Using Comedy To Build Community in Local Churches - How Laughing T

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Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations
2-1-2019
Using Comedy to Build Community in Local

Churches: How Laughing Together Can Bring
People Together
Jason T. Deuman
[email protected]
This research is a product of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at George Fox University. Find out more
about the program.
Recommended Citation
Deuman, Jason T., "Using Comedy to Build Community in Local Churches: How Laughing Together Can Bring People Together"
(2019). Doctor of Ministry. 321.
https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/321
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GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY
USING COMEDY TO BUILD COMMUNITY IN LOCAL CHURCHES:
HOW LAUGHING TOGETHER CAN BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER
A DISSERATION SUBMITTED TO
THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY
IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
BY
JASON T. DEUMAN
PORTLAND, OREGON
FEBRUARY 2019
Portland Seminary
George Fox University
Portland, Oregon
CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL
________________________________
DMin Dissertation
________________________________
This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of
Jason T. Deuman
has been approved by

the Dissertation Committee on February 11, 2019
for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Semiotics and Future Studies
Dissertation Committee:
Primary Advisor: Phillip Carnes, DMin
Secondary Advisor: David McDonald, DMin
Lead Mentor: Leonard I. Sweet, PhD

Copyright © 2019 Jason T. Deuman
All Rights Reserved.
The Scripture quotations contained herein are taken from the New International Version
unless otherwise indicated.
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEDICATION .................................................................................................................................. VI
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................ VII
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... VIII
ILLUSTRATIONS .......................................................................................................................... IX
CHAPTER 1: DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM ......................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1
WHY STUDY STAND-UP COMEDY? ................................................................................ 4
HUMANITY AND CULTURE MAKING............................................................................... 6
CULTURAL LITURGY: AN EXPLANATION........................................................................ 8
CULTURAL LITURGY OF THE COMEDY CLUB ................................................................ 10
Before the Show...................................................................................................... 11
During the Show ..................................................................................................... 16
After the Show ........................................................................................................ 21
HUMOR THEORIES: SUPERIORITY, INCONGRUITY, AND RELIEF...................................... 21
PREACHING AND COMEDY ........................................................................................... 23
DISSERTATION OVERVIEW........................................................................................... 24
CHAPTER 2: HUMOR IN THE BIBLE ................................................................................27
IS THERE HUMOR IN THE BIBLE? ................................................................................. 27
WHY IS IT DIFFICULT TO FIND HUMOR IN THE BIBLE? .................................................. 30
WHAT TO LOOK FOR TO FIND HUMOR IN THE BIBLE ..................................................... 33
Pay Attention to the Plot ......................................................................................... 33
Pay Attention to Humorous Devices........................................................................ 37
COMEDY IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT .................................................................... 49
Reversal .................................................................................................................. 50
Humorous Imagery ................................................................................................. 51
Hyperbole ............................................................................................................... 53
Caricature and Ridicule ........................................................................................... 54
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 55
CHAPTER 3: THE CHURCH'S HISTORICAL RESPONSE TO COMEDY ..........57
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 57
HUMOR AND THE EARLY CHURCH ............................................................................... 60
Ancient Church Leaders with a Negative View of Humor ....................................... 62
Ancient Church Leaders with a Positive View of Humor......................................... 65
FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATIONS IN CHURCH HISTORY .................................................. 66
Feast of Fools.......................................................................................................... 67
Carnival .................................................................................................................. 69
Rissus Paschalis: Easter Laughter............................................................................ 72
MODERN USES OF COMEDY IN THE CHURCH ................................................................ 73
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 77
iv
CHAPTER 4: LAUGHING TOGETHER: WHY DO WE LAUGH? WHAT
DOES LAUGHTER DO IN GROUPS? HOW DOES LAUGHTER CROSS
CULTURES? .................................................................................................................................80
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 80
HUMOR THEORIES....................................................................................................... 82
Superiority Theory .................................................................................................. 82
Incongruity Theory ................................................................................................. 83
Relief Theory .......................................................................................................... 85
SOCIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF LAUGHTER ....................................................................... 87
Humor and Relationship Building ........................................................................... 89
Humor and Group Cohesion .................................................................................... 90
Shaping Behavior .................................................................................................... 92
Challenging Social Systems .................................................................................... 93
CROSS-CULTURAL COMEDY ........................................................................................ 94
Multiculturalism and Humor ................................................................................... 96
Joking with Insiders ................................................................................................ 99
Joking with Outsiders............................................................................................ 102
Joking to Build Understanding .............................................................................. 106
WHY THE CHURCH SHOULD LEAD THE WAY IN CROSS-CULTURAL HUMOR ................ 109
CHAPTER 5: COMEDY THAT BUILDS COMMUNITY ............................................113
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 113
TELEVISION AND THE WATER-COOLER MOMENT ....................................................... 116
COMEDY PERFORMANCES ......................................................................................... 118
PODCASTING AND COMMUNITY ................................................................................. 122
STORYTELLING COMMUNITIES .................................................................................. 127
PERMISSION TO PLAY ................................................................................................ 133
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................ 137
CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION .................................................................................................141
PREACHING WITH COMEDY ....................................................................................... 141
Preaching from a Comic Perspective ..................................................................... 142
Preaching About Comedy ..................................................................................... 143
Use Comedy Intentionally ..................................................................................... 145
Study Comedians and Comedy.............................................................................. 146
PLAYFUL CHURCH .................................................................................................... 148
EXTENDING THE CONVERSATION ............................................................................... 149
WHAT STORY ARE WE TELLING? .............................................................................. 151
BIBLIOGRAPHY .........................................................................................................................153
APPENDIX A: EXAMPLE OF A SERMON SERIES DISCUSSING HUMOR AND
COMEDY .....................................................................................................................................170
APPENDIX B: COMEDIANS AND CHURCHES SURVEY RESPONSES .............215
v
DEDICATION
To Kathy, Judah, and Jocelyn

I am forever grateful for the laughter that fills our home.
You are my favorite community.
vi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This project would not have been possible if not for the support and
encouragement of my wife, Kathy. Your patience with me during this writing season has
been greatly appreciated. Also, your kind encouragement to just go away and write, and
making my writing retreat possible, was probably a marriage-saver. I love you.
Thank you to Dr. Leonard Sweet. I emailed you one day to ask if my topic of
interest would work in the Semiotics and Future Studies program. Your reply was
essentially, “What are you waiting for?” This program has opened my eyes.
Thank you to Loren Kerns, Cliff Berger, Heather Rainey, and Phil Carnes. Your
notes and feedback over the past three years helped me stay on track.
Thank you to Jan Pelley, Waldemar and Rosemarie Kowalski, and Mike Ivaska,
and Kristie Young, for being willing to read my very rough drafts.
Thank you to the people of Creekside Church. Serving together brings me great
joy. This church community has been patient with me as I have learned how to be a
pastor. Thank you to the elders for allowing me to tackle this tremendous effort during a
season of significant change in our community. These changes have not always been
easy, but as we look at all that Jesus has done through our faithful obedience, one day we
will look back and laugh.
vii
ABSTRACT
Comedy is present in some form in every culture. Understanding humor theories
and the effects of comedy on individuals and groups can help local churches foster
community in their congregation as well as build bridges for non-congregants to join the
community. Developing healthy community through comedy is one of the ways that
church leaders can counter the isolation and disconnection occurring in American culture.
This project examines humor in the Bible in order to help pastors teach on the value of
humor. Church leaders have embraced and rejected humor throughout
history. Understanding the various ways comedy has been used in the church throughout
history can spark fresh ideas for comedy in the church in the twenty first century.
Comedy is something that is shared between people. Examining, humor theories and the
effects of comedy on individuals and groups can help leaders better understand why
people laugh at different kinds of jokes. One of the modern challenges with contemporary
comedy is being able to work cross culturally. The church, as a missionary movement,
can learn by examining modern comedians and observing how they discuss sensitive
issues and cultural particularities. How comedians interact with people from different
cultural backgrounds can also help church leaders foster community. Comedy is often
presented before a live audience. Technology is helping comedians expand their
connection with their audience and churches can take some lessons from different
technological innovations. There are many ways that church leaders can bring comedy
and playfulness into the life of their congregation. Intentionally employing comedy and
leading with a comic perspective can help bring people together.
viii
ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure 1: Tragic Plotline ................................................................................................ 34

Figure 2: Comic Plotline................................................................................................ 35
ix
1
CHAPTER 1:
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM
Introduction
Contemporary culture has seen a rise in the use of comedy in the way that we
communicate with one another.1 Scrolling through a Facebook or Twitter feed, one will
find memes, funny videos, puns, jokes, and people sharing their embarrassing moments.
People share things that make them laugh, and in doing so they build common bonds with
their friends, family, and even strangers.2 Comedy has an interesting way of connecting
people and, if employed intentionally, it could be something that fosters greater
community in neighborhoods, workplaces, and even churches. The purpose of this study
is to examine comedy and how it can be used to help build a sense of belonging and
community. Understanding the power of comedy is even more important if churches are
going to connect with the millennial generation. In Planet Funny, Ken Jennings recounts
a conversation with MTV executive, Tanya Giles. “We called [millennials] Comedy
Natives . . . Comedy is so central to who they are, the way they connect with other
people, the way they get ahead in the world. One big takeaway [from MTV’s millennials
1
Ken Jennings, Planet Funny: How Comedy Took Over Our Culture (New York: Sribner, 2018),
4, 7.
2
As I was drafting this introduction, Chris Pratt gave an acceptance speech for the MTV
Generation award. Pratt’s speech was a mix of humor, inspirational ideas, and invitations to seek God in
people’s lives. This video was widely shared, and I had several conversations with people about the speech
over the following days. “Chris Pratt is Our Generation Award Recipient 2018 MTV Movie & TV
Awards,” YouTube video, 4:15, June 18, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EihqXHqxri0.
2
research] is that unlike previous generations, humor, and not music, is their number one
form of self-expression.”3
As the pastor of a church, I recognize that the intentional use of comedy and
humor in our communication and practices can bring people closer together. I also
recognize that comedy can be used as a weapon that may actually create division and
push people away. My hope is that this project will help pastors and church leaders:
1) develop a better understanding of humor in the Bible; 2) see how comedy affects
people individually and in groups; 3) understand how comedy can be used to build
bridges between different cultures; and 4) look at ways that comedy is currently being
used to build connections and community through comedy and storytelling events,
podcasts, and other means.
Currently, many churches have challenges keeping their congregation engaged.
What would happen if pastors intentionally employed humor in their communications
and developed a comic sensibility in their interactions with their congregation as well as
with people in their larger community? If used intentionally, humor can be used to help
people move closer to Jesus and connect them in community.
Consider the following story. Sarah connected with her church in part because
Pastor Rick always seemed genuine and told funny stories that helped make sense of the
Bible passages they studied. Sarah invited several work friends to church. She was
nervous, because one of her friends, Jim, had confided in her that he was gay. Sarah still
wanted Jim to hear about Jesus and his transforming love and grace. Jim accepted Sarah’s
invitation and joined Sarah at her church. When Pastor Rick started preaching, he told a
3
Jennings, Planet Funny, 4.
3
story about how his barber was gay, and how it made him feel uncomfortable. He made
fun of the barber’s clothes and suggested that the barber was hitting on him. Rick’s story
had moments of humor at the barber’s expense and the whole congregation laughed.
Sarah was mortified. It seemed like Rick was mocking Jim. Pastor Rick’s use of humor
created a wall between Sarah and Jim, but more importantly, it created a wall between
Jim and Jesus.
If Pastor Rick was more thoughtful about the people who make up the
congregation on any given Sunday, he might not have told that particular story. Rick
could still employ humor, but instead of pushing people away, he could have told a story
about his own challenges. He could make himself the butt of his joke. In doing so, Rick
would reveal his own imperfections, creating a bridge of relatability between himself and
the congregation. Comedy can be a tool that followers of Jesus, pastors and lay people
alike, can use to share their struggles and invite people into an accepting and authentic
community.
The goal should not be to try to create a comedy club in our Sunday gatherings.
However, comedians have the unenviable job of trying to get strangers to connect with
them, and they do this through storytelling, self-deprecation, shedding new light on
common experiences, and having fun. Part of their job is to consider the audience, to help
them engage with their material and with each other. If church leaders intentionally
consider their audience and their interaction with the audience, they can effect positive
4
changes. If church leaders do not do this important work, then someone else will, and
possibly for nefarious purposes.4
Why Study Stand-Up Comedy?
From the early 1900s through today, comedy has played an important cultural
role.5 From the early days of vaudeville performers working the various theaters in big
cities, to the comedy boom of the 1980s and the comedy crash of the 1990s, comedians
have been working to develop their craft, build their audience, make people laugh, and
even make people think.6 Successful comedians make all of this look easy. Stephanie
Koziski Olson makes this point well:
Standup comedy performance is more than a performer’s ability to hold people’s

attention and generate laughs every thirty of forty seconds (which, in itself, is no
small task). In the hands of the most gifted and skillful comedians, the ability to
generate laughs while presenting thought-provoking material can touch a
profound and universal human chord in audience members.7
4
“If the experience at a public event does not enable members of the audience to learn from one
another, and if each member of society is increasingly isolated because he or she is getting most cultural
events at home, there are not opportunities for the audience members to improve their ability to appreciate
one another as well as the works present. This is why audiences are not getting better as audiences. This
lack of awareness about the audience has consequences for our society that are worrisome and could be
dangerous. There is a hunger for community, and if it is not encouraged to grow some demonic leader
could capitalize on the sense of anomie and alienation that isolation causes.”⁠ Edwin Schlossberg,
Interactive Excellence: Defining and Developing New Standards for the Twenty-first Century (New York:
The Ballantine Publishing Group, 1998), 18-19. Emphasis is in original.
5
Jason Deuman, “Humor as a Prophetic Device: How Does Humor Reveal Truth?” (Master’s
Thesis, Northwest University, 2011), 22-25.
6
For more information on the history and development of stand-up comedy, see: Betsy Borns,
Comic Lives: Inside the World of American Stand-up Comedy (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1987); Kliph
Nesteroff, The Comedians: Drunks, Thieves, Scoundrels and the History of American Comedy, first ed.
(New York: Grove Press, 2015); William Knoedelseder, I’m Dying up Here: Heartbreak and High Times
in Stand-up Comedy’s Golden Era (New York: PublicAffairs, 2006), and Stephanie Koziski Olson,
“Standup Comedy” in Humor in America: A Research Guide to Genres and Topics, ed. Lawrence E Mintz
(New York: Greenwood Press, 1988), 110-122.
7
Olson, “Standup Comedy,” 109.
5
How do comedians do this? They spend hours of work honing their craft, writing
material, and networking with comedy clubs and promoters. They do these things to
make sure that they can get stage time and build an audience. There are also
environmental factors in the performance spaces that help foster laughter. By
investigating these different factors, one can also develop what James K. A. Smith calls a
cultural liturgy.8 Cultural liturgies, similar to liturgies in the church, shape the way people
think and act. Smith’s claim
. . . is that liturgies—whether “sacred” or “secular”—shape and constitute our

identities by forming our most fundamental desires and our most basic attunement
to the world. In short, liturgies make us certain kinds of people, and what defines
us is what we love. They do this because we are the sorts of animals whose
orientation to the world is shaped from the body up more than from the head
down. Liturgies aim our loves to different ends precisely by training our hearts
through our bodies.9
Cultural liturgies attempt to paint a picture of the good life.10 This good life addresses the
object that people are worshiping in the cultural institution.
If churches desire to be places where people can connect with others, discover the
grace and mercy of Jesus, and find lasting joy for their lives, then intentional use of
comedy can go a long way toward making that happen. Too many churches and pastors
are just too serious about everything. The church should be serious about the mission that
we are called to carry out, but we should also be marked by the joy of Christ. What would
happen if our churches were known by our playfulness? Leonard Sweet, in The Well-
Played Life says, “To pull off serious, we need play—the playful power of not taking
8
See James K.A. Smith, Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation
(Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009).
9
Smith, Desiring the Kingdom, 25.
10
Ibid., 53.
6
ourselves too seriously. If true humor is laughing at ourselves, true humility is laughing
with others at ourselves.”11 This playfulness can work its way into our worship
gatherings, our connection events, and our conversations. It is not meaningless. Play can
have a purpose. Johan Huizinga opens his book Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-
Element in Culture by stating that “Play is older than culture.”12 Play is an invitation into
culture making. What is the culture that our play is developing?
Humanity and Culture Making
In the beginning of the Hebrew Scriptures we read this,
So God created mankind in his own image,

