The way Spurgeon preached was not new, but it was easy to understand. When he would read and teach the Bible in his messages, many people would think about what Jesus had said. Because the church congregation became too large for their building, they had to move to Exeter Hall, then to Surrey Music Hall, and later to the Metropolitan Tabernacle. By the age of 22, he was a very popular preacher. He would preach to more than 10,000 people at a time. Even before the microphone was invented, he spoke to an audience of almost 24,000 at the Crystal Palace.