What Time Does Your Collegiate Worship Event End?

Most of us advertise or promote what time our collegiate large worship event starts. Do you say when it ends?

Even more importantly, do you end then?

I am really fussy about lots of things...like how the chairs are set up and are they neat and are extra stacks of chairs not just standing around random here and there.

But, the thing I am most fussy about is starting AND ending times. Different ones say it doesn't matter to students what time you end as long as it is good. Others say you can't start on time, because students are always coming in late. First, I actually know students who study and their knowing what time something ends is a factor in their deciding to come. Second, if your events are famous for never starting on time (and yes, that word gets around), students will certainly not worry about getting there on time.

So, what happens if God is really moving and it is suddenly quitting time? At some times like that, I have paused and said, "It's our normal quitting time and we are going to pause just a minute or two and let you slip out, if you need to". That tells students you respect them and their commitments. It tells them that they can come next week and still know they are going to have time to go study some more for that chemistry test.

But, let's be honest, most of the time we run long because we started late AND got carried away by the sound of our own voice. What are we teaching students about doing things right and with excellence?

Not reaching a wide variety of students? Only reaching those that seem to have nothing else to do? Do you start on time and do you end on time?