Your sermon doesn’t necessarily need to be a marathon every single time. Believe it or not, you can keep sermons short but powerful. Short sermons have the ability to be impactful and just as, if not more, memorable. In fact, some of the most memorable sermons are ones that are brief but to the point. Did you know the Gettysburg Address was only 272 words and 3 minutes long? This isn’t a long speech by any means, yet it’s one of the most recognized and memorable speeches in history.
Research from Cross River Therapy shows the average audience attention span is just 8 to 10 minutes, which is shorter than ever before. So if your online sermon is on the longer side, chances are your congregation’s attention is going to drift. People’s attention span differs when watching online than in person. On social media, it’s even shorter. Adjusting your sermon to fit each scenario could help people retain the message more easily.
Let’s explore how you can keep your sermons quick, memorable, and spiritually impactful.
1. Stick To One Main Idea
When writing a sermon, it’s easy to get off track and use more than one topic. Cramming multiple ideas into one sermon isn’t recommended to keep your audience’s attention. Instead, ask yourself: If my congregation were to only remember one thing in this message, what would it be? Don’t be afraid to keep it simple.
2. Don’t Take Too Many Detours
Whether you’re telling a story or sharing scriptures, make sure they relate to your message. Taking too many detours could lose your audience. The key is for the stories and examples to enhance your message, not dilute it.
3. Leave Them Wanting More
Don’t be afraid to leave your audience wanting more. It’s better to provide a short but sweet sermon than to provide a long, drawn-out message that leaves your audience exhausted. A short but powerful sermon can spark reflections and discussions long after the service.
4. Utilize Sermon Tools
Instead of posting your finished full sermon on social media, it’s recommended that you stick to posting short clips. With Sermon Shots, you’ll be able to quickly and easily edit the video of your sermon and create clips that are perfect for those who are scrolling on social media to see the main portion of your message. Short sermon clips are easier to comprehend, share, and rewatch for some midweek motivation.
5. Outline Your Sermon
Outline the main points you want to hit in your message and fill it in from there. This will help keep your message on track and prevent you from straying from the main point.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it’s important to keep sermons short but powerful so your audience remains engaged and motivated. Keep in mind that short sermons aren’t about cutting corners; it’s about making sure every word counts.
Q: Why should sermons be short?
A: Short sermons keep your audience engaged, help them comprehend the message better, and prevent people’s thoughts from drifting.
Q: How long should a “short but powerful” sermon be?
A: There’s no one-size-fits-all with delivering sermons. However, most pastors find that keeping it around 20 minutes is ideal. Long enough to get your point out there, but short enough to leave your audience wanting more.
Q: Will keeping sermons short make them less impactful?
A: Nope! Try to think of it as quality over quantity. Short sermons tend to be easier to remember.
Q: Can tools actually help keep my sermons short?
A: Yes! Tools like Sermon Shots help keep the sermons you post online short by creating clip highlights. You can create a clip of the main portion of your clip so your audience doesn’t have to watch the entire thing to understand your message.
