Music/preaching time proportion..50/50 or what?

TimbauxRioux

TimbauxRioux

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An issue has come up in a church i visit once every few months. Music goes on for the first half hour, the pastor preaches about 20 mins, then they sing for another half hour.

Should we sing more than preach, preach more than sing, or what?
 
Should we sing more than preach, preach more than sing, or what?

"Should" implies there's a rule that ought to be followed. Unless you can point to one, I'd say let each individual church set its own agenda.
 
I don't think there's any one right amount. What will work best depends on the particular congregation.

And for me personally? How much I want to hear the music depends on how good it is. And how much I want to hear the preacher depends on how good he is.
 
I think it depends on the church and what the pastor and members prefer.

My personal preference is more time preaching than singing, but I'm one of those people that watches preaching on Youtube while fixing dinner, so YMMV.

Many people seem to be have little patience for long sermons, but enjoy music, so that may be what works to keep them more engaged and focused on God. If I was in charge in music in a church where it was such a focal point of the service, I would be especially careful which songs we son and make sure they were doctrinally sound and had lyrics that glorified God and revealed his glory instead of just appealing to emotions.
 
The amount of time for preaching and singing is a preference.  Keeping announcements to less than a minute is a conviction for which I am willing to die. 
 
There is no specified ratio in Scripture, no dogmatic requirement for an order of service, but the heart of evangelical Christianity all the way back to the protestant reformation SCREAMS of the centrality of the word of God in worship.  The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and the means of grace for our sanctification, not cantatas.
 
My pastor is leading us through Exodus. We've been in Exodus since before Halloween. Israel just defeated Amalek this past week. Anyway...

I'm enjoying the study, and I'm very much enjoying this new church I'm going to. The service is roughly 90 minutes long, and I'd say we sing a goodly portion of that, and the music always brings my heart into worship. The sermon is always thoughtful and understandable, and always teaches me something I need to know. I honestly don't know how much time one activity takes over the other on average, because I don't care. I just know that for the first time in my life, I'm in a church that Psalm 122:1 applies to for me, and I'm know I'm authentically growing closer to God.

So, anyway, Exodus.

Usually we sing for a while, then offering, then maybe one more song, then the sermon, then perhaps another song, then the benediction, go home. But a couple of Sundays ago, our lesson was on Exodus 15:1-21. We read the text, and examined a few reasons why the Israelites were praising the Lord. But, the pastor preached a deliberately abbreviated sermon, challenging us with questions as to why God deserves OUR praise... what problems has he solved for you? What have YOU been delivered from? What has he provided for you? Etc. And THEN... we praised in song, as a corporate body... we praised and praised and praised, and it was one of the best church services of my life, because God helped me learn more about true worship that day...

SO: Sure, every church has it's way of doing things, and I agree with the posters who say that each church should do things the way they want to do them. I'm very glad I go to a church that has a certain way of doing things, and it's comfy and all... but I'm also glad they're willing to do something a little different from time to time... in order to really let God work.   
 
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