It is a fact that in our churches the sermons vary in length. There are ministers who preach for a long time: for example, forty‑five minutes; and there are those who conclude their sermons after twenty‑five minutes. The printed sermons in the series “Uit de Levensbron” (“From the Source of Life”) clearly demonstrate the variety. It is not uncommon for a sermon to not be used when the elder who has to read it considers it either too short or too long. Let me emphasize in advance that a so‑called short sermon does not necessarily imply that it is a bad sermon. Neither does a lengthier sermon qualify as a good sermon simply because of its length. For the proper evaluation of a sermon, the length is not the deciding factor. There are other standards, found in the Holy Scriptures and supported in our Reformed confessions, that determine its worth.

In the Bible itself we are not given any indication about the duration of the sermon. In Acts 20:9 we only read that Paul preached for a lengthier time than was usual. We are not informed about the normal length. And incidentally, the long sermon was not the cause of Eutychus’ death!

In the official standard works and lecture notes for preaching (homiletics) that are familiar to us, you will also search in vain for a paragraph about the length of the sermon. You can, however, find various remarks in several practical works and booklets. Anyone who has ever seen sermons from the so‑called “ancient writers” knows that they are rather lengthy. In his book, Prediking en vroomheid bij de Reformatie en Nadere Reformatie (Preaching and Piety in the Reformation and Further Reformation) (Kampen: Kok, n.d.), Dr. T. Brienen writes that lengthy preaching was a typical phenomenon of that time. “Also with the Cocceians, the Lutherans, and the Anabaptists such lengths were quite common. You could easily count on two hours…. Later the government did something about it and hourglasses were placed in the church to curb such lengthy sermons.”

The well‑known English Baptist preacher Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) advises his students: only occasionally should we exceed forty or forty‑five minutes. If someone is not able to say what he wants to say in that timeframe, then when is he going to say it? Someone who has organized his material well will not exceed forty minutes (Pastoral Advice) (Kampen: Kok, 1957).

In 1944 a book was published by Oosterbaan & Le Cointre, in Goes, entitled Van de dienst des Woords (On the Ministry of the Word), a book about preaching according to the Reformed confession. In this book Rev. D. van Dijk writes that it is impossible for people to actually listen for more than forty‑five minutes and to absorb and process what is being said.

Prof. Dr. S.F.H.J. Berkelbach van der Swenkel argues on page 85 in his book, De prediking, de prediker en de kerkganger (The Preaching, the Preacher, and the Churchgoer) (The Hague: Boekencentrum, 1957) for a preaching of no more than about half an hour.

In En toch preken (And Yet — Preach On!) (Nijkerk: Callenbach, 1973), Prof. Dr. H. Jonker notes that a duration of half an hour is recommended, unless one is successful in keeping the interest of the audience for a while longer.

I also found a few ecclesiastical pronouncements. As such the Convent of Wesel (1568) concluded that the ministers will not burden the memory of the listeners with too lengthy sermons, nor break their zeal, and thus inflict such disgust on the stomach, especially on workdays in the week before the common people, and when one will conduct the prophetic exercises. For that reason they will limit their sermons to within one hour (II, chapter XXIV).

In the Acts of the Synod of Dordrecht 1574 it is stated under article XXXVIII: “The ministers are admonished not to encumber their listeners with too lengthy preaching, and not to let these extend as much as possible over a one‑hour period.”

In regard to the catechism preaching, the Synod of Dordrecht (1618/19) noted, “The pastors will organize the catechism preaching in such a way that they will observe brevity and at the same time clarity, and can show that they have taken into account not only the elderly, but also the more ignorant and tender youth.”

Can we now give an indication of how long a minister needs to preach? To begin with, we as ministers must realize that we no longer live in 1700, 1800, 1900, or 1965. Modern man has great difficulty concentrating on something for a long time. First of all, we live in a busy time, full of variety. Moreover, people are more focused on seeing, on perceivable things, rather than on hearing. Our people and especially our young people cannot escape this fact. According to experts, modern man can listen attentively to a speech for at most twenty minutes. Of course this time limitation does not serve as a norm for us. Ultimately, we do not deliver a word of people on Sundays but the Word of God, the Word of the living God. We know about the power of the Holy Spirit. However, we speak the Word of God to people of our day and age. That is why it only testifies to being unwise when we do not take this fact into account. The wishes of church members also cannot act as a yardstick for the length of the sermon. For the younger members, a sermon can easily be too lengthy. They like short and powerful sermons. Any criticism about the brevity of sermons often comes from older church members.

When is the length of a sermon easily experienced as being too long? When our sermons are difficult, burdensome, boring, unclear, distant, not concrete, and so on. We can definitely be ourselves; we do not all have to be pulpit orators. We also cannot and need not compete with the eloquence of certain TV personalities. As preachers we must do our best — not only with regard to the content, but also with regard to the presentation. Particularly those who preach without a script should keep their timing in mind! Especially when we start out with preaching, we have a tendency to include all kinds of things, being afraid of leaving something out. You gradually learn not to overload your congregation. We will leave various elements until a next time.

What else plays a role in assessing the length of the sermon? For one thing, it has to do with the expectations as members of the congregation. For example, when we have serious concerns and worries, when we do not recognize the living relationship with the Lord, or are spiritually far abroad, a sermon will bore us rather than fascinate us, and quickly turn out to be too lengthy. It can also happen more than once the other way around when a spiritual person, who has recognized himself in the sermon and has received consolation from it, makes the remark, “As far as I am concerned, you could have easily carried on for a while.”

I will now answer the question: what is the desired length for today’s sermons? My response — which is connected with “Doctor, heal yourself” — is this: give or take thirty‑five minutes. Anyone who prints out his sermon, or who roughly sketches it out, or who memorizes it on the pulpit can adjust to this expectation in the preparation of the sermon. Of course, we do keep in mind that the Holy Spirit, for whose guidance we prayed, can make us say something the following Sunday that we had not thought about previously.

Should the desirable length of time, as indicated, now be seen as a fixed rule? Definitely not! I already indicated it by saying “give or take,” which means “more or less.” In more concrete terms this implies: the one topic will require more time than another. For instance, in our present time the doctrine of infant baptism in Lord’s Day 27 of the Heidelberg Catechism cannot be dealt with in a quick and easy way. On the contrary! Such a sermon may take some more time. In such a case, it is also a very bad sign if people complain about the length of such a sermon.

Do colleagues, who preach for less than thirty‑five minutes, now appear in an unfavourable light? Definitely not. Someone’s education, attitude, age, habit, and congregational circumstances play a role. Short sermons definitely do not have to be proof positive of insufficient study. As such, I respect those who, in a short period of time, are able to convey something worthwhile from and in accordance with the Word, unto the glory of God, for our comfort, and for the upbuilding of the church. That is a gift, a charisma. If a listener is then surprised by the word “Amen,” it is always better than for him to be hoping for it to sound sooner.

What should always be a given, an undisputed point of departure in any conversation about the length of the sermon? It is this: that we as ministers are called to explain and to apply the Word of the LORD our God. We may share and distribute the many kinds of God’s grace to his people. With our sermons — whether they are short or average or lengthy in duration — our churchgoers need to be able to live comfortably and die blissfully.