in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the
earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over
every living creature that moves on the ground.”13
In these verses, we read that the Creator God made humanity in his own image.
Humanity serves as an echo of God’s creative force and God gives his people the task of
cultivating the earth. The work of tending to God’s creation is where we get the notion of
the cultural mandate.14 As Andy Crouch points out in Culture Making: Recovering Our
11
Leonard Sweet, The Well-Played Life: Why Pleasing God Doesn’t Have to Be Such Hard Work
(Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale Momentum, 2014), 209. Emphasis in original.
12
Johan Huizinga, Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture (New York: Roy
Publishers, 1950,) 1.
13
Genesis 1:27–28.
14
Andy Crouch, Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 2008), 21.
7
Creative Calling, humanity is called to imitate the creativity of our Creator.15 Crouch tells
us that, “Culture is what we make of the world.”16
Christians have various responses when asked what culture is and how Christians
should respond to it. Perhaps the most influential work on this topic has been Niebuhr’s
Christ and Culture.17 Another influential work is from Abraham Kuyper: Lectures on
Calvinism.18 Both of these works ask important questions regarding Christians and the
culture at large. Should Christians be against culture, integrate into culture, or trust that
God is sovereign over all of culture?
What is becoming more and more clear is that Christians can no longer ignore
cultural voices or protest everything in culture that disagrees with the traditional Christian
worldview. It would be easy to disregard stand-up comedy as vulgar and unimportant, but
doing so would be detrimental for Christians who want to understand, and engage, the
larger cultural milieu. Crouch states that the best way to change culture is to make more
of it.19 As culture-makers and observers, Crouch encourages readers to ask five questions
that can help people diagnose culture:
1. What does this cultural artifact assume about the way the world is?
2. What does this cultural artifact assume about the way the world should be?
3. What does this cultural artifact make possible?
4. What does this cultural artifact make impossible (or at least very difficult)?
5. What new forms of culture are created in response to this artifact?20
15
Crouch, Culture Making, 108.
16
Ibid., 23
17
H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ & Culture (New York: HarperCollins, 2001).
18
Abraham Kuyper, Lectures on Calvinism (New York: Cosimo Classics, 2007).
19
Crouch, Culture Making, 67.
20
Ibid., 29-30.
8
These questions can help followers of Jesus thoughtfully participate in cultural
experiences. When these five questions are coupled with Smith’s idea of cultural
liturgies, Christians can ask another very important question: “What does this cultural
artifact lead us to worship?” Many cultural artifacts lead people to worshiping themselves
and fulfilling their own desires. Understanding the desires that are being glorified can
bring greater understanding to what these artifacts are communicating to people.
Cultural Liturgy: An Explanation
Smith’s fundamental argument in Desiring the Kingdom is that humans are prone
to worship. They worship the things that they love.21 Smith then examines three different
cultural institutions (the mall, the stadium and the academy) to determine what in
particular these environments are leading people to worship. These artifacts create a sense
of worship by creating a vision of the good life. Smith says, “A vision of the good life
captures our hearts and imaginations not by providing a set of rules or ideas, but by
painting a picture of what it looks like for us to flourish and live well.”22 These cultural
liturgies are influential because instead of trying to force people to hold to beliefs, they
build on humanity’s desires.23
As stated above comedy is one of the most popular cultural artifacts of the early
21st Century. Stand-up comedy is the subject of a growing field of research. The church
can benefit from this research. By examining stand-up comedy performances and asking
21
Smith, Desiring the Kingdom, 51.
22
Ibid., 53.
23
Ibid., 54.
9
what picture of the good life is being presented by comedians in these venues, we can
begin to see common attributes that help individuals create a picture of the good life.
What, then, is the good life that comedy clubs present? A life of freedom.24
By developing a cultural liturgy of the comedy club, followers of Jesus can better
understand cultural ideals that are being communicated through a stand-up comedian’s
performance. Also, by understanding how these cultural liturgies are established,
churches, as well as individual followers of Jesus, can develop another pathway to
address cultural concerns and work toward building connection and understanding
between people.
The development of modern stand-up comedy happened in tandem with the
growth of rock and roll music. Phillip Auslander argues that both the comedian and the
rock star come from the same background.25 The life of the rock star, as well as the stand-
up comedian, stands in as a surrogate for the audience.26 The comedian says the things
other people think, but don’t have the freedom to say. The comedian, though, has the
freedom to say them. The comedian displays the freedom to do things that most people in
the community wish they could do. All the while, the comedian is free at the end of the
performance to pack up and move to another town. Because the comedian serves as a
surrogate for the audience, they are able to build a connection with that audience. If a
24
John Morreall says this about the humorist’s sense of freedom in oppressive political regimes,
“The person with a sense of humor can never be fully dominated, even by a government which imprisons
him, for his ability to laugh at what is incongruous in the political situation will put him above it to some
extent, and will preserve a measure of freedom—if not of movement, at least of thought.” See, Taking
Humor Seriously (Albany, NY: State University of New York 1983), 101.
25
Philip Auslander, Presence and Resistance: Postmodernism and Cultural Politics in
Contemporary American Performance (Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press, 1992), 130-131.
26
Sophie Quirk, Why Stand-up Matters: How Comedians Manipulate and Influence (London:
Bloomsbury Methuen Drama, 2015), 139-141.
10
comedian is well-known, there will be people who are willing to travel great distances to
participate in their performance. This is another piece of the cultural liturgy of stand-up:
audience members contribute to the event. Audience members support the performer by
sharing in laughter. Sometimes, because some of the audience members are laughing,
other audience members might feel free to laugh as well.27 This shared laughter enhances
the performance of the comedian as well as the experience of the audience.
Cultural Liturgy of the Comedy Club
As stated above, the good life being presented in the comedy club could be a life
of freedom. This freedom feeds into the human desires for the independence to do and
say what they please. Sophie Quick points out that comedians have a sense of “comedic
license.”28 That is, comedians can do and say things that wouldn’t be culturally
acceptable in a different context.
This sense of freedom places the performers in a position where they serve as
avatars of freedom for the audience members. As will be expanded on below, the
comedian talks about things that most people do not feel safe talking about. They will
talk about behavior that people are not free to engage in during their regular lives. In
American culture, where freedom of speech is highly valued, stand-up comedians may be
one of the greatest advocates for that freedom.29 If whatever they were saying were to
somehow “cross the line,” they could always say they were only joking.
27
Schlossberg, Interactive Excellence, 16.
28
Quirk, Stand-Up Matters, 107.
29
See Lawrence Mintz’ comments in Olson, “Standup Comedy,” 110.
11
How does the comedy performance help foster this worship of freedom? There
are environmental factors as well as factors the performers affect.
Before the Show
Environment. A stand-up comedy performance doesn’t look complicated. Jay
Leno has said that all you really need are some chairs and a microphone.30 While in
theory these are simple requirements for a performance, there are many factors that go
into making a successful comedy experience. Stand-up can happen anywhere, but that
doesn’t mean that it is a good idea to host a stand-up show in any environment.31 One of
the challenges comedians face is that people will go to a comedy club even if they do not
know who is performing. They want to go see “comedy”, but they are unfamiliar with the
performers and their material. To help overcome this challenge the comedy club tries to
help create an environment that will lubricate the laughter. Decor in the lobby, room
design, stage placement, seating, and serving food and drinks all go into creating a space
where people are free to laugh.
Seattle has several prominent comedy clubs, as well as theaters that host comedy
performances. As part of my research for this project I visited several different
30
Knoedelseder, I’m Dying Up Here, 215.
31
Helpful articles noting the environmental factors that go into the comedy clubs include, Ian
Brodie, “Stand-up Comedy as a Genre of Intimacy,” Ethnologies 30, no. 2 (2008): 153,
http://www.doi.org/10.7202/019950ar; Kate Copstick, “Stand-up Comedy: Stadiums v. Comedy Clubs,”
Time Out London, January 2009, http://www.timeout.com/london/comedy/stand-up-comedy-stadiums-v-
comedy-clubs; Phil Emerson, “‘You had to be there . . .’: Place and the Production of Comedy Culture,”
2015; Sharon Lockyer, “Performance, Expectation, Interaction, and Intimacy: On the Opportunities and
Limitations of Arena Stand-up Comedy for Comedians and Audiences,” The Journal of Popular Culture
48, no. 3 (June 2015); Sophie Quirk, “Containing the Audience: The ‘Room’ in Stand-Up Comedy,”
Participations 8, no. 2 (November 2011).
12
performances during the 2016 Seattle International Comedy Competition (SICC).32 These
comedy showcases were in a variety of spaces, some dedicated to comedy performances,
others were converted for multiple kinds of performances. The comparison between the
decor in dedicated comedy clubs and the converted spaces and theaters is stark. In
comedy clubs, the lobbies featured posters of past performers and bright colors. At the
Comedy Underground, for instance, one of the first things someone sees is a mural of
Groucho Marx saying, “Watch your step!” This is great because Groucho is one of
modern comedy’s founding fathers. This sign is also important because The Comedy
Underground is literally underground, and patrons descend stairs right away. Once
patrons are in the performance space at the Underground, the decorations become much
sparser. There is a brick wall with a mural that says “Comedy Underground” with a train
going through a tunnel for the backdrop. At Laughs Seattle, a dedicated comedy venue,
the background of the performance space is a painted brick wall, which is fairly typical of
many other comedy venues. Performing in front of a brick wall helps reduce distractions.
In a converted space like a bar, it is obvious that comedy is not the most important thing
happening. Bars that host comedy will often have TVs throughout the room. While the
TVs will be turned off during the performance, it communicates that this room has many
purposes. In theaters, the lobby may have posters for upcoming performances as well as
pieces of art. When entering the performance space, the platform is big with a single
spotlight on the stage. The backdrop could be a set piece, as was the case for SICC
32
That’s right, I was able to go to comedy shows as research. Peter Greyy, “Seattle International
Comedy Competition,” November 11, 2016, http://seattlecomedycompetition.org.
13
performances at the Edmonds Center for the Arts, or a simple curtain, which was more
ideal.
The size of the room also plays a factor. Sophie Quirk, in her study of the UK
comedy scene, states, “Stand-up gigs come in all shapes and sizes, from small, struggling
clubs above pubs to the O2 Arena, a London venue which can accommodate audiences of
up to 16,000 for its stand-up shows. . . . As venues get larger, the dynamic of interaction
changes.”33 The variety of rooms and size of the room observed during the SICC didn’t
exceed a 600-member audience, but the size of the room definitely played a factor for the
performers and the audience. The idea that a good comedian should be able to adjust their
performance to the size of the room may be true, but, as Quirk argues, a successful show
should try to remove as many barriers as possible for the comedian’s success.34
During the SICC, the spaces that were specifically dedicated to comedy were
smaller and the ceilings lower. This is helpful because the sound of laughter can more
easily fill this small space. In the big theaters, the sounds of laughter could be lost.
Containing the laughter with a smaller space is helpful for the performers as well as the
audience. “To produce laughter, an audience needs not only energy but also confidence.
To laugh is pleasant but can also be risky; to be caught laughing heartily when other
audience members are silent could be embarrassing.”35 If the comedy club creates a space
where the audience is celebrating freedom, the freedom to laugh with each other and
33
Quirk, “Containing the Audience,” 220.
34
Ibid., 224.
35
Ibid., 228.
14
without fear or shame is important.36 The small room with low ceilings definitely helps to
create that freedom.
In the dedicated comedy clubs and theaters, the stage was obviously intended to
be the center of attention. All the seats were oriented in such a way that seeing the stage
would be easy. In the converted spaces, the stage was elevated in a way that it could be
seen but many seats were far away from the stage or off to the side in what may have
originally been an auxiliary dining space. Intentionally focusing the audience on the
performance space helps the crowd engage with the performers.
For the dedicated clubs as well as the converted spaces, stage size was
comparable. In the theaters, the stages were very big, and few comedians in the SICC
found any real use for the larger space. They generally stayed close to the center, this
made the performer seem small and sometimes ineffective.
Seating. When Sophie Quirk asked comedian Dan Atkinson about factors in the
room, he said this.
Low ceilings, hard surfaces, rowed seating—if you’re having tables, very, very
small tables—very dark, lights only facing the stage. Low stage, so that people
feel close to the comic and they know that it’s not a theatre performance and that
there’s going to be interaction. And, basically, what all that does—what you’re
aiming for—is that you have the audience as one homogenised group . . . You
want them all to forget that they are in a group or single, you want them all to be
believing they’re one lump, enjoying it all together. Which is quite a nice thing,
when that does happen.37
A factor that helps to create this homogenized group is seating. The small room, with
small tables, the majority of which are pointed toward the stage, helps to create a sense of
36
37
Quirk, “Containing the Audience,” 228-229.
15
oneness among the audience members. Steve Martin, in his autobiography Born Standing
Up, says in reference to a particular venue:
When I was performing, I could touch the ceiling with my hand, and I had to be
careful when jumping onstage not to knock myself out. I was selling tickets with
the usual requirement of hit records. The audience was there by word of mouth
only, so everything they saw me do was new. The room seated about two hundred
and fifty, and the shows were oversold, riotous and packed tight, which verified a
growing belief of mine about comedy: the more physically uncomfortable the
audience, the bigger the laughs.38
Martin realized that comedy does not depend on great amenities and comfort.
What is more valuable is closeness between audience and performer, and between
audience members.
Food and Drink. Comedy originated as part of community feasts.39 It would
make sense, then, for comedy clubs to create an atmosphere of celebration with food and
drink. The food at comedy clubs is nothing special, and the drinks are pretty standard,
too. The real trick from the comedy clubs is that they are often able to enforce a two-item
minimum. Everyone has to order something, and the food items are marked up. As stand-
up comedy clubs were developing, the wait staff could be making more money than the
comedians.40 Comedy clubs and bars build this concept into the design of the room so
that it is not difficult for them to execute serving as well as settling tabs. Being able to
serve food and drinks creates an atmosphere that is reminiscent of sitting with friends and
telling stories over a meal. Theaters are not able to serve food during the performance, so
38
Steve Martin, Born Standing up: A Comic’s Life (London: Simon & Schuster, 2008), 106, Nook
Ebook edition.
39
Joseph Webb, Comedy and Preaching (St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 1998), x.
40
This reality led to the 1979 Comedy Strike at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles. For the full
history see Knoedelseder, I’m Dying up Here, 135 ff.
16
they have concessions: snacks, beer, wine, and/or coffee available before the performance
as well as during the intermission.
So far, we have only discussed things that would appear to be secondary to the
point of a comedy performance. However, all of these factors play a major role in setting
up a successful comedy show. Most of the audience would probably not even think that
these things are in place to help facilitate their laughter, but that is what makes these
different factors so important. They are only noticed in their absence. If the audience is
primed by these environmental factors, the comedy show will probably be more
successful.
During the Show
What are the important elements of the event during the show? There are two
crucial roles: the host and the featured performers.
Hosts. The comedy show begins when the host takes the stage. The host’s
primary tasks are to set the tone for the evening, introduce performers, and entertain the
audience between performers. The host does this by performing some original material
between sets. If one of the comedians doesn’t do well, then the host needs to be able to
pick up the crowd’s energy. During the SICC, the hosts had a very difficult job because
they needed to be sure to introduce each performer in a way that did not promote a
comedian over any other comedian, while also keeping the audience engaged. This role
looks easy, but it can be quite stressful; the host has to be constantly attentive to what is
17
happening in the room.41 As Rutter notes, “[Hosts] provide continuity between acts who
often have varying reputations, divergent styles and/or different performance skills;
perform routines between acts using their own material; pass comment on the performers;
share details of the evening’s itinerary.”42 The host helps build a sense of common
ground for the whole evening.43 If the audience feels unified, this helps the featured
comedians to build on that energy.
Featured Comedians. According to Mintz, stand-up comedy can be defined as
“an encounter between a single, standing performer who behaves comically and says
humorous things to an audience without much use of costume, props or setting.”44
Because stand-up is usually a solitary performance, it can create a powerful sense of
intimacy between the performer and the audience.45 The illusion of intimacy may come
from three factors.
First, comedians often talk about very personal matters like sexuality and the fears
that keep them up at night. A stand-up comedian invites the audience into their lives. This
level of honesty can be disarming, but it can also create personal discomfort for people
who are not ready for that level of intimacy. The most successful comedians find a way to
walk that line.
41
In the U.S., this role is called the host; in the U.K. comedy scene, this person is referred to as a
compère.
42
Jason Rutter, “The Stand-up Introduction Sequence: Comparing Comedy Compères,” Journal of
Pragmatics 32 (2000): 464.
43
Ian Brodie, “Stand-up Comedy as a Genre of Intimacy,” Ethnologies 30, no. 2 (2008): 153,
http://www.doi.org/10.7202/019950ar.173
44
Olson, “Standup Comedy.” See also Lawrence E. Mintz, “Standup Comedy as Social and
Cultural Mediation,” American Quarterly 37, no. 1 (Spring 1985): 71.
45
Miriam Chirico, “Performed Authenticity: Narrating the Self in the Comic Monologues of
David Sedaris, John Leguizamo, and Spalding Gray,” Studies in American Humor 2, no. 1 (2016): 23.
18
The second factor is technology. A sound system and spotlight are perhaps the
most important pieces of technology in the comedy club.46 The microphone enables the
comic to speak at a conversational level while still being heard by the entire audience.47
Comedians can manage their own volume by moving the microphone away from their
face. Ian Brodie explains that “The microphone helps to create the illusion of a small
group discussion irrespective of the group’s actual size.”48
The third means of fostering intimacy comes by creating proximity to the stage as
well as between fellow audience members. As part of the SICC, there was an obvious
difference in caliber of performance in the comedy clubs and converted comedy spaces of
bars when compared to the theater performances. At the clubs and bars, even the seats
farthest from the stage were close enough to see the nuances in a performer’s facial tics.
In the theaters, it was harder to pick up on those. The clubs and bars also seated their
guests around small tables. In this configuration, the audience could see other people’s
faces. In the theaters, everyone was directed to look at the stage. When audience
members are able to see one another’s faces, their responses to the comedians’
performances were also a response to the crowd dynamics.
The crowd became part of the show in the clubs and bars. Not only were audience
members invited into the performers’ lives, they were also brought into the performance
itself. This interactivity fosters intimacy and helps the performer know if they are doing a
good job. In stand-up comedy, every performance is a job review. The comedian’s
46
Auslander, Presence and Resistance, 128.
47
Brodie, “Stand-up Comedy as a Genre of Intimacy,” 161.
48
Ibid., 161.
19
attentiveness to the room and the audience builds a sense of intimacy as well as a feeling
of spontaneity.
This interactivity is also built up when the performer seems to be talking off the
top of their head. During the SICC, the performers started by using their best five minutes
of material. Five minutes might not seem like much, but it represents hours and hours of
work, looking for just the right rhythm, just the right words, testing the material in front
of audiences, and practicing over and over again.49 When a comedian is performing their
best five minutes, the audience does not want to feel like this performance is an over-
rehearsed monologue; they want to believe this is a spontaneous conversation. Most of
the audience members would only see a comedian one time throughout the whole
competition. At every performance, the comedian needed to bring their best, seemingly
most spontaneous, performance to the show.
If it felt like a comedian was just working through their rehearsed material, the
audience would respond with less laughter. For the performers who were able to bring a
sense of spontaneity to their best material, the audience would engage and respond with
great laughter.
In comedy clubs, there is the ever-present threat of hecklers. Hecklers are part of
the intimacy and the interactivity of the show. Often, hecklers believe that they are
helping the show.50 In fact, the presence of hecklers for a strong stand-up comedian can
49
See Comedian, directed by Christian Charles (Miramax, 2002), DVD, Miramax (2003). Jerry
Seinfeld retired all of his material and had to rebuild it. Even the most well-respected comedians, the
comedians who make it look effortless, put a lot of work into every line of every joke.
50
They also may just be drunk.
20
actually help build the sense of spontaneity, as they show the foolishness of the heckler.51
The comedian’s ability to respond to unknown variables reveals their quick wit, and
control of the situation.
If comedians are avatars of freedom, they communicate their message through
their material. Their material is part of the ongoing celebration of freedom throughout the
comedy event and it brings the audience closer to one another. The audience and the
comedian are working together.52 They are discussing cultural issues, personal fears, their
desires. The comedian is able to confront the audience with the audience’s own absurdity
and get them to laugh at themselves. However, they often do this by being the butt of
their own jokes. The comedian is free to be honest in a way that most of the people in the
audience are unable to in their normal lives.
If the life of freedom is the good life being presented, the comedian serves as the
priest of this ceremony and they make the necessary sacrifices as intermediaries for the
audience. The comedian lays their own shame and insecurity on the altar and the offering
that is made is laughter. The comedian learns over time how to construct their set so that
the laughter builds and builds. When the audience’s laughter is at its highest point, they
wrap up their set with and leave the stage.
51
Quirk, Why Stand-up Matters, 144. See also, Douglas Adams, Humor in the American Pulpit
from George Whitfield Through Henry Ward Beecher, 3rd rev. ed. (Austin, TX: The Sharing Company,
1981).
52
Auslander, Presence and Resistance, 128.
21
After the Show
Now What? When the host comes back on stage and concludes the evening, the
audience is left to sort out what they heard on their own. Comedians do not share a
cultural mandate; they are not a political organization. If audience members are left
thinking about a particular bit or segment of the comedian’s set, then that could be
success. Comedians actually do not challenge people to change. Audience members are
free to come to the show, free to laugh at things that may seem taboo, and free to go back
to their normal lives. If the comedian is going to try to bring social change, they know
that they are not going to do this overnight, but they might be able to bring subtle shifts in
the way people think about important topics.53 One of the questions that might help
people to process their comedy experience is, “Why were we laughing?”
Humor Theories: Superiority, Incongruity, and Relief
There are three primary humor theories. While these will be explored in further
detail in the fourth chapter, they are introduced here because it may serve to be helpful in
our conversation regarding the humor in the Bible in chapter two and the church’s
interaction with comedy in chapter three. These humor theories are superiority,
incongruity, and relief.
Superiority theory states that people laugh when they see the foolishness,
weakness, or otherness of others as a reason to belittle or demean someone or some
53
Quirk, Why Stand-up Matters, 178.
22
object. Hobbes suggests that laughter comes from the moment of “sudden glory” when an
individual realizes they are better than the person they are laughing at.54
Incongruity theory argues that people laugh because expectations and reality do
not match.55 When a big, strong man has a high-pitched voice, that mismatch might make
someone chuckle.56 This is often the kind of humor presented in comic strips like The Far
Side.57 John Morreall says, “. . . comedy concentrates on the incongruities in human
beings, especially their shortcomings. From its earliest days it has highlighted human
ugliness, ignorance, folly, and vice and its stock characters have been the hunchback, the
fool, the windbag, the drunkard, the impostor, the hypocrite, and so forth.”58
The relief theory was made famous by Sigmund Freud, who argued that we find
humor when we experience emotional and/or mental tension and then something happens
to relieve that tension.59
None of these theories express all of the elements that make people laugh, and
there are many who have promoted different, modern theories, some of which will be
54
John Morreall, “Philosophy and Religion.” In Primer of Humor Research, 1st ed., ed. Victor
Raskin (Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 2006), 220.
55
This incongruity, or mismatch of expectations, is also present in many of the semiotic theories
of humor presented in Salvatore Attardo, “Linguistic Theories of Humor,” Humor Research, vol. 1, ed.
Victor Raskin and Mahadeve Apte (Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 1994), 174-194.
56
For example, Mike Tyson.
57
One of the greatest examples of this kind of humor is in the Midvale School for the Gifted Panel
in Far Side. See Gary Larson, The Complete Far Side, vol. 2, July 1984 to June 1988 (Kansas City, MO:
McNeel Publishing, 2015), 234.
58
John Morreall, Comedy, Tragedy, and Religion (Albany, NY: State University of New York
Press, 1999), 14.
59
Sigmund Freud, The Joke and Its Relation to the Unconscious, trans. Joyce Crick (London:
Penguin Books, 2003).
23
explored later. These theories are not definitive explanations for all humor, but they can
serve to help us understand why we may laugh in different situations.
Preaching and Comedy
This project is intended to be a resource to pastors in local churches. One of the
primary roles they perform is as the lead communicators, or preachers, for their
community. Every time the pastor stands up to preach, they have an opportunity to
engage with people who know them well as well as strangers and guests in their
community. This paper is not going to argue that preachers should become stand-up
comedians. However, preachers can benefit from intentionally engaging the audience by
using comedic devices, having a comic perspective, and inviting the congregation into the
playful joy that comes from faith and freedom in Jesus. The Sunday sermon is an
opportunity to help lift people’s eyes off of their stressful situations and their worries, and
to find hope in Jesus. John Morreall says, “Because humor blocks negative emotions and
keeps people mentally flexible in stressful situations, we look for humor in our leaders.
We want people who will see things in perspective and not be overcome by anger and
depression, and other emotions.”60 If the good life presented in the comedy club is a life
of freedom, then the church has a responsibility to show the benefits of spiritually healthy
mutuality and connectedness. The freedom that we have in Christ is not freedom from
other believers. Followers of Jesus find freedom from sin, which leads to healing of
relationships.
60
Morreall, Humor Works, 102.
24
Dissertation Overview
The goal of this project is to give church leaders better understanding of humor so
that they can employ comedy to help foster community in their congregation, as well as
in the larger community in which they find themselves. Each chapter is intended to help
build a greater understanding of comedy and humor.
Chapter two is a survey of comedy and humor in the Bible. Humorous elements
are present throughout both the Old and New Testaments; the challenge for modern
readers is learning how to mine these humorous elements as we read the text,
communicate why different passages may be considered comedy, and note how that
comedy might be translated for modern audiences. How we read the Bible also influences
if we will find comedy in its pages at all. As the pastor of a local church, I preached a
short series on comedy in the Bible. Manuscripts of these messages will be included as an
appendix at the end of this paper.61
Throughout history, the church has had seasons where comedy was embraced as
well as seasons where comedy was condemned. Chapter three will paint a picture of the
church’s historical interaction with comedy. This chapter will discuss the early church
fathers, the medieval period, and more modern interactions with comedy. Church history
has many examples of embracing play in the form of festivals. These festivals may help
to show how church leaders might be able to embrace modern comedy.
America is becoming more and more diverse. If church leaders are going to
connect with our changing neighborhoods, it will be helpful to be able to understand how
61
Audio and video for these sermons are also available. Jason Deuman, “Plot Twist,” Creekside
Church (Podcast), last modified April 22, 2018, https://subsplash.com/Creekside/sermons/ms/+7zkfj2p.
25
different cultures engage with comedy. Chapter four will examine different comedy
theories and the sociological effects of humor. This chapter will also consider
multiculturalism: how people joke with insiders, how people adjust behavior when joking
with outsiders, and how joking can be used to build bridges between cultures.
Chapter five will examine some of the different ways people are building
community through comedy. This chapter will look at how comedy is used to bring
people together through mass media and comedy performances. The advent of podcasts
and social media have made it possible for people to share their humor to a wide
audience.62 The rising popularity of storytelling events is also an interesting opportunity
for churches leaders. Comedy is an invitation to play, so how can church leaders invite
their parishioners to build community through play? Can churches engage with these
practices? Can these tools be shared by parishioners to help unchurched people be
introduced to the personality of the local church? What role does play serve in building
community and how can the church be more intentional about creating play spaces for
adults?
Chapter six will conclude by offering some suggestions for where church leaders
can implement comedy into their church community. The serious work of the church is
lightened when followers of Jesus are invited to develop a comic perspective. As Hyers
says, “The comic sense is an important part of what it means to be human and humane.
Without it we return to brutishness, and the Philistines are upon us.”63 Capps is right
when he says that “religion itself is impoverished when it fails to manifest its own
62
63
Conrad Hyers, The Comic Vision and the Christian Faith: A Celebration of Life and Laughter
(New York: The Pilgrim Press, 1981), 11.
26
historical association with humor . . . religion loses something when it fails to include
humor in its inventory of the ties that bind our hearts in Christian love and maintain the
fellowship of kindred minds.”64
64
Capps, A Time to Laugh, 5.
27
CHAPTER 2:
HUMOR IN THE BIBLE
Is There Humor in the Bible?
Even if a reader does not hold the Bible to be divinely inspired, they can still
recognize the artistry of the books of the Bible. As an ancient collection of books,
comprised of historical accounts, law codes, poetry, prophetic oracles, and letters of
correction and encouragement, the Bible employs many different genres and
communicates through various styles and tones. Modern readers, and perhaps many
American Evangelicals, can miss some of the artistry of scripture when they assume only
a serious posture while reading the Bible. Because seeing humor in a sacred text may be
uncomfortable, some may choose to ignore it altogether.1 This can lead the reader to miss
the wealth of humor that is present in the Bible.2 Marion Shutter challenges this, saying,
“It is a mistake to suppose that humor is incompatible with seriousness, earnestness and
solemnity.”3 Shutter goes on to reveal evidence of good humor in the Hebrews
Scriptures, noting:
“He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.” “A merry heart maketh a
cheerful countenance.” “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” “Go thy way;
eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart.” “The voice of
mirth,” “the voice of gladness” are phrases of frequent occurrence. The ancient
Hebrews believed that there was a “time to laugh” as well as a “time to weep.”
Grave and serious as they were, there must have been in them, after all, something
1
Howard P. Macy, Discovering Humor in the Bible: An Explorer’s Guide (Eugene, OR: Cascade
Books, 2016), 6, Kindle.
2
Shopoff, “Sacred Comedy,” 1.
3
Marion D. Shutter, Wit and Humor of the Bible: A Literary Study (Boston: Arena Publishing
Company, 1893), chap. 1, Kindle.
28
sunny and pleasant. They did not find the heavens forever black and the earth
forever cheerless.4
Fortunately, research interest in humor in the Bible has been growing. This
research will help contemporary readers better understand the presence and power of
humor in the Bible.5
As will be explained further in later chapters, humor is present in every human
culture.6 It would make sense, then, that the ancient Hebrew culture, from which the
Bible was written, would have a unique sense of humor.7 It would also follow, if the
Bible is a divinely inspired, human-authored book, that different elements of the original
culture would be present in the text. Most western comedic categories were developed in
cultures other than that of the ancient Hebrews, but that does not mean these writers were
ignorant of what was considered humorous. Acknowledging the presence of humor and
comedy in the Bible does not diminish the value of the text. Howard Macy is right when
describing the hesitance to acknowledge humor’s presence in the Bible, noting that in
modern cultures “. . . people often use humor to belittle or to poke fun, and Bible readers
sure don’t want to ridicule or discredit Scripture. Frankly, because so much of
4
Shutter, Wit and Humor of the Bible, chap. 2.
5
My master’s thesis examined humor as a prophetic, or truth-telling, device. This chapter builds
on some of my earlier research. My thesis was completed in 2011 and in the past seven years I have been
exposed to more research. Deuman, “Humor as a Truth Telling Device.”
6
Berger, Redeeming Laughter, 5, 39.
7
Modern humor theories were not fleshed out for the writers of the Bible. Analyzing the Bible
through the lens of humor theory presents its own challenges: we don’t want to place meaning in the text
that the writer did not intend. Recognizing the potential for the use of comedic devices is not a diminishing
of the text, but an acknowledgement that it is part of a larger human culture that embraces humor.
29
contemporary humor relies on insults and the rude and crude, it’s no surprise that some
folks are jumpy about associated humor with the Bible.”8
By recognizing humor and comedy in the Bible, the goal is not to mock the text.9
Hyers suggests that the humor in the Bible “pokes fun at human pride and pretension,
selfishness and greed, and the myriad other sins to which flesh and spirit are heir.”10 In
seeing the humor the writers have employed, modern readers can increase their joy by
meditating on the words of Scripture. For pastors who want to employ comedy as a tool
to help build bridges for healthy community, it is important to see that humor and comedy
are present in our founding texts.
This study is not the first to provide an understanding of humor in the Bible.
Conrad Hyers, Earl Palmer, Mark Biddle, Elton Trueblood, Don Via, Gene Arbuckle,
Northrup Frye, Howard Macy, Donald Capps, and Douglas Adams11 are just a handful of
the writers who have provided helpful resources for the church to engage with the humor
present in the Bible.
In an effort to narrow the scope of this chapter, we will first discuss why finding
humor in the Bible is difficult. Second, this chapter will highlight some of comic tools
employed in the Bible and provide specific examples of these devices. Finally, we will
examine comedic devices in one of Jesus’ most well-known teaching sections: the
Sermon on the Mount, in the gospel of Matthew. Because the focus of this project is how
8
Macy, Discovering Humor in the Bible, 3.
9
Hyers, And God Created Laughter, 6.
10
Ibid.
11
Not the author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
30
comedy can be a community-building tool, we will look specifically at how Jesus’ use of
comedic devices was helpful in drawing people to his ministry.
Why Is It Difficult to Find Humor in the Bible?
People do not miss the humor in the Bible because they do not or are unable to
appreciate humor. More often than not, humor is missed because readers have not been
trained to look for it.12 For centuries, the Bible has been revered by Jews and Christians
alike. It is precisely due to the fact that the Bible is greatly respected that it becomes more
difficult to view the Bible from a comic perspective. Charles Baudelaire says, “Holy
Books never laugh, to whatever nations they belong.”13 In the following chapter, we will
see the early church fathers and their aversion to humor because, has been noted, the
Bible never depicts Jesus laughing.14 When scripture writers do portray God as laughing
from heaven, it is the laughter of scorn and derision at those who are against him.15
Another road block that may cause Bible readers to miss the humor in Scripture is
that they are too familiar with the text.16 As noted in incongruity theory, someone might
laugh at a story or joke because of the element of surprise. For many readers of the Bible,
12
13
Charles Baudelair, “On the Essence of Laughter, and, in General, On the Comic in the Plastic
Arts,” in Comedy: Meaning and Form, ed. Robert W Corrigan (San Francisco: Chandler Publishing Co.,
1965), 455.
14
Baudelair, “On the Essence of Laughter,” 450.
15
For example, Psalm 2:4, “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.” Psalm
2:4 (NIV). Morreall, Comedy, Tragedy, and Religion, 46.
16
Macy, Discovering Humor in the Bible, 7. See also, Willie van Heerden, “Why the Humour in
the Bible Plays Hide and Seek with Us,” 78. See also, Elton Trueblood, The Humor of Christ (New York:
Harper & Row, Publishers, 1964), 18.
31
their familiarity with the text has removed the element of surprise.17 Reading scripture
with a comic perspective will help modern students of the Bible encounter the text in a
new and powerful way. Macy encourages Bible readers to imagine the characters
smiling.18 He gives the example of Jesus’ interaction with the Syrophoenician woman in
Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:24-30. When this woman came to Jesus asking for a
healing miracle for her child, Jesus responds, “It is not right to give the children’s food to
the dogs.” At first read, this sounds like Jesus lacks compassion. If we imagine him
smiling then that helps recognize that the woman’s response, “Even the dogs get the
crumbs from the table,” could also be playful banter. It is after her witty comeback that
Jesus agrees to heal the child.19 Trueblood says, “One of the best evidences of Christ’s
wit is the way in which He responded to the wit of another.”20 If we pay attention to
Jesus’ responses and look for the possible smile, the tone of the interaction changes.
After Christ’s resurrection, his encounters with Mary and the disciples could be
read as dour and serious. But if readers imagine that Jesus is smiling, then maybe Jesus is
being playful with Mary when she doesn’t recognize him, or with the disciples on the
road to Emmaus as he is asking questions about himself, or with the disciples in the
locked room when he miraculously appears in front of them.21 If we imagine people in
17
van Heerden, “Why the Humour in the Bible Plays Hide and Seek with Us,” 78.
18
Macy, Discovering Humor, 20. See also, Max Harris, Theater and Incarnation (Grand Rapids,
MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2005), 103-104.
19
“The clue to Christ’s spirit in the entire encounter is His immediate affirmative and friendly
response to the woman’s wit.” See remarks in Trueblood, Humor of Christ, 121-125. See also, Shutter, Wit
and Humor of the Bible, chap. 6.
20
Trueblood, Humor of Christ, 124.
21
Harris, Theater and Incarnation, 103-104.
32
the Bible could be smiling, then they could be making serious statements in a playful or
humorous way. If we are too familiar with the text, we may not be able to slow down
enough to find the smiles.
A third reason people may miss the humor in the Bible is because they may be
unfamiliar with the context. If readers are unfamiliar with a story’s cultural background
and the overarching narrative of the Bible, then they may miss important clues for when
writers may be using hyperbole, wordplay, or irony.22 Finding humor in the Bible requires
eyes to see and ears to hear, but once it is discovered, the humor provides a new depth to
reading scripture. Radday says, “humour which is concealed and difficult to notice at first
blush is all the more powerful, memorable and enjoyable once it is uncovered.”23
A fourth reason that people may miss the humor in the Bible is because they view
God and his word as entirely serious.24 When considering the weight of Jesus’ mission
and his crucifixion, it is understandable why people might not be able to see humor in the
Bible.25 While the crucifixion is not humorous, that does not mean the gospels are
entirely humorless. Something that needs to be kept in mind, even in comedy, is that there
are moments of seriousness. Tragedy serves as a powerful contrast to comedy.26 The key,
as we shall see below, is the trajectory of the story. The resurrection of Jesus takes a
tragedy and transforms it into a triumph. Humor in the Bible does not have to be ignored
22
van Heerden, “Why the Humour in the Bible Plays Hide and Seek with Us,” 78.
23
Yehuda T. Radday, “On Missing the Humour In the Bible: An Introduction,” in On Humour and
the Comic in the Hebrew Bible, eds. Yehuda T Radday and Athalya Brenner (Sheffield, UK: The Almond
Press, 1990), 33.
24
Capps, “Religion and Humor: Strange Bedfellows,” 425.
25
Trueblood, The Humor of Christ, 19.
26
Whedbee, The Bible and the Comic Vision, 4.
33
simply because the Bible depicts God as serious and righteous.27 The creation account in
Genesis 1 says that God made humans in his image. Calvin Linton says, “When He
created mankind in his own image, God imparted that mysterious capability called ‘a
sense of humor.’”28
What to Look for to Find Humor in the Bible
Pay Attention to the Plot
There are two prominent plotlines in classical literature: tragedy and comedy.29
Understanding these plot lines provides a helpful approach to reading scripture.
Something to note is that just because something follows the comic plotline does not
mean that the story is full of laughs. The presence or absence of jokes does not determine
the plotline of the story.
In a tragedy, the story begins by depicting the protagonist living a happy, pleasant
life. At some point, conflict is introduced into the story and the protagonist’s world
begins to fall apart.30 Often in tragic stories, the protagonist’s decline is marked by their
rigidity and refusal to change. Tragedies continue to decline into despair and they usually
27
Calvin D. Linton, “Humor in the Bible,” in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia,
Volume Two: E-J, ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Grand Rapids, MI: William B Eerdmans Publishing
Company, 1982), 778.
28
Linton, “Humor in the Bible,” 778.
29
Northrup Frye, The Great Code: The Bible and Literature (Toronto: Academic Press Canada,
1982), 73. See also, Fredrick Buechner, Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale
(San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1977).
30
J. Cheryl Exum and J. William Whedbee, “Isaac, Samson, and Saul: Reflections on the Comic
and Tragic Visions,” Semeia 32 (1984): 8.
34
end with the hero’s death or the loss of everything they hold dear. Perhaps the most well-
known example of a tragic plotline is Romeo and Juliet.
Figure 1: Tragic Plotline
When reading the Bible, it can be easy to focus on the many tragic events that
happen throughout the narrative. God’s plan of redemption is revealed in the midst of
tragedy, but even the most tragic events are not the end of the story that God is telling.
Fredrick Buechner says, “The Gospel is bad news before it is good news.”31 Readers of
scripture are confronted with stories that reveal humanity’s brokenness and their need for
a savior. No mere human can be the savior for all of humanity, and that’s where the story
takes a wonderful turn.
31
Fredrick Buechner, Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale, 7.
35
In a comedic plot line, the protagonist starts in an ideal state. Life is good. When
tension, is introduced the protagonist begins their descent, similar to a tragedy.32
However, instead of falling into despair, there is a moment of transformation. It could be
divine intervention or a moment of self-realization. This moment of transformation sets
the protagonist on a journey of restoration, and their story may even end better than
where they were introduced. Often, classical comedies end with a wedding. Frye has
described this as a U-shaped plotline.33
Figure 2: Comic Plotline
Understanding these different plotlines can enhance our reading of scripture.34 It
seems, as we read the stories in the Old Testament, there is so much hardship caused by
32
Exum and Whedbee, “Isaac, Samson, and Saul,” 8.
33
Frye, The Great Code, 169-198. Whedbee, The Bible and the Comic Vision, 6.
34
36
the rebellion of the people of Israel that it would make sense to say that this is a tragic
story. The narrative of scripture begins in Eden, with God, Adam the first man, and Eve
the first woman. Rather quickly, the narrative takes a downward turn as the man and
woman, tempted by the serpent, eat from the forbidden tree, and thus introduce sin and
death into the world. But when the scriptures introduce the incarnation of Jesus and his
redemptive work on the cross, the plotline of the epic Bible story is transformed from
tragedy to comedy.35
The tragic and the comic work hand in hand when reading the story of the Bible.
For Whedbee, the presence of tragedy in the text of the Hebrew Bible gives its comic
elements their vitality.36 Whedbee says, “comedy cannot be felt in its full force apart from
tragedy, nor can comedy be delineated and fully appreciated without tragedy. So it is in
general, and so it is, I contend, in the concrete forms of the biblical heritage.”37 Douglas
Adams agrees that looking at the whole story of the Bible brings the comedic elements
into the light more clearly. Adams says, “By reading the whole story, we see the rough
edges and the humor. In worship and education, the arts allow us to present the whole
story and so help people see the humor.”38 When evaluating a passage of scripture,
understanding its placement in the narrative—its context—is probably the most important
element when determining if a passages is meant to have a humorous bent.39 When we
35
36
Whedbee, The Bible and the Comic Vision, 4.
37
Ibid.
38
Adams, The Prostitute in the Family Tree, 7.
39
“By missing the humor in a biblical text taken out of context, we do more than miss the
laughter; for by viewing a verse of scripture as solemn when it is meant to be humorous, we often get
the opposite message than that intended.”⁠ Ibid.
37
read the Bible, we have to learn to hold tragedy and comedy in tension and recognize that
all the stories are ultimately, because of Jesus redemptive work, on a trajectory of
restoration for all of God’s people. Paying attention to the plotline will help readers to
also learn to pay attention to comedic tropes.
Pay Attention to Humorous Devices
There are many comedic tropes present in the Bible. Below is a survey of how
these different tropes are employed throughout the Bible. Rod Martin, in The Psychology
of Humor: An Integrative Approach, provides eleven categories of humor.40 This section
will focus on several of those, using Martin’s definitions. Martin’s list does not include
hyperbole and caricature, but those are also comic tropes in the Bible and will be
discussed. The intention of this section is not to provide a comprehensive list of all
humorous elements in the Bible. This is simply a survey and comedic tropes less relevant
to the Bible will not be discussed.41
Irony. Martin defines irony as “a statement in which the literal meaning is
opposite to the intended meaning.”42 Arbuckle puts it this way: “Irony is to say one thing
and mean another, commonly the opposite.”43 An example of an ironic comment could be
40
Martin’s list of comic devices includes irony, satire, sarcasm, overstatement and understatement,
self-deprecation, teasing, replies to rhetorical questions, clever replies to serious statements, double
entendres, transformations of frozen expressions, and puns. Rod A Martin, The Psychology of Humor: An
Integrative Approach, 1st ed. (Burlington, MA: Elsevier Academic Press, 2007), 13.
41
Puns are a chief example. Puns are in the Bible and they are evidence to us that the dad joke is a
biblical practice.
42
Martin, The Psychology of Humor, 13.
43
Gerald A. Arbuckle, Laughing with God: Humor, Culture, and Transformation (Collegeville,
MN: Liturgical Press, 2008), 8.
38
when someone is in a job they dislike, but their Monday-morning response to “How are
you doing?” is “Living the dream!”44
Paul, living in light of Jesus’ resurrection, used ironic statements in his correction
of the church in Corinth.45 In 1 Corinthians 4:8-14, Paul is using the Corinthians’ own
claims of spiritual greatness and riches to reveal that they still have so far to go.
Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun
to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so
that we also might reign with you! For it seems to me that God has put us apostles
on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena.
We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to
human beings. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are
weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour
we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are
persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have
become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this
moment.46
Paul is using irony to present a powerful contrast between the believers in Corinth
and the lives of the Apostles. They are claiming to have great wisdom, but Paul is trying
to show them their foolishness. “The behavior that led to their self-deception needed to
be confronted with the opposite behavior found in the chosen representatives of Christ in
the world. Only if they recognized the discrepancy could there be hope for repentance
and change.”47 Paul’s use of irony is intended to wake the Corinthians up to their self-
deception, to help them see that their over-realized eschatology of ruling and reigning did
44
Understanding of irony was set back decades by Alanis Morissette’s song “Ironic.” The fact that
people don’t understand irony because of that song is a better example of irony than any example
Morissette gives in the song.
45
Dan O. Via, Jr., Kerygma and Comedy, 56-57.
46
1 Corinthians 4:8–13.
47
Alan F. Johnson, 1 Corinthians, vol. 7, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004), 81.
39
not harmonize with current suffering, and that while followers of Jesus will rule and reign
with Jesus, they also are called to share in his suffering. Paul expands on this suffering in
light of Christ’s resurrection in 2 Corinthians 4:7-12.48 This example of New Testament
irony is not something that modern believers would find easy to laugh at, but the irony is
intended to reveal incongruity. Unrealized incongruity can lead to more harm as the
community continues operating in their foolishness. Revealing the irony can serve as the
necessary wake-up call to bring healthy change.
Another example of irony in the Bible is found in Isaiah 44:12-20:49
12
The blacksmith takes a tool
and works with it in the coals;
he shapes an idol with hammers,
he forges it with the might of his arm.
He gets hungry and loses his strength;
he drinks no water and grows faint.
13
The carpenter measures with a line
and makes an outline with a marker;
he roughs it out with chisels
and marks it with compasses.
He shapes it in human form,
human form in all its glory,
that it may dwell in a shrine.
14
He cut down cedars,
or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest,
or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow.
15
It is used as fuel for burning;
some of it he takes and warms himself,
he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships it;
he makes an idol and bows down to it.
16
Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
over it he prepares his meal,
he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
48
Via, Kerygma and Comedy, 57.
49
Hyers, And God Crated Laughter, 7.
40
“Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.”

17
From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
he bows down to it and worships.
He prays to it and says,
“Save me! You are my god!”
18
They know nothing, they understand nothing;
their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see,
and their minds closed so they cannot understand.
19
No one stops to think,
no one has the knowledge or understanding to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;
I even baked bread over its coals,
I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”
20
Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him;
he cannot save himself, or say,
“Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”50
In this ironic rebuke of idolatry, the prophet is revealing the foolishness of those who
worship the items that they created with their own hands, instead of turning their worship
to the one who created them.51 As the writer reveals the irony in particular behaviors,
they may develop a character or narrative that would be considered satirical.
Satire. Martin defines satire as “aggressive humor that pokes fun at social
institutions or social policy.”52 The example from Isaiah above is both ironic and
satirical. This is just one example of satire from the prophetic books. The primary
purpose of the prophets is to reveal immediate truths to the people of Israel.53 Dauber, in
Jewish Comedy: A Serious History, says:
50
Isaiah 44:12–20.
51
Arbuckle, Laughing with God, 11.
52
Martin, The Psychology of Humor, 13. A recent example of satire would be Stephen Colbert’s
character on The Colbert Report. See discussion in Deuman, “Humor as a Prophetic Device,” 75-94.
53
Deuman, “Humor as a Prophetic Device,” 43. See also, Steven Walker, Illuminating Humor of
the Bible (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2013), 26-47. Kindle Edition.
41
The biblical prophets are known, in the critical literature and the wider world, for
being champions of social justice; for speaking truth to power, whether held by
priests or kings; and for the magnificently wide spectrum of their poetic vision, in
desolation and in comfort. They’re not generally, however, thought of as being
particularly funny. . .. But satire was among their main weapons. The prophets
scourged the world they saw around them: a world of lazy, hedonistic materialists,
whom they portrayed as ridiculous and ultimately disastrous.54
The prophets used absurd imagery and even actions from their own lives to reveal the
brokenness of society.55 Arbuckle says, “A satirist reveals, criticizes, mocks, and deflates
pretentiousness, hypocrisy, and dishonesty. A satirist has the ability to mix the harsh
realities of life and humor in a way that need not be destructive of society and people, but
the ultimate aim is to ridicule the world in order to change it.”56 Satire may make people
feel uncomfortable because it just seems too mean,57 but the barb in the message is
intended to challenge and confront. Sometimes the message is too urgent to say it
nicely.58 Ultimately, satire should point to a path of restoration.59
When Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, he mocks and
ridicules the prophets and their violently ecstatic efforts to draw the attention of their god.
One of the taunts Elijah uses is that Baal may be taking so long because he is using the
54
Dauber, Jewish Comedy, 52-3.
55
Ibid., 53.
56
57
“One problem is the people may not think it’s funny. When readers get caught off guard by a
harsh satirical attack, some folks think that it’s too mean to be funny.”⁠ Macy, Discovering Humor in the
Bible, 21.
58
Dauber, Jewish Comedy, 51.
59
“Comedy takes up its arms against the forces that stifle life and laughter; and though its barbed
arrows can sting fiercely, they usually do not kill. If satire fails to move on to the genuinely restorative and
celebrative, then it becomes a real question whether it still remains in the domain of comedy (cf. Frye,
1966:233–39).” Exum and Whedbee, “Isaac, Samson, and Saul,” 8.
42
bathroom.60 In Isaiah 14, the message is “a mashal on the king of Babylon. Various
versions translate mashal as ‘satire,’ ‘taunt,’ or ‘song of scorn.’”61 It could be possible
that the whole book of Jonah is a satirical statement aimed not at the sinful people of
Nineveh, but the hard hearts of the people of Israel.62 Jonah also employs hyperbole and
caricature, which is the next comic device to be examined.
Hyperbole, Caricature, and Parody. Hyperbole and caricature are both
exaggerations to make a point. When examining the book of Jonah, one sees that he is a
reluctant prophet. Jonah doesn’t want to do what God commands him to do. Instead of
obeying and going to Nineveh, Jonah tries to go to the other side of the world. It isn’t
until he is at the bottom of the ocean in the belly of the great fish that Jonah repents and
cries out to God. Jonah’s book has quite a few extreme, or hyperbolic, statements. When
Jonah finally goes to Nineveh, instead of using many words to try to convince the
Ninevites, Jonah only says five words in Hebrew.63 And unlike any other prophet in the
Hebrew Scriptures, Jonah is completely successful. Dauber says, “[I]f you go by word to
action ratio, there’s never been a more successful speaker in Jewish history . . . the entire
city-state goes into regular orgy of weeping and wailing, putting sackcloth and ashes even
on their animals.”64
60
Dauber, Jewish Comedy, 54. See also, Morreall, Comic Relief, 4-5.
61
62
For more on this, see my MA Thesis and the research there. Deuman, “Humor as a Prophetic
Device,” 75-93. Conrad Hyers, And God Created Laughter, 91-109.
63
Dauber, Jewish Comedy, 134. Hyers, And God Created Laughter, 104.
64
43
This hyperbole could be cataloged as both parody and satire. This kind of
literature may be missed in biblical texts because we hold the scriptures in high esteem.
The thought that there could be a parodic or satirical text in the Bible may be seen as
devaluing scripture. But that is not the case. Dauber says this about the work of the
parodist:
To be a parodist requires love, knowledge, and intelligent, even intellectual

