The latest edition of the ACR includes the results of a survey we conducted in order to investigate how frequently senior ministers are preaching in relation to the number of full-time staff and adult church attendance. On the whole, there is a negative correlation between the number of full-time staff and the amount a pastor preaches. On average, a minister serving as the only full-time staff member of a church (35% of responders) preaches 4.3 weeks out of 5. For those serving in a staff team of two full-time equivalents (50% of responders), that average drops to 3.5 weeks out of 5. What is notable, however, is that this trend flattens out as the size of the staff team increases, stabilising at about 3 weeks out of 5. For a staff team of three (26% of responders), the average is 3.2 weeks out of 5. For a staff team of four (13% of responders), the average is 3 weeks out of 5. For a staff team of five or more (27% of responders), the average slightly increases back up to 3.1 weeks of out 5. This indicates that pastors have a general preference to preach no less than 3 in every 5 weeks.
This, however, prompts the question: Does it matter how much a pastor preaches? Or more specifically, does it matter to God how much a pastor preaches? And here, we have especially in mind those designated as elders or overseers in God’s church, an office that often finds expression in an Anglican polity in the form of a presbyter/rector/senior minister. Does it matter how much such a person preaches? Pondering this question prompts a few thoughts and raises many more questions.
It ought to be immediately apparent that there is no one-size-fits-all answer; much less so a specific biblical stipulation of a how much a pastor ought to preach. The answer, of course, is ‘it depends.’ Nevertheless, we may still ask: On what does it depend, and what are the limits of flexibility?
Does it matter if a pastor preaches at all?
Perhaps it would be helpful to start by answering a question a little further back: Does it matter if a pastor preaches at all? This is a question we may answer with a little more certainty. What is clear in the Scriptures is that the authority of the pastor is tied to, and is ultimately dependent upon, the authority of Christ in the Scriptures; that is, the pastor has authority only to the extent that he heralds and ministers the Word of Christ.
Theologically, this is grounded in the fact that Christ is the ‘chief shepherd’ of his church who rules his people through his Word (1 Peter 5:4). As an under-shepherd, it is the role of the minister to bear witness to this Word. To the extent that a pastor proclaims this Word, his Word is to be received ‘not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God’ (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
This is why the New Testament consistently associates the role of pastor with the task of preaching and teaching. Hence, the ‘overseer’ must be ‘able to teach’ (1 Timothy 3:2). He must ‘hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it’ (Titus 1:9). Moreover, when Paul gathers the Ephesian elders at Miletus, he charges them to ‘care for the church of God’ (Acts 20:28), but this ‘care’ is specified as protecting the church from ‘men speaking twisted things’ (v. 30). Accordingly, Paul’s own ministry among them took the form of testifying ‘to the gospel of the grace of God’ (v. 24) and declaring ‘the whole counsel of God’ (v. 27). Thus, to be a pastor is to care for God’s church by preaching and teaching the Scriptures. The role of a pastor cannot be divorced from this responsibility – a pastor must preach.
Some qualifications
There are, however, a few qualifications worth mentioning. First, we need to acknowledge that the task of preaching may be expressed in a multiplicity of ways beyond that of a typical 20–40-minute sermon during a Sunday church service. There are a variety of contexts and ways in which a pastor might fulfil the call to ‘preach the word.’ He must ‘be ready in season and out of season’ to perform various tasks: ‘reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching’ (2 Timothy 4:2). Having said that, preaching a sermon during a Sunday service is the form in which teaching is commonly expressed in our ministry culture and context. It is, therefore, appropriate for our purposes to associate the task of preaching with the delivering of a sermon during a Sunday service.
A second consideration is that Paul acknowledges that not all ‘elders’ will preach with the same regularity. There are some who will ‘especially… labour in preaching and teaching’ (1 Timothy 5:17). Likely, this is connected both to giftedness and circumstantial factors. Furthermore, Paul’s mention in the same verse of elders who ‘rule’ reminds us that there is a diversity of responsibilities to be carried out by those in pastoral ministry and which may be carried out in different ways by different people. Nevertheless, we must remember that whatever his particular responsibilities, a pastor must be ‘able to teach.’ The fact that some pastors ‘especially… labour in preaching and teaching’ does not mean that there are pastors who never preach. The New Testament persistently associates the role of the pastor with the task of preaching.
