When a Pastor Goes Long

There is an old joke that asks the question, what does it mean when the preacher/teaching pastor looks at their watch during their message? The traditional answer is that it does not mean anything. Some people would say it is about the same thing as when a preacher/teaching pastor says they are about finished with their message and then go on and on.

Pastors tend to go long on some Sundays for several reasons. 1. They sense a special presence of God in the message that day and seek to deliver what they have heard from the Lord. It just takes a little longer than typical. 2. From the disinterested looks they are getting from the congregation, they are not sure the congregation is getting the message, so they believe they need to repeat parts of the message for emphasis.

3. Their week has not allowed them enough time to prepare for the message they believe God would have them to deliver. Without enough time pastors often do not have time to tighten their message and deliver it in a concise manner and timeframe that holds your attention.

What can you do to be sure your pastor has enough time to prepare the message that God desires be shared and that you need to hear?

About the author 

Kyndra Bremer