Personal tastes in sermon styles are as varied as the persons who have them. Everyone has a style they prefer to hear. There is nothing wrong with that. Consider the following opinions in contrast with each other.

Old Fashioned or Not?

Some people like good old fashioned “Fire and Brimstone” preaching. That number may be dwindling but some adherents still remain. When W. A. Bradfield held a gospel meeting here at Mabelvale many years ago. It was felt that he could roll fire down the aisles. I am sure that was true. When I had occasion to see the names of the many who responded during brother Bradfield’s meeting I couldn’t help but notice that many of them were the most faithful members of the church then and now. I wonder sometimes if a response is really necessary or if people are just scared. I don’t know. On the other hand some brethren prefer preaching that is easy on the ears and on the conscience. Perhaps they prefer to remain unmoved. I don’t know.

How Long?

Some brethren think (or used to think) that if a sermon is less than 45 minutes long it is just a “sermonette.” In listening to Guy N. Woods over the years I realized that he could say more in 25 minutes than most preachers could say in an hour. I have never heard anyone accuse brother Woods of having preached sermonettes.
You might know the story of when “Racoon” John Smith heard Alexander Campbell preach for what he thought was 30 minutes. When informed that it was two and a half hours, he said, “Two hours of my time are gone and I know not how, though wide awake.”
I have heard it said, “If you can't strike in 20 minutes, stop boring.” Sometimes, however, the better reserves lie deeper than that. My eye observes that some people are yawning after only ten minutes.

The Hare or the Tortoise?

Some people like fast talking preachers. They can cover a lot of ground fast. Others like to have time to think, take notes and follow along in their Bibles.
Many brethren are impressed by preachers who speak without either Bible or New Testament in hand, or if he has it he never opens it. I remember hearing Garland Elkins preach. He would often roll a small New Testament in his hand and never open it. It was said that G. P. Bowser had almost the entire New Testament memorized. When he preached he would often hold one hand up in front of his face as if he were holding his Bible and quote extensively from it. Others are of the opinion that we need to open God’s Word in our preaching and encourage others to do the same. If we want people to open and use their Bibles I can’t see why a preacher shouldn’t do the same.

Who’s Counting?

We like sermons that are packed with scripture. How much is enough? I realized long ago that it is a mistake to measure a sermon by the number of scriptures quoted. Many good sermons can be preached from just one verse of scripture. Subjects based on and taken from Scripture need not have a long array of passages as long as the Bible is handled aright, properly taught and applied. Marshall Keeble used to say that the scriptures are like gasoline, they have power but too much at once “floods the carburetor.”

 

Need a Ready Recollection?

In this same vein many people are impressed by preachers to do not use notes of any kind. I remember hearing Ira North speak at the Freed-Hardeman College lectures in 1981. He began his lecture by saying he used notes and held them up for everyone to see. I once heard a preacher say he didn’t need a “ready recollection.” He had his notes with him!
If a preacher listens too closely to everybody's opinion he can easily find himself trying to please men rather than God in his preaching. He can learn from all of it. He should be a slave to none of it. He can fall prey to trying to mimic another preacher rather than just being himself.
He can make the mistake of being jealous of others when, in reality, there is no competition among lighthouses.