Baptist Pastor Preaches for 96 Hours in Mississippi

A Baptist pastor with a passion for the Bible has reportedly set an unofficial record by preaching for 96 hours at a church in Jones County, Mississippi.

Pastor Matt Olson of the First Baptist Church of Sharon delivered sermons covering the Bible from Genesis to Revelation over four days, as noted by a recent report.

“Jesus is Lord. He is worthy of every word I preached, every sacrifice offered, and every step of obedience taken since then,” Olson shared, emphasizing that it was all about spreading the message of Jesus Christ.

Video footage captured his concluding remarks, where he proclaimed, “Jesus is worthy.” The congregation responded with a standing ovation.

Olson utilized guidelines from Guinness World Records but opted not to submit his achievement for official recognition. He explained that he didn’t want the Bible to become a tool for promotion. Additionally, he mentioned that hiring an official adjudicator from Guinness would have cost about $16,500, which he considered an imprudent use of funds.

Olson’s preaching marathon evoked memories of the famous evangelist George Whitefield, who was known for his intense sermons. Historically, Whitefield preached multiple times a week and delivered around 18,000 sermons during his lifetime, sometimes to the point of illness.

Reflecting on his marathon experience, Olson stated, “God’s word is true…and that’s enough. Physically I shouldn’t have kept doing it…no one else should be able to do it, but it sustained me for 96 hours.”

According to his church, Olson finds his “greatest joy in preaching and teaching the Word of God.”