familiarity with a culture one feels oneself to be outside of. To parody a Western,
or a silent movie, or a spy series, or a horror film, or a historical epic, or a sci-fi
space saga, or a Hitchcock suspense flick, or . . . well, you get the picture, you
have to have a deep love for the material, in order to pay the close attention that
allows you to hit the jugular while you’re taking it down. And to be a clever
vulgarest—rather than merely being vulgar—involves an intimate understanding
of the pressure points of human society, of understanding that the human body’s
ridiculous nature is only ridiculous under the right times, conditions, and places—
in the same way that the hallowed precincts of culture are ripe for being deflated
by the right people.65
The best candidate for the role of parodist in any culture comes from within. If
Jonah was inspired to share his experiences on the way to Nineveh, and to serve not as
the hero, but as the heel who didn’t want to do God’s will, then he is the perfect butt of
his own joke. If he loves the Lord God, and the people of Israel, then his story shows the
value of obeying God in all things. Jonah is a parody of a prophet, spoken from the
prophet’s own point of view.
Related to hyperbole is caricature. Arbuckle says, “Caricature consists of the
graphic distortion of body or behavior in the salient points of a person’s appearance so as
to excite amusement; any unusual feature is deliberately exaggerated.”66 Jonah could be
considered a caricatured prophet. His unwillingness to do what God commanded him
65
66
44
could be a deliberate exaggeration. Much of the caricature present in the Old Testament is
particularly related to personality issues.67 In 1 Samuel 25, David encounters a man
named Nabal. Nabal means fool, and he truly acts foolishly.68 Jacob in Genesis is
portrayed as a trickster, and he consistently gets himself into trouble through his
schemes.69
Self-deprecation. The Bible also uses self-deprecation, which consists of
“humorous remarks targeting oneself as the object of humor. This may be done to
demonstrate modesty, to put the listener at ease, or to ingratiate oneself with the
listener.”70 When the Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians, who are boasting in their
wisdom, that he has become a fool for them, he is practicing self-deprecation. When
David escaped to the Philistine territories to escape King Saul’s rage, he pretended to be
insane so that they would not consider him to be a threat. When the young man came to
Jesus wanting to become a disciple, Jesus said, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests,
but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”71 The young man may have desired a
position of prominence with the exciting new rabbi, but Jesus told him that his disciples
are basically homeless. Jesus was humbling himself. Jesus’ life as a rabbi was a stark
contrast to the wealthy Pharisees who hosted him for dinners.
Teasing. Martin defines teasing as “humorous remarks directed at the listener's
personal appearance or foibles. Unlike sarcasm, the intention is not to seriously insult or
67
Linton, “Humor in the Bible,” 778-9.
68
Dauber, Jewish Comedy, 177-8.
69
Linton, “Humor in the Bible,” 778-9.
70
71
Matthew 8:20.
45
offend.”72 Perhaps the greatest examples of teasing in the Bible come from the mouth of
Jesus. When Jesus gives his disciples nicknames, he is playfully teasing them.
When Jesus’ ministry is rejected by a Samaritan village, James and John were
furious. They asked Jesus if he would like them to call down fire on this village. If they
thought for a second about to whom they were asking this question, they may have
rethought their plan. But Jesus knows that they are all talk and no power, and he calls
them “Sons of Thunder.” Thunder is all sound and bluster, with no real power. This is a
playful teasing of James and John.
Peter, the disciple who is most prone to speak and then think, has several
moments in the gospel narratives where Jesus may be teasing him. For instance in
Matthew 14:22-33, the disciples are trying to row across the Sea of Galilee and Jesus
comes walking out to them on the water, the disciples were afraid. They thought Jesus
could be a ghost. When Peter asks this mysterious figure to prove his identity, he says,
“Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come out to you.” Imagine Jesus, smiling and saying,
“It is me, come on out here.” And when Peter needed rescuing, Jesus’ question “Peter
why did you doubt?” wasn’t necessarily a rebuke, but a playful teasing. “Peter, you were
doing it, you were with me on the water! Why did you doubt?”
Teasing is also present in Nathaniel’s response to Philip. When Philip finds
Nathaniel to share that they have found the Messiah, Nathaniel’s response is, “can
anything good come from Nazareth?” Nazareth was a small town on the way to
someplace better.73 But Jesus was not wounded by Nathaniel’s slight on Nazareth.
72
73
Much like Index, Washington.
46
Instead, Jesus said Nathaniel was an Israelite in whom there is no deceit. Teasing is
present in friendly relationships. The teasing is not intended to wound.
Wit. Wit and humor are often present in comeback responses. The clever
responses in the Bible are not nonsensical in their content. More often than not, the clever
responses in the Bible reveal the nonsensical plans of the questioners. Many examples are
present in Jesus’ interactions with the religion leaders. Trueblood reminds us that
“Christ’s major weapon against the Pharisaic attack was laughter, and He used it fully.
The point at which they were most vulnerable was their manifest righteousness.”74
The synoptic gospels reveal the various ways that the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus
in his words. But Jesus was consistently able to outwit their plans. For instance, in
Matthew 22, when the Pharisees believed they had the perfect way to turn either the
crowds or the Romans against Jesus, they came to him saying:
“Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach
the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others,
because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion?
Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”
But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying
to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a
denarius, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God
what is God’s.”
When they heard this, they were amazed. So, they left him and went away.75
If Jesus simply said “Yes, you should pay taxes,” he would run the risk of losing
the favor of the crowds, who lived under the yoke of Roman tyranny. If Jesus said, “No,
you should not pay taxes,” he would be seen as a revolutionary by the Romans and they
74
Trueblood, The Humor of Christ, 74.
75
Matthew 22:16–22.
47
would want to silence him as quickly as possible. Instead, Jesus finds a third option, and
it is an option that goes back to the Jews’ fundamental identity. If Caesar wants to put his
image on the money, then let him. God has put his image on something much more
significant: every human being. Through this witty response, Jesus demonstrates to the
Pharisees that they cannot trap him in his words. Jesus is also demonstrating that he
understands God’s desire for humanity to live in relationship with God. This is one of
many examples of Jesus’ wit. Jesus lives up to Arbuckle’s description of a witty person:
“A witty person has ‘the talent or quality of using unexpected associations between
contrasting or disparate words or ideas to make a clever or humorous effect.’”76 Jesus is
able to masterfully pivot a conversation. As McKibben says, “Jesus is a master of
improvisation. He’s constantly changing the conversations, defying easy answers, and
confounding religious authorities with his absolute refusal to be categorized and
pegged.”⁠77
Wit is also present in the book of Proverbs. These pithy statements are memorable
ways to communicate truths that are helpful to keep people walking on the path of
righteousness. These proverbs also utilize caricature and hyperbole as necessary. The
proverbs do not shy away from denigrating the fool, the laggard, the nagging wife, or the
arrogant. Three memorably humorous proverbs are:
As a dog returns to its vomit,

so fools repeat their folly.78
76
Arbuckle, Laughing with God, 13. Quoting Edward L. Greenstwein, “Humor and Wit—Old
Testament,” The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 3 (New York: Doubleday, 1985), 156-157.
77
McKibben Dana, God, Improv, and the Art of Living, 46.
78
Proverbs 26:11.
48
Better to live on a corner of the roof

than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.79
Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,
but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests.80
These proverbs paint vivid word pictures, which makes them even more memorable.
Being able to recall these proverbs at just the right time helps one pursue righteousness
and right relationship with others.
Solomon, who may have written many of the Proverbs, was a wise leader. His
wisdom and wit were present in one of his most well-known judgments. In 1 Kings 3:16-
28, two prostitutes came to the king disputing who was the rightful mother of a baby boy.
Each of these prostitutes had a baby son. One night, while asleep, one of the women
accidentally smothered her child, and then tried to switch babies. The women came to
Solomon, both claiming to be the rightful mother. Solomon’s first solution reads as very
cold: “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. He then gave an order:
“Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”81 One woman is
fine with this idea because then neither woman will have the boy. The other woman
pleads with Solomon to not cut the baby in half because she would rather the boy live.
Solomon determines that the second woman is the rightful mother. This story is pretty
macabre if Solomon actually had any intention of cutting this baby in half. However,
Solomon’s goal was not to cut the baby in half but to reveal the true mother. Dauber,
when talking about this story, says, “wit becomes wisdom, cruelty empathy.”82
79
Proverbs 21:9.
80
Proverbs 14:4. Deuman Paraphrase: If you want to experience prosperity, you’ll have to work
hard, and you’ll have to put up with some crap, too.
81
1 Kings 3:24–25.
82
49
Comedy in the Sermon on the Mount
Jesus is not a stand-up comedian. That is not the point of this section. Jesus did,
however, employ humorous devices throughout his ministry.83 This section will highlight
some of the ways Jesus may have sprinkled comedic devices in throughout the sermon on
the mount. At the end of the sermon, Matthew writes, “When Jesus had finished saying
these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had
authority, and not as their teachers of the law.”84 Clearly, the way that Jesus spoke
intrigued people; he was doing something different. His use of irony, hyperbole,
caricature, playful teasing, etc., could have caused the people to laugh and think
differently about what God’s desire for righteousness looks like.
If we only read Jesus’ teachings with a straight face, devoid of all humor, then we
forget that Jesus is perfectly human and perfectly God. It would stand to reason, then, that
Jesus had a perfect sense of humor,85 one that would be revealed in his teaching. Shutter
reminds us that:
We take it for granted that Jesus was a complete human being, and that as such a
being, he must have had all the human attributes and faculties,—the faculty of
mirthfulness among them. He was a man and lacked nothing that pertains to men.
Then, too, had he been without the sense of humor, much in the lives and
characters of those with whom he had to deal, he never could have understood
and reached. The full success of his mission depended upon his knowing all that
there is in man, and upon being able to gain access to him through every avenue
of his nature.86
83
84
Matthew 7:28–29.
85
Trueblood provides a list of “Thirty Humorous Passages in the Synoptic Gospels.” See, Humor
of Christ, 127.
86
Shutter, Wit and Humor of the Bible, chap. 4.
50
With this in mind, an examination of the sermon on the mount with an eye to
mirth and comedy may enlighten our reading.
Reversal
One of the key elements of comedy is reversal of expectation. This kind of
reversal could be seen as ironic. Jesus sets the tone of the sermon on the mount with the
Beatitudes. The sermon echoes Psalm 1’s description of the blessings for the righteous
ones.87 The twist in this message is that Jesus gives a series of blessings that do not seem
like blessings:
Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of
evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your
reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were
before you.88
It would not be difficult to imagine that the people who first heard this list of
blessings were laughing as Jesus started telling them that their hardships were actually a
87
Palmer, The Humor of Jesus, 60.
88
Matthew 5:3–12.
51
path to blessing. Jesus is inviting his hearers to look up, to find God at work in the midst
of difficulty.89 In the Beatitudes, we find a beautiful picture of the U-shaped plotline that
comes from the comic perspective mentioned above. No matter what happens in this life,
their hardship is not the end of their story. Shopoff, discussing God’s role in the lives of
the faithful says this, “A unique characteristic of Yahweh’s involvement in the affairs of
humans is His last-minute rescue or reversal of a potentially tragic situation.”90 The
Beatitudes serve as a beautiful reminder that God is in the reversal business. In the
Beatitudes, Jesus is inviting his followers to look to God’s ultimate plan in the midst of
their hardship. Arbuckle says:
The Beatitudes stress the joy of participation in the kingdom of God, especially in
its fulfillment at the end of time, rather than rewards in this earthly life. Followers
of Jesus will be rewarded with these blessings of an entirely new way of being
and living, on the condition that they are prepared to enter daily into their own
ritual of transformation.91
Humorous Imagery
One of the things that comedians need to do is help the audience picture what they
are talking about. They may impersonate different people and build a whole scene with a
cast of imagined characters.92 They also need to be able to engage the audience through
imagery and metaphor. Webb says, “The metaphor is, without question, one of the most
89
90
91
92
Bill Cosby, Jonathan Winters, and Robin Williams were all experts at this. Oliver Double calls
this “instant character” in Getting the Joke: The Inner Workings of Stand-up Comedy, 2nd edition (London,
Bloomsbury,2014), chap. 24, Kindle.
52
interesting and important ingredients in the comic arsenal.”93 The sermon on the mount
has many great humorous metaphors and images. When Jesus says that his disciples are
the light of the world, he then points out the foolishness of hiding that light under a bowl,
(Mark adds under a bed).94 A light under a mattress would either cause the mattress to
catch fire or snuff out the light. It is an obvious truth, but as Jesus is challenging his
audience, he is trying to remind them to be bold.
When instructing his followers to trust God and not worry, Jesus reminds his
audience that the flowers and birds do not worry or fret, but they have all they need.95 The
humor here is in trying to imagine a flower worrying about what it is going to wear, or
how it is going to grow. Or a bird, this great symbol of lightness and freedom, agonizing
over what it will do to take care of its family. God takes care of the birds and the flowers;
how much more valuable are people, who are made in his image?96
When Jesus tells his disciples not to judge others, he gives the ridiculous example
of trying to help someone take sawdust out of their eye while you have a plank sticking
out of your own eye.97 This image is funny, but Jesus wants his followers to take
seriously the state of their own lives before they try to diagnose what is wrong with
93
Webb, Comedy and Preaching, 95.
94
Matthew 5:14–15; Mark 4:21.
95
Matthew 6:25–34.
96
Personal experience: The foolishness of worry was made obvious to me when my wife was
pregnant with our first child. She was put on bedrest and I had to take a salary reduction at my job as a
youth pastor. I drove past a reader board that said, “WORRY IS WASTED USE OF YOUR
IMAGINATION.” This sign changed my life, and reminded me of how much God cares about birds and
flowers. He cares about my family way more than that. God has proven himself to be faithful again and
again.
97
Matthew 7:1–5.
53
others. Jesus is also intentionally exaggerating this imagery, which is another comedic
tool.
Hyperbole
Jesus used exaggeration to drive his points home as well.98 As Jesus is giving a
picture of what righteousness looks like for his followers, he isn’t trying to get rid of any
of the law, but he is going to try to get to the heart of the law.99 Jesus makes extreme
points to reveal that human understanding of righteousness is going to save you. If you
haven’t murdered anyone, that’s good, but if you’ve said your brother is a fool, or you’ve
been angry at them, you’ve committed murder in your heart, and that’s enough to deserve
eternity in hell.100 This is a hyperbolic statement. Jesus is exaggerating to reveal the need
for transformed hearts and minds, not just behavior modification. Jesus makes a similar
point when talking about adultery.101 How can we know that Jesus was being hyperbolic?
Could it be because none of his first disciples took him seriously at the command to cut
their hands off or gouge their eyes out? God cares about the heart. Jesus will argue that
their righteousness needs to exceed the religious experts of the day. That would seem to
be an impossible command. So, what do followers of Jesus need? A righteousness that
exceeds the Pharisees, and that righteousness comes from Jesus who did not come to
abolish the law. Jesus fulfilled the law.
98
Robert Darden, Jesus Laughed: The Redemptive Power of Humor (Nashville, TN: Abingdon
Press, 2008), chap. 3, Kindle.
99
Matthew 5:17-20.
100
Matthew 5:21–22.
101
Matthew 5:27–30.
54
Caricature and Ridicule
As Jesus was talking about the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, he
also took the opportunity to ridicule their practices of giving alms, prayer, and fasting.
These are all things that Jesus says should be done quietly, but the religious leaders made
a performance out of their piety. Jesus reveals that performative piety is its own
reward.102 When it comes to prayer, God is not concerned with word counts.103 Jesus
even instructs people to keep their fasting a secret. Looking miserable does not make
fasting more effective.104
The crowd that had gathered to listen to Jesus speak probably had some Pharisees
in the mix. Imagine the crowd turning to a Pharisee that they knew and pointing and
chuckling. Instead of trying to impress any other human with your piety, Jesus reminds
his audience that the God who cares about human needs is also the God who sees human
kindness and service. There is a reward for those who serve in obscurity.
Jesus closes the sermon with the image of two builders. One builds on a
foundation of sand. This is a bad idea. Jesus’ first listeners would have seen the
foolishness and humor in building a house on sand.105 This foundation of sand is the
righteousness that is done for others to see. Building on a rock would take much more
effort, but the structure will be more sound. As the closing image in the sermon on the
mount, this would be the metaphor that people would take home with them. Jesus creates
102
Palmer, The Humor of Jesus, 95-96.
103
104
Darden, Jesus Laughed, chap. 5.
105
55
a silly picture with a serious truth. As stated above, Matthew closes the sermon on the
mount by saying, “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed
at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of
the law.”106
Conclusion
The Bible is not considered a comedic book, but it is full of comedic elements,
tools, and tropes. Humor in the Bible is intentionally employed to communicate God’s
truths, to show the path of righteousness and the risks of foolishness.107 As Hyers states,
“In comedy those who see themselves as wise are made to look foolish, and those who
are foolish are found to have wisdom. Masters are treated as slaves, and slaves take the
place of their masters. The hypocrisy of the self-righteous is exposed and the virtues of
rogues are revealed.”108
When modern readers discover the comedy in the Bible, it is an invitation to
develop a comic vision. Hyers says that this comic vision “point[s] to a certain
perspective on life and an attitude toward life that are important to a full humanity. They
belong both to the image of God in which we are created and to the image of Christ in
which we are recreated.”109 Because of Jesus and his rescuing work of death and
106
Matthew 7:28–29. “‘Great preachers to the people, such as have ever found their way to the
universal heart of their fellows, have ever been great employers of proverbs.’ This principle helps to
explain why, in the case of Jesus, ‘the common people heard him gladly.’” Shutter, Wit and Humor of the
Bible, chap. 5.
107
Steven Walker, Illuminating Humor of the Bible (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2013), 190.
Kindle Edition.
108
109
Ibid., 6.
56
resurrection, the trajectory of the Bible’s plotline is toward renewal and restoration for
eternity. The comic vision is a faithful perspective looking not just at the problems of the
world but at the possibility of what God will do. Dauber invites readers to consider that
the Bible proposes the possibility of a comedy of rightness. Dauber suggests that the
Bible gives what we “might call congruity theory: when the world . . . matches the case.
When everything fits, in a way that bespeaks divine harmony, and historical intent.”110
When church leaders embrace this hopeful congruity, then maybe people will lean
in a little closer to hear the message of Jesus. Unfortunately, church history will reveal
that church leaders have not always embraced humor and comedy as ways to share the
hopeful message of Jesus.
110
57
CHAPTER 3:
THE CHURCH'S HISTORICAL RESPONSE TO COMEDY
Introduction
The church of Jesus Christ has a mandate to be a community marked by joy.1
Throughout the history of the church, there has been a pendulum swinging between
joyful celebration and somber reflection. Traditions of celebration and play and seasons
of cerebral contemplation alternate throughout Christian history. Thomas Aquinas
believed that there was a time and place for both play and seriousness. Too much of
either, however, would be problematic.2
Many leaders in North American churches have noted a consistent decline in
attendance and engagement. Churches are wrestling with big questions about identity,
community, biblical standards, and contemporary culture. These are important questions,
but perhaps the important question church leaders need to be asking is how modern
churches can live out the command to “Rejoice always.”3
Jesuit priest James Martin says, “Joy, humor, and laughter are spiritual gifts that
we ignore at our peril.”4 Humor may seem like a trivial matter, but humor can be
1
1 Thessalonians 5:16.
2
“Aristotle’s comments on humor were neglected until medieval times, when Thomas Aquinas
expanded upon them. In Question 168 of his Summa Theologiae, he discusses humor as a kind of play, in
three articles: ‘Whether there can be virtue in actions done in play,’ ‘The sin of playing too much,’ and
‘The sin of playing too little.’ His view mirrors Aristotle’s: humans need to rest occasionally from serious
activity, and humor and other forms of play provide that rest.” Morreall, Comic Relief, 23, citing Thomas
Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, Volume 44. Well-Tempered Passion, trans. Thomas Gilby (New York:
McGraw-Hill, 1972), 211-27.
3
1 Thessalonians 5:16.
4
James Martin, S.J., Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor and Laughter Are at the Heart
of the Spiritual Life (New York: Harper Collins, 2011), 16.
58
something churches employ to foster community and share joy. Perhaps the most
remarkable thing is that by intentionally fostering humor, churches can help counter the
common assumptions many people may have about the church. As Hans Geybels notes,
“Most people, if asked which concept they would associate with religion—humour or
violence—would doubtless reply violence.”5 Pastors’ effective utilization of humor,
beyond the occasional joke or humorous anecdote in the message, can change this
perspective. When a joke is told in church, it proves to be incongruous because it was so
unexpected. Jokes in a sermon may be helpful in keeping the audience’s attention. But
are pastors thinking about how humor can move beyond a joke in a sermon, to a strategy
to foster community in their church?
There could be an aversion to humor in the church because it could be dangerous.
Again, Martin notes
There is humor that builds up and humor that tears down, a humor that
exposes . . . hypocrisy and humor that belittles the defenseless and marginalized.
Good humor and bad humor. Of course, most secular observers would agree with
this—there is a morality to humor. But religious observers see these two sides of
humor slightly differently, for they see the two in the light of God’s desires for
humanity. “Good” or “bad” depends not only on a moral sense, but on how the
humor deepens or cheapens the relationship with God.6
Can humor be used as weapon? Yes; any tool can also be used to bring harm. That
doesn’t mean that church leaders should ignore powerful comedic tools. Even though it
can be used to communicate a subversive message, comedy is something that can be used
5
Hans Geybels, “The Redemptive Power of Humour in Religion,” in Humour and Religion:
Challenges and Ambiguities, ed. H. Geybels and W. Van Herck (London: Continuum, 2011), 13.
6
Martin, Between Heaven and Mirth, 23.
59
to foster ongoing health in a church community. This subversive nature of humor may be
why leaders throughout church history have tried to discourage humor and comedy.7
This chapter will give a brief overview of how the church has worked with or
avoided the use of humor and comedy throughout history. The conversation will begin
with early church leaders and their responses to humor. Following that, there will be an
examination of festivals and traditions that encouraged comedy and humor for the church
community. For the past 500 years, the church has had humorists, but humor was moved
from the life of the church to the mind of thinkers. There will also be an examination of
the current ways that churches are engaging with comedy, trying to see if there are any
churches intentionally engaging comedy to help develop a greater sense of fellowship in
their community.
This chapter will show that the church can embrace comedy, humor, and festivity,
and can reintroduce these elements into the life of the church today. This is important for
modern believers because the church, which should be known as a community of joy, is
often equated with “ seriousness, profundity, reverence . . . [as if] God prefers to be
approached in a reverential, dignified manner, not familiar at all.”8 Humor is all about
surprise; imagine the surprise and delight of those who come to a church service
expecting judgment and dour seriousness when they are welcomed with joy and humor.
Now is the time for the church to tell a counter-narrative in our culture and reveal that the
joy of the Lord is our strength. Laughter helps people stop taking themselves too
7
Ibid., 50.
8
Geybels, “The Redemptive Power of Humour in Religion,” 13.
60
seriously.9 Gerald Arbuckle says, “The fundamental function of humor is its ability to
liberate us from the many inhibitions and restrictions in our daily lives that rob us of
spontaneous and flexible behavior.”10
Humor and the Early Church
One of the challenges that Christians have to reconcile is the simple fact that the
New Testament never records Jesus laughing. In the Old Testament, readers do not find a
God who laughs with humor. Instead we read passages like this:
The One enthroned in heaven laughs;

the Lord scoffs at them.11
If Jesus never laughed, and God the Father laughed with scorn, where is there room for
the believer to laugh and embrace humor? Many early church leaders looked at laughter
as something that was potentially dangerous for Christians.12
While the Bible doesn’t explicitly say that Jesus laughed, it has to be noted that
his ministry was joyful, and he desired that his disciples would live in joy.13 As noted in
chapter 2, many of Jesus’ parables have elements of humor in them.14 Jesus was not
9
Arbuckle, Laughing with God, xv.
10
Ibid., xiv.
11
Psalm 2:4.
12
13
“Some passages do seem to imply a laughing Jesus: ‘I have told you this so that my joy may be
in you and that your joy may be complete’ (John 15:11 and also 16:24 and 17:13). John puts great
joyfulness into the words of Jesus.” Geybels, “The Redemptive Power of Humour in Religion,” 16.
14
There are many books that have addressed the humor of Jesus and the Bible. This essay will not
be diving into specific instances of biblical humor. If you would like to read more about Jesus’ humor, see:
Martin, Between Heaven and Mirth; Adams, The Prostitute in the Family Tree; Elton Trueblood, The
Humor of Christ: A Significant But Often Unrecognized Aspect of Christ’s Teaching (New York: Harper &
Row Publishers, 1964); M. Conrad Hyers, ed., Holy Laughter: Essays on Religion in the Comic Perspective
61
afraid to use humor to communicate his message and to confront those in power.15 It is
also important to realize that if Jesus is perfectly human, then the humanity of Jesus
would require perfect humor.16 In his humor, Jesus embodied what Cox calls Homo
Festivus.17
The early church seemed to be full of joy in the face of great persecution.18 Their
joy was for good reason. Their leader, Jesus of Nazareth, had been raised from the dead!
These early disciples may have been quite rowdy in their gatherings as they celebrated
Jesus and his resurrection.19 Barbara Ehrenreich says in Dancing in the Streets:
Most of what Christians of the first and second centuries actually did together—
whether they even possessed a standardized form of worship, for example—is
unknown to us today, but the general scholarly view is that “church services were
noisy, charismatic affairs, quite different from a tasteful evensong today at the
parish church.” They met in people’s homes, where their central ritual was a
shared meal that was no doubt washed down with Jesus’ favorite beverage, wine.
There is reason to think they sang too, and that the songs were sometimes
accompanied by instrumental music.20
Christian gatherings were celebrations. We see this continuation of community
celebration in the accounts of Justin Martyr and Clement of Alexandria, who both
encouraged song and dance in the Christian community.21
(New York: The Seabury Press, 1969); and Hyers, The Comic Vision and the Christian Faith: A
Celebration of Life and Laughter (New York: The Pilgrim Press, 1981).
15
Martin, Between Heaven and Mirth, 23-24.
16
Ibid., 54.
17
Cox, Feast of Fools, 10.
18
19
Barbara Ehrenreich, Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy (New York:
Metropolitan Books, 2006), 65.
20
Ehrenreich, Dancing in the Streets, 65.
21
Ibid., 65.
62
The early church was not a highly structured organization, but by the second
century, more formalized structures were in place.22 Ehrenreich suggests that these
structures could have contributed to diminishing the joyous celebrations of the first
Christians.23 Church leadership began to assume more and more of the elements of the
modern church gathering: instead of ecstatic utterances, the pastor did all of the teaching;
instead of a large feast, the eucharist became just one more part of the meeting.24 Over
time, laughter itself would become suspect.
Ancient Church Leaders with a Negative View of Humor
Some of the early church leaders who expressed suspicion of laughter include
John Chrysostom, Augustine, and Jerome. The starting point for their position, as stated
above, is that the New Testament never shows Christ laughing.25 Further, Jesus gave a
blessing in the Luke’s account of the Beatitudes.
Blessed are you who weep now,

for you will laugh.26
Then Jesus reverses and gives a warning saying:
Woe to you who laugh now,

for you will mourn and weep.27
22
Ibid., 73.
23
Ibid., 73.
24
Ibid., 76.
25
Ignacio L. Götz, Faith, Humor, and Paradox (Westport, CT: Praeger, 2002), 3.
26
Luke 6:21.
27
Luke 6:25.
63
Early leaders also turned to Paul’s words in Ephesians 5:4 where the Apostle instructed
the congregation to avoid coarse joking, or, as Martin says, “silly talk.”28 Martin
continues, “In the third century, St. Clement of Alexandria warns against ‘humorous and
unbecoming words.’ Around the same time, St. Ambrose says that ‘joking should be
avoided even in small talk.’ St. Basil says that Christians ‘ought not to laugh nor even to
suffer laugh makers.’”29 Götz quotes Augustine, saying, “People laugh and weep, and it
is a matter for weeping that they laugh.”30
John Chrysostom:
This world is not a theatre, in which we can laugh; and we are not assembled
together in order to burst into peals of laughter, but to weep for our sins. But some
of you still want to say: ‘I would prefer God to give me the chance to go on
laughing and joking.’ Is there anything more childish than thinking in this way? It
is not God who gives us the chance to play, but the devil.31
Saint Nicetius of Trier:
My beloved, you must avoid all jokes and all idle words; for, just as we have to
present to God our body entirely pure, so we ought not to open our mouths unless
it is to praise God. There are three ways by which a man is ruined: when he
thinks, when he speaks or when he acts. Therefore, my beloved, avoid levity,
malice and every other evil.32
It was not just individuals who carried this prohibition against laughter and play.
Benedictine monasteries also discouraged levity.33 Much of Latin literature produced
28
29
Ibid.
30
Quoted in Götz, Faith, Humor and Paradox, 3.
31
Quoted in Hugo Rahner, Man at Play, trans B. Battershaw and E. Quinn (New York: Herder and
Herder, 1972), 98.
32
Guy Halsall, “Don’t Worry, I’ve Got the Key,” in History and Politics in Late Antiquity and the
Early Middle Ages, ed. G. Halsall (Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press, 2002), 9.
33
Matthew Innes says, “Monastic legislation, including the Rule of Benedict, condemned laughter
as idle and pointless, incompatible with prayer and proper reverence for the suffering of Christ, indicative
64
between 500 and 800 A.D. was created by Christian thinkers; due to this reality, few
resources from this era actually extol the virtues of humor.34
It is easy for modern readers to see these negative views of humor and assume
that this is the case for all ancient thinkers. As Martin says:
. . . if all traces of humor have been removed from our understanding of Jesus’s
personality, and if the Christian tradition has had a good deal of its natural humor
leeched out, and if “real” religion is supposed to be serious, then the saints, the
models par excellence of Christian life, are, not surprisingly, portrayed as the
most serious Christians of all. In short, if religion is supposed to be gloomy, then
the saints must be depicted as the gloomiest of all men and women.35
Readers cannot let these negative views be the only perspectives available for Christians
in the conversation around humor. Laughter is a very human response to the incongruities
in the world, and even though there were many admonitions of laughter in church
tradition, as Gilhus points out, they kept making these statements because people kept
laughing.36 There are, in fact, ancient Christians who displayed their faith in Jesus
through joy and humor.
of a lack of moderation and loss of self-control, and likely to lead to argument and dissension within the
community; even where laughter was not condemned outright, it was graded, with cultivated and controlled
laughter with an appropriate subject allowed whilst uncontrolled and ill-directed laughter was forbidden.”
See Matthew Innes, “He Never Even Allowed His White Teeth to be Bared in Laughter,” in History and
Politics in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, ed. G. Hasall (Cambridge, MA: Cambridge
University Press, 2002), 143.
34
Danuta Shanzer, “Laughter and Humour in the Early Medieval Latin West,” in History and
Politics in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, ed. G. Halsall (Cambridge, MA: Cambridge
University Press, 2002), 28.
35
36
Ingvild Sælid Gilhus, Laughing Gods, Weeping Virgins: Laughter in the History of Religion.
(London: Routledge, 1997), 68.
65
Ancient Church Leaders with a Positive View of Humor
While there were many voices that railed against excessive humor, other leaders
held a positive view of humor. Martin suggests that modern assumptions that church
leaders throughout history were against humor could come from an insistence that our
church leaders be somehow different or distant from us. Martin says, “. . . we may wish
the saints, consciously or unconsciously, to be other than ourselves. It is tempting for us
to distance the saints and the spiritual masters of any tradition from our own lives,
because this, in a sense, lets us off the hook. It’s easier that way.”⁠37
Clement of Alexandria tried “to find an exact balance between Christian
seriousness and a serene acceptance of the world.”38 Jerome desired that “the streets of
the city be full of boys and girls playing. This can only be when a city enjoys profound
peace and security, for then even the young folk freely follow the motions of their hearts
and join in the gladness of the State with dance and play.”39
Some of the best-known saints throughout church history were renowned for their
sense of humor. These “saints knew to take the long view of things, were quick to laugh
at life’s absurdities (and at themselves), and always placed their trust in God.”40 A person
with a healthy sense of humor recognizes the incongruities of the world and doesn’t let
these mismatches crush their hope. Leaders who recognized that humor was beneficial to
faith understood that faith itself is a paradox, and it would make sense that leaders in the
37
38
Rahner, Man at Play, 96-97.
39
Quoted in Rahner, Man at Play, 51.
40
66
church would allow their faith to help them hold on to hope and humor regardless of the
circumstances they find themselves in.41
One of the most notable of these humorous saints is Francis of Assisi. Francis and
his joyful antics were often considered to be the act of a crazy person or a fool.42 St.
Teresa of Avila, believed that “A sad nun is a bad nun, . . . I am more afraid of one
unhappy sister than a crowd of evil spirits. What would happen if we hid what little sense
of humor we had? Let each of us humbly use this to cheer others.”43
These few examples of saints who embraced humor and play are bright lights for
the church in our current age. The tendency is to approach the serious matters of faith
with somber reflection. These examples show that humor has a role to play in the life of
believers. One of the ways that this humor can play out in the community of the church is
in celebrations and festivals.
Festivals and Celebrations in Church History
The church was born on Pentecost, which is just one of the many celebrations and
feasts that make up the annual calendar of Judaism. Celebrations, feasts and festivals are
part of the DNA of both Judaism and the Church.44 Throughout church history, the
attitude toward festivals and celebrations has waxed and waned. As will be discussed in
41
John Haldon, “Humour and the Everyday in Byzantium,” in History and Politics in Late
Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, ed. G. Halsall (Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press, 2002),
56-57.
42
43
Ibid., 69.
44
Ehrenreich, Dancing in the Streets, 30-31.
67
chapter five, comedy was born in community festivals;45 therefore, a reflection on the
church’s embrace of humor as a community-building tool requires an examination of
some of the communal festivals.
There are three specific festivals that this section will examine. The motivation
behind examining these celebrations is to see if perhaps these traditions could be
redeemed or reanimated into the modern church. These celebrations are the Feast of
Fools, Carnival, and Rissus Paschalis (Easter Laughter). These three celebratory
traditions culminated in Easter and led to a culture of laughter, which is a culture that the
modern church would benefit from.46
Feast of Fools
When the Bible discusses the fool, there are two categories. The first are those
who reject God’s ways and his wisdom, the second are those who God chooses to use to
subvert the wisdom of the world’s systems.47 The Feast of Fools was a subversion of
order in the church.48 Harris’ remarks about the Feast of Fools reveal the original intent:
Ordinarily observed at the feast of the Circumcision, the Feast of Fools celebrated
Christ’s “foolish” willingness to humble himself by taking human flesh and so to
suffer the physical pain of circumcision and crucifixion. During the feast, the
choir often lingered over Mary’s lines form the Magnificat, “He has put down the
mighty from their seat and exiled the humble.” The subdeacons, as the church’s
junior clergy, were raised to higher rank for the duration of the feast, just as the
45
My master’s thesis discusses the origin of ancient Greek comedy. See Deuman, “Humor as a
Prophetic Device,” 9. Also, Robert Flaceliere, “Comedy,” in A Dictionary of Ancient Greek Civilization,
ed. Ferdinand Hazan (London: Metheuen & Co LTD, 1970), 125-126. Also, Andrew Stott, Comedy (New
York: Routledge, 2005), 127.
46
Jacques Le Goff, “Laughter in the Middle Ages,” in A Cultural History of Humour: From
Antiquity to the Present Day, ed. J. Bremmer and H.Roodenburg (Oxford: Polity Press, 1997), 52.
47
Harris, Sacred Folly, 67.
48
68
choirboys were at the feast of the Innocents. The bishop of fools and the bishops
of innocents were youthful leaders of church festivities, but they also represented
Christ. Moreover, like Christ, they and their followers represent the “humble”
exalted by God. Historians have tended to miss this point. The Feast of Fools took
its name not from fools who rebel against God but from fools who, like Christ, are
loved by God for their lowly status. We should not let the name mislead us into
thinking that the Feast of Fools was an excuse for subversive buffoonery.49
Over time, this festival became more raucous. According to Gilhus, during January the
lower-level priests took the opportunity to subvert the order of the church by mocking
church authorities through costumes and plays.50
The participating clergy dressed absurdly—in women’s clothes or their own

