Joking from the pulpit

Rippon said,

I see your sad Ecclesiastes and raise you a happy Proverb.

 

If I may submit I think your read is fairly limited. Check out some sermons from the Church Fathers, like Chrysostom. The sad thing is we have to read these things and not hear them.

Think about Martin Luther, decrying Satan's temptations and saying he would chase Satan away with farts and poor digestion. Hilarity.

Here's a great link about Charles Haddon Spurgeon's sense of humor:
http://guide.gospelcom.net/resources/medicine.php

Biblically there are plenty of examples of humor. Here's a link for an article on lots of these sources: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/economic/friedman/bibhumor.htm

One moment that leaps out to me from the text of the Bible is between Solomon and the King of Hiram. Hiram, the King of Trye, goes out of his way to help with the construction of the first Temple. Solomon thanks him by giving him 20 towns in Galilee. Hiram comes back (and think Woody Allen moment here) basically says to Solomon "what did you give me? You said it was California quality but I got the South Bronx of towns here." Hiram ends up calling them The Land of Cabul which is Hebrew for Land of Nothingness. Very funny moment in Scripture, imho.

We stand at a marked disadvantage because we have only text and no way to read into that text the moment or inflection in one's voice. Often the parables would have unlikely cameos and Christ would use uncanny delivery to get His point across.

Go and read a movie script sometime for a fairly humorous movie. You'll rarely laugh. A HUGE part of being funny is delivery, voice, and timing. Manuscripts rob a good communicator of all three.

fair enough but please don't take out word for it all...go do some homework. You'll be pleasantly surprised I'd bet.

The reality is that you can feel free to create dry, humorless sermons...but don't expect to pack the house or be remotely effective. Good sermons incorporate good, appropriate moments of levity. Without you've just got Ferris Bueller's teacher and no connection.

 

Humour?

Strain a gnat but swallow a camel.

Easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.

Desiring to remove a splinter from a brother's eye while blinded by the beam in one's own eye.

The Lord of the temple need not pay the temple tax: Yet he told Peter to catch a fish in which mouth was the tax requested from each of them.

After Jesus was resurrected, Peter was fishing with other disciples on the boat; naked---most probably cause it was safer should he fall into the waters--- and dove into the waters and swam to shore, most likely embarassed when another disciple informed him that the other man who had spoken 'was the Lord."

Jesus walked on the waters and answered Peter's request (prayer?) bidding him to come and Peter did until .......

A lot of Adam and Eve humor: God used one of Adam's ribs to make Eve and Adam's been a sucker for spare ribs ever since.

The humour is there, depending on how it's received. I take the Bible seriously, but at times something 'pops' out which makes me smile.

What purpose does humor serve? If it helps to break the formality, gather peoples' attention, the stimulus of laughter assists the congregation to take some deep breaths and wake up to anticipate the message, or others set and harden determined not to hear .....being disarmed from their intent to listen; it's easier to remember a truth said in a 'funny' way; people learn and hear better when feeling relaxed: What little one has, offer to God: If God chooses to use your personality, your gifts, it is by his Spirit, and not of one's own power. I love a good laugh though I'm no comedic nor would I try for such....its not my style; but if it serves the purpose of some to draw folks to attend to the more serious matters and is not used to distract or interrupt the spirit of the message; let God be judge.

Rippon has a point in that not all humor is conducive to receiving the message, and church is not a place where we go to be entertained: But we go to celebrate, worship and praise our Lord and prayerfully draw others to him.

 

I agree that there is humor in the Bible. A long time ago when I was a kid there was a famous well known preacher that had a show about questions to ask God. I called in on the show and asked the question: Does God have a sense of humor?

He or the show's producers mailed me back a letter with scripture supporting the fact that yes God did have a sense of humor. I don't even remember the verses they gave me and now I don't think as much about this individual as I once did.