So, to return to our question: Does it matter if a pastor preaches at all? Yes, it does. While it may not be expressed in the same form or with the same frequency as others, a pastor must preach the Word in order to fulfil faithfully his task of caring for the church of God.
Let’s move on to the more difficult question with which we began: Does it matter how much? Having laid some biblical and theological foundations, we are now in a position to say something of a more constructive nature.
Preaching too little
First, there is arguably a danger in preaching too little or infrequently, especially for those who have been appointed as the senior minister/lead pastor of a church. The danger in preaching too little is that it risks severing the authority of the pastor from the authority of the Word, such that he may – implicitly or explicitly – begin to ground his authority in something other than the Scriptures – whether it be his winsome character, charisma, leadership style or competency in organisational oversight. This may begin to foster a culture in which the leadership of the church is dislocated from the teaching of the church. This is not to say that a pastor’s only task is to teach, but that the various tasks he may fulfil can never be severed or dislocated from the authoritative teaching of the Scriptures.
For example, it is important for a pastor to lead with a clear vision or where – under God – he wants to take a church. This may even include key objectives that can be measured. Nevertheless, it is essential for such a vision to emerge organically from the shape and texture of the Scriptures themselves, and for such a vision to be shown to do so. Leadership cannot be severed from teaching. Likewise, the task of training and equipping others is inextricably linked to the task of teaching. In Ephesians 4, ‘the pastors and teachers… equip the saints for the works of ministry’ not by undertaking a task that is somehow separate to or in addition to the task of teaching; rather, the task of ‘equipping’ is fulfilled through the very act of being a ‘pastor-teacher’ (the particular Greek construction here most likely binds together the role of pastor and teacher). Thus, it is the task of teaching which enables the church to ‘speak the truth in love’ and thus to ‘grow’ and ‘build itself up’ (Ephesians 4:15–16).
Preaching too much
So, if there is a danger of preaching too little or infrequently, then why not preach every week? There a several good reasons not to preach every week. For example, it is important for a pastor to rest from his work – and this includes resting from the work of preaching. This is necessary not only as a consideration of our frail and weak constitutions, it is also an act of obedience to the God who ‘rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done’ (Genesis 2:2). Moreover, as the laws and customs of Old Testament Israel demonstrate, the concept of rest involves more than simply having a day off each week; it encompasses broader patterns and seasons of rest. As anyone who preaches regularly knows, preaching can be very draining and demanding, and if it is possible, it seems good and wise to rest occasionally from such work.
Moreover, it also seems wise for a pastor to sit from time to time under the teaching of the Scriptures himself, in order to model humble submission to the word of God. And while reading sermons or listening to recordings from others can be helpful, it would also seem appropriate, where possible, for a pastor to join with his church in sitting under the Scriptures together. Once again, we must remember that there will be those who labour ‘especially’ in preaching and teaching, so it may only be occasionally that a pastor does so, but it would seem a good and wise thing to do for those who are themselves sheep under the care of the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ.
Furthermore, there are benefits to a congregation hearing from a variety of different preachers. Acknowledging the importance of a diversity of voices is connected to the biblical notion of gifts. The concept of giftedness is not a mere description of competence, it is a concept that highlights personal particularity; that is, it describes the ways in which God has made us different to one another. This seems to be precisely Paul’s point in 1 Corinthians 12–14. I take it that this diversity finds expression even within some of the broader categories of gifting described in the New Testament, such as teaching. While two pastors may both possess a gift for teaching, that gift may be expressed in a diversity of ways and with a variety of personal proclivities. Put simply, we don’t all preach in the same way, and this is a feature of God’s good design for the health and growth of his church. Where possible, it would seem to be beneficial for a congregation to sit under the teaching of multiple pastors – though perhaps not with the same frequency.