clothes worn inside out—and performed a noisy burlesque of the mass, with
sausages replacing the priest’s censer, or with “stinking smoke from the soles of
old shoes” instead of incense, and “wanton songs” and gibberish substituting for
the usual Latin incantations.51
Gilhus shows that the Feast celebration went beyond subverting the Mass: “lay brothers
held their books upside down, wore spectacles made from orange peels and blew ashes
from the censers at each other. They used the smoke from the soles of old shoes as
incense and played dice at the altar.”52
The Feast of Fools became a very disruptive celebration, but it went in line with
the growing embrace of humor in the larger European culture.53 The appointment of a
king of fools, also known as the Lord of Misrule, and the mockery of secular and
religious leaders, provided an opportunity for the lower priests to release and address
49
Harris, Sacred Folly, 68.
50
51
Ibid., 90.
52
Gilhus, Laughing Gods, Weeping Virgins, 81-82.
53
Ibid., 80, 87.
69
tension around the church.54 The revelry of the priests was considered blasphemous as
they mocked elements of the Mass; these under-priests also called into question the
authority of church leadership.55 Since laughter is considered dangerous to those in
power, the Feast of Fools was strongly condemned.56
Harvey Cox’s study on the demise of the Feast of Fools recognizes that by the end
of the Middle Ages and the rise of the Reformation, society was changing drastically:
The demise of the Feast of Fools signaled a significant change in the Western
cultural mood: an enfeeblement of our civilization’s capacity for festivity and
fantasy. Its demise showed that people were beginning to see their social roles and
sacred conventions through eyes that could not permit such strident satire, that
they no longer had the time or the heart for such trenching social parody.57
Carnival
Modern Carnival celebrations in New Orleans, Louisiana and Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil are examples of the excesses of festivity. Carnival appeared in European cities
around the end of the Middle Ages.58 Churches here were comprised of people in cultures
that valued celebratory dancing.59 This is not unlike the Hebrew tradition around
festivals. It was natural that the laypeople would also dance as they celebrated together.
For centuries, the church leadership often tried to squash a lot of these Carnival
54
55
Gilhus, Laughing Gods, Weeping Virgins, 84-85.
56
Ehrenreich, Dancing in the Streets, 90. Also, Gilhus, Laughing Gods, Weeping Virgins, 81. Also,
Harris discusses several opponents to the Feast of Fools starting in 1400. See Sacred Folly, 187ff.
57
Harvey Cox, Feast of Fools: A Theological Essay on Festivity and Fantasy (Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press, 1969), 3-4.
58
Aaron Gurevich, “Bakhtin and His Theory of Carnival,” in A Cultural History of Humour: From
Antiquity to the Present Day, eds. J. Bremmer and H. Roodenburg (Oxford: Polity Press, 1997), 56.
59
70
celebrations because they could lead to what was deemed to be ungodly revelry. Kuschel
states, “Indeed in the Middle Ages there was no theology of laughter, but there was a
theology of tears.”60 Due to this focus on sorrow, communal celebrations became a
problem in the church:
Almost a thousand years after the early Church fathers issued their first
condemnations of dancing in churches, we find the leaders of Catholicism still
railing against ecstatic and “lascivious” behavior at Christian services. Judging
from the volume of condemnations from on high, the custom of dancing in
churches was thoroughly entrenched in the late Middle Ages and apparently
tolerated—if not actually enjoyed—even by many parish priests. Priests danced;
women danced; whole congregations joined in. Despite the efforts of the Church
hierarchy, Christianity remained, to a certain extent, a danced religion.61
Ehrenreich suggests that church leaders came to an understanding that they
couldn’t completely stop people from their ecstatic celebrations, so they compromised.
People could dance, but they could not do so in the church or on church grounds.62 The
laity could choose to celebrate church holidays and saint feast days by dancing, but they
didn’t do this in the church. The chief of these rogue celebrations came right before the
start of Lent. Carnival, which is also called Mardi Gras, served as the lead-up to Ash
Wednesday. 63 By pushing these celebrations out of the church proper, church leaders
“inadvertently invented Carnival.”64 The church didn’t completely abandon Carnival. As
church leaders saw that people were going to celebrate with or without their blessing, the
church leadership created a special Mass for this celebration and encourage
60
Karl-Josef Kuschel, Laughter: A Theological Essay, trans. John Bowden (New York:
Continuum Publishing Company, 1994), 48.
61
62
Ibid., 77-78, 81-82.
63
Ibid., 78.
64
Ibid.
71
dramatizations for plays with religious themes.65 Churches in regions that celebrate
Carnival still perform these Masses.
The timing of Carnival leading up to Lent creates an interesting juxtaposition. As
Le Goff says, it is “the battle between laughter and anti-laughter.”66 During Carnival,
people essentially turned their world upside down; they subverted the natural order with
celebration and self-indulgence.67 Ash Wednesday, then, was the day people would begin
to turn their hearts and minds toward repentance and somber preparation for Easter
through self-sacrifice.68 Many modern observers of Carnival might be hard-pressed to see
any connection between these celebrations and the church practice. Carnival is a
celebration of temporary freedom, or, as Arbuckle says, “a social safety valve,”69 but it
can devolve into reckless sin in many cases.
What would have happened if the church had found a way to celebrate freedom?
Rahner reminds readers that “The true Christian should be a royal dancer like David
before the ark of the covenant, and none should despise him as Michal his wife despised
the dancing king.”70 David dancing before the Lord brought shame to his wife, Michal,
but it was a self-humbling act of worship. Carnival had as part of its festivities times to
laugh at the local secular and religious leaders.71 David had no problem being
65
Ibid., 87-88.
66
Le Goff, “Laughter in the Middle Ages,” 51-52.
67
Gurevich, “Bakhtin and his Theory of Carnival,” 57.
68
Ibid., 57.
69
Arbuckle, Laughing with God, 51-52.
70
Rahner, Man at Play, 78.
71
72
undignified, but as the church grew more powerful, they seemed to be less tolerant of any
kind of mockery.
Rissus Paschalis: Easter Laughter
If humor is all about reversal, then the greatest reversal of all time would be the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is a little-known tradition called risus paschalis, “In
the Middle Ages, the night before Easter gave rise to very special sermons in which the
devil—who came to collect his due (Jesus)—was ridiculed and the joyfulness
surrounding the resurrection became the focus . . . The solemnity and sadness of Lent are
replaced by the joy of Easter.”72 The purpose behind this tradition was not to laugh at the
resurrection, but to laugh at Satan, whose plans were thwarted when Christ defeated
death.73 During these services, the priests would devote their homily to telling jokes in
order to stir up laughter in the congregation. Cardinal Ratzinger, before he was elected to
be the Pope, said, “The Easter homily had to contain a story that made people laugh, so
that the church resounded with a joyful laughter … that laughter which testified to the
freedom of the redeemed.”74
Rissus Paschalis is a tradition that has fallen out of practice. And while Easter
Sunday is still a day of celebration, how many churches are devoting their Easter to
laughter? Kuschel states, “Easter laughter at death! How little trace of that there still is in
72
Geybels, “The Redemptive Power of Humour in Religion,” 17.
73
Martin, Between Heaven and Mirth, 22. See also, Kuschel, Laughter, 83-87. Also, Peggy
Thompson, “Comedy and Christianity: Surveying the Ground,” in Christianity and Literature, 44, no.1
(1994): 68, ATLASerials, Religion Collection, EBSCOHost.
74
As quoted in Anita Houck, “Holiness and Humour,” in HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological
Studies 72, no. 4 (2016): 6, http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/hts.v72i4.3463.
73
the churches! Here a look at history helps to break down constraints and to counter the
deadly serious solemnity which has found its way into the liturgy of the churches.”75 This
tradition was not about denying sorrow and mourning, rather it was about embracing
hope and optimism,76 knowing that mourning is not the end of the story for those who
place their faith in Jesus.
Why did this tradition stop? Rissus Paschalis proved to be “a successful ‘way of
attracting people to church on Easter morning, and the sexual sphere was not tabu [sic].
The same goes for nonliturgical Easter celebrations, which similarly show that the Easter
festival was the point at which the comic element broke into religion.’”77 If laughter can
draw people into the church, now is a good time for church leaders to consider
reintroducing Easter laughter into their resurrection celebrations.
Modern Uses of Comedy in the Church
After the reformation, there was a shift in the church’s appreciation of humor.78
Instead of humor and play being part of the church calendar, it has become the realm of
thinkers, preachers, and humorists. But the church has not had the same level of
celebration and festivity that it used to have. Ehrenreich argues that the shift away from
75
Kuschel, Laughter: A Theological Essay, 84.
76
Ibid.
77
Ibid., 86.
78
Martin, Between Heaven and Mirth, 114. This is an area to study in future research. There has
still been a tradition of humor in the church. Luther, Erasums, Rabelais, Kierkegaard, Chesterton, and many
more have used humor to challenge church leadership and assumptions of Christian culture. Douglas
Adams has a very interesting book about humor from preachers in eighteenth-century America. The use of
ridicule and mockery to engage and confront the audience is particularly interesting. See: Douglas Adams,
Humor in the American Pulpit from George Whitfield Through Henry Ward Beecher, 3rd rev. ed. (Austin,
TX: The Sharing Company, 1981). See also, Eric W. Gritsch, The Wit of Martin Luther (Minneapolis, MN:
Fortress Press, 2006).
74
celebration and festival in churches parallels a larger cultural shift. These celebrations
may still happen, but the focus has moved to attracting tourists and they have become
revenue generators for small villages and towns.79 Part of this shift comes from the
demystification of culture along with religious leaders’ disapproval of revelry associated
with these festivals.80
The professionalization of church clergy may have had a role in the downplay of
humor and festivals in the churches. The liturgy and the Mass were performances that the
clergy did for the people.81 The church gathering became a structure that people came to
expect, and any deviation was frowned upon. Pastors could use humorous anecdotes in
their homilies, but too much jocularity would distract from the serious business of the
priest or pastor standing as an intermediary between God and humanity. To many, while
there may be jokes and funny stories, the modern church is not considered a funny
place.82 This perception may also come from religious institutions and individuals having
a general mistrust of humor.83
In the twentieth century, scholars and church leaders began to turn their eye to
humor theory.84 The primary focus has been on understanding humor as a literary
79
80
Ibid.
81
82
Martin, Between Heaven and Mirth, 142-143. See also, Donald Capps, “Religion and Humor:
Estranged Bedfellows,” in Pastoral Psychology 54, no. 5 (May 2006): 419, https://link-springer-
com.georgefox.idm.oclc.org/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs11089-005-0008-8.pdf.
83
Capps, “Humour and Religion Estranged Bedfellows,” 426-427.
84
Gilhus says there has been “a fundamental reassessment of laughter, a reassessment which is so
widespread that it is tempting to talk about a new turning point in the Western history of laughter.” Gilhus,
Laughing Gods, Weeping Virgins, 101.
75
theory.85 However, people have also been finding greater understanding of the humor in
the Bible.86 With the growth of stand-up comedy in Western culture, there have also been
Christian voices that have taken up the mantle of comedian. Famous examples include:
Mike Warnke, Mark Lowry, Brad Stine, Michael Jr., and Tim Hawkins. Elisha McIntyre
researched the development of Christian and Mormon comedy and comedians. Many of
these comedians find their audience in their churches and in Christian retailers.87 The rise
of Christian comedians is encouraging because it shows that churches are becoming more
comfortable with humor again. Part of the appeal of Christian comedians is that they
work “clean,” meaning they do not broach topics that Christians may find offensive.88
Christians want to laugh, but they do not want to feel guilty about what they are laughing
at.89 Macy points out that while these Christian comedians do not promote morally
offensive material, they still may be operating from a place of cynicism that does not
reflect a joyful Christian life.90 Macy encourages Christ-followers, saying, “Instead of
just trying to avoid offense, however, let’s consider what would happen if our humor
were to grow out of our dearest values. Surely it would help us live more fully integrated,
85
Northrup Frye, The Great Code: The Bible and Literature (Toronto: Academic Press Canada,
1982).
86
See Conrad Hyers, The Comic Vision and the Christian Faith; Elton Trueblood, The Humor of
Christ; Douglas Adams, Prostitute in the Family Tree.
87
Elisha McIntyre, “God’s Comics: Religious Humour in Contemporary Evangelical and Mormon
Comedy” (Doctor of Philosophy dissertation, University of Sydney, 2014), 20.
http://www.academia.edu/6035668.
88
89
Ibid., 87.
90
Macy, Laughing Pilgrims, chap. 6.
76
consistent lives—a hallmark of spiritual maturity. It would also help us have more fun
with humor.”91
In surveys conducted for this paper, modern Christian comedians noted that
churches are not shying away from comedy. These performers are coming to churches
and having a good response with church audiences. One of the major challenges for
churches moving forward is determining how to move comedy from a single event to part
of a strategy for the church.92 The danger is that the churches who embrace comedy only
look inward, with the intention of entertaining Christians. McIntyre notes, “Laughter is a
powerful indicator of one’s belonging, where getting the joke is often dependent on
participation in the community and participation in the community can be dependent on
getting the joke.”93 There are comedians and comedy producers who profess a Christian
faith and work outside of the church buildings and Christian comedy events. These
comedians are able to perform clean material, but also push the envelope to discuss topics
that might not be welcomed in the church. For instance, Tyler Perry is a long-time
member of a Baptist church in New Orleans.94 Many of Perry’s characters do not live up
to “Christian” morality standards, but Perry’s goal in his movies is to help people heal.95
Perry could be an example to the larger Christian comedy producers of how messages of
91
Ibid.
92
As field research for this essay, I invited members of the Christian Comedy Association to
participate in a brief survey. These responses are available in Appendix B.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChristianComedyAssociation/ Accessed November 19, 2018.
93
McIntyre, God’s Comics, 22.
94
95
Ibid.
77
healing can be delivered through stories and films that might not currently fit many
Christian formats and venues, while still reaching larger audiences.
Christian comedians and churches have an opportunity to leverage the cultural
receptivity to comedy to communicate to a broad audience. Comedians in Western culture
are able to speak to cultural phenomena, challenges, and symbols in a way that disarms
and informs.96 Will the church rise to the cultural opportunity to build bridges into our
communities using humor?97 That is the question that remains to be answered.
Conclusion
As stated in the introduction, followers of Jesus are commanded to rejoice always.
Church leadership has not always made this command easy. With the humor pendulum
swinging back to the embrace of humor, this could be a great opportunity for the church
to use humor to reach people who are not yet following Jesus.
What would it take to make the most of this pendulum swing? First, church
leaders should take humor seriously. Just because a preacher can make their congregation
laugh does not mean they fully realize the power of humor in building bridges into their
community. Second, church leaders can encourage a playful attitude for parishioners in
matters of faith. Too often we take ourselves too seriously. Instead of pushing humor out
of the church (e.g., Carnival) church leaders can open the doors to festivity and humor for
96
Arbuckle, Laughing with God, 52-54.
97
“. . .laughter in Western Christianity has meant the end of several centuries during which
laughter was banned from religious life. When laughter was again heard in the Church, it had not sprung
spontaneously from religious soil. Its seeds came from outside the churches, from elements of fantasy and
creativity prevalent in the culture of the 1960s. . . . This new laughter is dependent on the general cultural
value now ascribed to laughter, and on its combinations with religion in secular culture.” Gilhus, Laughing
Gods, Weeping Virgins, 109.
78
the larger community. Karl Rahner argues that God’s creative acts are playful, and as
image-bearers of God, humankind should approach life and work with a kind of creative
play.98 Jesus was not always serious, and while we have no record of his laughter, the
gospel accounts do point to a playfulness that we should emulate. Hand states:
Jesus knew how to think crudely, how to make the kind of jokes that peasants
make, and how to use those jokes subversively to raise social awareness. When
theologians and religious leaders read Jesus, and miss the punch line, we often
end up becoming the joke, and enshrining our own lack of humor in theology,
liturgy, biblical studies, and even church structures and social policy.99
Third, Church leaders can learn to think of humor as a means of extending
hospitality.100 Humor can be used to break down spiritual and emotional barriers between
individuals and groups. Developing a playful approach to ministry can help break down
these barriers as well. This kind of playful humor needs to be intentional, because without
intentionality, comedy can cause unforeseen harm.101 Understanding what is being
communicated in the jokes and humor we celebrate can help church leaders to connect in
ways that just telling statements of fact cannot. Shopoff says, “Humor and religion are
similar in that they both deal with life’s incongruities and suffering. However, in doing
so, they employ very dissimilar methods that are, at times, diametrically opposed.
Religion seeks to be appropriate and consistent in all situations, but humor challenges
that which is considered appropriate and disrupts consistency.”102 The church can engage
with humor and comedy to enliven the conversation around significant issues. To do so
98
Rahner, Man at Play, 28. See also, Götz, Faith, Humor, and Paradox, 88.
99
Hand, “A Wicked Sense of Humor,” 119.
100
Martin, Between Heaven and Mirth, 104-106.
101
Ibid., 165.
102
79
effectively, it would be helpful to understand the effects of humor on individuals and
groups.
80
CHAPTER 4:
LAUGHING TOGETHER:
WHY DO WE LAUGH? WHAT DOES LAUGHTER DO IN GROUPS?
HOW DOES LAUGHTER CROSS CULTURES?
Introduction
One of the top traits that people look for in their relationships is a good sense of
humor.1 Why is that? What does a good sense of humor communicate to others? How
does a good sense of humor or joking around help create relationships? Humor and
comedy research is a growing field in the social sciences. How can all this research help
the local church intentionally use comedy to build relational connections in the
congregation as well as develop inroads into the larger community?
In North America, humor is appreciated but few people outside of comedians and
humor researchers spend much time thinking about it. Usually, when people are telling
jokes or being humorous, they are not applying a theory to their actions.2
Church leaders might resist this path of investigation, saying, “There are too many
lost people. There are too many projects, programs, and committees. People who have
time to joke around are not taking the mission of Jesus seriously.” What would happen if
1
Joel Warner and Peter McGraw, The Humor Code: A Global Search for What Makes Things
Funny (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2014), 75, Kindle.
2
Rod A. Martin, The Psychology of Humor: An Integrative Approach, 1st ed. (Burlington, MA:
Elsevier Academic Press, 2007), 117.
81
the local church had a better understanding of comedy and humor theories and
intentionally embraced playfulness as part of their identity as followers of Jesus?3
This chapter will first give an overview of the three classic humor theories.
Second, we will examine the sociological effects of humor to understand what comedy
produces in groups. Third, attention will be turned to cross-cultural humor. Mirth is a
universal human emotion, but there is no universal sense of humor.4 When dropped into a
new culture, one of the hardest things to learn is that culture’s acceptable humor.5 Even
within different sub-cultures, the perception of humor can change dramatically.
Communicators who want to use humor to effectively build relational connections to the
larger culture need to pay special attention to what makes people laugh and why. Finally,
we will explore some future avenues for consideration regarding the local church and
comedy. While humor is more than jokes, jokes are one of a humorist’s primary tools.
Understanding why individuals may tell certain jokes or stories, why others laugh, and
the different ways jokes affect groups can help church leaders communicate their
message more effectively.
3
4
Warner and McGraw, The Humor Code.
5
Giselinde Kuipers, Good Humor, Bad Taste: A Sociology of the Joke (Berlin: Mouton de
Gruyter, 2006).
82
Humor Theories
Why do we laugh? This question has motivated scholars from various fields to
contribute to the body of humor research.6 Laughter is a response to physical stimuli like
tickling7 as well as to mental stimuli.8 This sets humans apart from all other creatures:
Aristotle said that only humans laugh.9 It might be better stated that humans are the only
creatures who can appreciate why they laugh.
A survey of the prominent theories of humor reveals three primary humor
theories, which this essay will focus on: superiority, incongruity, and relief theories.10
These theories are not mutually exclusive, and they may all be at work at the same time.11
Superiority Theory
When an individual or group laughs at someone who acts foolishly, they are
laughing from a place of superiority. Superiority theory may be one of the most ancient
theories of humor. Plato showed how people laugh at those who see themselves as more
impressive than they actually are. This leads to laughter in those who see their
6
For an example of the wide spectrum of humor research see Victor Raskin, ed., Primer of Humor
Research, 1st ed. (Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 2006). Also, Lawrence E. Mintz, ed. Humor in America: A
Research Guide to Genres and Topics (New York: Greenwood Press), 1988.
7
Robert Provine, Laughter: A Scientific Investigation (New York: Penguin, 2000), 99-127.
8
9
Scott Weems, Ha!: The Science of When We Laugh and Why (New York: Basic Books, 2014),
Introduction, Kindle. See also, Oleksandr Golozubov, “Concepts of Laughter and Humor in The Sociology
of Religion,” Procedia—Social and Behavioral Sciences 140 (2014): 530.
10
Giselinde Kuipers, “The Sociology of Humor,” in The Primer of Humor Research, ed. Victor
Raskin (Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 2008), 362.
11
Michael Billig, Laughter and Ridicule, 1st ed. (London: Sage, 2005), 175.
83
foolishness, which leads to a sense of superiority in the one who is laughing.12 Thomas
Hobbes considered humor to be that “sudden glory” where the one laughing can place
themselves over the object of laughter.13 Discussing the superiority theory, Jim Holt says,
“all humor is at root mockery and derision, all laughter a slightly spiritualized snarl.”14
The superiority theory may be a laugh of derision, or it could indicate that the laugher is
glad he or she is not the butt of the joke.
Superiority theory does not require demeaning another person. It can be used to
bring emotional harm, but it can also be present in playful teasing, or “playful
aggression.”15 Rod Martin summarized Gruner’s thoughts this way: “Humor is a form of
play. In particular, the type of play he has in mind is a game, competition, or contest,
where there are winners and losers.”16 When friends playfully tell “Yo’ Momma” jokes
they often mean no true offense, but a certain kind of honor goes to the person who has
the best joke.17
Incongruity Theory
The second classic humor theory argues that we laugh when we encounter
information we didn’t expect. Martin addresses this kind of incongruity: “By laughing at
12
Provine, Laughter, 13.
13
Matthew Kotzen. “The Normativity of Humor,” Philosophical Issues 25, no. 1 (October 2015),
399.
14
Jim Holt, Stop Me If You’ve Heard This: A History and Philosophy of Jokes (New York: W. W.
Norton & Co, 2008), 83. See also, Rose Laub Coser, “Laughter Among Colleagues,” Psychiatry 23, no. 1
(1960): 83.
15
16
Ibid.
17
Your momma is so old that in history class they just wrote down whatever they did that day.
84
the fundamental incongruities of life and diminishing threats by turning them into objects
of non-serious play, humor is a way of refusing to be overcome by the people and
situations, both large and small, that threaten our well-being.”18 Incongruity theory
focuses on “violations of expectations.”19
This theory finds support when considering tickling and laughter response.
Provine wrote an entire chapter discussing tickling relationships.20 Tickling could initially
be perceived as an aggressive behavior, but laughter occurs when the person being tickled
realizes that they do not have to be afraid. What seemed aggressive has turned into play.
In studying human development, tickling relationships may be helpful to understand early
laughter in babies. Babies laugh in the first few months of life,21 though no one would say
that babies understand jokes.22 So why are they laughing? Provine explains:
Tickle is a part of our lives from shortly after birth. Socially stimulated laughter
develops around three and a half to four months of life, and tickle (tactilely
stimulated laughter) appears about this time or shortly after. Because tickle
requires the discrimination of self from nonself, the study of tickle and laugh
development may provide indirect evidence about the emergence of self in
infants, although at a level very different than that considered by personality
theorists.23
Humor development may start with recognizing incongruity, but recognizing why
something may be funny takes years.24 People laugh at the punchline of a joke because it
18
19
Kotzen, “Normativity of Humor,” 402.
20
Provine, Laughter, 99-128.
21
Laughter from external stimuli often develops around 10 weeks. See Warner and McGraw, The
Humor Code, 84.
22
Billig, Laughter and Ridicule, 182.
23
24
Kotzen, “Normativity of Humor,” 401-402.
85
subverts their expectations. 25 Martin points out that incongruity theory would lead us to
believe that the more unexpected the punchline, then the joke-teller could expect a bigger
laugh, and yet more predictable jokes get bigger laughs.26
Scott Weems, in Ha!: The Science of When We Laugh and Why, argues that
laughter is the result of our brains trying “to hold two or more inconsistent ideas at once.
When that happens, our brains know of only one thing to do—laugh.”27 Humor is trying
to make sense of the contradictions.28 And as we try to do that, we laugh.
Relief Theory
The third prominent theory is relief theory. The human brain is a problem-solving
machine. Our brains are constantly assessing our environments, looking for patterns, and
solving problems.29 When we encounter stimuli that our brain cannot quickly process,
like incongruity and contradiction, that builds tension. When we finally find the solution
to these problems, our brain releases dopamine, which brings pleasure and relief.30
Weems suggests that the brain works in three stages: “constructing, reckoning, and
25
John Morreall, Taking Laughter Seriously (New York: State University of New York, 1983), 16.
26
27
Weems, Ha!, Introduction.
28
“For Kierkegaard, . . . wherever there is life, there is contradiction, and wherever there is
contradiction, the comical is present . . . A caricature is comical, and why? Because of the contradiction
between likeliness and unlikeness.” See Kotzen, “Normativity of Humor,” 402.
29
In The Humor Code, the authors talk with the editor of the New Yorker cartoons, Bob Mankoff.
They say, “For Mankoff, it’s all about insight—a great New Yorker cartoon has an ‘aha!’ moment,
alongside the ‘ha ha.’ That ‘aha!’ it turns out, is crucial; a large body of psychological research suggests
that making creative connections, whether it’s understanding a witty punch line or solving a tricky math
problem, is an innately pleasurable experience.” See, Warner and McGraw, Humor Code, 56.
30
Weems, Ha!, 18.
86
resolving, are key not only for humor but for all aspects of complex thinking. When
solving insight problems, we must generate possible solutions while also inhibiting ‘false
alarms’ and other incorrect answers.”31 Weems goes on to say:
The brain multitasks. It doesn’t break down in the face of ambiguity but, instead,
uses confusion to achieve complex thought. When the brain is given conflicting
goals or information, it uses that conflict to generate novel solutions, sometimes
producing ideas that have never been thought of before. Humor succeeds because
we take joy in this process, which is why a bored mind is a humorless mind.32
Sigmund Freud devoted a lot of thought to how jokes work. He wrote about his
theories in his book The Joke and Its Relation to the Unconscious.33 Freud describes the
relief theory as tapping into the unconscious to help solve these problems and relieve
mental tension.34 “Humor brings pleasure because it spares expenditure of feeling,
comedy because it spares expenditure of ideas, and joking because it spares expenditure
of inhibition. This excess, ‘spared,’ energy is relieved in the act of laughter, which serves
as a kind of safety valve.”35 One of the key elements for Freud’s humor theory is taboo
joking. These kinds of jokes might make the audience feel uncomfortable and this is part
of the conflict that needs to be resolved. As Weems says, “It’s the conflict of wanting to
laugh, while not being sure we should, that makes jokes satisfying.”36
31
Ibid., 31.
32
Ibid., Introduction.
33
Sigmund Freud, The Joke and Its Relation to the Unconscious.
34
35
Ibid.
36
Weems, Ha!, 16.
87
Understanding humor theories helps us focus on the individual response to humor,
but it is also important to understand how humor affects the social realm.37
Sociological Effects of Laughter
Laughter is essentially social.38 Soren Kierkegaard questioned a friend if he ever
truly laughed alone. Kierkegaard believed that laughing by yourself was troubling
behavior.39 Rod Martin says laughter is “a social behavior: if there were no other people
to communicate to, we would not need laughter. This is no doubt why it is so loud, why it
comprises such a distinctive and easily recognized set of sounds, and why it rarely occurs
in social isolation.”40 Laughter is something that goes best with a group or an audience.
Even if a group of friends have heard the same anecdote, the humor can be enhanced
because they enjoy telling and hearing the story together.
When attempting to research laughter among groups, Robert Provine’s research
team tried to record hundreds of laughter incidents outside of a lab setting to gather
spontaneous, authentic laughter. What was surprising in this study was who was doing
the most laughing and why. They found that the person talking would laugh more often
than the listeners, and often at something that was not actually funny.41 While the goal of
humorous stories is to elicit laughter from others, people may be laughing as a way of
37
38
39
Ibid., 43-44.
40
Martin, Psychology of Humor, 9.
41
Provine, Laughter, 27-40.
88
sending signals to say, “we’re ok,” “I like you,” or “I’m a safe person.” Humor and
laughter are ways to bring people closer.
Kuipers found that in the Netherlands, class structure determines which jokes are
appropriate in different contexts. Laughter is a universal reaction in human cultures, but
not every culture finds the same things humorous. It is important that joke-tellers and
communicators understand how they are employing humor in their communication. They
need to be sensitive to the community and read the room. Kotzen says:
The practical virtues of humor include sensitivity, empathy, politeness, courage,

and moral fortitude. Jokes can be sensitive to audience or context; an ability to
“read the room” and to make sensitive determinations regarding how particular
words or topics will be received by particular audiences is a key skill of the
humorist. Relatedly, an empathetic humorist will avoid topics that are especially
difficult or traumatic for her audience and will present material that takes the
backgrounds and experiences of her audience into account. A polite humorist has
a well-developed sense of which rules of etiquette can be breached in a particular
situation and which ones cannot; a joke that is a bit off-color for the situation
might be perfectly funny, whereas a joke told at the expense of a gracious host
might fail because of its impoliteness.42
Research also shows that humor communicates important social messages. It can be used
to shape behavior in individuals or groups. This could take the form of playful teasing
among family members. Martin says that humor is also “a particularly useful form of
communication in situations in which a more serious and direct mode runs the risk of
being too confrontational, potentially embarrassing, or otherwise risky.”43
Should a joke-teller sometimes use humor aggressively? Yes. Professional
comedians have a long history of challenging social systems. Consider George Carlin’s
42
Kotzen, “Normativity of Humor,” 408-409.
43
Martin, The Psychology of Laughter, 17.
89
famous “The Seven Words You Can’t Say on TV” routine.44 Comedy’s power to offend
brings with it the ability to reveal cultural inconsistencies and bring about change in
society.
Humor and Relationship Building
As stated above, humor has been proven to be a desirable trait in friendships as
well as in romantic relationships.45 That doesn’t mean that all relationships require that
everyone laugh at the same jokes.46 However, friends who can appreciate similar humor
sensibilities will get along better. Kuipers’ research shows that “Humor more often
emphasizes similarity and closeness than it does attempts to distinguish oneself from
others. Distinction is more likely to be a chance side effect of attempts to underline
equality and to emphasize feelings of fellowship.”47
Determining the characteristics of a good sense of humor may be impossible.
However, the lack of a sense of humor is noticeable. If people take themselves too
seriously, that may be the turnoff for the relationship.48 People who are willing to
approach life with a playful disposition are more likely to have a positive view of humor.
For most people, humor starts with playfulness.49 This playfulness is an invitation into
relationship. While good relationships do take effort and intentionality, the value of
44
George Carlin, “George Carlin—7 Words You Can't Say On TV,” Filmed 1972, YouTube
video, 6:14, posted February 13, 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyBH5oNQOS0.
45
Martin, Psychology of Humor, 11. See also, Billig, Laughter and Ridicule, 11.
46
Ask any married couple.
47
Kuipers, Good Humor, Bad Taste, 242.
48
49
Ibid., 81.
90
shared humor sensibilities can help build bonds that allow for non-serious activity.
Valuing the other’s sense of humor can help friends and partners endure difficult seasons
because they relate to one another with play.50 When the tensions and stresses of life
build, a well-timed joke can bring levity into the situation and refocus partners on what
they value in their relationship. This is one of the ways that the relief theory finds
application in everyday life.
Humor and Group Cohesion
In Habits of the Heart, the classic work on societal trends in America, the authors
indicate that one major challenge American culture wrestles with is the elevation of the
individual. This trend makes it more difficult to see the value of intentionally building
community.51 Humor can create bridges between people with the purpose of building
friendship and community.52 Rose Coser states that humor brings people together:
“Humor is communicative behavior that calls for closer participation than do most other
forms of group behavior.”53 Peter Berger says:
Humor functions sociopositively by enhancing group cohesion. The formula here

