Why Do Some Preachers Yell and Scream at Congregations?

a pilgrim · Mar 13, 2012

We visited a church once that had a guest preacher in. He was a young man, in his 20's. He got up and went into a tirade! It was quite a site. As they say, a whole lot of heat, but not much light! Anyways, he choked on spit and went into a coughing fit and I thought we were going to have go call 911. My wife, children, and I just watched in amazement. I'm a pretty spicey preacher myself, but I don't see a need to rip the back doors off. The Spirit of God and content should blow them away. Amen?

WinBySurrender · Mar 13, 2012

The most effective speakers I know don't scream. They practically whisper. Loudest they ever get is a normal speaking voice. Perhaps one or two lines of a raised voice, like calling to your wife across a crowded room. Much better at getting your attention.

Vince53 · Mar 14, 2012

It depends on what they have to say. I've heard Hellfire and brimstone preachers with a dynamite message, and calm preachers whose messages were very helpful. And I've heard useless messages from both types.

Snarf · Mar 14, 2012

agapedragon said:
I know how you feel Jarret. I don't like to be yelled at either. Only I have the problem of having trouble paying attention in church, because my mind tends to wander. I have a learning disability which means I have trouble paying attention to lectures. It helps if I take notes, because that focuses my concentration. I have not been to church in a long time, and I don't know when I will be able to go back. I like preachers that speak with wisdom and follow the bible and have some humor, I don't like preachers that yell or scold, I listen to Dr. Charles Stanley if I can get up on time to watch his show on TV. I read the Bible and like a devotional book to help explain it. I also like Joyce Meyers.

Agape, Dr. Stanley is my pastor (First Baptist Atlanta). I was led to his church by watching and listening to his sermons. If you're unable to catch his show on TV, you can always watch them on the church's web site or download the podcasts via iTunes.

On to the subject at hand, I reckon that my likes/dislikes depend on the situation and the preacher. Dr. Stanley is very calm and deliberate in his presentation, and I very much appreciate his services and messages. I recently attended a 3-day youth leadership conference in my area and was blessed to be exposed to some other styles of preaching. I remember the last time I saw a hootin-and-hollerin' preacher (Dr. Don Wilton filled in for Dr. Stanley a few weeks ago...his delivery wasn't my favorite but he was very humorous and entertaining), it wasn't my particular cup of tea. But this week I saw some outstanding preaching by some great men with a similar style, and it did not put me off at all. Perhaps it was the venue or the people surrounding me, but I never once felt that any of it was for show; I just took it as "That's how these guys preach." I have some friends who are quiet and reserved in conversation and others who are boisterous and loud. Guess it just depends on the person.

Kormagh · Mar 15, 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQKfxuXWXDw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Fireinfolding · Mar 15, 2012

Kormagh said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQKfxuXWXDw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Yeah thats the kind Im talking about, the ones they spoof on

JCFantasy23 · Mar 15, 2012

It would be incredibly annoying if they did this all the time, it would lose effectiveness and my mind would start drifting. Mix it up. I never see a reason to scream and holler really.

bbbbbbb · Mar 17, 2012

Recently I commented to a Bible class that George Whitefield preached to audiences in the open numbering over 10,000. This was in relation to the gospel passage about Jesus preaching to, and feeding, over 5,000 men, not counting women and children. My students expressed disbelief, so I abruptly raised my voice for them to demonstrate, and they agreed that it was quite possible. I did not scream or shout to raise my voice, but was loud enough to be heard at a great distance.

I see no purpose to shouting and screaming and once knew a very gifted young evangelist who believed that he needed to shout and scream. As a result, by the age of 30 he had shredded his vocal chords and was reduced to speaking in a very hoarse whisper.

iLogos · Mar 17, 2012

You don't need to shout or scream with a megaphone, and it's easier on your vocal cords.

If your not being swept away by the shouting and screaming, it can be annoying. Same with crying preachers (opposite extreme). If your not part of the moment it can be annoying or awkward.

Incariol · Mar 17, 2012

Fireinfolding said:
Nah, you tune them out sorta like a screaming child having a temper tantrum

Exactly the same with me. I just can't bring myself to take a pastor seriously when he's shrieking like an angry 12-year old.

Fireinfolding · Mar 17, 2012

Incariol said:
Exactly the same with me. I just can't bring myself to take a pastor seriously when he's shrieking like an angry 12-year old.

lol dont get me wrong, I have heard pastors with a strong voice, which speak with precision, insight, conviction and fervancy of Spirit and have been blessed by the same. But I have never heard any of the Sam Kinison (screamer types) where I have left blessed with anything more then a migraine

And maybe some folks cannot tell the difference between the power of someones lungs and vocal chords and the power of the Spirit. Being loud and screamy does not necessarily equal Spirit filled, annointed and apt to teach, otherwise every two year old throwing a temper tantrum is annointed with a powerful message

Well, Im sure they have a message (somewheres) but its not productively communicated (or annointed) and again leaves the listener (who is subjected to it) with only a migraine lol

It does stir us to prayer though, "Oh Lord how long"?