Finally, a good reason for a pastor not to preach every week is to create space and capacity for the training and development of others, whether that be assistant ministers, student ministers, MTS apprentices, other trainees or even lay preachers. This would be not only to open a ‘slot’ on a Sunday, but also to devote the necessary time and energy to training and offering constructive feedback. And while this may be expressed in various ways across different contexts, there is great wisdom in seeking to raise up others for the noble task of preaching the Scriptures.
Further questions for reflection
There are, however, a whole host of other questions that are generated by reflecting on these issues – questions that deserve additional reflection and can likely only be answered within the context of a specific ministry.
For example, what is the interface between how much a pastor preaches and the size of the staff team that he leads? As mentioned above, the data we have gathered suggests there is a negative correlation between staff size and how much a pastor preaches. How much is it appropriate for a pastor to preach if he is the only full-time staff member of a church? How many weeks ought he to rest from the work of preaching? How does he seek to bring in and train other preachers? If he invites guests or lay members to preach, how much is it appropriate for them to preach?
What about a minister leading a larger staff team or perhaps four, five or even more full-time staff members? Moreover, how does the task of preaching interface with the ever-burgeoning portfolio of responsibilities that a lead pastor is required to manage? Must he maintain a certain regularity of preaching, regardless of the size of the staff team and church attendance more broadly? How does the task of preaching relate to other essential responsibilities of the pastor, such as ‘management’ (1 Timothy 3:4) or ‘ruling’ (1 Timothy 5:17)? As mentioned above, our data suggests a general reluctance of senior ministers to preach less than three in five weeks, independent of staff size or church attendance. Additionally, our biblical and theological discussion above would suggest that it is imperative for a pastor to protect and maintain the task of preaching the Word – even amidst the various pressures and concerns of ministry.
Must all of those appointed to the office of elder within a church preach regularly, particularly on larger staff teams? Perhaps this is where we can make recourse to the biblical concept that some will labour ‘especially’ in preaching and teaching, whilst also maintaining that all elders must be ‘able to teach.’ Moreover, how does this apply to those appointed as assistant ministers and/or ordained as a deacon in the Anglican Church according to the Ordinal? Must they preach in order to fulfil their office? If the office of deacon within the Anglican Church is to be associated with the biblical description of ‘deacon’ (e.g. Acts 6:1–7; 1 Timothy 3:8–13), it would suggest that the task of preaching is not so tightly associated with the office of deacon. This coheres with the Ordinal, which appoints deacons ‘to read the holy scriptures’ and ‘to preach,’ but not with the same emphasis or priority as those ordained as presbyters.1 What about those who functionally fulfil the office of elder, despite not receiving formal ordination – such as in independent churches?
Furthermore, how do these issues find expression within different kinds of ministry models? For those operating within a typical ‘congregational’ based ministry, must those with particular pastoral oversight of a congregation preach more regularly at that congregation? What about if an assistant minister/deacon has particular oversight over a congregation? Must he preach more than perhaps the senior minister, if the senior minister has particular pastoral oversight over a different congregation? What about those operating within a ‘team’ based ministry? How does the task of pastoring people through preaching the Word interface with the responsibility of managing a particular area of ministry?
Finally, it is important to remember that, while we received a good number of responses to the survey, it still only represents a single snapshot in time. This leaves certain questions unanswered for now, such as: Is there a trend or a direction that we are moving in? Are pastors preaching more now than in the past, or less? Our data gives us an indication of how much pastors are preaching, but where do we want to be? What direction are we moving in, and what direction do we want to move in? These are questions that can only be answered through careful reflection (and perhaps another survey!).
This article was first published in the ACR’s Easter 2025 journal.
- According to the Ordinal, presbyters are appointed ‘to be messengers, watchmen, and stewards of the Lord; to teach and forewarn, to feed and provide for the Lord’s family,’ to ‘instruct the people committed to your care from the Scriptures, and teach nothing (as required of necessity to eternal salvation) except what you are convinced may be proved by the Scriptures,’ to ‘teach the people committed to your charge to keep and observe [the commandments of God] diligently,’ and to ‘be ready to drive away all false and strange doctrines that are contrary to God’s word; and to this end both publicly and privately to warn and encourage all within your care.’ ↩︎