goes something like this: Those who laugh together, belong together. A newcomer
to just about any group is well-advised to find out quickly what people in this
group laugh about—and, just as important, which topics are inappropriate for
humorous treatment.54
50
Weems, Ha!, 174.
51
Bellah, et al., Habits of the Heart, 1st ed. (New York: Perennial Library, 1986), 142-143.
52
Berger, Redeeming Laughter, 57.
53
Coser, “Laughter Among Colleagues,” 81.
54
91
Shared experiences can lead to a shared sense of humor. Coser examined
examples of humor among coworkers in a psychiatric hospital. She found that:
Through humor, then, assurance and support can be given; and in the same
manner, assurance and support can be asked for. The need for support is great
indeed for those who have to deal with illness, especially in an area in which
results are slow to be forthcoming and in which the therapist must constantly
scrutinize and evaluate the techniques at his disposal.55
She adds, “Humor is also a means of socialization—of reconciliation, of affirmation of
common values, of teaching and learning, of asking for and giving support, of bridging
differences.”56
Humor also has destructive power. In the same way it is used to draw people into
closer community, it can also be used to push people out.57 Goluzubov claims that humor
can destroy cohesion when laughter and mockery can be used as an attack of sorts.58
Provine also notes that laughter plays a “nonlinguistic role in social bonding, solidifying
friendships and pulling people into the fold. You can define ‘friends’ and ‘group
members’ as those with whom you laugh. But laughter has a darker side, as when group
members coordinate their laughter to jeer and exclude outsiders.”59 If one desires to use
comedy to intentionally build community, they must take care to not use humor to
demean or stereotype members of outsider groups.60
55
Coser, “Laughter Among Colleagues,” 91.
56
Ibid., 88.
57
Berger, Redeeming Laughter, 57. Also, Billig, Laughter and Ridicule, 22, 194. Also, Dorte
Marie Søndergaard, “The Thrill of Bullying: Bullying, Humour, and the Making of Community,” Journal
for the Theory of Social Behviour 48, no 1 (November 2017). https://doi-
org.georgefox.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/jtsb.12153.
58
Goluzubov, “Humor in the Sociology of Religion,” 531.
59
60
Jon Smajda and Dylan Brody, “Stand Up Sociology,” Contexts 10, no. 2 (2011): 14.
92
Shaping Behavior
In Laughter and Ridicule, Billig argues that laughter is a rhetorical tool that can
be used ‘as an expression of approval because we possess the rhetorical means to display
disapproval.”61 This starts early as parents reinforce positive behavior with happy
laughter. Parental teasing can also be used early on to shape behavior in the child. Shared
humor can help build group cohesion because it shows acceptable behavior through
mockery, ridicule, and teasing.62 While this is not always done in a healthy way, this can
be utilized to shape behaviors. Martin states, “Laughter can be a method of positively
reinforcing others for desirable behavior (‘laughing with’), as well as a potent form of
punishment directed at undesirable behaviors (‘laughing at’).”63 Elsewhere, Martin states,
“Using irony, teasing, sarcasm, or satire to make fun of certain attitudes, behaviors, or
personality traits, members of a group can communicate implicit expectations and rules
concerning the kinds of behavior that are considered acceptable within the group.”64
Billig introduces another tool that he calls “unlaughter.”65 When a person desires
to be funny, but has crossed a line, the silence of the audience (parents, friends, crowd)
can communicate disapproval in a memorable way.66 People continue to do what gets
rewarded: therefore, if the reward of laughter is withheld, behavior can be redirected.
61
62
Ibid., 222.
63
64
Ibid., 119.
65
66
Ibid., 192-194.
93
Challenging Social Systems
Comedy has a powerful transformative capability. Laughter can change
someone’s disposition, but it can also bring change to social norms and systems. When
comedians take on social norms, they can engage with topics that may be taboo. Jack
Clarke argues that
Because of the nature of a joke, topics that are often taboo can carve out a space
that can work at creating a new understanding of a sensitive topic in its parody. It
also allows the comic/audience a dynamic space to openly discuss and
contemplate these sensitive issues. Humor provides a key site for reversal and
resistance to the inequalities that society perpetuates, encouraging its incongruity
through disturbance, thus offering a stylistic redefinition of reality.67
Humor can be used to slaughter sacred cows and disrupt the status quo.
Comedians like Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, and Richard Pryor worked for years as
straight-laced comedians. Over time, they began to push the boundaries of acceptability.68
As they began to confront social norms, they faced resistance. But they continued to push
forward and eventually found audiences that appreciated their honesty. Humor has
rhetorical power that direct discourse does not. The comedian disarms the audience and
exposes an alternate way of looking at the world, so they can get away with “breaking
various taboos, expressing prejudiced attitudes, or engaging in boorish behavior if these
are done in a humorous rather than a serious manner.”69 Humorists are able to approach
delicate topics because of the shared assumption that they are only joking. However,
67
Jack Clarke, “The Power of Comedy,” Sociology Lens, June 12, 2012,
http://www.sociologylens.net/topics/collective-behaviour-and-social-movements/the-power-of-
comedy/9860.
68
John Limon, Stand-up Comedy in Theory, or Abjection in America (Durham, NC: Duke
University Press, 2000), 11-27.
69
94
discussing these areas without care can be costly and lead to building walls between
different cultures.
Cross-Cultural Comedy
When working cross-culturally, understanding the subtle nuances of culture can
be one of the last things people learn. Challenges come from failing to understand subtle
nuance in language or what is taboo in different cultures. Cultural natives pick up on their
culture’s humor because of humor conditioning throughout their lives. Those who enter
into a culture later might find themselves missing the meaning of jokes, or making jokes
that are deemed inappropriate in this new culture.
Christians who reach across cultures and build gospel bridges understand that
another culture’s sense of humor can be one of their greatest tools toward fostering
community. Understanding cross-cultural comedy requires cultural curiosity, recognizing
that there are some things that insiders can joke about with other insiders, but those topics
are off limits to outsiders. Marchant reminds readers that humor is not always about the
joke: we must also pay attention to various ways that humor is communicated by
different cultures.70 Cross-cultural comedy can be successful. Christians, particularly
Christians leaders, can learn to use comedy to build cross-cultural bridges of
community.71
70
Gordon W. Marchant, “Cross Cultural Humor as God’s Gift for Church Growth in North
America” (DMin diss., Wesley Theological Seminary, 2010), 2. Theological Research Exchange Network.
71
Hanae Katayama, “A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Humor in Stand-Up Comedy in the United
States and Japan” (PhD diss., Pennsylvania State University, 2006), 1, ProQuest.
95
Attentiveness to cross-cultural humor is important in the cosmopolitan ministry
context of Seattle. On any given day, Christ-followers in Seattle come into contact with
people who are transplants from different parts of the country as well as different corners
of the world. Cross-cultural communication is no longer a project for people who are
traveling to other countries. People from around the world are in our backyard; they may
even attend our churches.72
If we can understand what makes other people laugh, we are on our way to
making friends. Understanding why people laugh is important because, as Nelvin Vos
states, “You can tell a man by the things he laughs at, for in his laughter is reflected the
intellectual and spiritual company he keeps. Every laugh and our reaction to it is a
comment on ourselves.”73 When we recognize what makes other people laugh, we learn
about their life and their culture. We can also learn about ourselves and our culture. Vos
says that laughter “is not a mask which hides us from ourselves and others and even from
God, but a means toward self-discovery.”74
The study of humor and joking from different cultures provides “insights into how
societies work—they are not social thermostats regulating and shaping human behavior,
but they are social thermometers that measure, record, and indicate what is going on.”75
The jokes of a particular culture can help reveal possible tension points, and a wise
72
For a helpful primer on cross-cultural worship, see Kathy Black, Worship Across Cultures: A
Handbook (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1998).
73
Nelvin Vos, For God’s Sake Laugh! What You Laugh at and Why (Richmond, VA: John Knox
Press, 1967), 37.
74
Vos, For God’s Sake Laugh, 68-69.
75
Christie Davies, Ethnic Humor Around the World: A Comparative Analysis (Bloomington, IN:
Indiana University Press, 1990), 9.
96
observer can avoid joking about those things.76 The way that comedians tell jokes also
varies between cultures.77
As part of my research, congregants from my church watched several different
comedy specials by comedians with various cultural backgrounds. This group was
looking for what these comedians did to help us understand their culture and their
experiences. Observations from this research group will be shared below where
appropriate. As we watched comedians from different cultures and ethnicities, we
participated in a conversation that often helped us have greater understanding of other
cultures. David Gillota argues “that a close analysis of contemporary ethnic humor can
provide insight into the manner in which different ethnic groups view themselves in
relation to each other.”78 Recognizing the multicultural nature of our region and the
increasingly multicultural nature of our church learning what they find humorous is
essential for effective cross-cultural communication.
Multiculturalism and Humor
For some, the growing diversity in the United States is seen as a threat to their
way of life. For many others, this transformation is seen as a natural evolution for a
nation that has historically welcomed immigrants. Our feelings about these changes will
not affect whether or not our nation will be multicultural. These changes are already
happening and do not need to be feared. For followers of Jesus, these changes could be
76
77
Katayama, “Stand-Up Comedy in the United States and Japan.”
78
Gillota, Ethnic Humor in Multiethnic America (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press,
2013), 4.
97
seen as a great opportunity for the gospel as people who may have never heard about
Jesus in their country of origin are eager to learn more about American culture.
David Gillota defines multiculturalism as “an ideology that promotes the active
celebration and embracing of ethnic, racial, religious, or cultural difference.”79
Understanding the different cultures and ethnicities of our neighbors can go a long way to
building community and sharing the hope of Jesus. There is room in our multicultural
evolution to celebrate the difference between our cultures without trying to mix all of the
different cultures and ethnicities into a bland beige culture. This celebration could be part
of what Kwame Appiah calls cosmopolitanism. Cultures will naturally build boundaries,
as like tends to gather with like.80 Appiah, however, encourages cross-boundary
conversations. “Depending on the circumstances, conversations across boundaries can be
delightful, or just vexing: what they mainly are, though, is inevitable.”81 Developing a
cosmopolitan mindset may require that white Americans recognize that white is
considered “normal” for America.82 If we are going to develop a true sense of
multiculturalism or cosmopolitanism, then Caucasian American Christians can make
significant headway by recognizing that more and more of our neighbors are not
Caucasian and the unspoken assumption that white is normal may actually create barriers
in our communication. Otherwise, people may continue to feel a tendency to deny their
79
Gilotta, Ethnic Humor in Multiethnic America, 3.
80
Ibid., 21.
81
Kwame Anthony Appiah, Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers (New York: W. W.
Norton & Company, 2006), xxi.
82
Gillota argues that much of popular ethnic comedy is built on contrasts between a particular
ethnic group and white American culture. Gillota, Ethnic Humor in Multiethnic America, 77.
98
cultural heritage in order to fit in.83 The goal should not be to make a hodgepodge culture
where we celebrate assimilation. Rather, as we study different cultures, we can celebrate
what is great about different cultures. So, how do we move forward? What is our path to
true multiculturalism?
Comedy and humor can help us learn to bring these different cultural differences
together with a sense of delight and curiosity. Russell Peters and Maz Jobrani each joke
about cultural differences in their acts. Peters, in Notorious, communicates a sense of
superiority, essentially saying, all these other cultures are crazy.84 Jobrani begins his
special Immigrant by asking people of different cultures how they say different words.85
Jobrani’s humor comes from his delight in the differences between cultures. Both of these
comedians are very successful and can fill large theaters and arenas. In the research
conversation group for this paper, participants found Peters to be abrasive while they
found Jobrani to be inviting. Motapanyane argues that Russell Peters and his act may put
forward an appearance of multiculturalism, but it is actually perpetuating systemic
problems present in Canadian culture.86 While the audience at a Russell Peters
performance may be laughing, their laughter may be coming from a place of superiority
over different groups. Jobrani’s audience seems to be joining him in celebrating the
83
Tony Campolo and Michael Battle, The Church Enslaved: A Spirituality of Racial
Reconciliation (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2005), 7.
84
Russell Peters: Notorious, directed by David Higby (Retaliation Films, 2013),
https://www.netflix.com/title/70280748.
85
Maz Jobrani: Immigrant, directed by Maz Jobrani (Netflix Studios, 2017),
86
Maki Motapanyane, “Capitalizing on Multiculturalism: Reading the Success of Canadian
Comedian Russell Peters,” TOPIA 25 (2011): 99,
https://topia.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/topia/article/view/34318/32856.
99
different cultures and backgrounds of the audience. In doing so, he brings the diverse
members of his audience together. Jobrani would probably not claim to be solving any
serious issues in his comedy, but he is also not willfully fostering division between the
different groups.
Gilotta notes a trend of comedians intentionally booking shows that place them in
intercultural dialogue.87 This can lead to building shared understanding between comics
and audience members. Recognizing the heterogenous nature of any given comedy
audience, comedians, like Jobrani and Peters, can poke fun of different cultures and
themselves. They acknowledge that every culture has distinct characteristics. However,
acknowledging distinctions can also build on the shared experiences of people from
various cultures in the room. These comics do not need to focus solely on stereotypes.
Discussing an interfaith comedy event featuring Rabbi Bob Alper, Azhar Usman—a
Muslim—and evangelical Christian Nazareth Rizkallah, Shopoff points out,
Humor may be used to reinforce stereotypes, but can also be used to deconstruct. .
. . each member of the show has his own unique perspective as a Jew, a Muslim
and a Christian, that gets people laughing together. Nothing is better than seeing a
member of “the other” community as “warm, affable and funny” for breaking
down negative stereotypes.”88
Joking with Insiders
Comedians know that they can be successful if they speak to their primary
audience, which in most cases would be people who share their cultural background.
Richard Pryor, at the height of his career, knew that his primary audience was fellow
87
Gillota, Ethnic Humor in Multiethnic America, 3-4.
88
100
African Americans, but his live audiences were diverse.89 Pryor knew that he could talk
to his primary audience of “insiders” and still connect with the “outsiders” who wanted to
“feel as if they were down with black culture.”90 Chris Rock, in Tamborine, makes a lot
of jokes about the differences between black and white people. When discussing the
craziness of white people, he pauses to speak to the white people in his audience and
says, “not you guys, you guys are cool.”91 While joking with insiders, it seems helpful to
at least acknowledge the outsiders in the audience.
Every nationality, ethnicity, or cultural group has different targets, or butts, of
their jokes. Christie Davies gives helpful parameters to understand how different cultures
joke about each other. She shows how many cultures joke about different groups
regarding stupidity, thriftiness, or canniness.92 These kinds of jokes build an identity of
contrast.93 As an example of this identity of contrast, the following is a typical example of
Russell Peters’ multiethnic material:
In Peters’ comedy: Indian and Chinese people are cheap; immigrant parents are
prone to violent corporal punishment; Indians do not have the physique or
constitution for hard physical labour, but can do your taxes; black men are well-
endowed; Asian men have small penises; the “click” languages of Southern Africa
are strange and funny; Arabs will kill you if you make fun of them; and Arabs
cannot be intimidated. Peters’ ridicule of white Canadians rests largely on
Anglophones having a recognizable accent and white parents being
stereotypically lax on their children—quasi-compliments when compared with his
lampooning of Canadian ethnic minorities.94
89
Gilotta, Ethnic Humor in Multiethnic America, 20.
90
Ibid.
91
Chris Rock: Tamborine, directed by Bo Burnam (Netflix Studios, 2018),
92
Davies, Ethnic Humor, 10.
93
94
Montapanyane, “Capitalizing on Multiculturalism,” 100.
101
These kinds of jokes are not uncommon in joking with insiders. The butts of these
jokes are also interchangeable between different cultural groups.95 Davies says that
“Ethnic jokes about stupidity are easily transferable between different groups all over the
world because people in different countries and cultures increasingly seem to have a
common view of what constitutes stupidity.”96 It would be easy to see this brand of
humor as vulgar and dismiss it outright. That is a short-sighted view of humor. A joke-
teller does not need to tell these kinds of jokes, but understanding why people tell these
jokes is important.
This kind of joking can be a boundary-building exercise. Sharing jokes about who
is cheap or who is dim-witted can help an individual feel like they belong to a group that
shares their worldview. We may disagree with the ethics of these kinds of jokes, but as
Morreall argues, “humour is usually a social phenomenon. As many researchers have
noted, people laugh far more often in groups than when alone.”97 Joking is one of the
fastest ways that we can build a sense of community with others. These jokes that serve
to identify insiders may be the lowest-hanging fruit, but these jokes are still fruit.
Recognizing these jokes as means for insiders to build relational connections
brings clarity to why these kinds of jokes are prevalent in so many different cultures.
When trying to connect across cultural lines, followers of Jesus do not need to feel like
they must joke in the same way or reinforce ethnic stereotypes. That may actually work
95
96
For example, jokes about Polish people in the United States could be interchanged with jokes
about Italian people in France. See ibid., 11.
97
John Morreall, “Humour and the Conduct of Politics,” in Beyond a Joke: The Limits of Humour,
ed. Sharon Lockyer and Michael Pickering (Hampshire, UK: Palgrave MacMillan, 2005), 67.
102
crossways with the mission of the Gospel, where ethnicity ought not be a defining
characteristic. Davies argues that ethnic identity can be transformed; it is a fluid
concept.98 The Apostle Paul argues for this very idea when he says:
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who
were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither
Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are
all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and
heirs according to the promise.99
When one becomes a Christian, their primary identity is shifted from their culture of
origin to citizenship in the Kingdom of God. As people who are insiders in a particular
culture place their faith in Jesus, their ethnic identity, even their jokes, may take on
different attributes. Their jokes may move from boundary-marking to bridge-making
between cultures. Jokes can move from simply joking with insiders about outsiders to
joking with outsiders to help them become insiders. It is not about deferring to one
culture, but creating a new, shared culture, while celebrating what is distinct in various
cultures.100
Joking with Outsiders
One of the reasons that humor might be avoided, especially in cross-cultural
situations, is the fear that the joke-teller might offend the listener. Just because someone
is telling a joke does not mean the joke will be considered funny inter-culturally.101 In
98
99
Galatians 3:26–29.
100
Campolo and Battle, The Church Enslaved, 7.
101
Michael Pickering and Sharon Lockyer, “Introduction: The Ethics and Aesthetics of Humour
and Comedy,” in Beyond a Joke: The Limits of Humour, ed. Sharon Lockyer and Michael Pickering
(Hampshire, UK: Palgrave MacMillan, 2005), 9.
103
Thank God for Jokes, Mike Birbiglia, when recounting his mom’s desire that he wouldn’t
tell offensive jokes, replies to her with this truth: “Every joke is offensive to
somebody.”102 When considering simple knock-knock jokes or children’s jokes, this may
not be the case. Joking about more substantive issues like cultural particularities or
laughing when a stereotype plays out, however, does have a danger of offense—
especially if the joke-teller is not aware of these dangers.
Birbiglia, in the special mentioned above, constructs his whole act to show how
jokes, even the offensive ones, can bring groups of people together. How can joke-tellers
joke with outsiders in a way that builds relational bridges? Leveen discusses this in the
article “Only When I Laugh.”
In interethnic discourse, it’s not the joke text that matters as much as the way the
entire joke act proceeds. The same ethnic joke told different ways—by different
tellers, in different circumstances, and to different listeners—may become
increasingly or decreasingly volatile, and the participants in a specific joke act
must judge these factors in order to determine the meaning of a particular joke.
Thus, the importance of cues is recognized by participants in any joke act. . . . The
joke listener must formulate an opinion about the joke teller’s attitudes and intent
in order to assess the joke teller’s cultural codes and the effect of those codes on
the meaning of the joke.103
Context is crucial. The joke-teller needs to recognize who they are and who they are
speaking to. A joke-teller can minimize offense through self-deprecating jokes. When we
laugh at our own mistakes and weaknesses, we build common ground.104 This common
ground can build a sense of sympathy. Again, Leveen states, “Successful joke sharing
102
Mike Birbiglia: Thank God for Jokes, directed by Seth Barrish and Mike Birbiglia (Jax Media,
Secret Public Productions, 2017), https://www.netflix.com/title/80133550.
103
Lois Leveen, “Only When I Laugh: Textual Dynamics of Ethnic Humor,” MELUS 21, no. 4
(Winter 1996): 35, https://literature-proquest-
com.georgefox.idm.oclc.org/pageImage.do?ftnum=11714998&fmt=page&area=abell&journalid=0163755
X&articleid=R01530409&pubdate=1996&queryid=3030946515124. 35,
104
Marchant, “Cross Cultural Humor as God’s Gift,” 61.
104
depends on sympathy, deriving from the sense of common understanding or similar—
equivalent if not identical—experience.”105
Joke-tellers have the ability to share their cultural experiences in a way that could
help build universality between other cultures.106 In Homecoming King, the way that
Hasan Minhaj talks about his father’s efforts to provide for him and protect him can build
a sense of universality; this is what every good father desires to do for his family.107
Recognizing that Minhaj’s father has sacrificed and put up with a lot of racism to provide
for his son reveals a particular experience that viewers from non-immigrant families may
never have had to consider. When someone threw a rock through their family’s window
days after 9/11, Minhaj’s father told him that this kind of racism is just the price you pay
as an immigrant pursuing the American Dream. Throughout this joke sequence, Minhaj is
able to joke about the broad father-child relationship, the deeply personal sacrifices of
immigrant parents, and love for their families in the face of racism are things that
immigrant families may be familiar with, and also introduced tension to many white
people, who may never really have wrestled with these issues. The comedy conversation
group that I watched and discussed Homecoming King with was made up of mostly
Caucasian people. All participants shared that Minhaj’s retelling was informative.
Comedians like Minhaj intentionally share their experience, laughing about their
own family and ethnic particularities. In doing this, they are opening themselves to
105
Leveen, “Only When I Laugh,” 38.
106
David Swinton, “Where Two Stories Collide: Applying Lessons from Stand-Up Comedy in
Preaching,” (DMin Thesis, McCormick Theological Seminary, 2009), 25,
http://www.doi.org/10.2986/tren.102-0765.
107
Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King, directed By Christopher Storer (Art & Industry, 2017),
105
potential criticism both from people inside and outside their culture. This kind of joking
requires that listeners pay attention to the comedian’s attitude and intent.108 There is,
however, still potential for listeners to be offended by these jokes. People who share
Minhaj’s ethnicity and identify with his experiences may laugh because of the see their
lives reflected in his jokes. However, Caucasians in the audience may feel like this is
offensive because these kinds of jokes are “off limits.” When people identify with a
comedian like Minhaj, these jokes regarding ethnicity may build on a sense of cultural
pride.109
When joking with people from different ethnicities, listeners will not always
laugh. That does not mean they do not have a sense of humor or they are deeply
offended.110 There is the very real possibility that these jokes are just not funny. It could
also be that the joke-teller is not coming from a place of commonality.111 The joke-teller
may be using these jokes to continue to foster a sense of superiority for their own
culture.112 Just because some people are able to tell jokes about ethnicity in a way that is
not received as offensive does not mean that all ethnic joking is harmless.113 But when
joking with outsiders, comedians have an opportunity to subvert cultural assumptions.114
108
Leveen, “Only When I laugh,” 35.
109
Ibid., 30.
110
Pickering and Lockyer, “Introduction,” 8.
111
Dennis Howitt and Kwame Owusu-Bempah, “Race and Ethnicity in Popular Humour,” in
Beyond a Joke: The Limits of Humour, ed. Sharon Lockyer and Michael Pickering (Hampshire, UK:
Palgrave MacMillan, 2005), 58.
112
Howitt and Owusu-Bempah, “Race and Ethnicity in Popular Humour,” 58.
113
Ibid.
114
Leveen, “Only When I Laugh,” 37.
106
Comedians can subvert known stereotypes by pointing them out to outsiders. When a
joke-teller laughs at what may be worth ridicule, they can take the power away from
stereotypes. Omid Djalili says in an interview:
Stereotypes are only stereotypes, I feel, because they actually have a modicum of
truth in them. ... I think if you just play on that, the fact that we know it exists and
we joke about it, people think okay, so they’re aware of it too and they can joke
about it and they can be ironic about it. Hey, they can laugh at themselves too!
That’s breaking the stereotype. I think that’s where it works, that’s how playing
with the stereotype will actually alleviate it.115
By subverting these stereotypes, ethnic jokes can actually work against racist
ideologies.116 This is not an easy feat. Joke-listeners need to be able to recognize the joke-
teller’s intent as well as their own assumptions regarding these stereotypes. Exposing
stereotypes and assumptions in a manner where joke-teller and listener can laugh disarms
the listener and may help build understanding about different groups.
Joking to Build Understanding
Joking with insiders can be a celebration with those we already relate to. Joking
with outsiders can be a way to build bridges between cultures. The next progression is
joking to build understanding. As described in Hasan Minhaj’s material above,
particularity can lead to more universal connections.117 Comedy is a powerful tool for
building relationships between people of different cultures and ethnicities because there is
115
Sharon Lockyer and Michael Pickering. “Breaking the Mould: Conversations with Omid Djalili
and Shazia Mirzam,” in Beyond a Joke: The Limits of Humour, ed. Sharon Lockyer and Michael Pickering
(Hampshire, UK: Palgrave MacMillan, 2005), 110-111.
116
Howitt and Owusu-Bempah, “Race and Ethnicity in Popular Humour,” 59-60.
117
This is reminiscent of something that Leonard Sweet says, and tweets. For example, Leonard
Sweet, (@LenSweet), “The way to the universal is through the particular.” Tweet reply, December 2, 2018,
https://twitter.com/lensweet/status/1069268216571031553.
107
an opportunity for joke-tellers to reveal their own challenges and invite the audience
members to contemplate their own challenges.118 Swinton discusses this process, saying
that “by sharing our observations and truest feelings about ourselves, our world, our faith,
and other aspects of life we enter into the place in which they live. Yet, to find this
common ground requires that they permit our entering—and they will not let us in unless
we first disarm ourselves and disarm them as well.”119 This echoes Vos, who says,
“Laughter therefore neutralizes many of the visual antagonisms and encourages the
awareness of the common bond of humanity.”120
Some of the most powerful moments in the Mike Birbiglia’s Thank God for Jokes
and Chris Rock’s Tamborine came from their realizations of their own problems.
Birbiglia in particular is a master at crafting his stories to reveal how he may be angry at
something that happens in the world, but he knows that a lot of his problems come from
his own hang-ups. In presenting himself as the butt of the joke, he is able to bring to the
mind of audience members similar situations of their own.
In Tamborine, when Chris Rock discusses his divorce, which is not an easy source
for comedy, he does not blame his ex-wife for any of the problems in their marriage. He
blames himself. At one point, Rock reveals that he cheated on his wife three times. He
expresses remorse for his actions, but then he also points out that there are people in the
audience who were probably thinking, “only three times?!”121 In this self-revelation,
118
Swinton, “Where Two Stories Collide,” 25.
119
Ibid., 25.
120
Vos, For God’s Sake Laugh, 40.
121
Chris Rock: Tamborine.
108
Rock humanizes himself and humanizes his audience by revealing their assumption that
he was probably cheating on his wife a lot. When discussing something as important as
marriage and divorce, one might be offended because it would seem that Chris Rock is
not taking these things seriously. John Morreall addresses this tension, saying, “To laugh
about something is not to take it seriously, and for you not to take seriously what I take
seriously is for you not to take me seriously.”122 But to move beyond this sense of offense
and listen to what Rock is confessing reveals a substantial transformation in his own
mind. When we listen to this as a confession, it can build compassion in the listener.
Conrad Hyers addresses this transformation:
There is therefore an intimate relationship between humor and compassion.

Instead of moving only in the direction of a laughter at others and their faults and
foibles or supposed inferiorities, humor moves toward a laughter that accepts
others in spite of their differences. Since it is not grounded in a nervous insecurity,
it does not need to be self-protective and self-assertive. It is therefore capable of
becoming, in the purest sense, the humor of love.123
Employing comedy to build understanding between cultures and ethnicities
requires a certain amount of bravery. When a comedian opens their life up to the
examination of others, they are creating the opportunity that others may use their words
against them.124 Sharing these vulnerabilities across cultures is also dangerous because
any existing animosity can be inflamed. When audience members hear jokes about ethnic
differences with curiosity and even celebration of these ethnic differences, there may be
subtle statements that can actually help alleviate some unspoken cultural tensions. If
122
Morreall, “Humour and the Conduct of Politics,” 70.
123
Conrad Hyers, The Comic Vision and the Christian Faith: A Celebration of Life and Laughter
(New York: The Pilgrim Press, 1981), 37.
124
See the closing minutes of Mike Birbiglia: Thank God for Jokes.
109
people are willing to approach racial and ethnic tensions with a humorous perspective,
they could bring about positive change. Humor could actually cause people to think
differently, which could lead to changed behavior.125 Morreall reminds readers that we
cannot allow humor to be a substitute for action, but it can be a starting point.126
Joking that is intended to disarm guarded people can help people who are carrying
hurts to reevaluate these hurts and potentially release them.127 Joking to build
understanding requires people of different ethnicities to build relationships across cultural
and ethnic lines. When people build relationships with each other and joke together, they
do not have to abandon what makes their particular culture unique, but they can share
those blessings with others.128
Why the Church Should Lead the Way in Cross-Cultural Humor
If laughter is truly a universal human trait, then understanding why we laugh can
help church leaders and communicators understand why people may laugh at certain
jokes or anecdotes. Also, recognizing some of the effects that comedy has on individuals
can help leaders be intentional in how they employ humor as they build community.
Comedy is a powerful force in North American culture. It can be used to heal as
well as to wound. The church in North America has a great opportunity to learn how to
engage comedy as a force for good. We can confront societal systems; we can use
125
Marchant, “Cross Cultural Humor as God’s Gift,” 47-48.
126
Morreall, “Humour and the Conduct of Politics,” 70.
127
Earl Palmer, The Humor of Jesus: Sources of Laughter in the Bible (Vancouver, BC: Regent
College Publishing, 2001), 24.
128
Appiah, Cosmopolitanism, 57.
110
comedy to bring healing. Through the intentional use of humor, we can become a
community that values playfulness as well as holiness. 129
Considering the multicultural nature of the United States, and the kind of joking
that occurs between insiders and outsiders, and some possibilities that could develop
from joking to build understanding, the final piece of the equation for this chapter is why
the church should care. Leaders in the church have a great opportunity to shape the
culture of their congregations. Humor is one of the tools that can help shape culture. As
pastors work to confront the challenging issues of our churches, humor can disarm and
inform. Consider the ministry of Jesus. The teaching of Jesus involved humorous
elements. For example, Jesus directly confronted hypocrisy in the Sermon on the Mount
(Matthew 5-7). He mocked the people who prayed as a performance. He also rebuked
people who try to fix other people’s sins without first dealing with their own. Jesus did
this by using ridicule and highlighting incongruity. In doing so, Jesus gave his listeners
humorous images that communicated powerful truth. Swinton, while discussing comedy
and preaching, highlights the power of images and metaphor: “A joke, therefore, packs
the descriptive power of a metaphor and releases it in a manner that engages the minds
of, and creates a shared experience among, the listeners.”130
These shared experiences are the kinds of things that build culture. Our churches
have an opportunity to move away from homogenous groups and to reflect a more
multicultural, even cosmopolitan, community. When reading the accounts of the early
church in Acts, the good news of Jesus Christ moved quickly into different cultures. The
129
130
Swinton, “Where Two Stories Collide,” 6.
111
apostles didn’t always know what to do when they got there, but they learned to follow
the leading of the Spirit.131
If pastors can learn the language of humor for the communities they serve, then
the Gospel can be shared through shared joy and laughter. How can pastors learn the
language of humor? It starts with intentional cross-cultural friendship.132 As pastors build
cross-cultural friendships, they can learn about different cultures’ senses of humor. This
takes time. Pastors will need to learn to be observers and ask a lot of questions. They will
need to fight the urge to give answers. As a culture’s sense of humor is learned, the pastor
can employ humor in their communication between friends, and as they develop more
confidence in their understanding of what is funny and why, they can share those
humorous elements in their messages and other church-wide communication.
Intercultural humor can bring people together.133
This kind of humor embodies the “coming alongside” that Earl Palmer describes
in The Humor of Jesus.134 Instead of attacking and coming against people, our shared
humor can build common ground and shared humanity. Humor can be a tool that church
leaders employ to help people of different cultures realize the common need for the good
news of Jesus Christ. The goal for preachers is not to be comedians. The goal is to point
people to Jesus. This echoes Paul’s message to the Corinthians:
To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became
like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those
131
See Peter’s interaction with Cornelius’ household (Acts 10-11). Also, the Council of Jerusalem
as the discipled debated whether Gentiles needed to be circumcised (Acts 15).
132
Marchant, “Cross Cultural Humor as God’s Gift,” 1.
133
Campolo and Battle, The Church Enslaved, 5, 7. See also, Marchant, “Cross Cultural Humor as
God’s Gift,” 29.
134
112
under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law
(though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win
those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have
become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I
do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.135
Learning to share the blessings of the gospel and the blessings of humor can foster cross-
cultural conversation. We might not convince anyone, but we will build relationships.
These relationships can be the starting points for more conversations, for more laughter,
and to build more common ground.136
135
1 Corinthians 9:20–23.
136
Appiah, Cosmopolitanism, 84-85.
113
CHAPTER 5:
COMEDY THAT BUILDS COMMUNITY
Introduction
The word “comedy” originates from the communal festivals of ancient Greece.1
The Comus festivals, celebrating Comus, the god of fertility, were filled with revelry and
stories.2 The classical Greek plays originated from these festivals. Comedy and
community are historically connected.
Today, comedy is as popular as ever. This popularity has shifted from a
community celebration to individualized consumption. With Netflix, podcasts, and other
on-demand media options, comedy can be consumed in isolation from a larger group.3
But even if an individual is listening to a comedy special through ear buds on the bus,
there are still at least two of the necessary elements for good comedy: a comedian and an
audience. This chapter will examine contemporary ways people and organizations are
using comedy, humor, and play to help build communities.
Comedy catches people’s attention. John Morreall, notes that “we pay attention to
people who make us laugh and we tend to like them.”4 When considering groups of
friends, they most likely share a sense of humor; they have shared humorous experiences.
1
Deuman, “Humor as a Prophetic Device,” 9. See also, Robert Flaceliere, “Comedy,” in A
Dictionary of Ancient Greek Civilization, ed. Ferdinand Hazan (London: Metheuen & Co LTD, 1970), 125-
126; and Andrew Stott, Comedy (New York: Routledge, 2005), 127.
2
So much so that whenever the word Komus is mentioned in the New Testament, this revelry is
discouraged among Christians. Webb, Comedy and Preaching, x.
3
Schlossberg warns that this individualized consumption of entertainment may be harmful for the
larger cultural dialogue in Interactive Excellence, 18-19.
4
114
Businesses and marketers understand that people resonate with those who make them
laugh, too. Morreall, notes that television commercials use humor about 42 percent of the
time.5 If the commercials for Product X make us happy, we are more likely to purchase
that product.6 This use of humor can also be used to build community of people who like
Product X, when you see Product X stickers on the back of a car in traffic, or you see
someone using Product X, you may be more inclined to think positively not just of the
product, but of the person who is using that product.
Humor in marketing is not anything new, and it isn’t necessarily good or bad. But
humor can also be used to build communities that might try to build exclusions of others.
Earl Palmer notes that, “Healthy humor connects human beings and creates self-
understanding. The humor of cynicism is one of the markers of despair and it has that
effect upon those who practice it.”7 This kind of humor builds walls of separation
between people and groups. Morreall addresses this negative humor, saying, “In calling
some humor negative, I mean that it involves a negative attitude toward people and has a
negative effect on them. Such humor may do physical harm, as some practical jokes do,
or more often, psychological harm, as in wisecracks that focus on mistakes in a
humiliating, discouraging way.”8 When people are laughing together, they are bonding
together.9 If the humor is coming from a place of anger, fear, or distrust of others, then
5
6
“Not only does humor get people’s attention, but the unexpected delight which it brings relaxes
them and puts them in a good mood. And that makes them more receptive to your message.”⁠ Ibid., 137.
7
Palmer, The Humor of Jesus, 21-2. Emphasis original.
8
9
115
humor becomes a tool of hostility instead of community.10 Harris notes, “An audience
tends to respond as a unit. Excitement generates excitement, yawning is contagious. The
theater therefore can affect spectators not just one at a time, as a text must influence its
readers, but en masse, as an orator can affect a crowd.”11 If the speaker’s humor is
coming from a shared experience, or if the person telling the story is showing their own
mistakes of foolish behavior, they reduce the threat level and invite people into
relationship.12 The whole crowd can be brought together in this shared experience.
Laughter of derision comes from a place of superiority, but the laughter that comes from
shared experience could provide a sense of relief to the audience.13 It would seem, then,
that what makes comedy successful is paying attention to the audience and the cultural
zeitgeist.14 Being mindful that both positive and negative humor build communities, it is
important for church leaders to be intentional in the ways that they implement humor in
their communication and their ministry.
In the following pages, there will be overviews of how comedy is being used to
build community through mass media, in comedy clubs, podcasting, storytelling
communities, and through play. Perhaps the method by which most people consume
comedy is at home watching sitcoms and stand-up comedy specials. Many of these
sitcoms and stand-up specials provide cues to people or individuals watching them for
10
11
Harris, Theater and Incarnation, 68-9.
12
Morreall, Humor Works, 138. See also, Jon Macks, Monologue: What Makes America Laugh. . .
Before Bed (New York: Blue Rider Press, 2015), 60-61.
13
14
Macks, Monologue, 94.
116
when to laugh. These experiences still have an opportunity to build community through
what could be referred to as the “water-cooler moment.”
Television and the Water-Cooler Moment
When comedy moved from the theater to the radio, these comedy shows often
included live studio audiences. This gave the sense that the listener was part of something
bigger. When comedy moved to television, producers needed something to help the
audience at home make the shift from listening to watching, and they introduced the
“Laff Box.”15 This canned laughter helped audience members feel connected. The Laff
Box also allowed time for people to catch and understand the joke.16 The Laff Box was a
staple for television sitcoms for decades.
Another avenue for comedy on television was through talk shows. One of the
most enduring talks shows is the Tonight Show. Late-night talk shows provide an avenue
for people to listen to a comedian address the news of the day. It is another kind of
release valve on the news. Shows like Late Night, The Tonight Show, and The Late Show
all have a monologue, a comedy bit, and then a series of guests. In the late 1990s, The
Daily Show became a popular way for people to watch a comedian take down particular
issues. The Daily Show is a satirical news program. It is formatted like the evening news,
with an anchor sitting at a news desk, reading the headlines. They even go to
“correspondents in the field” to get the latest news. These correspondents are almost
15
For a brief history of the Laff Box, listen to 99 Percent Invisible’s “Episode 305—The Laff
Box,” 99 Percent Invisible, MP3 audio, 41:40, May 1, 2018, https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/the-laff-
box/. See also, Morreall, Comic Relief, 44-45.
16
Morreall, Taking Laugher Seriously, 114.
117
always in the same studio. The Colbert Report was birthed from The Daily Show. Instead
of being a nightly news show format, Colbert took aim at the cable news pundits. The
prime target was The O’Reilly Factor. The nightly comedy shows, in all of their different
formats became for many people one of the primary ways that they received the news.
This could be seen as a diminishing of the news, but these comedians were able to disarm
people through humor.17 But these shows also, created conversations about the news.
What we see on late night gives us topics to talk about the next day. It used to be
called “watercooler” conversation back in the old days. People would gather
around the watercolor in the office and talk about what Johnny [Carson] had said
the night before. In the digital age, you get someone forwarding you a clip of
what Steward did the night before, or a text, “Did you see Morgan Freeman
inhaling helium on Fallon?”18
When people watch comedy, and they are laughing together, there is a shared
experience of sorts. The Laff Box helped the at-home audience to know that they were
not alone. Morreall discussing laughing together says:
Watching humor on television is even stronger evidence that humor is essentially

