Adventistische Schriften über: "Does Ellen G. White speak about the length of sermons in worship and recommend shorter sermons?"

Yes, Ellen G. White addresses the length of sermons repeatedly and explicitly recommends shorter, to‑the‑point talks. She emphasizes that preaching in Sabbath meetings should generally be kept brief, so as not to tire the listeners and to allow sufficient room for prayer, testimonies, and personal participation. She also advises preachers to keep introductions short and to conclude the sermon while the listeners' interest is at its greatest.

Short sermons in Sabbath meetings

»Preaching in our Sabbath meetings should generally be brief. Those who love God should be given the opportunity to express their gratitude and worship. If the congregation is without a preacher, someone should be appointed to lead the meeting. However, it is not necessary for him to deliver a sermon or take up a large portion of the worship time. A short, interesting Bible reading is often of greater benefit than a sermon. And a prayer and testimony meeting can follow that.«

1 - Ellen Gould White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6 (6T 361.1)

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Stop while interest is at its greatest

»In most cases our preachers should not continue their efforts for more than an hour. They should set aside introductions, get straight to the point, and be careful to conclude the talk while interest is at its greatest. They should not continue the effort so long that their listeners wish they would stop speaking. Much of this extra effort is lost on people who are often too tired to benefit from what they hear...«

2 - Ellen Gould White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2 (2T 117.2)

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Danger of overly long speeches and listener fatigue

»Many make the mistake while preaching of not stopping while interest still exists. They keep speaking until the interest that was stirred in the listeners' minds fades and people become genuinely fatigued by words lacking particular weight or interest. Stop before you reach that point. Stop when you have nothing of special significance left to say.«

3 - Ellen Gould White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3 (3T 419.3)

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Short and concise talks instead of lengthy dissertations

»Do not proclaim the message for this time in long, laborious talks, but in short addresses that get straight to the point. ... There is a danger of moving too quickly from point to point. Give short lessons in clear, simple language and repeat them often.«

4 - Ellen Gould White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6 (6T 55.4)

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