However, I use to always find it humorous when certain groups would be looking for Jesus to kill Him and many times Jesus would just disappear and the people could never find Him. It was as if Jesus would be saying, "HA HA, you can't catch me". There are several times when He would be in a room and all of sudden He was gone and they could never find Him.

 

I may be charged with having little to no sense of humor but I don't find those instanses funny at all AF . Sometimes if someone is accused of having no sense of humor it is almost as insulting as being called a liar . But I'll let y-o-u make your determinations . So far , Scripture doesn't condemn one for not being funny - or rebuking one for not appreciating what many might consider humorous .

I don't know how a pastor can preach on Isaiah 6 for instance , and weave a humorous thread around it . There are too many sobering passages in the Word of God that do not lend themselves to so-called humorous asides .

The book of James speaks of taming the tongue in chapter 3 . There anger is being specifically referenced , but the temptation to produce laughter can be applied . I think many modern preachers have this weakness .

Richard Baxter in his "Reformed Pastor" book said : Of all the forms of preaching that I most dislike , I hate that which tickles the audience with many jokes and entertains them with superficial amusement . It is as if they were in a theatrical performance , instead of being awed by the holy reverence of God's church .

More Baxter : Whatever you do , let people see you in earnest . for you cannot break up people's hearts by jesting with them or by telling them jokes . Speak to people as if their very lives were at stake .

Dr. M.Lloyd-Jones : I confess freely , I cannot understand a jocular evangelist . Go back and read the lives of the men whom God has used in the mightiest manner , and you will invariably find that they were serious men , sober men , men with the fear of the lord in them .

In Ecclesiastes 10:1 it says : "As dead flies give perfume a bad smell , so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor ." How may that apply to preachers who think they are creating a fun bond with their congregation when in reality their ministry is compromised by their foolishness .

Remember that every idle word will be accounted for at the Judgment -- every careless word . So when you go for the yucks just remember that .

Check out the following sermon extracts . See if you can detect humor in any of them ( without using magnifying glasses to enlarge any nuance you might construe as humorous ) . Matt 5:3-10 , Acts 2:14-36 , Acts 7:2-56 , Acts 17:22-31 . Those passages as examples , are completely devoid of humor .

Humor is a distraction . It is not God-honoring in the pulpit . Amusing stories and pulpit horseplay are not gifts of the Holy Spirit . Pastors are not called to be stand-up comics .

In Titus 2:6,7 Paul gives some instructions regarding the behavior of a preacher . In teaching you as pastors need to show integrity and seriousness . Some Bible versions use the word "dignity" . Doesn't seriousness or dignity mean worthy of respect and honorable ? Doesn't that mean gravity , and soberness ? Doesn't that demonstrate that foolish taliking is not to be embraced -- that you should not be light and trivial in your sacred office ?

 

I can think of one example of humor in the Bible.
Remember the guy who so badly wanted Mordecai hanged ?
He had the contraption built. He had such hatred for Mordecai.
God worked things out so that not only did he have to honor Mordecai, he ended up swinging from the very gallows he had wanted Mordecai hanged from.

I guess I'm guilty of telling jokes from the pulpit, too.

I do that especially when the message had been chastising or upbraiding.

Most especially when I was still in the Arminian camp.

 

I have read this thread with much interest.

I hate to 'rip on' Rippon, but I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill here. Sure, there are times when jocularity in the pulpit is not proper. Some jokes should not be told from the pulpit. I think men should be careful about telling jokes about women from the pulpit.

Every preacher is different- some are very sober and at least have a sense of 'dry humor'. Some are like Jerry Falwell was and have a merry countenance- I have been reading testimonies about how he liked to pull jokes on people.

I would have a hard time relating to a pastor who NEVER evidenced a sense of humor from the pulpit. Humor is too much a part of life and of our emotional make-up to just be ignored while we are in church.

