Well, actually they didn't.  But a certain young pastor in Virginia who did wear a mohawk seems to be channeling them these days.  Mike, I was wonderfully helped by your post on long, boring sermons.  Acknowledging for a moment that sermons can be long and boring, and that I've preached some, your comments shifted my thinking on this considerably.  You reminded me of a similar sntiment I read from Jonathan Edwards.

"The main benefit that is obtained by preaching is by impression made upon the mind in the time of it, and not by the effect that arises afterwards by a remembrance of what was delivered." (quoted in Richard A. Bailey and Gregory A. Wills, The Salvation of Souls, Wheaton, IL: Crossway, p. 11).

Obviously one can take that sentiment too far and act as though remembrance and active application of a remembered sermon are ruled out.  I don't think either you or Edwards intend that.  But what's helpful about the statement is that it makes "practical" considerations like sermon length and retention secondary to the impression of Christ we press onto our hearers. It shifts our thinking from entirely man-centered, perhaps man-fearing considerations (length, excitement, etc.) to Christ-centered, Christ-exalting considerations. 

Which is where Calvin seems so appropriate to this issue.  In his sermons on Galatians 4:11-13, Calvin opens with the following:

"Especially when it comes to preaching the Word of God, a man will never follow the right course if he cannot forget self, and close his eyes to anything that might distract him in this world from acting according to God's pure ways.  Indeed, he will surely stray away from the path, first to one side, then to the other.  Hence, God's doctrines are often corrupted because those who ought to preach them are inclined to malevolent, or to seek the favour of their hearers.  They may fear to incur bad feeling or to provoke anger against themselves.  Therefore, it is impossible for us to serve God in our natural state; we must be absolutely determined, with unshakeable constancy, to suffer for the doctrines that we preach, and not to let this cause us grief.  We must fight under the ensign of our captain, Jesus Christ, knowing that we cannot share in the glory of his resurrection if we have not first suffered with him, following his example.  All believers must certainly strengthen themselves to do these things.

"...those who are called by God to preach his Word must be resolved that they will not compromise, even if the whole world were to rise up against them.  They must bear all conflicts, knowing that God will help them in their need and always grant them victory, provided they follow their vocation in purity and simplicity.  The greatest insult and injury that we can give to God is in yielding to the desires of man, and twisting his Word both left and right.  It is not only a question of abandoning our own ideas, but also of constantly upholding God's truth, which is immutable; it must never be altered, however changeable and inconstant man may be." (pp. 503-4, 505)

Well, here we have Edwards agreeing with McKinley about the main benefit of preaching.  And we have Calvin exhorting preachers not to fear man but to forget themselves in devotion to the truth of God's Word.

Here's my question: Assuming a man wants to be faithful to the Lord and His Word, how should he respond to the critique and criticism he may receive about sermon length and content?  How can a man know when he is being faithful in shaping the people's ability to hear and attend to the Word, and when he is being proud and unteachable?