I think I would agree with this to a point: 

Stand-up comedy and preaching are the only two mediums I can think of in which someone walks onto a stage to talk for a long time to a large crowd. Dave Chappelle, Carlos Mencia, and Chris Rock are genius at capturing an audience using irony and sarcasm.

However, I think I would watch some different comics, unless I wanted to be crude and learn how to cuss.

Have to disagree with #2 just a tad......

Was listening to Chuck Swindoll on the radio as I was traveling on Monday. He specifically was referring to himself and his particular church.

#3 & 9 - I am one who listens to sermons from preachers all over the US, some famous and some not. In the past year, it has become increasing more noticeable just how many are using “sermons for sale”..... Definitely agree about “give your sermons away” - you never know who may be listening or when. So remember about #3.....

Great to hear Driscoll in this fashion and form. May all of you who are preachers receive encouragement today! May you know that you are lifted up in prayer......

Scrap the notes and the manuscript might work if it was about me and the spoken Word.  However, I have been in two consecutive churches where there is at least one deaf (or legally impaired) person who can only follow if there is enough visual matter for them to get the flow. 

It requires much more discipline and preparation to have a manuscript (an NOT read from it), but it is the SOURCE for some members of our congregation… like the video projection team also…

How do you go with that “Spirit flow” every week and still keep ‘em all with you?  Plan farther ahead and pray harder as you prepare.  In 19 years of public speaking, evangelism and preaching in the local church, the Spirit has only changed my message “on the fly” three times that I can remember.  That number I think people forgive you for not having the notes ready.

How do you buy other sermons and then use them? How do you make them your own? This is a real issue for me. I struggled with using the mateiral for the 40 days of purpose because the styles were different, and long, they were really long. No sarcasm here.

Good points generally.  I still write my sermons out ... though I don’t read from them when I preach.  I find them useful for those I visit in jail where they are not permitted tapes so I give them copies of my sermons to use in Bible study. 

Mark’s choice of comedians is not the greatest but the principles of catching the people’s attention used by comedians are worth a look.  Letterman uses the 10 question approach.  Leno often shows silly signs and has the interview on the street.  Jeff Foxworthy has his famous, “You might be a Redneck if....” Rodney Dangerfield would string a series of one-liners begining with, “I don’t get no respect...”

Jesus was the master of catching the attention of His listeners.  I suspect some of His parables probably brought out some laughter. 

Listening to radio and TV preachers should be done with a grain of salt.  A lot of Christians and non-Christians do listen.  But some of these preachers will teach something contrary to one’s own church/denominational belief.  I have had to deal with some issues that immature members have brought to me.  From time to time I would have the one particular parishioner or two who would say, “I wish you would preach more like Stanley or Osteen.” And I would reply, “If I was pastor of his church I just might.” If they persisted, I would just ask, “Who visited you in the hospital last time?  Me or [the radio/tv preacher]?” That stops ‘em dead in their tracks.

You want to hear a good comedian who does not use profanity and still can catch an audience - Listen to Brian Regan http://www.brianregan.com/

You don’t have to listen to trash to learn! 

Come on guys, what are we telling young preachers here by telling them to listen to Chris Rock?

We might as well advise our men to check out Playboy because Hugh is sure successful with women and hey we might just “learn something.”

PA

Some great points here.  I think debating over the specific comedians might be a bit fruitless, even though I do not enjoy the ones he listed.  As for taking a sermon from someone else; This is not as easy as just standing up an reading someone else’s message.  It requires deconstruction someone else’s message.  It requires gaining understanding of the text. (bible) It requires personalizing the message with illustrations and personality.  It requires developing the story to the people you serve.  Preaching someone else’s message is actually more work for me, not less.  But I do know that as I listen to other preachers I will come across something that makes me say, wow, that is better than I could have said it. I am stealing that.  I footnote this on Sundays.

