Last weekend I went out to Wooster, OH, to the BMA convention. My wife didn’t go, she had to work all weekend.
Said hi to lots of people I knew, and met a few new ones too. Sang in the choir and met Nic, he’s a good dude, and he likes to sing.
Speaking of the choir, my buddy Brandon Mullet from Faith Builders was there for the weekend leading the music during the general sessions, directing the choir, and doing a music workshop Saturday afternoon.
I was accosted by several people I didn’t know either questioning or stating “You’re Iced Tea Forever!” That’s always fun.
I enjoyed the weekend, but there is one minor problems with the convention. The sessions are too long. Can I get a good Mennonite non-clapping amen?
The fact that we’re sitting in those awful auditorium flip-up seats doesn’t help matters. They definitely were not designed to accomodate anyone over 5 feet or 140 pounds. Of which I am both. My goodness. But I digress.
A general truth I have observed is that 97% of preachers and speakers tend to talk about 15-25% longer than would be most effective. Add that universal truth with a lot of announcements, special music, testifications, a few reports, sundry ceremonies, and various other miscellanea, and you’re left with some very cramped legs and a sore posterior.
I think a number of shortcuts could be made without harming the overall content quality, but I’m not holding my breath. Your average conservative Mennonite feels cheated if a service lets out early!
6 Responses
August 11th, 2006 at 9:40 am
I was also at the convention and the sitter is about flattened and lower back kinked all week, as I recuperate! =)
August 11th, 2006 at 5:34 pm
Well then, here’s to being a “non-average” conservative Mennonite. (And consider your statement heartily yet quitely amened.) I am of the opinion that if a preacher can’t say in 20-30 minutes what most of our dear “one who brings the message”(ers) are given 45-60 minutes to say, then it’s probably not all that worth listening to. Unless of course I’m paying for and receiving a degree as a direct result. But what do I know, I’m still figuratively “wet behind the ears.”
August 12th, 2006 at 8:24 am
We had a choir at our church the other evening and the service lasted almost an hour and a half. I like music and stuff but this got really long and the children got very buggy which made me grumpy. I believe it was Steve Brubaker who told me one time that in public speaking class the student is taught to keep the speach right at 40 min. If it is longer than that the listener looses interest. This statement is very true and I don’t understand why our mennonite ministers tend to speak for such lengthy periods of time.
But, like the previous commenter said, I am relatively wet behind the ears, so , what do I know….
August 12th, 2006 at 2:55 pm
I’ve often been amazed to hear/read of persecuted Christians sitting/standing for hours for a mostly-preaching service.
Is it an indication of my own shallow sense of need that I can’t? (Or do I mean won’t?)
August 12th, 2006 at 10:05 pm
“I’ve often been amazed to hear/read of persecuted Christians sitting/standing for hours for a mostly-preaching service.” says, Mark Roth
Quite right Bro. Mark! I believe it is our western Christianity at its worst that makes us bang our watches on the back of the pew when the sermon runs a bit longer than what we think is acceptable. Our brothers and sisters in the parts of the world that do not have the privilege of regular meetings for hearing a message from God’s Word would look at us in amazement and wonder if we truly do love God and His Word.
I do expect the brother speaking to have something to say and to say it effectively, but when done well and with the obvious presence of the Holy Spirit in the message, then I can let dinner (and the iced tea) wait. {:^)
To give a nod to Tom’s thoughts about conference, he is right about those eternal meanderings; especially if the seating is not up to a modicum of comfort. The brain (or heart) cannot absorb more than the posterior can tolerate; pain tends to circumvent attention.
I would guess they did not serve any iced tea at break either……most inconsiderate indeed!
August 14th, 2006 at 10:49 pm
Can’t say that I’m a big fan of BMA, but I am a fan of your site. I found it through your wife’s awhile back and just never commented. Jewel took me to school many a day.