You think preaching for 30 minutes is long

Another hero of mine - as far as the homiletic aspect goes - is the reformer John Knox. When he was in Geneva, Switzerland later in his life -after coming from Frankfurt, Germany - he pastored an English congregation in Geneva and he loved it.

First, did you know that Knox preached three sermons a week, every sermon lasting two to three hours. Knox is well known for his preaching: In his 2-3 hour sermons, Knox typically spent 30 minutes calmly exegeting a biblical passage. Then as he applied the text to the Scottish situation, he would become “active and vigorous” and violently pound the pulpit. Said one note taker in his congregation, “he made me so to grew [quake] and tremble, that I could not hold pen to write."

Second, Knox applied himself to pastoral duties, and in the time left over studied Hebrew, Greek, and the English Bible.

This is a preacher that I want to emulate. May I be a man that is so determined to have as my ambition to fulfill my pastoral duties and to preach the truth (2 Tim 2:15) as well as to study with great diligence Greek and Hebrew.

This is a preacher that was used mightily of God. May I be humble, faithful and yield myself to the Lord for His working in and through me.