Humour in Preaching?

[oworm]

Ive been increasingly concerned with the use of humour and humourous anecdotal stories in sermons. Personaly I can find no scriptural support for the use of humour in teaching although I know Jesus used hyperbole to illustrate. What is your view in the use of humour in the pulpit?

 

[Eryk]

Charles Spurgeon:

"The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them.

"My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the church.

"Again, providing amusement is in direct antagonism to the teaching and life of Christ and all his apostles. What was the attitude of the church to the world? Ye are the salt" (Matt. 5:13), not the sugar candy---something the world will spit out not swallow. Short and sharp was the utterance, "Let the dead bury their dead" (Matt. 8:22) He was in awful earnestness. "

http://www.crossroad.to/Quotes/Church/Spurgeon.htm

 

[erin74]

I don't know. The bible does not speak against humour either. Our humour is surely from God is it not? I don't have a problem with appropriate use of humour in a sermon. I don't expect to have a laugh a minute, but if God has given someone a great sense of humour I don't expect them to supress that part of their personality while they preach.

 

[McWilliams]

I think the current trend in using humor in messages tends to dumb down the message and make it as entertainment, enticing people to 'enjoy the message'. We are instructed to worship with reverence and awe! To hear a truly scriptural message by a godly pastor which focuses on the word and all of its implications, including applications for our life is serious business, as is our need to know Christ! I have no problem with a rare occasional comment that has humor in it but the trend today is jokes, anecdotes and such that are far from scripture and focused on man and his life, rather than God! We are in the midst of a lost and dying world and the message of the gospel should be as such to draw them to saving grace!

 

[Imblessed]

I guess it would depend on how it's used. Our pastor is not above using a little humour, but never at the expense of the gospel.

I'm not sure I would be so keen on him opening every sermon with a joke though.....(he has been known to tell a joke, if it fits in with the theme of the talk)

yeah, I guess it would depend on the situation---I don't have a problem with it from my pastor simply because he has introduced the congregations to real words....santification, justification, the true definition of Grace, etc etc. When you using real theology in your services, the occational joke or humour is not so misplaced, I don't think. But if you are just entertaining, and nothing deep is ever discussed, then somethings definately wrong!

 

[Erinwilcox]

Any thoughts on Mark Driscoll? I've heard parts of his sermons. He seems to be known as a hilarious preacher and is called "the cussing pastor." I've heard/read some things from him and while he tries to be funny, there are some very lewd, crude, and inappropriate things in there as well as the cussing (from the pulpit during the sermon). Yet he seems to be very popular in some Reformed circles (could it be that he has a HUGE church?). Anybody have any thoughts?

 

[ClementofRome]

It is one of the reasons that I have fled... I can no longer take stand up comedy routines as the pinnacle of worship.

Forgive me.

 

[bradfordl]

Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

 

[erin74]

What is the context of the passage - being lazy I know, but I figure you looked it up, so must have had a reason to think it was to do with preaching.

 

[bradfordl]

I've heard/read some things from him and while he tries to be funny, there are some very lewd, crude, and inappropriate things in there as well as the cussing (from the pulpit during the sermon).

To address that statement.

 

[theFijian]

I don't think Eph 5:4 is referring to preaching per se, I don't even think it is ruling out 'jesting' more coarse or crude joking.

I guess humour is an oratory technique just like hyperbole, hyperbole can also be humourous can't it?

 

[GrinningDwarf]

I see your point about going overboard with humor...but even John 'Sour-Puss' MacArthur (as some aquaintances of mine used to put it) gets a laugh once in a while!

 

[cygnusx1]

the two sermons I remember most were the funniest ..... one by C J Mahaney and one by Campolo , I defy anyone who has a heart beat not to be on the floor with tears of laughter after hearing these two sermons , these guys could have made a living out of standup , they just bring their God given gift to their delivery .

I see a thread somewhere , a poll , asking has God got a sense of humour , well I don't think man invented it!

 

[erin74]

One of our best evangelists over here, John Chapman, is hysterical. But he can preach the gospel so well, and his nature makes him really approachable. I think he's great.

 

[Erinwilcox]

I see your point about going overboard with humor...but even John 'Sour-Puss' MacArthur (as some aquaintances of mine used to put it) gets a laugh once in a while!

And I don't have a problem with that. But what about cussing from the pulpit and using crude/lewd descriptions?

 

[cygnusx1]

And I don't have a problem with that. But what about cussing from the pulpit and using crude/lewd descriptions?

that's out of order , I would expect everyone to walk out if that ever occured.... leaving the "preacher" preaching to himself.

 

[Erinwilcox]

That's what I would have hoped too. . .unfortunately, he's rapidly gaining ground with many in Calvinistic circles. Could it be due to the fact that he has one of if not the largest RB church in the US if not the world?

 

[PapaLandShark]

I've often been accused of Vulcan tendancies.

That being said the key to understanding humor is to realize that it's underpinning is always pain. We laugh else we would cry.

Take my self depreciation up there in light of this fact...see what I mean?

To answer the OP I'm not sure about humor in sermons. I find that when it is brought out in my church it is a method used to connect with the congregation. It's the preacher saying "We've all been here and it hurt".

It helps us to empathise with a subject perhaps.

But in regards to the Gospel? I don't find it humorous at all...convicting and uplifting yes...humorous no. So I suppose I will have to say yes and no. Context.

As for swearing/vulgarity? I can't think of a single reason to use it.

**edit**
Mind you...reading through Calvin's writings is bound to raise a few eyebrows. His opinion of certain groups was...pithy.

There's that humor thing again.