a social pleasure. Programs with a studio audience, such as the late-night talk
shows, game shows, and the ones showing funny home videos try to make “our
viewers at home” feel as if they are part of a large group. We see and hear other
people laughing, and we laugh. Many sitcoms are recorded in front of an
audience, and though we don’t see them, we hear their laughter, again to make the
experience social. Even sitcoms that are not recorded in front of an audience
usually add a “laugh track” to create the same social feeling.19
Comedy is designed to be shared in community.20 As more comedies are moving
away from the laugh track, there is a more individualized comedy experience. However,
17
For a more in-depth focus on Colbert’s satire, see Deuman, “Humor as a Prophetic Device,” 75-
93.
18
Macks, Monologue, 18.
19
Morreall, Comic Relief, 55.
20
Jennings, Planet Funny, 88. See also, ibid., 55.
118
people are still talking about the things that they watched. In the Seinfeld finale, the
fictional television executives called these kinds of shows, “water-cooler shows.”21 As
George Costanza points out, there may not be many water coolers in offices, but people
still gather together at work to discuss the previous night’s episode of Modern Family or
The Daily Show. People now also share clips from these shows over social media. They
may even be part of online conversations as they “live tweet” a current episode.
Community around comedy is changing, but comedy is still something that desires to be
shared. People want to laugh together.22
Comedy Performances
Considering the liturgy of the comedy club discussed in the introduction, it is
clear that with food and beverages, tables where you can see the stage as well as your
tablemates so you can enjoy laughing together, and the interactive nature of comedian
and crowd, that the comedy club has great potential for community connection. When
people are seated together, and able to hear each other laugh and see each other enjoying
a performance, this helps foster connections between individuals.23 Shopoff says that
laughter “creates social bonds, a sense of well-being, and fosters community.”24
Every live comedy performance is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The exact
combinations of performers and audience members will probably never be repeated. And
21
Seinfeld, season 9, episode 23, “Finale,” directed by Andy Ackerman, aired May 14, 1998 on
NBC, https://www.hulu.com/seinfeld.
22
23
Schlossberg, Interactive Excellence, 16. Also, Morreall, Talking Laughter Seriously, 114.
24
119
the comedian’s job is to bring people from different backgrounds and worldviews
together to enjoy this experience.25 The comedy performance is an interactive event as
well. The audience contributes not just to their shared experience watching a performer,
but they feed into the comedian’s performance as well. Savvy audience members can
appreciate the interaction between the performer and the audience. Together they create a
better experience.26 Producers of stand-up comedy specials recognize that the shared
experience of the audience fosters the enjoyment, thus the intercut shots of the audience
laughing during the program. When we see other people laugh, we might laugh even
more.27
During a comedy performance, comedians tell stories and jokes in order to make
the audience laugh. Comedians tell jokes from their personal experiences that people may
relate to. Comedians may use cultural references as part of their jokes. If people
understand the reference, they may feel like they are smart and they belong. If they do not
understand the reference, then they may feel like they are outsiders.28 For the comedian,
the audience is their instrument and laughs are their music. These jokes are what Sophie
Quirk calls a manipulation, and “the audience puts itself into the comedian’s hands with a
willingness to be ‘tricked’ in exchange for the reward of laughter. The relationship
between comedian and audience is a relationship based upon consensual manipulation.”29
25
26
Schlossberg, Interactive Excellence, 18-19.
27
Morreall, Taking Laugher Seriously, 114.
28
Jennings, Planet Funny, 72-73.
29
120
This manipulation is part of what draws the audience together.30 The audience can learn
something about the comedian and their worldview.31 As comedians share their jokes and
their worldview, they create a sense of community, and for those who agree with the
comedian they become insiders; for those who disagree, or are offended, they can become
outsiders. There is danger in this reality of a comedian manipulating individuals to align
themselves with the comedian.32 When audiences members are laughing together, it
creates a cohesive environment that leads people to relax.33 However, this relaxation
could “allow the comedian’s utterances to have persuasive power at the same time
removing the restraints which would ensure the quality of those comments.”34
As comedians tell their jokes and stories, they invite the audience into their own
personal experiences. Audiences enjoy comedians because they are able to set aside their
own standards and norms for a couple of hours. They may even laugh at things that they
would not normally laugh at in the regular world. Many comedians open up their inner
lives to their audiences.35 One particular stand-up comedian who understands the
connective nature of comedy is Mike Birbiglia. In his special Thank God for Jokes,
Birbiglia discusses the nature of relationships and inside jokes. By sharing the jokes that
he and his wife find funny, he is inviting his audience into a more intimate relationship
30
Ibid., 61.
31
Ibid., 60.
32
Ibid., 61.
33
Morreall, Taking Laughter Seriously, 115.
34
35
121
than just a ticket holder. Birbiglia knows that this level of intimacy is risky, because
people can take all of his jokes out of context:
I love jokes. Jokes are meaningful to me. Tonight’s show here with you guys is
meaningful to me. And the Charlie Hebdo incident in France two years ago was
meaningful to me and to a lot of people. After that incident, I read about this
peaceful rally in France with almost four million people. It was leaders of Israel
and Palestine, people of all religions, and they were gathered behind the idea that
despite our differing jokes and opinions, civility is ultimately what matters. And
increasingly it matters more, because now you can transmit images and jokes and
cartoons and videos across the Earth in seconds. So, people in Russia are our
neighbors. People in China are our neighbors. People in Texas are our neighbors.
Which, to me, is most worrisome. But it really does beg this question: “What does
it mean to be a decent neighbor?” I think part of it is just listening to people in the
context in which they intend their words. You guys could leave here right now
and say, “Mike Birbiglia got on stage and said Jesus was a Jewish socialist who
talks like Woody Allen. Then he said, ‘Nice ****, Betsy,’ which is sexist. Then
he said, ‘Statler and Waldorf are gay,’ which is homophobic. Then he called his
tongue his mouth penis, which is offensive to mouths and penises. Then he made
fun of that guy for saying he was arrested by a woman cop. Then he said, ‘♪
Christ has died, Christ is risen ♪’ which sounded phenomenal but was also
offensive. Then he told cat puns for an hour. Which I don’t enjoy ’cause I’m
humorless. Then he didn’t tell one joke about Muslims ’cause he loves ISIS! Then
he said, ‘I’m just trying to f***ing help you, you c***!’ And then he left.” And
all of that’s true. Which is why I’m cautious when I tell jokes on stage, because
anything can be taken out of context. People’s careers are taken down instantly,
and some people… are killed. So, I’m putting this in your hands. You can choose
to leave here and quote me out of context, or you can choose not to. But I trust
that you won’t. Because we’re neighbors. And whether you like it or not… we’re
married.36
When Birbiglia says, “we’re married” he is referring to an earlier section where
he talked about how he shares really silly inside jokes with his wife. These jokes would
not be funny to anyone outside of their marriage. But when you open yourself up to
someone in an intimate way, like joke telling, these are the people that can hurt you the
most. All of these terrible-sounding things were parts of jokes that Birbiglia said
36
“Mike Birbiglia: Thank God for Jokes (2017) – Full Transcript,” Scraps from the Loft, July 26,
2017, https://scrapsfromtheloft.com/2017/07/26/mike-birbiglia-thank-god-jokes-2017-full-transcript/
[Curse words were redacted.]
122
throughout his special. These could be used as weapons against Birbiglia if they are taken
out of context. He is making a point that the people who are closest to you know how to
hurt you most efficiently. But that would be a terrible thing to do, because it breaks the
community. Humor is a powerful way to build intimacy,37 but when people open
themselves up, they run the risk of being hurt. As stated in the introduction, there are
things that can be said in the comedy club that are said in an environment of temporary
rule-breaking. The comedian stands in as a surrogate for the audience, saying things that
audience members could not say in everyday life. It serves as a kind of release valve for
the audience, but it can also be risky for the comedian.
This kind of interaction is part of building community. Community is fostered
through sharing personal experiences, thoughts, and attitudes. Comedy clubs can be great
venues for this, but they are not the only opportunities. Technology is helping to extend
conversations and community outside of the comedy venue through social media and
podcasts
Podcasting and Community
Podcasts, while largely consumed by individuals rather than in community, are
able to build vibrant communities among their fans. Podcasts listeners are able to select
what they want to listen to. Because of this, it would make sense that there would be high
levels of affinity between listeners that could go beyond their shared podcast.
37
123
John Meredith researched the impact of podcasting in community-building in
classrooms.38 According to this study, podcasts served as a “good method for enhancing
the instructor’s social, cognitive, and teaching presence in the classroom by providing
more opportunities for authentic communication and an informal venue for virtual dialog
with students.”39 Meredith’s research project was completed in 2012; at that time
podcasting was growing and educators were still learning the skills necessary to create
and publish podcasts. In June 2018, Apple Podcasts announced that their podcast catalog
boasted over 550,000 distinct podcasts.40
Podcast audiences are committed to their favorite podcasts, and organizations,
like Nielsen, are trying to figure out how to help marketers connect with podcast fans.41
Podcast listeners are engaged with the podcast hosts in compelling ways.42 Talking about
the relationship between listeners and hosts, Alex Blumberg says, “You feel like you’re
friends with the people and understand their quirks, . . . You form this picture in your
mind of who you’re listening to.”43
38
John Randy Meredith, “The Impact of Podcasting on perceived Learning, Classroom
Community, and Preferred Context for Podcast Consumption” (EdD diss., Regent University, 2012),
https://pqdtopen.proquest.com/doc/1287065836.html?FMT=AI.
39
Meredith, “Impact of Podcasting,” 72-73.
40
Ross Winn, “2018 Podcast Stats & Facts (New Research from Dec 2018),” Podcast Insights
(blog), December 18, 2018, https://www.podcastinsights.com/podcast-statistics/
41
Bruce Supovitz, “Nielsen Podcast Insights: A Marketer’s Guide to Podcasting,” Nielsen,
accessed October 6, 2018, https://www.nielsen.com/content/dam/corporate/us/en/reports-downloads/2018-
reports/marketeres-guide-to-podcasting-march-2018.pdf
42
Felicia Greiff, “Podcasts Seem to Show Audience Engagement That Other Media Would Envy:
Listeners Are Forming Bonds and Happy to Respond,” Ad Age, May 20, 2015,
https://adage.com/article/internet-week-new-york/golden-age-podcasts-audience-engagement-king/298708/
43
Greiff, “Podcasts Seem to Show Audience Engagement.”
124
In 2017, the Knight Foundation conducted a study of “super listeners.”44 These
“super listeners” trust the podcast hosts and are actively recommending them to their
friends.
Significantly, the report finds that in addition to being passionate advocates for
podcasting, and individual programs more generally, “super listeners” also place a
great deal of trust in podcast content. Ninety-six percent said they had
recommended a podcast to a friend, and 33 percent consider podcasts to be “very
trustworthy,” with 49 percent saying they are “somewhat trustworthy.” In
comparison with other media channels, the level of trust indicated for podcasts
was nearly tied with the first place medium (national newspapers) and ahead of
radio and local newspapers. Network TV news, cable TV news and social media
were the bottom three in terms of trustworthiness.45
Because podcasts are largely listened to by individuals in their car, or through
their headphones, there is a kind of intimacy that is created. Many of the top podcasts are
investigative stories, like Serial, or personal reflections, The Moth. What podcast listeners
listen to is also interesting: “Nearly half (48%) of podcast listeners listen to comedy; 40%
listen to educational shows; 38%, news; and 27%, sports, according to one study, and the
car is the most popular place for people to listen.”46 With nearly half of all podcast
listeners listening to comedy podcasts, this is an interesting extension of the community-
building possibilities of comedy. As Ken Jennings, former Jeopardy champion and
current podcaster, notes, “Comedy podcasting magically grants us a peer group that is not
44
Anusha Alikhan, “New Report: Podcast ‘Super Listeners’ Reveal Lessons in Audience
Engagement,” Knight Foundation, November 9, 2017, last modified November 13, 2017,
https://knightfoundation.org/press/releases/new-report-podcast-super-listeners-reveal-lessons-in-audience-
engagement.
45
Anusha Alikhan, “New Report: Podcast ‘Super Listeners.’”
46
Laura Forer, “The Podcast Explosion: The Who, What, and Why of Podcasts [Infographic],”
MarketingProfs, December 19, 2017, https://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2017/33216/the-podcast-
explosion-the-who-what-and-why-of-podcasts-infographic.
125
just faithful but funny. As listeners, we become part of the sparkling repartee.”47 Ken
Jennings co-hosts with John Roderick a podcast called The Omnibus. The premise of this
show is that they are trying to compile essential human knowledge for future generations
in the event of some sort of apocalyptic disaster. Ken and John are knowledgeable about
many topics, but the real fun of this show is how they joke about the topics as they
discuss them. Many of their listeners are also part of a Facebook group called The
Futurelings.48 Another comedy podcast that has a robust community is Too Beautiful to
Live.49 This show started as radio program on Seattle’s KIRO. When KIRO canceled the
show, the host, Luke Burbank, pivoted to doing the program as a daily podcast. Burbank,
and the show’s original producer, Jen Andrews, believed that the mission of TBTL was
“Curing global loneliness.”50 Their show is more than just something to listen to; they
host listener events; they have a TBTL fan group page where people interact with the
show and other fans. At least two fans of the show married each other. Knowing that their
show has a deep history and it might be difficult for a new listener to come aboard,
Burbank and the current co-host, Andrew Walsh, created a TBTL Primer to help explain
their history, inside jokes, and the show’s terminology.51
47
48
https://www.facebook.com/groups/futurelings/
49
http://TBTL.net
50
Toni Hammer, “What Will Your Legacy Be?” MyNorthwest.com (blog), August 7, 2014,
http://mynorthwest.com/76692/what-will-your-legacy-be/?
51
Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh, “What the Hell is a TBTL?” January 19, 2018, in TBTL,
produced by Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh, podcast, MP3 audio, 37:42,
https://www.apmpodcasts.org/tbtl/2018/01/what-the-hell-is-tbtl/.
126
TBTL and The Omnibus are two examples of comedy podcasts that foster
community beyond just listening to the show. Jennings notes that comedy podcasting is
not about having a perfectly produced product. He says, “Intimacy, not careful execution,
is the engine that drives the whole enterprise.”52 This intimacy is made evident in the
confessional nature of the podcasts. In a recent episode of TBTL, Luke shared his
personal struggles with drinking too much alcohol and his desire to change.53 These kinds
of conversations are a mix of honesty and humor. Jennings notes that in these comedy
podcasts, “Mostly the comics are just telling real-life stories undoctored or trading
repartee with funny colleagues. That’s the same stuff we civilians imagine ourselves
doing at our funniest moments. Comedians: they’re just like us!”54 The people we listen
to feel like real friends. However, this kind of podcast community is not a perfect
substitute for true community. Marc Maron, host of the WTF podcast, talks about
relationships and his personal relational challenges:
With friendships I always seem to need one good one to lean on. I was never a
“hang out with the guys” kind of guy. I just need one good friend who I could rely
on for everything. That’s a lot of pressure for a person, babysitting me and dealing
with my nonstop chaos and problems, self-generated usually. Fortunately, I have a
little better relationship with myself now and I can ease up on others in my life.
Some days I don’t think I need anybody ever again. I’m fortunate that I have the
podcast. It’s easier for me to be open and real there because I know the person I’m
talking to will leave in an hour or so. No pressure. I can get deep, reveal myself,
trust the situation, and feel connected. It’s when people are in my life that it
becomes difficult.55
52
53
Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh, “Episode #2764: BoJack Horse Therapist,” November 5,
2018, in TBTL, produced by Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh, podcast, MP3 audio, 2:10:20,
https://www.apmpodcasts.org/tbtl/2018/11/bojack-horse-therapist/.
54
55
Marc Maron, Waiting for the Punch: Words to Live By From the WTF Podcast (New York:
Flatiron Books, 2017), 107-8.
127
Podcasting is providing a community need. Humans need community, and as we
are turning more and more toward isolation, podcasting may be a panacea for this
community need.56 For church leaders, the question should not be, “how can we use
podcasting to create community?” Rather, church leaders should ask, “How can we use
podcasts, even comedy podcasts, to extend the community that we already facilitate
through our ongoing ministry?” Podcasts are produced with different lengths, and topics,
even a five-minute podcast could be helpful in extending the conversation for a
community.57
Comedy has always valued personal revelation and awareness of what’s
happening in the room. According to Jennings, these comedy podcasts “are still the best
delivery vehicle for the new authenticity. They’re completely unmediated by material,
unencumbered by the weird dynamic of an orator addressing a room of strangers.”58 One
of the ways that churches can integrate comedy and community is by embracing
storytelling, to which we will now turn.
Storytelling Communities
Comedy and jokes are often closely associated. Most modern comedians do not
employ the traditional joke format of setup, then punchline. What we find in comedy
performances are stories from the comedian’s life. These stories are punctuated with
56
See Schlossberg comment earlier.
57
Meredith, “Impact of Podcasting,” 72.
58
128
funny observations and relatable remarks. These observations are the jokes that make
people laugh, but the stories are the vehicle for the jokes. Webb says,
Stories and storytelling, not jokes, form the bedrock of the comic spirit. This
includes stories that are shared by anyone at any time in any place, from simple
stories told informally around a dinner table to stories that are conjured from
memory or imagination to those that are meticulously researched and fashioned.
Whatever they are, stories are prototype of all human comedy. They are also the
basic ingredient of the comic sermon.59
Sharing stories is a powerful way to build community. Stories “can take our
deepest experiences and connect them to the experiences of other people—sometimes in
contrasting ways, but most often in cooperative and coordinated ways.”60 Leonard Sweet
reminds readers that “To be human is to possess, and live out of, a store of stories.”61
Macy says, “Humor not only helps people connect with one another, but it can also
enable people to connect with the truth of their own lives. As we tell stories and make
funny observations about our experiences, we invite people to see whether this is their
story, too.”62 People are hungry for good stories. That’s part of the reason why radio
shows and podcasts like This American Life, Radio Diaries, Radiolab, The Moth, and
Risk are so popular. These programs are all built around the premise that people are
resonate with stories. Some of these shows are highly produced, others are live
recordings before an audience.63 The common theme behind all of these is the focus on
59
60
Ibid., 59.
61
Leonard Sweet, From Tablet to Table: Where Community Is Found and Identity Is Formed
(Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2014), 31, Kindle.
62
63
For example, from Jessica Abel: “Radio Diaries is documentary. People simply live their lives
and tell us what happens day by day. And then that material is edited very heavily to construct a narrative
after the fact. The Moth is true stories told onstage by the people who lived them It’s a different animal, of
129
storytelling. In any given live recording of The Moth or Risk, there will be stories that are
emotionally intense, and there will be some stories that are more lighthearted. The
storyteller is opening up his or her life up to the audience, which is an essential part of
community-building. This level of vulnerability is risky, but community is risky. But as
Joe Boyd shared his story in an episode of the Cincy Stories podcast, he remarked that
sharing stories creates space for others.64 Boyd shared the story of his upbringing; he
talked about his disillusionment and doubt with his faith, and he talked about how his
involvement with Second City, a sketch and improv comedy troupe from Chicago, helped
him find community. It was in Second City that he learned the value of creating space for
others.
The live environment for storytelling of The Moth, Risk, and Cincy Stories is
similar to the testimonial style of a church’s Sunday evening service. Church leaders
should be experts in sharing stories; it is in the cultural heritage of many church
traditions. However, instead of inviting people to share stories and building community,
many churches have put the focus on high production, and the transfer of information has
moved to the experts. There are still ways churches can capitalize on building community
through storytelling. It can start with the leadership of the church.65
The first arena in which church leaders can begin to intentionally develop their
comedy skills is storytelling. When leaders tell authentic stories from their lives, they
course: on the Moth, people construct their stories, they set out to entertain and capture the audience. And
then the stories run virtually unedited on the air. But the heart of the two approaches is similar. Stories of
people confronting change.” Abel, Out on the Wire, 81.
64
Shawn Braley and Chris Ashwell, “Cincy Stories #8 - Ryan Mulligan, Joe Boyd, Christina
Brown and Mary Delany,” Cincy Stories, Podcast, July 19, 2018, MP3 audio, 50:00,
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-zatre-9586f4.
65
Simmons, The Story Factor, 4.
130
invite others to know them more personally. Leaders can inject humor into these stories
by highlighting an incongruity, injecting tension and relief, and even allowing the
audience to feel superior when the storyteller reveals their own foolishness. Storytelling
and humor allow truth to fly under the radar and deliver truth to people that they were not
expecting.66 David Brody, when talking about storytelling says,
I said to my wife, “I seem to be making a career in narcissism.” And she said,

“Don’t be silly honey, you tell your stories about yourself, and everybody thinks
about the stories of their lives. You speak to the narcissist in all of us!” Frequently,
just in telling the story, I start to figure out what the underpinnings are that are
fun, that are meaningful, that are universal. As long as I’m talking about sort of
universal themes, I’m gonna touch on stuff that feels culturally and societally
important.67
If church leaders are willing to tell stories that resonate with people, and let our stories
spark stories in the minds of the congregation, and link those stories to biblical insights,
then that is a great way to help people engage their faith. If we can intentionally use
humor to tell these stories, then we may be able to make the lessons in these stories stick.
Annette Simmons says, “Clothing truth in story is a powerful way to get people to open
the doors of their minds to you and the truth you carry.”68 The stories that stick are the
stories that change lives. Stories build credibility between the speaker and the audience,
but they also build faith. Annette Simmons notes:
Telling a meaningful story means inspiring your listeners—coworkers, leaders,

subordinates, family, or a bunch of strangers—to reach the same conclusions you
have reached and decide for themselves to believe what you say and do what you
want them to do. People value their own conclusions more highly than yours.
They will only have faith in a story that has become real for them personally.69
66
Smajda and Brody, “Stand Up Sociology,” 12.
67
Ibid., 13.
68
69
Ibid., 3.
131
The community that Jesus built around himself in the New Testament was full of
stories. Instead of giving principles and procedures, Jesus often gave stories, because
stories help people “organize their thoughts.”70 The parables didn’t solve all problems
and answer every question that people may have been wrestling with, but these stories
invited people to “creatively reframe their dilemma.”71 Earl Palmer says, “Jesus told
parables . . . for two reasons. He told parables in order to be understood and so that his
words would be remembered by people of every culture, in each generation, and in every
century.”72 When modern readers read some of the parables, they may be as confused as
the original twelve disciples. Those moments of confusion present opportunities for
people to wrestle with the story and to consider how they might respond to a similar
situation. Instead of giving clear principles, a story has the power
to reintroduce complexity over tidy “skill-set modules” so that the skills you teach
also teach people to think about why and how they might use a new skill. Plato’s
story blends a teaching story, “how I’d like you to think” with a values story,
“what I’d like you to think about.” There are no clear distinctions. Story often
simultaneously demonstrates values as it demonstrates skills.73
The pastor of the local church can be the primary storyteller in his or her
community, but it is also important to let the people of the community tell their stories as
well. Congregations are filled with people with great stories. Some stories may be
harrowing; others may be hilarious. Wherever the story may fall on this spectrum,
celebrating the people’s stories and how their stories intersect with the Gospel story, can
70
Ibid., 38.
71
Ibid., 39.
72
Earl Palmer, Laughter in Heaven and Other Surprising Truths in the Parables of Jesus (Waco,
TX: Word Books, 1987), 17.
73
132
bring life to the community, as they become what Sweet calls “storypeople.”74 The
parables of Jesus were filled with normal people,75 but these stories have resonated with
followers of Jesus for thousands of years.76
When the church community shares our stories, when we encourage each other to
not take ourselves too seriously, there is a great freedom in being honest and vulnerable.
This kind of honesty welcomes people in their struggles and imperfection into the
community of faith. As Macy says:
The humor of acceptance gathers us together, chuckling over the fact that we’re
all in the same boat, that we share limitations, and that it’s okay. Isn’t it awful?!
Isn’t it grand?! Isn’t it to laugh!? Some of our favorite humorists, people like Will
Rogers, Bill Cosby, Erma Bombeck, and Charles Schulz, draw us in with this
comedy of embrace. They share our humanity, making us laugh together at our
quirks and foibles, our glory and our klutziness. They help us see that it’s funny
and it’s okay that we all run out of gas, spill the milk, say the exact wrong thing,
and have episodes of grandiosity. Ultimately the laughter of acceptance may tell
us that on the spiritual journey we have also embraced trust and grace. Once we
relax into the truth that God’s love for us is without catch or limit and that the
God who generously provides for wildflowers and sparrows will also care for us,
our laughter changes. The laughter of fear and resentment becomes the laughter of
abundance and dreams come true. Klutzy as we are, we are still the apples of
God’s eye. Yee-haw. Tee-hee.77
When we share our stories, and are able to laugh at ourselves, we are set free from the
pressure to be perfect, we also set others free.78 When leaders share their vulnerability
74
Sweet, From Tablet to Table, 34.
75
Ibid., 36.
76
Palmer, Laughter in Heaven, 17.
77
78
“When we laugh at ourselves and our human connection to others, we are, from the comic
perspective, freed to look at ourselves and how we encounter ourselves and others. When we laugh at our
silly ways, at our stupidities and codifies, we are freed, as it were, to acknowledge them. That gives us the
hopeful notion of changed what, and even who, we are. It sounds like a reach, and no doubt it is, but it is
still the idea that motivates the comic spirit. Ironically, it is also the idea that motivates the Christian
gospel.”⁠ Webb, Comedy and Preaching, 44-45.
133
and their mistakes, through a humorous story, they invite people to laugh with them,
while they are also humbling themselves in the eyes of their congregation, team, or
community.79 Telling these kinds of stories, is also an invitation to building a playful
approach to life, and it helps people see that they are not alone.80
Permission to Play
Humor and play are not exactly the same; however, play can lead to humor and
comedy. Johan Huizinga argues that play is a fundamental part of life for humans and
animals alike. When examining play as it develops culture, Huizinga realized that “All
play means something.”81 Hugo Rahner, argues that play is revelatory in helping
understand how humanity is created in God’s image:
The man who truly plays is, therefore, first of all, a man in whom seriousness and
gaiety are mingled; and, indeed, at the bottom of all play there lies a tremendous
secret. We had some intimation of it, surely, when we were considering the
creative play of God. All play—just as much as every task which we set ourselves
to master with real earnestness of purpose—is an attempt to approximate to the
Creator, who performs his work with the divine seriousness which its meaning
and purpose demand, and yet with the spontaneity and effortless skill of the great
artist he is, creating because he wills to create and not because he must.82
As people embrace play, they may foster community as they play together.
Churches have an opportunity to embrace play, even in their gatherings and rituals.83
79
80
Ibid., chap. 5.
81
Huizinga, Homo Ludens, 1.
82
Rahner, Man at Play, 28.
83
134
Unfortunately, the religious impulse is to solemnize; there is a distrust of humor.84 Play
may be seen as a waste of time for the serious business of faith,85 but this does not need
to be the case.86 Capps suggests that religion can embrace a playful imagination, asking
what could be, even what should be, as God’s will is carried out in the world.87
This play may take the shape of games and competition. There are play
communities that exist for no purpose other than to play together and foster community.88
There are studies that have looked at how humor and play can help foster community in
the workplace.89 There is also verbal play. Stand-up comedy invites people to a kind of
play; normal rules are set aside for a short time. Quirk says:
Stand-up creates a playground, in Huizinga’s sense, both physically and

ideologically, which operates in accordance with joking’s rules of challenge and
negotiation. This is both a force for societal good and a potential source of harm.
If we are too ready to excuse the validation of nasty ideas with reference to comic
license—to say “but it was only a joke”—then we risk allowing harmful ideas to
reproduce and perpetuate. This is not to say that we should ruin our experience of
comedy by over-analysing every joke before laughing at it—such an approach
would clearly ruin the form and produce no helpful impact—but it is to say that
we should approach doing with the understanding that it does have significance.90
84
Capps, “Religion and Humor: Strange Bedfellows,” 428, 433.
85
86
Capps, Men and Their Religion, xiii-xiv.
87
Capps, “Religion and Humor: Strange Bedfellows,” 433.
88
For example, the Philadelphia Mummers. Read about them in Patricia Masters, The
Philadelphia Mummers: Building Community Through Play (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2008).
89
Janet Holmes, Stephanie Schnurr, Meredith Marra. “Leadership and Communication:
Discursive Evidence of a Workplace Culture Change,” Discourse & Communication 1 no. 4 (November
2007): 433-451. https://doi-org.georgefox.idm.oclc.org/10.1177/1750481307082207. See also, Nghiem
Lien Huong, “Jokes in a Garment Workshop in Hanoi: How Does Humour Foster the Perception of
Community in Social Movements?” International Review of Social History 52, S15 (December 2007):209-
223, http://www.doi.org/10.1017/S0020859007003203.
90
135
When audience members are invited to laugh and play together, they create social
bonds, if even for only the duration of the performance.91 However, it is not just in
comedy clubs where we see humor and play working together. “Spontaneous humor, I
conclude, is not only more common than joke telling, but more important in bringing
people together and allowing them to exchange experience, information, beliefs, and
attitudes.”92 When this kind of spontaneous humor takes place in a community of trust,
participants can develop healthy community. But there are still risks that this kind of
playful, spontaneous humor can bring harm to those who may not be acquainted to the
group.93
The best kind of play takes place in a community of trust. Humorous play is often
considered unstructured. This may be part of the rationale for the rejection of play by
many in the religious community. Lack of structure could equate lack of control. Lack of
control could lead to immorality. Embracing play does not necessitate a complete
abandonment of morality. Embracing play could even help people to better understand
how they can live out their values in a world that is filled with chaotic elements.
MaryAnn McKibben Dana in God, Improv, and the Art of Living shares how her
involvement in improv troupes has helped her to better understand God, and God’s
91
“Humour is often a framework for ‘non-real’ or ‘play’ activity, an aside from normal discourse.
The fact that it need not be taken into account in subsequent ‘serious’ interaction does allow messages and
formulations to be ‘risked’ within its framework which would not otherwise be acceptable or possible.”
Quirk, Why Stand-Up Matters, 36. See also, “The talking and joking or even the quick exchanged of looks
between members of an audience is crucial to the success of an experience. The overall ambience of an
audience and how it reacts is complemented by the conversation in each smaller group and between
individuals.” Schlossberg, Interactive Excellence, 16.
92
Morreall, Comic Relief, 88-89.
93
Ibid., 89.
136
invitation to his life in a chaotic world.94 If people are going to trust God in this world,
they will need to learn to say yes to the opportunities that God brings their way. This yes
can be scary, but as McKibben Dana points out, yes is a key principle for improv.95 She
says, “I’m drawn to improv not because I’m an effortless improviser, but because my
default position is to resist Yes.”96 Improv has helped McKibben Dana to see God in a
new light:
The God who created everything is also collaborative and non-coercive.

