I recently read a newspaper article 17 about the death of Major Ronald Ferguson, the father of Queen Elizabeth's second daughter-in-law, Sarah, Duchess of York. For several years he had a place in the queen's escort at the Trooping the Colour ceremony. Apparently he once earned a gentle rebuke from the queen for riding so close to her in a procession that he blocked out part of the public's view of its monarch! Whatever may be said about the place of humor in preaching may the preacher never earn a rebuke from his master that he eclipsed the people's view of their monarch! John's Gospel records the account of some Greeks who came to Philip with a request ' "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus" ' (12: 21). The people have a desire and expectation to see him and the preacher has a duty to ensure that their hope will not be disappointed!
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Can humor serve some purpose in the pulpit? I believe that it is an interesting mental quality that God may deign to use in conveying truth in the same way as God may condescend to use a man's educational background, intellectual capacities or temperament. Like any of those things it may also be a barrier to effectively communicating the truth if it is not under the government of the Holy Spirit. It is a wonderful gift to be able to cause people to smile and laugh but the preacher is not to be a jester who clowns around for the mere amusement of others. Humor is like a very potent spice and ought to be used sparingly; otherwise it may spoil the spiritual food of the day. Where it is used well it may add something positive to the occasion. We should be aware that whereas some people enjoy the piquant of humour others do not find it pleasingly stimulating to the soul. In this matter, therefore, we should follow the counsel of Paul who said '...whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble...' (1 Cor.10: 31 -32).
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Kieran Beville is Pastor of Westside Baptist Church, in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland.
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1 Advice to his Son. Graces, Laughter
2 See, for example, Ps. 2: 1-4 and Ps.37: 12-13.
3 The well known hymn by P. Doddridge (1702-51)
4 I am alluding to the profane practice of 'laughing in the Spirit' popularised through the 'Toronto Blessing' phenomenon.
5 Je me presse de rire de tout, de peur d'être obligé d'en pleurer'. Pierre-Augustin Caron De Beaumarchais 1732-1799, Le Barbier de Séville, I.ii.
6 This disease which affects cattle and sheep threatened both the agricultural and tourist industries of Ireland in 2001. It was a problem throughout the British Isles. For Ireland, however, agriculture represents about 40% of its national wealth. Quarantine measures to deal with the outbreak were strictly enforced and the church took the initiative in co-operating with government requests (in the national interest) concerning restriction of movement.
7 I'm sure my own congregation will not mind me saying this in a tongue-in-cheek manner.
8 Shylock, in The Merchant of Venice III. i. 61-62.
9 An evangelistic sermon may, of course, be expository in nature.
10 See Anointed Expository Preaching by Stephen Olford, Broadman & Holman, Nashville Tennessee, 1998.
11 Even though there is a public dimension to the preaching activity it is essentially different to 'public speaking'.
12 If humour serves that purpose in a subordinate and decent manner may it then have a place in preaching?
13 I share this with his consent.
14 For example, 'an allegory on the banks of the Nile' instead of 'an alligator on the banks of the Nile'.
15 For example, 'occupewing a pie' for 'occupying a pew'; 'tons of soil' for 'sons of toil'; 'ears and sparrows' for 'spears and arrows'.
16 That is, of course, unpronounceable to native speakers of English who do not know the language!
17 Entitled 'Minor toff with connections to high society and low places', The Irish Times. Saturday, March 22, 2003, p.14.