Pastor Preaches for 96 Hours, Breaks Unofficial Record

A Baptist pastor from Mississippi, Matt Olson, achieved an unofficial record by preaching from the Bible for 96 hours. This marathon sermon took place at the First Baptist Church of Sharon.

Olson covered the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, over four days using guidelines from Guinness World Records. He took five-minute breaks every hour, banking time for showers and naps.

The previous record was held by Ananta Ram KC of Nepal, who spoke for 90 hours and 2 minutes. Olson emphasized the power of Scripture, saying it sustained him physically when it seemed impossible.

His inspiration came after a 10-day missionary training program. He spent 96 hours in a simulated hostage scenario without his Bible, realizing the depth of Scripture he had yet to master. This experience drove him to preach for just as long.

Church leaders initially thought Olson was crazy but supported him fully. The congregation provided medical teams, technical crews, and prayer teams to help. The event was livestreamed and archived on the church’s website.

The church opted not to submit the achievement for official record verification due to a $16,500 fee. They chose to prioritize mission work over using the Bible as a publicity tool.

Olson views this achievement as a testament to the gospel of Jesus Christ, not the record itself. He stated, “Jesus is Lord,” emphasizing that the effort was about faithfulness to God’s call.

The church remains focused on Jesus and fulfilling their mission.