Rippon, you are entitled to your conviction on the matter and I doubt that what anyone here says will change your mind. But to condemn any and all preachers who may use a touch of humor in their messages, especially in the light of Proverbs 15:13,15; 17:22; John 14:1 and some other passages that I see in the Word.

If there is anyone who has a right to laugh, it is a child of God!

P.S. One can be dignified and yet evidence a sense of humor. Dr. Lee Roberson was one of the most dignified men I have ever known but he would use humor very effectively from the pulpit.

 

I like what you said, Scarlett O.

I believe our brother Rippon is not as dry humored as we think. I don't think such a child of God exists.

I remember one of the men I had the honor of being pastored by. He is as Arminian as they come.

One day, he very solemnly, sober-facedly walked up to the pulpit, got his Bible and said: I want you to open your Bibles with me to Hilzikiah 19:19.

We all got our Bibles and started looking for the book.

He was going to preach on "Study to shew thyself approved unto God......"

Even the church workers were asking each other where the book of Hilzikiah was.

Humor at the beginning of a very sobering, upbraiding sermon.

 

I don't think anyone would claim that there is humor in every Scripture passage. No one has asserted that.

I think that's stretching the application of James 3.

I appreciate Baxter's passion...but he's not Scripture. He's stating his opinion, first of all...second...he's doing something you are doing: equating the tasteful and occasional use of humor, when appropriate...with a stand-up routine that cheapens Scripture. They're not one and the same.

Once again...one man's opinion...furthermore...one can have the fear of God and not be flippant, yet can laugh and enjoy being cheerful when appropriate.

It seems that your entire premise is based upon Ecclesiastes. A wonderful, God-breathed book...but I don't think it's point is, "Humor is inappropriate for Christians."

So because these four passages contain no humor, our lives, ministries, and testimonies shouldn't either? That's a stretch.

No proof scripturally for this. As has been said, if humor doesn't fit you, don't use it. And there's no doubt that when one discusses hell, judgement, and such...humor isn't appropriate. But you're taking this beyond where scripture does, IMO. You make a couple of mistakes here IMO...one is you claim support from Scripture in an area that it is silent on (not just that there are serious issues, but that humor is unbecoming of a minister). Secondly, you once again equate a pastor using humor once or twice with an attention-hungry "stand-up comic." No one's making the argument pastors should do that!

I have a feeling that when the children were brought to Jesus, and the disciples rebuked them, they were overly serious (we are talking children here--rambunctious, lively, playful, etc.). I have a feeling Jesus played with them as he communicated truth.

You're a great guy and your love for God is obvious...but your statement above borders on offensive. How dare you claim that what I say as I speak to God's people is motivated by selfish ambition and carelessness? Sorry for how this is going to sound, but...I spend more time preparing what I say than almost any other youth minister I know. One of my strongest gifts is communicating God's truth to students. I take what I do very, very seriously...but I also am authentic in doing so...God uses my personality, which employs humor a bunch. And I ask God to show me anything that would not honor Him. God as my witness...I don't "go for yucks." I speak the truth, in love....and God blesses it. (His glory, not mine). Please don't accuse me of preaching from selfish motives. You're wrong if you do.

Is it possible to go too far with humor? Absolutely. Is it possible to be motivated by the wrong thing when one speaks? Yes. Does God's word unequivocally come down condemning humor? Nope.

 

I appreciate the attention that Rippon is giving to this matter. The quotations he produced show that he is dealing with something that has caught the attention of very noteworthy men. We may dismiss an unknown poster with a stage name (like "Pipedude"), but we may not dismiss the consensus of the men he has quoted, even if we disagree with them.

For the most part, I see this question as one of degree. Too much humor in the pulpit is improper, but some is acceptable. Probably everyone agrees with that (except maybe Rippon ) For those of us who do agree, we'd probably do well to examine our practices in light of the insights spoken by great men of the past and the obvious scriptural data (which leans heavily toward Rippon's position). As I wrote earlier, humor has a tendency to get out of hand pretty quickly if it isn't watched. Carefulness is more commendable than cavalier dismissal of the idea and criticism of the messenger.