JM · Mar 17, 2012

I love firebrand preaching.

Al Martin, Ian Paisley (check out his Fundamentalism vs. Apostasy sermon), Paul Washer, L.R. Shelton, Paris Reidhead, and who could not like "The God of the Bible Kills People" by brother Rolfe Barnard? twins pastor Don Fortner, Henry Mahan can turn it up, Alan Cairns, the list goes on. These men have been given a gift for passionate preaching and I love it!

Sola Deo Gloria.

jm

Palomino · Apr 12, 2012

No. What force they need take is what moves people. We all need a wake up!

AnnCook · Apr 13, 2012

To me it depends on the theatrical 'look at me and how I jump around' yelling and hollering versus the 'I'm excited about the word and God's truth' type.

My pastor is the second, happily. A pastor before at our old church wasn't as loud but something didn't feel quite right when he preached. Just that 'look at me' kind of feeling most of the time.

His_disciple3 · Apr 13, 2012

the louder, the better for me !!! I call it speaking with power and authority though and not screaming, I love those hacking preachers too!

jpcedotal · Apr 13, 2012

Some lazy Christians need to be hollered at....

Presbyterian Continuist · Apr 15, 2012

My view is that it is what is being said, and not how it is delivered. There is the story said by Jean Lees in her book "Danger Saints At Work" where a preacher left his notes behind after preaching. It had annotations about when to raise his hand, what to emphasise in the text, etc. There was a section heavily underlined in red with the annotation, "Shout for all you're worth here, argument very weak!"

Having a good sound system means that you can be heard quite clearly without having to put a strain on your voice.

I preach regularly in different Presbyterian churches around my region, and I sometimes speak at conferences. I know the skill of public speaking where I can speak clearly and confidently to keep people's attention, and yet not have to shout at them.

It's like using capital letters on the forum. It can appear offensive and can make people feel put down as appearing unintelligent that they are unable to hear information without having to be yelled at.

ChrisHolland619 · Apr 15, 2012

Absolutely not. I'm turned off by preachers who DON'T yell, scream, and holler during their sermons.

If you aren't yelling, you just don't care enough IMO. Get filled with the Spirit, get some fervor, and THEN go preach.

desmalia · Apr 16, 2012

a pilgrim said:
We visited a church once that had a guest preacher in. He was a young man, in his 20's. He got up and went into a tirade! It was quite a site. As they say, a whole lot of heat, but not much light! Anyways, he choked on spit and went into a coughing fit and I thought we were going to have go call 911. My wife, children, and I just watched in amazement. I'm a pretty spicey preacher myself, but I don't see a need to rip the back doors off. The Spirit of God and content should blow them away. Amen?

Content and the Spirit of God are the keys, not the delivery style. As hearers, that's what we need to be primarily concerned about. I've definitely heard some preachers who are more like performance artists (whether they be screamers, or smooth-tongued types) who did not deliver sound teaching. I've also heard some who cry and yell for the right reasons. These are the ones who labour so much in prayer for their congregation that they cannot help but be moved to such emotion when preaching.

Presbyterian Continuist · Apr 19, 2012

ChrisHolland619 said:
Absolutely not. I'm turned off by preachers who DON'T yell, scream, and holler during their sermons.

If you aren't yelling, you just don't care enough IMO. Get filled with the Spirit, get some fervor, and THEN go preach.

We once were going to a church where the Sunday evening preacher was trained as an open air evangelist preacher who did a lot of preaching without a sound system. So when he preached in church, he was just as loud as he was on the street. My wife, who had acute hearing, just brought along a supply of cotton wool to put in her ears so she could stand it.

The preacher's small son, about three years old, one Sunday in the middle of the guy's sermon, let out a loud yell which stopped the sermon in its tracks. All the kid was doing was copying his father! You never forget things like that!

On a more serious note: Good stage actors are trained to project their voices so that every member of the audience can hear their lines without the actor having to shout. Shouting can wear down the voice and cause damage to the vocal cords. I have heard some really good preachers who have preached with a passion, projected their voices and had a powerful impact on their congregations. There is a certain amount of drama in good preaching, to make the content come alive in the ears and hearts of the listeners. I have heard sermons given by those who want to preach what the hearers want to hear, or have a weak confidence in their content, and they have come across like a damp squib. The Rev. George Duncan, a Keswick preacher, was the greatest example of good preaching I had ever heard. His sermon on the denial and restoration of Peter changed my life. He preached with conviction and drama, and yet he never shouted, and yet, as a young Christian, it had such a powerful impact on me, that 45 years later I can still hear his voice ringing in my ears.

Why Do Some Preachers Yell and Scream at Congregations?

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sounds like somebody's got a case of the mondays

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