Relationship is at the heart of God’s nature. Christians are stuck with a strange
math when it comes to God: the doctrine of the Trinity says that one God is
known in three persons, traditionally describe as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
How is this possible? How does 1=3? The finer points of that calculus will be left
to other theologians for now. But I remember the delight that rippled across our
class in seminary when we learned the Greek word perichoresis. It’s hard to
define precisely, but it helps describe the sense of mutuality between the three
persons of the Trinity. There is no hierarchy, which means the Holy Spirit, who’s
often a bit player in discussions about God, is just as vital to God’s nature as the
Father. Perichoresis implies dynamism, a “dancing around” rather than a fixed,
static reality. The three persons of God relate to one another in a constant dance of
grace.97
This relational and improvising God invites people into a playful relationship with
God and with God’s people. The church has an opportunity to be a playful community.
People learn through play.98 Play can also be a momentary withdrawal from the normal
patterns of life, and in this suspension of the normal, there is an opportunity to be open to
94
MaryAnn McKibben Dana, God, Improv and the Art of Living (Grand Rapids, MI: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2018).
95
Ibid., 13.
96
Ibid., 14.
97
Ibid., 88. Emphasis in original.
98
137
hearing truth in a different way.99 This retreat strategy is part of the camp strategy of
Young Life. Young Life’s primary method of connecting with high school students is
through their weekly clubs where leaders foster relationships with students.100 These
clubs are designed to have a lot of fun, build relationships, and talk about the love of
Jesus. The goal of Young Life is to “attract young people to Christ” not just get them to
commit to church.101 The relationships that are built in clubs between young people, as
well as between youth and their leaders, helped build excitement for camp:
Camp was operated on a couple of principles that were unlike most other camps
of the day. One—instead of having a main speaker to attract kids, Jim [Rayburn]
insisted the counselor was the key person in making camp an effective
experience. Rather than being leader-centered, it was individualized. The
counselors became God’s links to the six or eight boys or girls assigned to their
cabins. The whole idea was for the counselor to spend time with them. Do things
with them. Get to know them. Share personal enthusiasms with them.102
Young Life is an organization that values play to build community, to share the
good news about Jesus. There are lessons that can be learned and applied to the larger
culture of the church. Just because a teenager graduates from high school, that does not
mean they no longer want to have fun.
Conclusion
Chapter three examined several ancient practices in the ancient church that invited
play into the community. Rissus Paschalis, Feast of Fools, and Carnival, are all part of
99
Golozubov, “Concepts of Laughter and Humor in the Sociology of Religion,” 533.
100
Char Meredith, It’s a Sin to Bore a Kid, 11.
101
Ibid., 19. Emphasis in original.
102
Ibid., 45.
138
the play impulse.103 Church leaders do not need to go to the ancient well and resurrect all
of the different elements of these playful celebrations, but the spirit of play from those
celebrations could be useful in trying to use comedy, humor, and play to foster
community in their congregations. Considering the effectiveness of Young Life clubs and
camp, there may be ways for church leaders to inject play in their strategies for reaching
their community.
If laughter is truly a universal human trait, then understanding why we laugh can
help church leaders and communicators understand why people may laugh at certain
jokes or anecdotes. Also, recognizing some of the effects that comedy has on individuals
can help leaders be intentional in how they employ humor as they build community.
Morreall highlights that since many comedies are about community, it would make sense
that comedy could be used to draw people together.104 The comedic view invites people
to “adventure with friends: we can take delighting the many shifts of thought and fortune
we go through. We can experience life as funny and fun.”105 Comedy can place people on
a common level and invite the community to see equality as an ideal.106 Macy states,
103
Oleksandr Golozubov, “Concepts of Laughter and Humor in the Sociology of Religion,”
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 140 (August 2014): 528–534,
http://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.04.465.529, 532.
104
“In tragedy the spotlight is on an individual, usually a person who gets more socially isolated as
the action progresses.” Also, “The opposite is true in comedy, where the basic unit is the group, the
interactions of group members are not the formal relationships of tragedy, but the free-flowing,
spontaneous relationships of friends. When a loner appears in comedy, it is as someone to be incorporated
into the group. The person who refuses this integration—the hopeless egoist, snot, or miser—is a comic
butt or a source of laughter.”⁠ Morreall, Comedy, Tragedy, and Religion, 37.
105
Ibid., 39.
106
139
“With humor we can offer acceptance and create space for getting better acquainted.”107
Macy also notes:
Sometimes we use humor to break down barriers between people, so we can

actually begin to listen to one another. Charlie Hill, a Native American from the
Oneida tribe, uses humor to bring understanding and overcome ignorance. “I try
to get people to hear a story they refused to hear before,” he says. “I find when
people are laughing, then we’re connecting.” So also in speeches, in classrooms,
in the banter of conversation, we often use humor not only to tell the truth but to
help make truth-telling possible.108
Comedy is a powerful force in North American culture. It can be used to heal as
well as to wound. The church in North America has a great opportunity to learn how to
engage comedy as a force for good. We can confront societal systems and we can use
comedy to bring healing. Through intentional use of humor, we can become a community
that values playfulness as well as holiness.109 By inviting communities to play together,
there is an opportunity to engage people in a different way. This interactive, playful
environment can help move people beyond head knowledge to embodied action.110 By
allowing people to play, church leaders can foster an enjoyment of God’s creation as we
take seriously the business of play in our world.111 To that end, this paper’s concluding
107
107
108
Ibid., chap. 5.
109
110
“Most entertainment and museum experiences are not designed to engage their vision
in anything more than passive wonder. Such displays and spectacles do not engage visitors in conversation
but simply ‘lecture’ them about a particular idea. The drawback to this approach is that if visitors do
not have any existing context into which to fit the new idea, the lecture is usually ignored.”⁠ Schlossberg,
Interactive Excellence, 69-70.
Accepting the fact of limitation also frees us to be playful, to enjoy the world more fully.⁠ Macy,
111
Laughing Pilgrims, chap. 3.

140
chapter will focus on how church leaders may move forward to embrace comedy as a
strategy in their local church.

141
CHAPTER 6:
CONCLUSION
Having examined the biblical evidence of humor, some of the church’s historical
interactions with humor and comedy, the effects of comedy on individuals and in groups,
and different ways that comedy is building community in the larger culture, the focus of
this paper now turns to possible ways that a church leader can effectively employ comedy
and humor in order to foster community in his or her church. When considering all of the
different messages people in churches encounter every day, those tied to humor are more
readily remembered.1 This conclusion will examine and give application ideas for three
elements of comedy and humor: first, comedy and preaching; second, fostering play in
the community; and third, finding ways to extend our conversations through comedy in
the community.
Preaching with Comedy
My experience with my congregation has been that some jokes and humor are
appreciated in weekly messages. The pastor has an opportunity to tell funny anecdotes.
But comedy in preaching can be much more than just an occasionally funny anecdote.
While not everyone appreciates humor from the pulpit,2 comedy can “touch a profound
and universal chord in audience members.”3 The suggestions below go beyond reading a
1
Morreall, Humor Works, 161-2.
2
David Murray, “Serious Preaching in a Comedy Culture,” Head Heart Hand (blog), October 6,
2017, http://headhearthand.org/blog/2017/10/06/serious-preaching-in-a-comedy-culture-2/.
3
Koziski Olson, “Standup Comedy,” 109.
142
humorous email forward or sharing a delightful Ziggy comic strip. There may be a time
and place for those, but intentionally can win the day.
Preaching from a Comic Perspective
Having a comic perspective does not mean that a preacher fails to take anything
seriously. Comedy does not ignore the problems and challenges of the world.4 As
communicators of biblical hope, preachers have an opportunity to remind their
congregation that God’s story is not finished yet. The story arc that the Bible presents
ends in victory for God over the forces of evil. As in many classic comedies, the story of
the Bible ends at a wedding. The comic perspective comes from the “stubborn refusal to
give tragedy and fate the final say.”5 Preaching from a comic perspective is ultimately
about reminding the congregation where their ultimate hope lies. Understanding the
power of comedy, “We are liberated from ordinary concerns about what is here and now
and real and practical, so that we may laugh at our own situations and at the human
condition.”6 Webb, in Comedy and Preaching, says:
When we laugh at ourselves and our human connection to others, we are, from the
comic perspective, freed to look at ourselves and how we encounter ourselves and
others. When we laugh at our silly ways, at our stupidities and crudities, we are
freed, as it were, to acknowledge them. That gives us the hopeful notion of
changing what, and even who, we are. It sounds like a reach, and no doubt it is,
but it is still the idea that motivates the comic spirit. Ironically, it is also the idea
that motivates the Christian gospel.7
4
Morreall, Comedy, Tragedy, and Religion, 3.
5
Hyers, “The Dialectic of the Sacred and the Comic,” in Holy Laughter: Essays on Religion in the
Comic Perspective, ed. M. Conrad Heyers (New York: Seabury Press, 1969), 232.
6
Morreall, Comedy, Tragedy, and Religion, 18.
7
Webb, Comedy and Preaching, 44-45.
143
Preaching from a comic perspective is rooted in the biblical narrative and realistic
about the human condition. Preaching from a comic perspective does not mean that every
sermon is filled with jokes. Rather, the comic perspective allows for finding humor and
hope in the midst of difficulty and remembering that this present difficulty is not the end
of God’s story. Capps reminds readers that
Humor need not be viewed as a competitor, much less an enemy, of religion. On

the contrary, religion itself is impoverished when it fails to manifest its own
historical association with humor, an association that may be traced back to the
biblical tradition itself and to the simultaneous emergence of religion and humor
in the development of the child. Thus, I am not primarily concerned with what
religion may do to humor, for humor can take care of itself. Rather, my concern is
that religion loses something when it fails to include humor in its inventory of the
ties that bind our hearts in Christian love and maintain the fellowship of kindred
minds.8
Preaching from a comic perspective allows for the development of community as
speaker and audience remind each other of their shared brokenness and their shared hope.
Preaching About Comedy
Preachers can utilize comedic passages in the Bible to develop sermons and series
that help their congregation understand the value of comedy. They can also help bring
correction to the use of harmful comedy in our culture. The preacher can preach about
comedy in several ways.
First, place the current passage in the story arc of scripture. Consider the U-
shaped narrative as presented by Whedbee.9 Every passage in the Bible finds itself
somewhere in that plotline. Informing the congregation where a particular passage occurs
8
Capps, A Time to Laugh, 5.
9
J. William Whedbee, The Bible and the Comic Vision (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2002),
Introduction, Kindle.
144
in this timeline may help bring clarity to the tone of the passage as well as to the
congregation’s relationship to that passage. Understanding that Paul’s messages of
correction and rebuke in 1 Corinthians 15 were written after Christ was raised from the
dead can help us understand that Paul is writing with a great hope for the resurrection.
Paul is trying to orient the church in Corinth to live in the grace Jesus provides for his
people while they eagerly await the final resurrection of the dead and eternity.
Second, highlight the comic devices at play in the text. When Jesus uses hyperbole
and ridicule in his interactions with the religious officials, the preacher can help the
congregation understand the power of satire in revealing truth that people don’t
necessarily want to hear. When preaching through Jonah, allowing Jonah to be a satirical
critique of the people of Israel can help congregations see God’s love for our enemies.
Third, deliver messages that encourage good humor. Ken Jennings’ criticism of
the modern obsession with comedy is that “It’s inherently easier to use comedy to
criticize a viewpoint than to praise one.”10 Preachers can use ridicule to tear down people
and worldviews they disagree with. This kind of humor is prevalent in culture. When
preaching about comedy, pastors can help people think differently about the comedy that
they consume, while also helping promote comedy that is more consistent with biblical
values.11 Macy argues that humor is part of the image of God in humanity; therefore,
helping church members promote healthy humor is part of good spiritual discipleship.12
10
11
12
Ibid., chap. 2.
145
Use Comedy Intentionally
Witty remarks and funny anecdotes are common enough in preaching.
Understanding what makes people laugh in these remarks and anecdotes would be
helpful. Are people laughing because the joke places them in a place of superiority over
the butt of the joke? Is this humorous remark creating relief during a tense moment? Do
these witty observations highlight a particular kind of incongruity? Being able to answer
these questions based on the prominent humor theories can help preachers better
understand the role of humor in their sermons.
When considering the biblical text, there is also an opportunity for preachers to
apply the tool of satire. The prophets used satire to reveal the sinfulness of the people of
Israel. Pastors may shy away from satire because it may be received as an attack.
However, satire may be effective because it can address an issue the congregation, or
larger community, may be struggling with, while disarming listeners through humor.13
Satire can help people see things from a new perspective.14
Christian satire is not a new idea. “The Wittenberg Door” and “The Babylon Bee”
are two semi-recent examples of Christians lampooning the Christian sub-culture.15
Writers like G.K. Chesterton utilize satire in their writing. The satirical sermon may be a
shock to many Christians, but it may also be the shock that they need to engage in the
mission of Jesus. While the satirical sermon may push away people who feel they are
13
See Paul Krassner’s remarks in Paul Provenza and Dan Dion, ¡Sataristas!: Comedians,
Contrarians, Raconteours & Vulgarians (New York: It Books, 2010), 23.
14
Hearlson, The Holy No, 41.
15
To see how satire can be used to address the strangeness of Christian subculture, see Babylon
Bee, How to be a Perfect Christian: Your Comprehensive Guide to Flawless Spiritual Living (New York:
Multnomah, 2018).
146
being attacked,16 this is an opportunity for preachers to take a lesson from Jonah. If the
book of Jonah is a satire, and if Jonah wrote this book, he is the butt of his own joke.
When preaching a satirical sermon, the preacher may disarm their congregation by
humbling themselves, by playing the part of Jonah.17 This may also draw other people
closer when they recognize that church leaders are willing to make fun of their own sub-
culture, their own weaknesses. Where the satirical sermon makes a turn or transition is in
the application. There will be some who do not understand the satire, so the preacher may
need to provide a clear explanation and application.
If preachers are going to employ tools like satire in their messages, then they must
take the time to study with experts. Taking time to watch and analyze comedians can help
any communicator. Comedians and pastors share a similar requirement: They need to be
able to hold a room’s attention. The sermon is not simply a religious lecture. It is an
opportunity for preacher and congregation to interact. Webb says:
The preacher, like the comedian, wants a reaction for the one who comes to
participate in the sermon—for the comedian, the show. It is not that the preacher
wants a specific reaction; in fact, the good preacher, like the good comedian,
knows that one can neither program nor anticipate what the reaction may be to
what one says or what goes on. But one wants to see some reaction, even if the
reaction is subdued; it is a sign of life.18
Study Comedians and Comedy
When analyzing different comedians, one might note how naturally the comedian
addresses the audience. In the comedy specials available on Netflix, the stand-ups do not
16
17
Hearlson, The Holy No, 40.
18
Webb, Comedy and Preaching, 167-168.
147
bring their notepad. It feels like they are speaking off the top of their heads. This is not
the case. Good comedians have spent countless hours on their material so that they create
the illusion of speaking spontaneously.19 Because many preachers produce new sermons
every week, this may feel like a daunting challenge. If a preacher practices their
humorous stories so they know where the laugh lines are, and they don’t rush through the
details, it will go a long way to build a sense of spontaneity into the preaching.20
The best comic stories and jokes are built from the real-life experiences of the
storytellers. Preachers can learn from comedians the valuable skill of developing a
distinct worldview. Developing a distinct worldview will help the preacher to sound like
themselves. One of the blessings of modern technology is the ability to listen to any
preacher we want to through their church podcast. The danger with this blessing is that
there are a lot of preachers who sound like Andy Stanley or Craig Groeshel. Pastors must
learn who they are, and always be themselves when preaching. Even when pastors are
using exaggeration or jokes, these must come from a place of authenticity.21 When a
pastor develops his or her own voice and preaches from their particular perspective, their
messages will feel more natural and spontaneous.22 Paying attention to and sharing what
they have learned through their own experiences can also help preachers build
19
20
Ibid., 164-165.
21
Ibid., 165. See also, Sophie Quirk’s chapter on comic personas. Quirk says that many comedians
create an onstage persona. This persona may be an exaggerated view into their inner thoughts. Quirk, Why
Stand-up Matters, 127-148. Lewis Black talks about this exaggeration in Paul Provenza and Dan Dion,
¡Sataristas!: Comedians, Contrarians, Raconteours & Vulgarians (New York: It Books, 2010), 14.
22
148
connections with their audience members.23 In chapter four’s analysis of different
comedians, the best performers shared universal themes through personal experiences,
which helped viewers better relate to these comedians. Sharing personal experiences,
particularly failures and foolishness, can help foster community in a congregation and
allow pastors to be normal people. These experiences can make people laugh while also
revealing the preacher’s own need for grace and forgiveness.
Playful Church
Church programs can often be overburdened by events that can diminish time to
be a playful community. Returning to the feast days and community celebrations of the
church would be a good way for churches to foster community through comedy.
At various points throughout Church history, church officials discouraged humor.
That may have been due to an overuse of humor in the congregation. It is likely that
celebrations like Feast of Fools, Carnival, and Rissus Paschalis at Easter were seen as an
assault on church authority.
Church leaders may want to reconsider these different celebrations in the church
calendar. After the Christmas season is concluded, the lead pastor could update the
practice of the Feast of Fools. If the pastor gave the pulpit over to some of the other
leadership in the church, this could be an opportunity for the church to do an old-
fashioned roast, where people make jokes about the lead pastor and his eccentricities.
This would require the pastor to have a good sense of humor and a humble spirit.
23
Jonathan Herron discusses his experiences as an improv comedian, and how the skills he learned
in improv helped him as a pastor. Comedy-Driven Leadership: Think Like a Comedian, Move Forward Like
a Leader (Colorado Springs, CO: First Punch Press, 2014), Kindle.
149
The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the Church could host an annual
celebration. It could be a shared meal and a night of joyful worship. This would be a
prelude for Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season. Leonard Sweet reminds readers that
“The church used to give the best parties . . . Now it seems that many Christians are
allergic to parties, if not outright opposed to them.”24 Jesus would be grieved by overly
somber Christian gatherings. Hosting more celebratory services may make some
Christians uncomfortable, but Jesus was often found at parties.
Extending the Conversation
Church leaders should do what they can to help foster comedy and playfulness in
their ministry. But what about the times when members of the congregation are dispersed
throughout the week? Groups, shared meals, and podcasts are all ways that churches can
extend the conversation and foster community. Church leaders can allow for these to be
joyous occasions. No one said that whenever Christians gather, it must be serious. Why
do Bible studies feel like participants are grieving? Allow for play and humor to be part
of discipleship.
Many churches publish their weekly messages through podcasts. There is an
opportunity here for churches and ministry leaders to create content that can be
informative as well as fun.25 Simply Youth Ministry Podcast, the Relevant Podcast, and To
Be the Church are a few examples of podcasts produced by Christian ministries or
24
Sweet, The Well-Played Life, 220-221.
25
Carey Nieuwhof, “Sermon 2.0: The Future of Preaching and Reaching the Unchurched,” Carey
Nieuwhof (blog), November 19, 2018, https://careynieuwhof.com/sermon-2-0-the-future-of-the-preaching-
and-reaching-the-unchurched/.
150
organizations that effectively extend conversations and foster community.26 Most church
leaders will not have the reach of the Relevant Podcast, but that should not be the metric
of success. If the goal is to create a fun resource for your church community, then make it
specific to your community. You can do this by inviting people who serve in your church
community to share what makes them laugh and where they find joy. These podcasts
don’t have to be a laugh a minute, but they would allow for playful conversations that a
typical Sunday morning may not allow for. Podcasts are popular among men.27 If
churches are trying to connect with men, podcasting could be an opportunity to disciple
men while fostering a digital community.
Community groups often revolve around discussing prepared curriculum. One of
the ways that church leaders can extend the conversation is by fostering storytelling in
groups and over shared meals. Again, Sweet reminds readers that
At the table, sitting together, facing each other, talking to each other—good food,
good conversation, good laughs, good stories—we learn the good news of the
God who eats good food with bad people. There is nothing else like it in the
world. To bring back the vigor to Christianity, to reverse the church’s attrition
rate, we must bring back the table. The most important thing anyone can do to
strengthen our families and reproduce the faith in our kids is to bring back the
table. The most important thing anyone can do to change our world for the better
is to bring back the table—with Jesus seated at his rightful place.28
Comedy, humor, and playfulness may not seem productive. These things do not have
easily assessed metrics. They are not easily reproduced. Gathering around tables to build
26
John Randy Meredith’s research showed that some classes that provided podcasts did foster a
sense of community outside of the normal class time. “The Impact of Podcasting on Perceived Learning,
Classroom Community, and Preferred Context for Podcast Consumption” (EdD diss., Regent University,
2012), ProQuest.
27
Winn, “2018 Podcast Stats & Facts.”
28
Sweet, From Tablet to Table, 18-19.
151
relationships, laugh, and play together will foster community connections. In a culture
where people are drifting more toward isolation, creating spaces to extend the
conversation can create an environment that invites people to find that which they are
designed for: meaningful community.29
Churches have an opportunity to be a community marked by joy. Howard Macy
quotes Garrison Keillor, saying, “Humor is not a trick, it’s not jokes, it’s not words. It’s a
presence in the world, like the presence of grace, and it’s always there and shines on
everybody.”30 When churches are marked by joy, we create an attractive presence. If
pastors teach their church members to embrace comedy and use comedy intentionally,
they can take that joy of Christ with them wherever they go.
What Story Are We Telling?
The stories we tell shape our communities. In a culture that is leading to greater
isolation and division, the church can tell an alternative story.31 As church leaders, we
have an opportunity to pay attention to the culture we find ourselves in, to learn to speak
the language of comedy. There may be some things of which we need to repent, both
individually and corporately. This repentance is what distinguishes the comic plot line
from the tragic plot line. As we allow Jesus to foster a holy sense of humor in our
congregations, as we tell stories of grace and joy, as we allow followers of Jesus to come
29
Ben Shepard, “The Use of Joyfulness as a Community Organizing Strategy,” Peace & Change
30, no. 4 (October 2005): 436, EBSCOhost.
30
31
Bijan Stephen, “Alienation is the Most Powerful Online Brand,” The Verge (blog), October 27,
2018, https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/27/18000792/alienation-is-the-most-powerful-online-brand.
152
to Jesus like children, we may transform from the tragic figure of a declining church to a
joyful and restored community. For followers of Jesus, we hold on to the truth that God
will someday redeem and transform the brokenness of this world. Now, we see the
incongruity and we may choose to laugh. Someday, when God reconciles all things, our
laughter and joy will no longer spring from incongruity, but we will have what Jefferey
Dauber calls a congruity theory: “When everything fits, in a way that bespeaks divine
harmony, and historical intent.”32 Between now and then, followers of Jesus are called to
tell the good news with joy.
32
153
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APPENDIX A: EXAMPLE OF A SERMON SERIES DISCUSSING HUMOR AND
COMEDY
In 2018, Easter was on April Fool’s Day. This was a providential opportunity to
preach about humor and comedy in the Bible. This series lasted four weeks. Below are
manuscripts of the sermon notes. I don’t generally read the manuscript when I preach.
The entire sermon series audio and video are available here:
https://subsplash.com/Creekside/sermons/ms/+7zkfj2p.
Throughout the sermons there you will see (S). This is a signal to the people
running the slides, that I want everything bolded after the (S) on the screen. The notes for
the second week include drawings that a speaker can reproduce on a whiteboard. It is
helpful to use different color markers for these drawings.

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TITLE: Easter Sunday - The Great ReversalDATE: April 1, 2018

SERIES: Plot Twist
TEXT: John 21:1-29
BIG IDEA: The Resurrection of Jesus is our source of joy
Good morning! There is a wonderful tradition on Easter Sunday. It requires a
little call and response. I’m going to say He is risen and I’m going to ask you to respond
by saying, He is Risen indeed. So, let’s practice that right now.
He Is Risen.
He is Risen indeed!
The resurrection of Jesus is the most important event in the history of the earth.
You may think that’s an audacious claim. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, laid his life down
on the cross as the final sacrifice for our sins. Before he died on the cross Jesus told his
disciples that he was going to be raised again. He made a promise and Jesus always keeps
his promises. Because Jesus was raised, we can believe his promise that all who place
their trust in him will be saved. Because Jesus was raised, we can believe that Jesus’
death was more than just another person dying. We can have confidence that his death
rescues us.
The resurrection is the most important event in world history. There are plenty of
people today talking about why you can trust the historical veracity of the resurrection.
And that’s great. Today what I want to talk about is what the resurrection of Jesus invites
us into.
We are starting a series today called plot twist. When Jesus died on the cross on
Good Friday, everyone who watched that event thought for sure, this is the end. But God
has the wonderful way of zigging when we think he’s going to be zagging.
For the first followers of Jesus the resurrection was the most unexpected thing.
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We have a tendency to treat this story with so much seriousness that we lose the play and
joy. My hope for all of us today is that we would remember that the resurrection should
lead to great joy and laughter.
The Bible is full of examples where God does the unexpected, there are plot
twists like crazy. For God’s people, those plot twists can build our joy. When we look
back through our journey, we might not have the words to express our feelings. All we
might be able to do is raise our hands and laugh.
There are all kinds of reasons why people might laugh, but one of the most
common is because something unexpected happens. Today is April 1st which is also, April
Fool’s day. On April
Fool’s day we tell jokes and perform pranks, because we want to make people
laugh. It’s intended to be a playful joyful time.
As I have been researching humor over the past couple of years, I came across a
tradition in churches in Europe in the middle ages. It’s called Rissus Paschalis. Whenever
I read it my first thought is that it’s some kind of skin condition. But it’s not. Rissus
Paschalis means Easter Laughter. On Easter Sunday pastors would try to fill their
churches with laughter, with jokes and playfulness because Jesus is alive!
I had a hard time finding good Easter specific jokes, so I’m going to settle with
these two.
I’m combining Easter and April Fools’ day this year . . .

I’m sending the kids out to look for eggs I haven’t hidden.
Easter is a fun day, but sometimes we get things confused.
Three men died, and they were met by St. Peter at the pearly gates. Peter said,
“before you enter, we just want to make sure that you understand the most
important thing
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Peter asked the first man, what is Easter all about?

The man replied, “Easter is the time of year when we hide plastic eggs filled with
candy and have a big family meal.”
Sorry, that’s something that happens on Easter, but that is not what Easter is all
about.
Peter asked the second man, “What is Easter all about?”

The man replied, “Easter is a time when we buy a new outfit and look really nice
for family pictures. Sometimes we take our kids to a man dressed in a giant bunny
suit to make them cry.”
Again, Peter said, “Sorry, that’s not what Easter is all about.”
Losing hope, Peter asked the third man, “What is Easter all about?” The man
replied, “Easter is a holy day. It happens the same week as the Jewish Passover. It
is a day that we remember Jesus, the Son of God, who came and lived among us,
and died on Good Friday as the final Passover lamb. But Jesus promised that he
would be raised again and on Sunday, the stone for the tomb was rolled away.”
Peter’s face was lighting up. Finally, someone understood the meaning of Easter,
But the third man continued, “Every year the stone is rolled away, and Jesus
comes out, and if he sees his shadow that means it’s six more weeks of winter.”
So close!
Easter is not about the bunny, the candy, the eggs, or the outfit. Easter is all about
Jesus and his resurrection. And we should know that.
(S) Big Idea: The Resurrection of Jesus is our source of joy.
What is joy? Joy and happiness can be confused sometimes. But happiness is
fleeting and based on experiences. Joy is lasting and transforms our lives. True joy comes
from knowing that God is working in us and through us. Joy changes the way we treat
others, the way we respond to life’s challenges. This kind of joy comes from knowing
what God has done and what God is going to do.
We are going to read an account of Jesus’ resurrection in the Gospel of John on

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page 756 in those chair Bibles. If you don’t own a Bible, please feel free to take that one
home. As we read this, I want to encourage us to listen with a playful, joyful heart. We
will encounter the disciples in great sorrow, but Jesus isn’t sad, he is risen!
(S) John 20:1-10
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene
went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the
entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the
one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and
we don’t know where they have put him!”
3
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running,
but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over
and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon
Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the
strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped
around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the
linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went
inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture
that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to
where they were staying.
When Mary gets to the tomb, what did she think happened? She thought someone
had stolen Jesus’ body. There are all kinds of emotions that probably rushed through her
at that moment. On top of her grief she was probably feeling anger and fear as well.
Mary didn’t know what to do so she went and told the disciples. Maybe they
could help. The disciples were hiding because if the religious leaders had their master
killed then it was really just a matter of time before they would come after Jesus’
followers. They were afraid. Their whole world was in chaos. When Peter and this other
disciple, who is probably John, heard that the body was gone they rushed out to the tomb.
They didn’t know what was going on, but they had to see it for themselves.
(S) The Resurrection invites investigation
Dead people usually stay dead. Peter and John needed to see what was going on.
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Decades later as John is writing his account of Jesus’ life and ministry, there is a
little bit of playfulness in this passage. John is throwing a playful nudge to remind his
readers that John is faster than Peter.
Now, just because John was faster, doesn’t mean he was bolder. He waits outside
the tomb, he doesn’t know what’s in there, but Peter just barges right in. Jesus’ body is
gone! This is all so confusing. And John is starting to believe that maybe Jesus really is
alive. They didn’t understand it all, though so they go back. Their investigation didn’t
give them all the answers they were hoping for.
Today, you may be here because someone invited you and you hear about the
resurrection and you respond in a similar way, “How can I know for sure.” John believed
Jesus even though he wasn’t yet certain.
(S) Faith comes before certainty
Today my prayer for you is that you would trust Jesus’ resurrection even though
you have questions. I still have questions. I still have moments where doubts creep into
my heart and mind. But faith comes before certainty. When I step into eternity, I’m going
to ask Jesus some big questions. But I have come to understand that I don’t need to have
all those questions answered before I trust him today.
Let’s keep reading. Peter and John left but Mary stayed behind. Now, I believe
when we encounter Jesus here, he’s being playful and he knows what he is doing.
(S) John 20:11-14

11
Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to
look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body
had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
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“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they
have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there,
but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
Mary was grieving because she didn’t yet realize what had happened to Jesus. The
most obvious thing would be that his body was stolen. When she saw the angels, she still
was full of grief.
(S) Grief steals joy
Mary should have thought “there are angels here. Clearly something amazing is
going on.” But her grief was keeping her from truly seeing what was happening. She
looked at Jesus and didn’t recognize him. She was too focused on her grief. Now, before
we go too far, I don’t want to be too critical of Mary. The truth is we would probably all
be like Mary. We have a tendency to miss Jesus because we focus on everything that’s
going wrong.
I wonder if the angels were confused when they ask, “Why are you crying?” The
angels knew that Jesus is alive, there is no reason to cry. And I wonder if Jesus, realizing
that Mary didn’t recognize him was actually being a little playful.
Let’s look at what happens next in verse 15:
(S) John 20:15-18

15
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking
for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away,
tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means
“Teacher”).
17
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and
your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”
18
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the
Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
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Why are you crying, who are you looking for? Jesus knew the answers to these
questions. Remember, Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before him. He knew he was
going to be raised to life. His followers couldn’t process it. Can we allow Jesus to be
playful and joyful after the resurrection?
As readers today, we are all in on what Jesus is doing. We know the story. But
imagine Mary, as Jesus says her name, and she finally recognizes who she is talking to.
(S) Recognizing Jesus leads to joy
Something that makes me cry every time is the videos of soldiers surprising their
kids at school. As I was writing that last sentence at Barnes and Noble, I started crying.
It’s amazing. The kid has no idea that their mom or dad who has been deployed to the
other side of the earth is coming home. And in the most unlikely places there they are.
Who knew what was going to happen? The parents, the teachers, the school
administrators, someone had to record the thing. But the kid had no idea. And the joy on
that child’s face! To be reunited. That’s what Mary is experiencing. But times a million
because she watched Jesus die.
Today, Jesus may be calling out to you. He may be saying your name. Will you
recognize his voice? He wants you to know the kind of joy that Mary experienced.
How do we hear Jesus calling out to us?
Let me tell you something. You are here. You may have responded to an invitation
from a friend, or you may have seen a mailer or a Facebook ad. You could have followed
the blue signs. Whatever brought you here, your response to those things was the first
step in hearing Jesus call your name.

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I want to encourage you right where you are sitting to pray in your heart, “Jesus,
help me hear you.” “Jesus, what is keeping me from hearing you?”
The story continues, Mary ran back to the disciples and told them what she experienced.
(S) John 20:19-23

19
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were
together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and
stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he
showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw
the Lord.
21
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am
sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the
Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do
not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Peter and John, saw the empty tomb. Mary saw the Angels and Jesus. But here the
very night this all happened, they are gathered together, and they are afraid. They’ve
locked the door and maybe they are trying to figure out what has happened. And I love
what happens next. Jesus doesn’t knock, he doesn’t call out to them. He just appears right
in front of them.
Put yourself in that moment. You would be terrified. But what if Jesus was messing
with them again? Have you ever hidden behind a wall and jumped out to scare your
brother or sister? How much fun is that? It’s a lot of fun. Somehow, Jesus is able to
teleport into rooms. No explanation. He just appears. His first words are peace be with
you. They were terrified and then filled with joy!
It’s in this moment that Jesus fills them with the Holy Spirit and gives them their
mission. The disciples are commissioned to go out and tell people that their sins can be
forgiven. That Jesus has made the way for them to know God’s grace and mercy. To walk
in peace and live in joy!

