Sermon or interview?

I have attended two church services recently where, instead of a message, there was an interview. One was with a visiting organist who had lost an arm but still plays. The other, which I attended today, featured an interview with new members of the church about their experiences and why they had joined the church.

These interviews could be considered testimonies. Such interviews are valid and useful in giving us understanding of how people are applying Christianity in practical, everyday life.

My first question is, should such interviews take the place of a sermon? To me, reading and expounding the Word of God is a central part of worship. Not every worship experience needs to have a full-length sermon, but I feel cheated if I go to church and do not receive at least some teaching from the Scripture.

Another question I would raise is: Is this a trend? Are sermons being replaced by interviews? If so, it seems a symptom of the times. Perhaps we do not want to listen to the Word any more. Perhaps we feel we need something more hip, more cultually relevant. If this is true, God have mercy on us.