You know, how nuts is this… that we who have been in multiple sevices know for a fact that first service is always...always the sleeper.  How weird.  I can remember when I was a youth guy and the Senior guy would ask me to preach, how fearful I was of the first service.  Not so much because of my material, but I knew it was mostly the older crew, and it always seemed so, so, well, dead!  HMMMMMMMM

Where is the biblical precedent for using jokes to lighten up the serious crowd? I know it’s a modern trend and I understand the psychology of it. Eph. 5:3-4 could be incorporated to even speak against it: “let it not be once named among you, as becomes saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.” I know if I got up that early to go to church, I wouldn’t be going to hear a joke but because I was hungry to hear a word from the Lord. After they laugh, then you have to get serious again. Are we treating people as our yo-yo? I remember asking a friend what they liked about their pastor, they responded, “he makes me laugh.” Is that why we go to church? Is this just another way that we are trying to appeal to the world through the flesh? I just can’t see Christ or His disciples beginning their sermons with a joke.

Todd,
This is just an issue that I’ve struggled with personally and was seeking some help. When I got saved, I was very sarcastic about everything then all of sudden, life became serious. When i started preaching, I wonderered if joking was allowed. I actually had one man tell me he wasn’t coming back to the church because I laughed when I preached (it was actually after telling what I thought was a humorous story). So I suppose this falls in line with what the original intent: a joke that blessed one group and not another. No offense or derailment of purpose intended. I just want to find the best approach for God to bless. Thank you for your correction and please forgive my speaking out of place.

My dad, who pastored for 50 years, said the same thing. I used to hear him giving this loud laugh early in the mornings, and I’d see him in the bathroom looking in the mirror. I’d ask him what was so funny, and I can hear his reply, “boy, when you can’t laugh at yourself, you’re taking yourself far too seriously.” and then he’d laugh again.

I’m a fan of Lark News.  Primarily because it takes our all too human foibles and shows us what happens when we take it to the logical extreme.

We do 2 services in our church. It is uncanny how different the two are.  A preacher must be sensitive to his audience. What works in one situation may bomb in another.

I (humorously) use one service against another.  I may start by saying, “I’m gonna try something out on you and if it doesn’t work I won’t use it in the second service.” Or to the second service I may jokingly say, “wow, that first bunch was a tough crowd, I’m glad you’re all hear to salvage the day.” Or, again to the second bunch, “If this message bores you today, get the cd for the first service, the guy who preached that service was reallly on fire.”

Our congregation has a sense of humor and they appreciate the humorous illustrations and jokes I use to drive a point home.  After the service someone may comment on what a great joke it may have been and I lovingly steer the converstaion by asking them, “Yeah, but did you get the point?” This is always a wonderful opportunity for me to repeat, or summarize the point I was trying to make.

As in illustrations, preachers have to judiciously choose so as not to overwhelm the point, but to nail it down.

Go Lark News! These guys do a great job at poking gentle but poignant fun at the church family.

Go Todd, you are doing a great job at posting some great topics to comment on.  I’m gonna start recommending your site to my other ministry friends.

Our early service is 9am and shockingly, the first service can sometimes be just as attentative and sometimes more attentative than our 1030am service. Sorry, to spoil the fun but, perhaps, if a service is earlier than 9 in the morning, it’s just too early. Our two services have a good balance and we are proud (in the purest sense) to be able to say that. THough, earliness is little excuse compared to how early people wake up for work every day of the week, which shows a shift in priority that definitely shouldn’t be in the mind of God’s people. But, we also want them to enjoy coming to church in a casual manner that is flexible and joyous, which means they need to be rested to fully experience the move of God.

Author says:
“"I think I told it with a little more oomph,” he said later, resting in his office. “I had my rhythm in second service. It’s hard to nail a joke the first time out."”

I hope he was as concerned about the Biblical points he was trying to make (if any), more than the delivery/response from a joke!

...Bernie
http://www.freegoodnews.com

Of course Jesus has a sense of humor - Look who he’s called into ministry! People like US! Is that a hoot or what?

-Chris

Why doesn’t the pastor get it? It’s not the congregation’s fault it is the communicator’s fault.