Funny Preachers

The concert the other night was at a local church.  And there was that moment, like at all church concerts, when the preacher comes out and makes some type of gospel presentation.  He didn't encourage walking the aisle or anything (thankfully), but he did have the crowd rolling as he tried to convey the truth.  Really funny guy.

But there was one little joke/story in the middle of what he said that made me realize that he was about to lose everyone.  He had us laughing and thinking, and then he didn't know when to stop.  I was distracted because he told one too many jokes.

Why do preachers strive to be funny?  The only thing I could think positively about humor is that it breaks down barriers and gets people to listen.  And the reason a preacher would need to use humor is because he is speaking to people he doesn't really know. 

The pastor at the concert was talking to many who were not members or attenders of his church, and for us the humor did work to get us to listen.  So his humor is understandable. 

But don't we know of preachers who are week-in and week-out funny?  Humor seems to be a huge part of their approach.  My thought: they must not know their people very well.  There must be a barrier that must be crossed to get them to listen.  Yeah, I know it can be other things, like people want to be entertained or whatever.  But I think my point is still true, humor in "the pulpit" is so popular because relationships are not, because love is not obvious enough.

Though it seems to "work," is humor really necessary and helpful to open ears?  Didn't Peter in Acts 2 use the crowd's questions about tongues and accusations about the sin of the crowd to break down barriers? 

I think we need a real discussion among pastors to see if humor isn't a bandaid on a bigger problem, because my dad doesn't need to tell me a joke before he gives me advice.  I'm always listening because I know he loves me.

Comments

[Ryan]

I used to work at a church that had several thousand people attend their Saturday and Sunday evening services. The senior pastor did not ever meet with anyone from the congregation and he always spent significant time in the sermon on telling jokes. The other pastors who did the bulk of discipleship and counseling engaged in a lot of humor as well. Although they were building relationships with some people the majority of the congregation was unknown to them. I'm not sure if their excessive humor was a result of a lack of relationship with the people, but now that you bring it up it has got me thinking...

[Joe Thorn]

Just a few quick thoughts...

I think about this a lot, but believe it is a complicated issue. Jokes in the plulpit, I generally do not like. It is often a crutch for a nervouse speaker. But humor I do think has a place. I don't think it's wrong to be funny, some things are just funny. But trying to be funny can become problematic for all the things you just brought up, and more.

I don't use humor to break down walls, but to make a point. It's usually the way I turn a phrase, or state the obviouse or the unexpected. It's a blip on the sermon map for me.

What place does it have? A minor place. As a teaching device. What does it do? It can break down walls, connect a speaker with the audience, help the audience to remember a point, etc. Good post Steve and good thoughts. I hope there's some conversation on this.

[joe kennedy]

steve, i would say that when i was leading our college ministry for a while back in mobile, i knew my people pretty well. there were only 10 of us at best, 20 when everybody was there. but i knew most of them, and some of them pretty well. there were times when i'd joke around, and there were times when i would get very serious. maybe it's different in a college setting (you should know better than me, you spent a lot more time in it than me)... but i think sometimes the pastor is just out there trying to relate that we're not always walking around with a corn cob stuck up our butts. and then, sometimes, there is a time to get really serious and make it obviously clear that some things need to change. it's all about the context and the person. i think.

then again, i was still in undergrad (or just out of it) last year when i was doing that, and i had (and really still don't have) any formal training in the arena of preaching. i just say what i need to say, what i want to say, and sometimes i'm funny, and sometimes not. but that's just me.

[joe kennedy]

i should also say, that in my case (and i don't refer to myself as a pastor, i've never been ordained, only licensed), they all knew and still know even though i'm gone, that i love them very much. i've made it incredibly clear that i do. actions, words, whatever it took. so i can say, from my perspective, you're really toeing the line when you say, "But I think my point is still true, humor in "the pulpit" is so popular because relationships are not, because love is not obvious enough." maybe for some, but be very careful when you say that. sometimes people just aren't very good at demonstrating love. just try to put yourself in others shoes and make sure you're not making a blanket statement. and just for the record, it's been my experience that in every church i've been to, excluding First United Methodist in Long Beach and Edgewater Baptist in New Orleans, it's been very tough to build relationships with the pastors. so i can see where you're coming from. but those were also big churches where the pastors were very busy doing busy "church" work. so... anyway... that's all.

[Steve McCoy]

I think there are also different sorts of humor. Often some of the things people think are funniest are things that we know because of our relationship to one another. I don't think there is anything wrong with humor properly used, but my real issue with humor is when it's used as a substitute for relationship.

[Big Chris]

I there is a lot of variety under how and when it is appropriate to use humor in church. I was the TA for a pastor who taught at our seminary, and he would tell his class that he tries to use humor almost weekly, especially if it is a heavy sermon. He started at his church with 350 people, and 13 years later they are averaging over 6000 a week, and had 8500 for Easter this year. My experience has also shown me that humor is a tool frequently used in African American churches. I certainly think it can (and is) over used by some pastors, but I also think it does have a place in the pastors preaching toolbox. A good point of humor is often something that I find sticks in my mind. I do hate it when it's just random humor, but when it is relavent to the sermon's main idea, I think it can be quite powerful. Humor is not a subsitute for the truth though.

MrCLM
Because I said so

[joe kennedy]

again, understand i'm not a pastor... yet. per se. but i'm not worried about pastoral/preaching toolboxes when i speak in front of people- whether i know them or not. i'm me. maybe the real issue is that we're using techniques instead of being genuine. i can use techniques all day long- i studied them all as a communication and advertising major. but i'd much rather be an honest me than a crafty someone else.

[Jeff T]

I rarely ever go into the pulpit with prearranged jokes. I do convey humor, even when its not funny.

Jeff

[Steve McCoy]

"I do convey humor, even when its not funny."

I'm not quite sure what you mean Jeff, but I'm laughing anyway. :)

[Scot McKnight]

If you want to read something funny and humorous, try on Luke 14:7-11.

Humor is fine; M Lloyd-Jones was against it. But the questions for me are (1) to what end is it used? and (2) does it detract from the gravity and glory of the gospel? When humor is used to poke into the human condition, it lightens the barb but penetrates; when it is just being funny for the sake of funniness, then no.

[David Wilson]

I think I understand where you are coming from. Jokes seem Toastmaster-ish. Like warming up the audience is necessary to communicate real truth. To me, those are jarring because they usually are forced.

Ah, but humor, that's another thing entirely. I use it a lot to set up a point - in particular right before a hard hitting one. It seems to "set" the point up for retention. The absolute best use of humor though, comes as we laugh with each other about the foibles and follies we are so prone to fall into. They really work at bringing people in.

So jokes no - humor yes.

[Steve McCoy]

If anyone is interested, this post (parts of it) made a little splash over at pastors.com (Warren's discussion board). You can't read it without free registration, but it might be fun for you. I went over there to try to add some context. Anywho, check it out.