Our capacity for laughter and humor is a uniquely human characteristic. We might well ask in the words of Shakespeare 'If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?'8 This God-given gift, however, is fallen and in need of need of redemption and sanctification. But then it is something to be enjoyed and celebrated.

Some people have a well-developed ability to perceive or express humor whereas others do not. For the man with a good sense of humor that quality of being amusing is part of his disposition. As such it is a state or inclination of mind and to expect him to refrain from humor altogether would be tantamount to fitting him with a straitjacket. I think it is sad to see a man assume an austere face for his pulpit persona especially if in his private persona he has a proclivity for humor. However, the man who is naturally humorous must, as a preacher, be very sensitive and avoid trivialising truth. He must always avoid merely entertaining the congregation. Humor, therefore, should not be used to create a mood or climate of receptivity for the message. Neither should it be employed as a dramatic interlude to provide comic relief from the serious intent of the sermon. Truth is not to be trifled with!

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Preaching is essentially about explaining and proclaiming the truth of God's word. Whether it is expository, evangelistic 9 or thematic it ought to be a Spirit-anointed explication and elucidation of Scripture. The preacher must take into account contextual and cultural issues as well as the historical, syntactical and doctrinal significance of the text. In so doing he is handling supernatural truth in a responsible way.

Part of that responsibility is to fulfil the purpose of preaching which is to proclaim the unique and universal truth of God's Word so that people may be led to faith, wholeness and maturity in Christ. The ultimate objective of evangelistic preaching, however, is not the salvation of souls. That is the penultimate purpose. The primary aim is that God may be glorified in redemption. Similarly, systematic preaching to the converted aims to cultivate Christian character so that God may be honoured. So the ultimate aim of preaching to believers is not to produce transformed lives. Rather it is to develop disciples who model the message of God's grace and thereby glorify him. The glory of God must be paramount in preaching! The question, therefore, is what role (if any) does humor play in this process?

In seeking to answer this question I suggest that God may communicate truth through personality.10 As humor is part of a person's character and nature we might well ask, therefore, what place has personality in preaching? The Apostle Paul's personality is profoundly significant in terms of both the substance and style of the Scripture he wrote under the auspices of the Holy Spirit. That does not detract in any way from its divine inspiration and nature. In the history of the church God used men of different temperaments to accomplish his purposes. Personality, of course, must always be subordinate to the supreme influence of the Holy Spirit.