive to his congregation. And there was always room for the Holy Ghost to work.

Da Sheik does have a good post here, we members appreciate it when we are considered.
_________________
Some facts but mostly just my opinion!
jacsher@aol.com
http://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/

Da Sheik

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1860 **4/12/16 7:20 pm**

Cojak, thank you for the kind words. And your father echoed something I have held close to my heart. Nothing makes me angrier than for a visiting preacher to come in and beat on the sheep. First and foremost they are God's flock. I am an undershepherd. But I try to love and care for them as if they were my own. People fight the devil and the world 6 days a week and the last thing they need is some guy using the pulpit to get his aggression out.

Any pastor that does not consider the needs of his congregation is destined for failure. That doesn't mean we should cater to every little whim, especially if it means doing something displeasing to God. But I learned a long time ago that I don't make moves that are in opposition to the majority of God's people.