American Protestant pastors are preaching longer sermons than in previous years, and most churchgoers appear comfortable with the amount of time devoted to biblical teaching, according to new Lifeway Research.
The study found 80 percent of pastors typically preach for less than 40 minutes, down from 85 percent in 2019. Six percent now preach for at least an hour, triple the percentage reported in 2019.
Sermon length varies considerably by denomination and church tradition. Evangelical pastors are more likely than mainline pastors to preach between 30 and 50 minutes. Baptists and Holiness pastors are among those most likely to preach for 30 to 40 minutes.
Among Protestant churchgoers, 56 percent prefer a sermon within the range their pastor currently preaches. Twenty-five percent would prefer shorter sermons, while 17 percent want longer messages, up from 13 percent in 2019.
Younger adults showed varied preferences. Churchgoers ages 18 to 29 were the most likely to prefer sermons lasting at least 50 minutes, while also being the most likely to want shorter sermons than they currently hear.