I disagree with #10.  After I preach I listen to the message at least once.  This enables me to learn how I said something, it helps me see patterns of words or phrases, it helps me know when I am too harsh or just right, it forces me to interact with how people hear my words and is one of the best things someone who is hungry to grow in their preaching can do.

Just a note about number 5: “Junk your notes and go with the Ghost . . . sometimes.”

I’m sure he didn’t mean it the way I originally read it, but want to cover the base in case some miss it.  I originally took this to mean that there is no need for sermon prep.

I preach from a manuscript (mainly because I’m distracted very easi....wow, that’s a cool song, man… I’m sorry, where was I?) and while I don’t “read” it from the pulpit, I do utilize it to stay on task.

I’ve never had anyone ask me, but I’ve heard other pastors being asked why they don’t “let the Spirit lead” by just getting up and preaching.  My response would be that I allow the Spirit to “lead” while I’m studying and praying over the passage, begging Him to open my heart and mind to not only understand His Word, but also give me the words that will help others get it as well.

I’m a firm believer that the Holy Spirit is involved in EVERY aspect of sermon prep.  I’m also a believer that some who practice the “just get up and preach” are guilty of laziness and are hoping the Spirit will bail them out as they stand in the pulpit.

By the way, up until this past summer, I was working 2 jobs outside the church and taking classes for ordination and oh yeah - had a family to neglect.  I say this to mention that I’m not talking about those who CAN’T spend the 30+ hours that a former member of this forum says we should all spend in order to come to the same conclusions as his idol, Jmac.  I’m talking about those who simply WON’T spend what time they can.

Now as I sign off, I want to say that there have been times when I was “ready” to preach the sermon I had prepared, then felt God leading me to trash what I had planned and go with something totally different.

Then the question I have to wrestle with is this: was I just not listening well during all those hours of prep, or is that time spent for a future time?

Brian

I am not a pastor, just an observing flock member:) I posted a two part article on my blog recently called “What Your Congregation Wants You to Know”. In addition to some of the great points Mark has here, I might add that learning to delegate is so important. It will help more people become involved and keep you from getting burnt out by trying to do it all.

Also, don’t hesitate to ask for help and prayers from your congregation. Just as you are there for them, most of them really want to be there for you as well.

It’s clear most of ya’ll don’t like Mark’s taste in comedy. Chris Rock seems to be a particular point of contention. I would argue that Chris is a comedic genius and worth listening to. It’s true that he uses profanity and I wouldn’t choose to do that in a sermon, but he offers a sharpe social commentary in a way that relates powerfully to a mass audience. I think preachers can learn a lot from that. In my opinion, one reason most preaching is so boring (and having minimal effect) is that we are too cautious and too bland. I think we have a lot to learn from Chris.

I think many people get hung up on the context of the message.  Yes the comics named are rude, crude and what we would consider socially unexcepted.  Except they are not.  This is what the majority of your congregations whatch and listen to.  You do not have to like something to learn from it.  I hate brocoli but make myself eat it 3 months prior to leaving for the mission feild so I get into a habit of “cultural sensitivty”.  You never know when you have to swallow something you don’t like for the greater good.  Know what your people are putting in, so you know what you have coming out.  Get off you high horse and spend time with the drunks, whores and goverment officals.  Hum?  Sounds Christ like to me.  Listen to what is being said it might apply.

I think it’s just being wise to listen to other preachers.  I can listen to 5 minutes of T.D.Jakes and get so many sermon ideas i have to turn off my ipod.  I could never be Jakes or preach like him.  I’m lilly white and lead a rural white congregation.  But Jakes has a way of getting to the heart of problems that I know are there but can’t articulate till I have heard him say it.  And when he does I think, “man I wish I would have said/thought that.” I do the same with Driscoll, McCarthur, Hybels, Stanley, etc.  They feed me with ideas.  The danger lies in trying to preach their sermons.  They are far to unique to copy.  But they can sure get the wheels turning.