Just because some humor in a pastor is acceptable, that doesn't mean that MY level of it is acceptable. (Or yours!)

A penguin walks into a bar and asks "Has my brother been in here today?"
The bartender replies "I dunno. What does he look like?"

Two termites walk into a bar and ask "Is the bar tender here?

A penguin, a duck, two nuns, and a man with a parrot on his shoulder walk into a bar and the bartender asks "What is this, some kind of joke?"

Did you hear about the duck who went into the drugstore and said "Gimme some Chapstick, and put it on my bill?

Did you hear about the two maggots who were fighting in dead Earnest?

(Sorry, Rip )

 

If the question is? Do I add humor to scripture, then the answer is NO! If I use humor at all it is at the beginning before I really get into preaching or at the end when I am closing out my sermon. I have used humor in funerals when a family is so uptight that I try to put them at ease with some of the good things their loved one had said or did in his/her life.
I doubt if anyone on here goes through their sermon making jokes all the way, I certainly do not. As I said, I make make some humor in the beginning and then enter into my sermon where I am entirely serious. I wouldn't want to make light of the word at all. If you don't have the gift to handle a crowd of people and know when to say something to make them a part of the service, then maybe you are in the wrong position in life. Just my humble opinion.

 

A Reevaluation

After reflection on the subject ( before seeing the last posts by members here ) I realized that I was painting with too large of a brushstroke . There is a continuum . All humor , in an absolute sense , should not be eschewed . A touch of humor in a pointed , purposeful way can be useful in a message .

After viewing the comments of some here -- I have to agree with them in the main . Pipedude in particular had some practical insight . Scarlet , Rbell and Pinoybaptist deserve honorable mention

I am sorry for needlessly offending any of you ( all posters ) who use humor in a God-honoring manner . I generalized ( sometimes it's a helpful tool -- this time it wasn't ) about clown-like behavior in the pulpit .

I did like Pipedude's jokes at the end of his post . And Pinoybaptist -- your story about the "book of Hilzikiah" was quite apt in a sermon .

Now don't get your hopes up about convincing me to change my views on the nature of God and His Sovereignty !

 

Rippon, wow that is very mature of you. Thanks for sharing that.

May God bless you!

 

It's hard to keep the youth into what a sermon has to say if we walk around looking like we sucked the pickle juice through the bottom of a pickle jar, and then we want to let them know that they can be a Christian just like us. I do think that some joking can go too far, but you do need the help of a laugh every now and then to loosen everyone up.
I believe that there is a time to laugh, a time to cry, a time to get loud, a time to be soft spoken, and a time to shut up, we just need to follow God in his leading so that we can deliver his message the way he wants it.

 

Grace and love to you, my brother.

Now, let me share this funny story I heard about our topic today: tithes and offerings.......

 

i was preaching in a church and went to the SS class taught by a deacon. He was talking about the the "fa-ree-sees" and the "sadukeys". I was trying to figure it out when he referenced the Scripture and saw he was talking about the Pharisees and the Saducees.

I don't care who you are, now that's funny!:laugh:

 

MATURE?!?!?!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!??!?!!?

He only gave me an HONORABLE MENTION!!!!!!



:laugh:

(just kidding)


Oh...since Our Brother of the Pipes brought up the "bar jokes"--

Two guys walked into a bar.
The third one ducked.



Back to the topic: Rippon...you are right to remind us that we should always check our motivation when presenting the Word to folks. If we're doing something to simply get laughs/impress folks/etc., and that is our only goal (or the primary one), we should re-examine our motives.

And...as I have seen time and time again, we should be careful when using humor. We should always make sure there's no double-entendre, or that we're not making light of something that is genuinely burdening one in our audience, etc.

Good discussion.

Peace to yas.

RBell