Pastors take a lot of ribbing about their work load - or lack thereof. In my case, I’m often told I only have to work one day a week. And then I’m accused of working too long! In fact, more jokes have been told about long sermons than one can recount.
Consider the insinuating cartoon I was sent recently by a well-intentioned parishioner wherein a zealous pastor is being ticketed by a policeman for going 45 minutes in a 25 minute zone!
Indeed, such is the humor associated with lengthy pontification that Brad Paisley even wrote a song about it titled “Long Sermon”:
They've read the scripture, they've passed the plate.
And we're both prayin' he don't preach late.
But he's gettin' "Amens," and that's just our luck.
Yeah, it's eighty-five degrees outside and he's just gettin' warmed up.
Oh you and me, we could be soakin' up that sun.
Findin' out just how fast your brother's boat'll run.
I tell you there ain't nothin' that'll test your faith
Like a long sermon on a pretty Sunday
Well it's been rainin' all week long.
I woke up this mornin', the dark clouds were gone.
We've both been raised not to miss church.
But on a day like today heaven knows how much it hurts.
Oh you and me, we could be soakin' up that sun.
Findin' out just how fast your brother's boat'll run.
I tell you there ain't nothin' that'll test your faith
Like a long sermon on a pretty Sunday.
See that sunlight shinin' through that stained glass
How much longer is this gonna last...
Oh you and me, we could be soakin' up that sun.
Findin' out just how fast your brother's boat'll run.
I tell you there ain't nothin' that'll test your faith
Like a long sermon on a pretty Sunday...
Ironically, on occasion, pastors really do preach long. Sometimes, entirely too long! Consider the following story form Florida, where a pastor officially broke the Guinness Book of World Records by preaching a 53 hour and 11 minute sermon:
http://www.longestspeechever.com/christian-post-florida-pastor-preaches-sermon-lasting-53-hours-11-minutes-breaks-guinness-world-record/.
And yet, the great irony is that all the voluminous words ever proffered from all the pulpits ever mounted all hopefully come down to this one simple message as recorded in the New Testament Gospel of John (chapter 3 and verse 16):
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
May that wonderful message always be the essence of every sermon ever delivered! And may it never, ever get lost in the process of delivery!
SOURCES: http://www.longestspeechever.com/christian-post-florida-pastor-preaches-sermon-lasting-53-hours-11-minutes-breaks-guinness-world-record/.
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bradpaisley/longsermon.html.
Consider the insinuating cartoon I was sent recently by a well-intentioned parishioner wherein a zealous pastor is being ticketed by a policeman for going 45 minutes in a 25 minute zone!
Indeed, such is the humor associated with lengthy pontification that Brad Paisley even wrote a song about it titled “Long Sermon”:
They've read the scripture, they've passed the plate.
And we're both prayin' he don't preach late.
But he's gettin' "Amens," and that's just our luck.
Yeah, it's eighty-five degrees outside and he's just gettin' warmed up.
Oh you and me, we could be soakin' up that sun.
Findin' out just how fast your brother's boat'll run.
I tell you there ain't nothin' that'll test your faith
Like a long sermon on a pretty Sunday
Well it's been rainin' all week long.
I woke up this mornin', the dark clouds were gone.
We've both been raised not to miss church.
But on a day like today heaven knows how much it hurts.
Oh you and me, we could be soakin' up that sun.
Findin' out just how fast your brother's boat'll run.
I tell you there ain't nothin' that'll test your faith
Like a long sermon on a pretty Sunday.
See that sunlight shinin' through that stained glass
How much longer is this gonna last...
Oh you and me, we could be soakin' up that sun.
Findin' out just how fast your brother's boat'll run.
I tell you there ain't nothin' that'll test your faith
Like a long sermon on a pretty Sunday...
Ironically, on occasion, pastors really do preach long. Sometimes, entirely too long! Consider the following story form Florida, where a pastor officially broke the Guinness Book of World Records by preaching a 53 hour and 11 minute sermon:
http://www.longestspeechever.com/christian-post-florida-pastor-preaches-sermon-lasting-53-hours-11-minutes-breaks-guinness-world-record/.
And yet, the great irony is that all the voluminous words ever proffered from all the pulpits ever mounted all hopefully come down to this one simple message as recorded in the New Testament Gospel of John (chapter 3 and verse 16):
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
May that wonderful message always be the essence of every sermon ever delivered! And may it never, ever get lost in the process of delivery!
SOURCES: http://www.longestspeechever.com/christian-post-florida-pastor-preaches-sermon-lasting-53-hours-11-minutes-breaks-guinness-world-record/.
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bradpaisley/longsermon.html.