“A 31-year-old pastor in Mount Dora, Fla., recently set the record for the longest sermon ever preached. Pastor Zach Zehnder of Cross Church began his quest on Fri., Nov. 7, and by Sunday had preached for 53 hours and 18 minutes. I have to assume he has no deacons at Cross Church, or they would have pulled the plug after an hour.
During the two-and-a-half day homiletical marathon, Zehnder preached through 45 of his own sermons and displayed more than 600 PowerPoint slides as he moved from Genesis to Revelation, highlighting the theme of divine faithfulness. Personally, I’d say having a church put up with a 53-hour message is a sparkling example of congregational faithfulness.
According to the Broward New Times, “To comply with Guinness World Record rules, Zehnder had to speak before a minimum of 10 people the entire time, and there had to be two independent witnesses to sign off on its validity and monitor his break times. To ensure these rules were met, church members formed groups to help out and rotated shifts, moving in and out in groups of 10. Some spectators stayed nearly as long as Pastor Zehnder. Toward the end of the event, hundreds of community members came to see him complete his speech marathon.”
The sermonic display was done as a fund-raising event to raise money for a local recovery ministry. (In my past churches, I suspect the folks would have given money to have me preach less, not more!) In addition to whatever spiritual benefit may have come from the lengthy message, the record-breaking sermon raised more than $100,000 for the local charity and drew national news attention [Michael Duduit].
In fact, Jesus preached longer than that, he spoke for three years as his life ministry unfolded. Someone said “the best sermon I ever read was six foot three and covered in skin.” It is not so much the exegesis so written but the life so lived. Noah spent 120 years building an ark which possibly, was the longest yet. Jesus said this: “For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you” [John 13:15]. Jesus’ life was his words. It is said that William Jay of Argyle Chapel, Bath, preached 1,000 sermons before he was 21 and a wonderful expositor he was for he left a legacy of brilliant sermons. Charles Spurgeon when he was 16 years of age, whilst on his way to church with his grandfather, asked who was preaching that morning. His grandfather’s reply was, wait till you get there, and when he did, his grandfather said – “you are the preacher today” and so the young Spurgeon stood at that tender age and spoke on “Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious,” thus a life of golden-lipped oratory was launched.
Usually in a successful ministry the man is the sermon. Paul, after his conversion said: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. [1 Cor 11:1], brief and to the point, a hard act to follow! He also says: “You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men” [2 Cor 3:2-3]. Our example speaks volumes and through our personality God flows by His Spirit. As we speak He enables, ennobles and energizes our zeal so people can catch a glimpse of himself. Often through our trials, as the stitching of our life is picked apart by extreme vicissitudes, the real treasure, His life, shines forth.
I suppose most ministers who have walked with God for a few decades could preach for 53 hours providing they had some sort of physical support. I see he used 600 PowerPoint sermon slides, and as I usually use a minimum of 60 or more for each sermon I preach, I could cover that in ten Sundays. As there are 52 Sundays each year that would be 3,120 per annum – one year would do it! But, if I was not raising money for a worthwhile cause it would be pointless.
Early one Sunday morning I was cleaning up some vomit on the pathway to HICC from a reveller, who had drunk too much the evening before. A member who arrived early saw this and said her son, who accompanied her, would do it, but I persevered and finished it. I said if I can’t do this I don’t have the right to serve you from the pulpit. Preaching is in our works, and faith without works is dead. Preachers with calloused hands usually make good pastors!