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(S) The mission of Jesus is a mission of Joy!
We have the greatest news of all time. We can be free from slavery to sin. We can
have relationship with the God who created the whole universe and who loved us enough
to send Jesus to rescue us.
One of our challenges is that the mission of Jesus gets confused with other things.
We think Jesus just wants us to follow certain rules, or to make us vote a certain way.
That is not what Jesus wants. He wants you to know true joy, and to let that joy change
your life.
There is one more passage that I want to read. Starting in verse 24
(S) John 20:24-29

24
Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the
disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen
the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my
finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Thomas missed Jesus appearing in the middle of the room and he was skeptical. If
we are honest with ourselves, we would probably be skeptical as well. Because it just
doesn’t make sense. This is the greatest reversal of all time. Dead people usually stay
dead. So, Thomas is demanding proof. And it’s pretty gross proof, right? I want to put my
hand in his guts. That’s intense.
But the disciples, they don’t have any control over Jesus. He keeps appearing and
disappearing. But verse 26 tells us:
(S) John 20:26-29

26
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with
them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and
said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here;
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see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting
and believe.”
28
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed;
blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
I love this. The Disciples decide to gather together a week after Jesus was raised,
and they made sure that Thomas was there. They locked the door, just like last time and
waited. They might have told Thomas, "we don’t know if Jesus will show up, but this is
what we did last time, and boom, he was there.” And Thomas the skeptic waited.
Then in the middle of the room Jesus showed up.
(S) The resurrection of Jesus is good news for skeptics too
You may be like Thomas today. You may be a skeptic, and if you could just have
proof, you would believe that Jesus is alive! I can’t give you that proof. But Jesus says,
that those who believe without proof are blessed.
Jesus knows about your doubts, and he is not afraid of those doubts. But the only
way to really overcome doubt is to test and see if Jesus is all he claims to be.
I would hope that the greatest proof that we could give you that would point to the
resurrection of Jesus is the joy in the lives of those who believe.
Maybe you need to see some followers of Jesus who actually live in that kind of
joy. Today my hope for all of us is that we would move beyond happiness to Christlike
Joy!
I have two questions for us. First, today will you choose joy?
(S) Next Step: I will choose Joy
Jesus invites us into his joy, it’s more than happiness. Happiness is fleeting, but joy
can lead us through hardship and difficult situations. If you are follower of Jesus, then
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your joy is a great example that Jesus has changed your heart and your life. Will you
choose joy today?
This is the first week of a new series and we are going to be looking at joy and
humor. And I hope that you will join us for the next 3 weeks of this series.
Today, if you are not yet following Jesus, his death and resurrection lead to our joy.
We can be forgiven of our sins and live lives of joy! Today will you say yes to Jesus?
(S) Next Step: Become a follower of Jesus
We want to give you some next steps and help you follow after Jesus. If you don’t
own a Bible, please feel free to take one of those chair Bibles home today.
Jesus told his disciples that they should also be baptized which is a symbol of the
death of sin’s power in our life, and then being resurrected in new life with Jesus. We are
going to be celebrating baptisms on April 29 and we would love to help you celebrate
what Jesus is doing in your life. Let us know on your discover card by marking:
(S) Get baptized
Let’s pray.
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Title: Tragedy to Comedy

Date: April 8, 2018
Series: Plot Twist
Text: Genesis 3:6-9; Acts 1:8-9
Big Idea: God can change my sad story into a joyful story.
Good morning. Today we are continuing a series that we started last week called
plot twist. This series is going to look at how God does unexpected and amazing things in
history and our lives. We started this series looking at the resurrection of Jesus, and how,
while Jesus told his disciples that he would be raised again, they did not expect it. And
when they encountered Jesus after he was raised, they were filled with joy. Followers of
Jesus should be known for joy. However, too often we are overly serious about
everything. So, this series is going to look at joy and humor. I need to warn us at the
onset of this series. Just because we are going to talk about humor, doesn’t mean that
everything we say will be funny. Studying humor is a lot like dissecting a frog. You can
learn a lot, but the frog usually dies.
Part of understanding this joy means that we need to understand the story that
God is writing.
There are two classical story structures. The first is tragedy. In tragedy, the
protagonist starts with an ideal, a picture of the good life. And over time, things get worse
and worse.
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Good life
The story ends in despair or destruction. The most well known tragedy is
probably Romeo and Juliet.
The other classic storyline is comedy. It follows a line like this.
Like tragedy it starts with the protagonist in some form of the good life. Then
something happens that causes a hardship and their good life starts to fall apart.
At the bottom of the arc is a moment of transformation. A realization that they
need to change. And then there is a journey of restoration. And in classical stories the
protagonist is restored to the good life.
Understanding these classical story arcs has been incredibly helpful to me and my
faith journey, how I read the Bible and how I handle difficult situations in my life.
Now, why am I telling you all of this? We are in a series called Plot Twist today
And it’s helpful to understand these different story formats as we talk about the Bible, the
story of God, and what kind of story you are living. Our Big Idea today is:
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(S) Big Idea: God can transform my sad story into a joyful story
I’m going to give an overview of the Bible and look at one or two stories in the
Bible and then I want to talk to you about your story. Sound good?
I’m going to be referring to a lot of passages in the Bible without going into a
deep dive on them. Sound good? It’s a little different than how we normally do Sunday
messages, but I think it will be really helpful.
In the very beginning, n Genesis 1, God created the heavens and the earth, and as
He was creating everything, He said it was good. He created the first human, Adam and
placed him in the garden of Eden to tend the earth. God saw that it was not good for the
man to be alone so he made the first woman, who would later be named Eve. God told
the man and the woman to fill the earth and to steward God’s creation. They could eat
from any tree except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If they ate from that tree
they would die.
The Bible tells us in Genesis 2:25, that Adam and Eve were naked and knew no
shame. They were truly living the good life. But then one day, the serpent came to the
woman and convinced her that God was holding out on her and Adam and that if they ate
from the tree, they wouldn’t really die, but they would be like God.
And in
(S) Genesis 3:6

6
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and
pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and
ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
7
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were
naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was
walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God
among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where
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are you?”
The rest of Genesis 3 goes on to explain how this act of disobedience from the
man and the woman created separation from God and created division in the relationship
between the man and the woman. They were banished from the Garden of Eden, and
while they didn’t die right away, they would ultimately die. This act of disobedience
introduced sin into the world and as Paul tells us in the New Testament, “the wages of sin
is death.”
When we read the rest of the Bible, we see that the story of humanity seems to be
one tragedy after another. There is the flood, the tower of Babel, families fighting with
one another, nations waring against each other. God’s people find themselves in slavery,
then rescued, then they disobey again, and they end up in exile. Things just keep getting
worse and worse. Right now, this plot of the Bible looks like a tragedy.
But there is a key detail in Genesis 3 that tells us what kind of story God is
actually revealing. The LORD makes a promise in Genesis 3:15. The promise is that
someday a descendant of Eve will crush the serpents head. God is promising to send a
rescuer to defeat the serpent and ultimately to defeat the power of sin and death.
(S) God promised to change the story of humanity
As you read the story of the Bible you see that things get worse and worse. There
are some good things from time to time, but it never lasts for long. But God never gives
up on his people.
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Then at just the right time, God the Father sends Jesus, the eternal son of God to
be born to the Virgin Mary. This is a miracle. This is God, taking on flesh and entering
into the story of the universe. And why did Jesus do this? To be our final sacrifice for sin,
to defeat the power of sin and death, and to crush the serpents head.
The cross is the lowest point in human history, but it is also God’s greatest
victory. Three days after Jesus died, he was raised again. That’s what we celebrate at
Easter. Before Jesus returned to the Father, he commissioned his disciples to go continue
his story.
(S) Acts 1:8-9

8
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be
my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of
the earth.”
What do witnesses do? They tell their story. They share their experiences. And
the story that followers of Jesus are called to tell is a story of transformation. The
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disciples are commissioned by the power of the Holy Spirit to go and tell this story to the
whole world. And we are still telling this story today. This is a story that isn’t over yet,
but when we read the rest of the New Testament, we do see that Jesus promises that he
will return, and when .
He does return, he will destroy the power of sin forever. And all of Jesus’
followers will spend eternity with God forever. The relationship that Adam and Eve had
with God in the garden will be restored and available for all of Jesus’ followers forever.
Because of Jesus, human history is not a tragedy.
(S) Jesus has made it possible to change our story
Paul told us in Romans that:
(S) Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
For followers of Jesus, our story is transformation from sin and death to
forgiveness of sin and eternal life because of what Jesus has done for us. This
transformation is a gift that God has made available for us, but we need to receive that
gift. And that gift is available for you today. Jesus can change your story. If you are not
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yet following Jesus that transformation begins when we say, yes to the gift of grace.
Today my hope for you is that before you leave today you will say yes to the grace that
Jesus has made available for you. If you are saying yes to Jesus let us know by marking,
“Become a follower of Jesus” on your discover card.
We would love to walk with you as Jesus is changing your story. Please let us
know on your card.
Paul gives us a wonderful reminder later in the book of Romans:
(S) Romans 8:28
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love
him, who have been called according to his purpose.
This is how we can know that God can take our hardships and the tragedies in our
life and transform our story.
(S) Next Step: Memorize Romans 8:28
We see this in the life of Job. Job was a righteous man, he had a wonderful
family, he was very wealthy, he was living the good life. Satan comes before God one
day and asks permission to test Job, to see if he can get Job to turn away from the Lord.
God says yes.
In one day, Job loses all of his wealth and his children are all killed. Job’s life
falls into tragedy really quickly. But Job doesn’t give up trusting the Lord. His wife
comes to him and says, “Why don’t you just curse god and die,” but Job doesn’t give up
trusting the Lord. He has three friends who want to help, and they basically argue “Job
this is all your fault. You have some sin in your life.” But Job knows that he is right
before the Lord. He never gets to the point where he is willing to give up on God. But
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when he gets close, God shows up. God speaks to Job and these friends, and reminds
them all that they are not God. And Job trusts the Lord anew and the book of Job ends by
telling us that Job was restored. He had more children, his wealth was restored, and he
was actually wealthier than when we first met him.
He still went through tremendous pain, grief and hardship. But God wasn’t done
with his story. God was able to change the trajectory of his story.
Today, we all have different stories and we might find ourselves on different
points of this line. For some we are looking at our lives and it seems like tragedy. But
God is not done with your story either. He is still working for your good and it might
look like this:
As we are following Jesus and trusting Him, our lives will be filled with ups and downs.
Sometimes we even go backwards. But he is still at work. Our biggest difficulty is that
we look at these times in the valley and we think that this is going to be forever. But God
is still telling a wonderful story in your life.
(S)Valley experiences are where we learn to trust Jesus in a deeper way
Followers of Jesus can know that no matter what happens, the gift of God is
eternal life. We will spend eternity with God. There will be no more sorrow or sin. No
more death and disease. And we will look back and see how God had been with us
through it all and has been working all things for our good.
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Following Jesus doesn’t mean that everything just becomes easy and smooth
sailing, but we can have confidence that he is working for our good. When we are in a
valley, that doesn’t mean that is the end of our story. When we are through the valley,
we can look back and see how God has moved us through the challenges.
Sometimes when we step out and begin following Jesus things actually get harder:
• Lynnwood move
• People thought we were crazy
• We had many challenges
• It would have been easier to just give up
• but we knew that was leading us and calling us to a new chapter, and to reach
people in new ways.
I’ve talked with people who step out in faith and begin to tithe, and immediately
face challenges. But they have learned to trust Jesus and walked through a season of
hardship, and God proved himself faithful.
It has been amazing to be with people who are battling health issues, but they see
Jesus intervening in the midst of their doctor visits and their family conversations. Jesus
is working things together for good. Jesus can transform your story.
I know we all find ourselves somewhere on this continuum. With every valley we
should look for where Jesus is going to bring transformation.

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(S) Jesus can change your story
He is working things together for your good. We get so focused on the valleys and
the hardships that we forget that God is not done with our story.
One of the most helpful exercises that I can recommend is to take some time to
reflect on your story. Take some time to actually write it out. Where have you seen God
show up in surprising ways? Where has God been changing you? Remembering our story
helps us share that story with others. We may have experiences that can help others and
be an encouragement to others.
(S) NEXT STEP: Reflect on my story
Today I want to ask you, Where are you on this continuum? Are you on a trend
where you clearly see God working and things are going great? Are you in a valley and
wondering where is God?
Today I want to take some time to pray. In Galatians 6:2 followers of Jesus are
called to:
(S) Galatians 6:2

2
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of
Christ.
You don’t have to walk through your hardships alone. If you feel like you are in a
valley, if you are struggling to see where God is, will you let us pray for you? If you
would like prayer, then I’m just going to ask you right where you are to stand up. This is
going to take some boldness on your part, I understand that, but if you would like people
to pray for you, let us bear your burdens. And I don’t know what God is going to do in
your life, but I know this, when we call out to God, he hears us. When we pray together,
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we can support each other.
Now, if you are next to one of these people standing up, can you stand with them
and place your hand on their shoulder and pray with them. If you don’t know their name,
it’s ok to ask. If you want to share what’s going on, then feel free to do so. If you don’t
want to share, just say, I’m going through a hard time right now. Let’s take a few
moments to pray.
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TITLE: Laughter and Community

DATE: April 15, 2018
SERIES: Plot Twist
TEXT: Psalm 126; Genesis 17:15-17; Genesis 18:10-15; Genesis 21:5-7; Proverbs
17:22; Luke 18:15-17
BIG IDEA: Jesus invites us to embrace joy together
MEMORY VERSE: Proverbs 17:22
Today we are continuing our series called Plot Twist. This series was started on
Easter Sunday, April Fools and we talked about how Jesus invites us to know true joy.
Even though Jesus died on the cross on Good Friday, God was not done. And the greatest
plot twist of all time was Jesus being raised from the dead.
Because of the resurrection we can know true and meaningful joy. The challenge
for Christians has been that we tend to be way too serious. We forget that Jesus invites us
into his joy, and part of that joy is valuing the humor, comedy and play.
Last week we talked about how Jesus changes our story from a tragedy to a
comedy. Because of what Jesus has done for us, our lives can be restored to be in
relationship with God, and even our low points are moments for transformation.
Today I want to talk about one of the great benefits of humor and comedy. We are
going to look at how comedy can build community. Think about the reason that you hang
out with your friends. I bet one of the most important things is that you share the same
interests. You probably even share the same sense of humor.
Part of my hope for our church is that we would take our faith very seriously, but
not take ourselves too seriously. When we think about the extravagance of God’s love and
mercy towards us, there are a handful of responses: deep gratitude, worship, and the
laughter that comes from joy.

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The best kind of laughter is shared laughter. A joke is only a joke when it’s shared
and enjoyed with others. A humorous story or anecdote brings laughter when it is shared
with others.
Today I want to encourage us to embrace laughter and joy, but not selfishly.
(S) Big Idea: Jesus invites us to embrace joy together.
Joy is something that is meant to be shared. When community members share joy,
we can build each other up, and that joy can help us through our difficult seasons.
The people of Israel had many very difficult seasons in their history. Those
difficult seasons were usually caused by their rebellion, but whenever they called out to
the LORD, he intervened and rescued them.
In Psalm 126 we have a song that the people of Israel would sing as they made their
way to worship in Jerusalem. It was written after a season of hardship and after the
LORD had intervened in their story.
(S) Psalm 126

A song of ascents.
1
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.
2
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
4
Restore our fortunes, o Lord,
like streams in the Negev.
5
Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
6
Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.
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There are many people who have given different definitions of comedy. They all
carry a little bit of truth and one of my favorites is:
(S) Comedy is tragedy plus time
During the hardships that the people were facing, the last thing that they had on
their minds was laughter. They probably didn’t tell a lot of jokes. It is hard to joke when
you don’t know where your next meal is going to come from. It’s hard to joke when you
are afraid for your life or your family’s lives. As we look at this psalm, we see that joy
and laughter came after the LORD intervened on behalf of the people. They saw that God
was doing something new, he was restoring their lives.
Remember last week we talked about the plot line of comedy, it starts in the good
life, then things fall apart, then there is a moment of transformation, and there is a
restoration to the good life.
The people of Israel recognized that God was restoring their lives, and they
recognized his saving work. When you’ve seen God intervene in your life, then you know
that this present hardship doesn’t have to be the end of your story. This should lead to
joy! This is a song that would have been shared with the people. They would have
embraced this joy together.
One of the reasons that we sing songs on Sunday is because music can be a source
of joy. Music can remind us of God’s saving work, and that should build our joy. When
the Spirit unites our hearts in singing songs together, that can be a great encouragement.
If you don’t know the words, just read them on the screen.
When we share stories of God’s intervention in our lives in groups, that should
build joy. When we share stories of how God has been changing us, that should build joy.
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There are so many times when I hear what God has done in people’s lives where all I can
do is laugh at God’s amazing love.
The promise of this song is that:
(S) God can turn our sorrow into joy
So, what keeps us from receiving God’s joy?
- Focusing on ourselves.
- Forgetting God’s past goodness.
- Holding on to our hurts.
I find the metaphor in verse 6 really interesting.
(S) Psalm 126:6

6
Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.
How do you sow seed? You have to cast them out. Even our seeds of sorrow, when
we cast them, when we sow them, can come back as sheaves of joy.
Today, will you let go of those hurts that will steal your joy?
(S) Next Step: Letting go of my hurts: __________
Now just because you may be letting go of your hurts now, doesn’t mean you won’t
be hurt again. You will experience pain and hardship. People will hurt your feelings. But
can you let the Lord transform your pain and sorrow into joy and laughter?
There is a wonderful story in the book of Genesis where God changed sorrow into
laughter. This is the story of Abraham, Sarah and Isaac. God had called Abraham to leave
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his family and his home and go to a place that the LORD would show him. God also
promised that he would turn Abraham into the father of nations. At the time, Abraham
was old, and Sarah was old and unable to conceive. Abraham didn’t have all the answers,
but he followed the LORD. He didn’t always do everything the right way, but God never
gave up on him. Abraham even tried to have a child with Sarah’s servant, to try to bring
God’s promises about. God was not really happy with that and Abraham had come to
realize that.
(S) Learning to trust God is not easy
One day Abraham had an encounter with God. In Genesis 17 we read this:
(S) Genesis 17:15-17

15
God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call
her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a
son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of
peoples will come from her.”
17
Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born
to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”
God promises again that Abraham and Sarah will be the parents of nations. And
what does Abraham do? He laughs! Not just a little; he fell over and laughed at God. This
is how we know God is gracious. He let Abraham laugh this hard at him.
Sarah is 90 years old and God is saying, “Yes, she’s going to conceive and have a
son.” This doesn’t make sense. One of the reasons we laugh is incongruity.
Classic example is Far Side cartoons.
(S) Midvale School for the Gifted Image
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-
AZNV9I1nBF4/UB6SvKtIR6I/AAAAAAAAAWY/fk8_oWh9JCI/s1600/midvale+schoo
198
l+for+the+gifted.jpg
The sign tell us that this school is for gifted (smart) students. The door is a pull
door, but this young fella is trying to push the door. There is incongruity here and when
we recognize the incongruity we laugh.
How many of us see incongruity all the time and sometimes become frustrated,
but sometimes we just have to laugh. We know God is doing something, we just don't
know how he’s going to work it all together.
Abraham, is being told, you are going to have a son, and he’s looking at all the
evidence in front of him and just has to laugh. But Abraham is known as a man of faith.
(S) Faith sustains us through the incongruities of life
Let’s keep reading about this story. In Chapter 18, three mysterious visitors come
to see Abraham and Sarah. As we read this, we see that these three visitors could be
angels of the Lord or, this could be a theophany - the Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
coming to visit Abraham. During this meeting in verse 10 we read:
(S) Genesis 18:10-15

10
Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next
year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”
Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.
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11
Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of
childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn
out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
13
Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I
really have a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I
will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
15
Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”
But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”
For years Abraham and Sarah were living in an unfulfilled promise. And here,
one more time, she’s hearing this promise and laughs to herself.
Have you ever gotten the giggles at a time when laughter was really inappropriate? In
school, in church, during a funeral? One of the hardest things to stop is laughter at
inappropriate times. Sarah hearing this promise and recognizing the incongruity, laughs,
but then she gets busted.
God keeps his promises, and when we fast forward to Genesis 21, we see this:
(S) Genesis 21:5-7

5
Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
6
Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about
this will laugh with me.” 7 And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham
that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
They finally had that son - Isaac! His name means, He Laughs. Who laughs here?
Abraham and Sarah after years of sorrow are laughing with joy. But also, God may be
laughing because a 100-year-old man and a 90-year-old woman are now responsible for a
baby.
This story is one of the formative stories for God’s people, and it results in laughter.
When they shared how God had rescued them throughout history, they may look back on
this story to encourage each other, and to share the laughter.

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(S) Laughter is meant to be shared
In this story, Abraham and Sarah both laugh at God, but they also retold this story
to Isaac as he was growing up, and they probably laughed at themselves. Sometimes we
take ourselves too seriously and we can't laugh at our own mistakes and foolishness. But
when God saves us and transforms us, we should be willing to laugh because God has done
a wonderful, surprising thing.
As we share this laughter, we bring joy and cheer to others. When you have a great
joke, one of the joys of that joke is sharing it with others. And as we share laughter, we
find that:
(S) Laughter is Healing
We’ve all heard the expression, “laughter is the best medicine.” That’s not always
true because sometimes actual medicine is the best medicine. But laughter can be healing,
especially when we are able to laugh at our own foolishness.
I love the book of Proverbs because it is full of short statements of truth. One that
is particularly relevant to our interests is:
(S) Proverbs 17:22
22
A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
There have been all kind of studies to see what laughter does to us. It releases
chemicals into our brains that actually changes our attitudes. There are moments for
seriousness but being overly serious leads to a crushing spirit.
Laughter can be used as a weapon, but laughter can also be used to heal. The
healing properties of laughter really come when we are able to laugh at ourselves.
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If we take ourselves so seriously that we can’t laugh at our own mistakes, then
that is an indicator that pride is ruling our lives. But when we are able to laugh at
ourselves, we are practicing humility. We are acknowledging our imperfections. When we
share our stories with others and invite people into our laughter then we can build
relational bridges. But if we take ourselves too seriously, then we build relational walls.
Jesus invites us to embrace joy, together. Laughter helps build those bridges. And your
willingness to embrace joy, to tell your embarrassing stories, may be a great
encouragement to others.
One of the challenges that we have in the Bible is that, while Jesus said things that
appear to be humorous, we have no record of him actually laughing. This was one of the
challenges that church leaders in the 300s and 400s had with laughter in the church. They
were so serious and would chastise Christians for laughing.
We have this picture of Jesus as being overly serious. Even his disciples thought
he wanted to be super serious all the time. Let’s look at one more passage in the gospel of
Luke.
(S) Luke 18:15-17

15
People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on
them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the
children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not
hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell
you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will
never enter it.”
Jesus loved babies and children. He wants his followers to be childlike.
Simplicity, freedom, play, laughter - these are all characteristics that young children
display.
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Is there anything better than the sound of a baby laugh? When you hear a child
laughing, there is such freedom. Sometimes they don’t even know why they are laughing
but they just love to laugh.
There is a study that goes around from time to time saying children laugh 300
times a day while adults only laugh 20 times a day. That 300 times a day, probably isn’t
accurate, but children do laugh more than 20 times a day. I know some adult who
probably don’t laugh 5 times a day. When Jesus is inviting his followers to be like
children, he is inviting them to walk in simplicity, in joy and in play.
We make Jesus too serious. But Jesus loved kids. Will we be more childlike in our
faith? What would that look like?
I love kids who are able to just jump in and play with other kids at the park. It’s
amazing. They don’t try to size each other up, they just want to play. I remember my first
friend in kindergarten. His name was Casey. We became friends because we were both
wearing belts. That’s it, and then we played together at recess all year.
Jesus wants us to have childlike faith, one of the starting points is by learning to
laugh well.
(S) Next Step: I will embrace laughter
How can we do that? Well first, share your own embarrassing stories.
Share your favorite jokes, preferably jokes that are not mean or vindictive. The Bible
does tell us to avoid coarse joking. Share your favorite light-hearted jokes.
Maybe this week, instead of reposting articles supporting your political leanings,
why don't you post only jokes on Facebook.
Recognize the incongruity of life and look for the humor in those moments. You
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will not be disappointed. There are moments for seriousness but being overly serious
leads to a crushing spirit.
(S) Next Step: Memorize Proverbs 17:22
Maybe you are not yet following Jesus, and you think that Jesus just wants
everyone to be sad and serious. But the story of the Bible ends with great joy, and the
Bible is full of stories that, when we understand the context, are full of humor. Today I
want to invite you to re-evaluate Jesus and humor and come to him with simplicity. He
invites us to know his joy.

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TITLE: Laughter and Transformation

DATE: April 22, 2018
SERIES: Plot Twist
TEXT: Matthew 5:27-30; 6:5-8; 6:19-21; 7:1-5, Jonah
BIG IDEA: Jesus uses humor to transform our hearts
MEMORY VERSE: Jonah 4:11
Good morning! Today is the last week in our short series called plot twist. We
have been looking at how God does surprising things, and those surprises should lead to
joy and laughter. We started by looking at the resurrection of Jesus, and his playful
interactions with his disciples, after he was raised and the joy that filled their hearts.
Then we looked at the plot lines of tragedy and comedy. And we talked about how
Jesus changes our stories. Ultimately for followers of Jesus, no matter what happens to us
our story’s trajectory is ultimately going back to restoration and joy. We will be with
Jesus for eternity.
Last week we looked at how humor can be formative to a community and we
talked about Abraham and Sarah and their child Isaac, which means laughter. The Bible
invites us to embrace joy, and joy is meant to be shared in community.
This week we are going to look at how. Jesus uses humor to transform our hearts.
(S) Big Idea: Jesus uses humor to transform our hearts
Let’s begin by reading some passages from one of Jesus’ most famous teachings.
It’s called the Sermon on the Mount. You can find this sermon in Matthew 5 and it runs
through Matthew 7. In this message Jesus is calling people back to the heart of God’s law.
And there are times when he is intense with direct images and words. There are other
times when he uses some of the tools that comedians use to communicate truth. These
tools have been around for a long time. It would make sense that Jesus puts them to good
205
use. We are going to look at a few passages from this message that reveal how Jesus uses
(S) Jesus uses:
Hyperbole - intentional exaggeration to make a point
Ridicule - humor that stings
Incongruity - recognizing inconsistency
These are all devices that can be used to generate humor, but they also tend to
have a little bit of a barb to them, especially if we see Jesus is talking about us. However
if we listen to the words of Jesus with humility, then we can see these elements for what
they are, and we can let the words of Jesus speak to our hearts and change our hearts. We
can learn to laugh at ourselves, and at the same time ask Jesus to help us become more
and more like him.
Let’s jump into the first example. Jesus uses hyperbole in Matthew 5:27.
(S) Matthew 5:27-30

27
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I
tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed
adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble,
gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your
body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right
hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you
to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
(S) Jesus uses Hyperbole
Hyperbole is intentional exaggeration. Here Jesus is using hyperbole to strengthen
his point. The reason this use of hyperbole is helpful is because it is memorable. No one
in this room takes it seriously though, because there would be a lot more people with no
eyes and fewer hands. Does Jesus really want his people to cut their hands off and gouge
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their eyes out? No. What does Jesus want? He wants to change our hearts. Jesus knows
that willpower isn’t enough. When we face temptation willpower will only help for so
long. The drastic measure of gouging your eyes out so you won’t commit lust, won’t
actually keep you from giving in to lust. Why? Because it’s not an eyes issue, it’s a heart
issue. Fundamentally,
(S) Lust is an unhealthy desire for something or someone that isn’t meant for you
But Jesus is mocking the extreme measures that the religious people would go to
avoid sin. Adultery is the visible sin, lust is the invisible sin in the heart. Jesus wants to
change our hearts. When we struggle with lust, or really any sin, we have a moment of
decision. We should put safeguards in our lives, perhaps people who can keep us
accountable. But instead of cutting of our hands and gouging out our eyes, here’s the
sensible thing: When temptation begins creeping into our hearts and minds, stop and ask
the Holy Spirit not to blind our eyes or cut off our hands, but ask the Holy Spirit to help
change our hearts.
Hyperbole can reveal some of the ridiculous things that we do. Ridicule is humor
that stings, It can be used in a way that wounds people, but Jesus uses ridicule to try to
set people free. Let’s look at Matthew 6:5.
(S) Matthew 6:5-8

5
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray
standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others.
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray,
go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.
Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And
when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will
be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father
knows what you need before you ask him.
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(S) Jesus uses Ridicule
In this passage Jesus is mocking the religious spirit that believes that the more
fervent the prayer, the more words, the higher the chances that God will hear you. Jesus is
making fun of this whole idea. Prayer is not a performance for others to watch, and it’s
not about impressing God with your understanding of theological terms. These people are
praying for God to do something wonderful and to bless them. You should pray to God.
But because some are making this a show, Jesus says their whole reward is that they will
look religious. What a terrible reward.
The audience at this moment would have been laughing because they all knew
someone who was a prolific public pray-er.
Jesus ridicules the publicly religious while simplifying what it means to pray. Be
brief, be private, you don’t need to try to impress anyone. Seek Jesus. When we observe
things that are ridiculous, and we want to encourage change, pointing out the absurdity of
these things can help us to think about the issue differently.
I know to many in this room, the idea of praying out loud makes you nervous. But
don’t let that fear of public prayer keep you from praying. God hears you and loves to
hear from you.
When my kids were little and learning to talk, I didn’t tell them to be more
impressive when addressing me, their father. I was just so excited that they were talking.
When Jesus calls us to childlike faith, why wouldn’t he include childlike - simple
prayers?
Sometimes, there is room to point out the ridiculous things that religious people
do. And that leads to the next element Incongruity. Let’s look at Matthew 7:1.
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(S) Matthew 7:1-5
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge
others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured
to you.
3
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no
attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother,
‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in
your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and
then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
(S) Jesus uses Incongruity
Matthew 7:1! This is our culture’s favorite verse in the whole Bible, everyone
seems to have memorized this verse, especially if they are doing something that they
know they should not be doing. This verse and Genesis 1:29, where God says, “I give
you every seed-bearing plant,” how many pot heads are like, “Don’t judge me bro, I’m
consuming a seed-bearing plant. And have you ever really thought about your hands
bro?”
People love to stop at verse 1 and not keep going. Jesus’ point here is not that we
shouldn’t confront sin. The point that Jesus is making is that we need to confront our own
sin first.
The incongruity here is that we see the small thing that someone else is doing and
miss the huge problem in our own lives. We get on Facebook and rant and rave against
the sins of our age, gay marriage, drug abuse, abortion. These are all contrary to God’s
design for human flourishing. But, in doing that, we are letting the sin of pride destroy
our hearts and our witness to the world.
Even reading this parable, there are people in this room who are thinking about
other people with planks in their eyes. And how do I know we are doing that? Because I
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do it too. We would much rather make a big deal about someone else’s incongruity than
our own.
Here’s why this is important: Because if we are willing to recognize our own
incongruity, our own foolish pride, then we can foster humility in our hearts and our
lives. If we can recognize when we are being hyperbolic, ridiculous and incongruous, we
can own it. But if we are walking around with a false pride, we are putting on a show to
the world. When we see other people doing the same thing, we can be more gracious
towards them, because truthfully, we are all just trying to figure this life out.
Jesus gives us a path forward. Jesus embraces humor, he is a perfect example of
humility. He invites us to laugh, to love others, and to be a blessing in this world. But we
need to take Jesus seriously, and take ourselves less seriously.
When we take ourselves too seriously, we live our agenda and we miss God’s
agenda. Let me tell you a story that uses hyperbole, the ridiculous, and incongruity and
reveals the hearts of God’s people. It’s the book of Jonah.
Jonah is one of my favorite books in the Bible. It is one of the prophetic books,
but it’s different because it’s pretty much all story, there aren’t a lot of prophetic
messages. There is one message, and even that was the bare minimum.
One of the challenges with the book of Jonah is that we are really familiar with
one key element of the story. What is it? The great fish. Jonah was swallowed by a great
fish and people get hung up on this piece of the story. The fish is not the point.
I believe that Jonah is a satirical book. These events happened. Jesus referred to
them in his ministry. But why did Jonah write this out? So that others would learn from
his foolishness. We are not going to read this whole book, but let’s focus on key elements
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of the story. First, God calls Jonah:
(S) Jonah 1:2

2
“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its
wickedness has come up before me.”
Nineveh was the capital of Assyria. They were enemies of Israel. They were truly
awful to their enemies. You would think this prophet would love to go have words with
these people. Finally, God is going to give Nineveh what they deserve, but what actually
happens?
(S) Jonah 1:3

3
But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down
to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he
went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
Jonah is booking a ticket on a boat that is going to take him to the edge of the
known world. He is running from God. When he gets in the boat, he goes to the lowest
part of the boat. Why? He knows he’s disobeying God, and he is trying to hide from him.
There is a sense of hyperbole here. Jonah is going to the extreme!
Who else tried to hide from God? Adam and Eve. This is a constant theme in the
Bible - when we know we are sinning, we feel shame and we try to hide. Can we really
hide from God? No. It’s ridiculous to think we can get away with it.
God is not going to give up on Jonah though and so he sends a great storm. A
storm so big that the sailors are afraid. They all pray to their idols and nothing changes.
They grab Jonah and say, "Pray to whatever God you worship, or we are all going to die."
But Jonah doesn’t pray, instead he says, throw me over board, kill me, and your problems
will go away, because it’s my God that is bringing this storm.

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Jonah knows what he is doing is wrong, but he won’t change. Sound familiar? If
you are reading this story and not seeing that you are Jonah, you may be doing it wrong.
The sailors don’t want to kill Jonah but eventually the storm is so great that they
decide they have to do it. So, they throw him over board, the storm dies down, and all
these sailors began praising God right there on the boat. This is probably the only time
attempted murder led to immediate conversion. Jonah probably thought that his problems
were solved. He would die and preaching to Nineveh is someone else’s problems. But
(S) Jonah 1:17-2:1

1:17
Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in
the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
2:1
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.
Jonah has a conversion experience in the belly of the fish. And you know what,
you would too! If you were swallowed by a great fish and didn’t die pretty quickly, that
would get your attention. Jonah cries out to God, and God hears his cry and
(S) Jonah 2:10

10
And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Not only was Jonah swallowed and spent three days in fish guts. He was barfed
up onto the beach. That means that some of those fish guts came with him. Some scholars
believe that he may have been bleached white from all the stomach acid.
After going through all of this he finally goes to Nineveh. It’s a huge city, taking 3
days to walk through. And he goes one day’s walk into the city, looking like a ghost and
says, Ok, get ready - this is going to be an intense message.
(S) Jonah 3:4
“Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

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Eight words. That’s it. But what’s amazing is that with those eight words, the
Ninevites believed God. They called a fast for the whole city, even the livestock and went
into mourning and repentance. Maybe this God, who sent a ghostly looking man into
town, will relent and turn away his wrath.
This is miraculous, but it’s also a little ridiculous right? Would it really take this
much for a prophet of God to finally obey the LORD? Would it really take this little for
an entire city to repent? But repent they do.
Jonah was furious that these people would repent. And he was furious at God’s
response.
(S) Jonah 3:10

10
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he
relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.
Jonah was so angry at God’s compassion that he wanted God to kill him. Jonah,
who willingly and knowingly tried to run away from God, experienced God’s compassion
by being rescued, and given a chance to do the right thing, was angry that God would
also have compassion on a whole city of people.
This incongruity is striking Jonah acts like a selfish child. He goes out to pout
asking God to kill him. Instead God causes a vine to grow miraculously to shade him
from the desert sun. Jonah is relieved. Then the vine dies, and Jonah gets angry at God
again. And again, Jonah wants to die.
(S) Jonah 4:10

10
But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you
did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.
11
And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there
are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their
right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
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Jonah experienced God’s compassion, even though he didn’t deserve it, and he
was unwilling to let God be compassionate to other people, when Jonah didn’t think they
deserved it.
Wow. There is a term for this. It’s hypocrisy. The story of Jonah leaves us with the
conclusion that God is more compassionate than we give him credit for, and we spend too
much time running from what God is calling us to do because we think we know better.
This story uses hyperbole, the ridiculous, and incongruity to reveal truths not just about
Jonah, but about human nature.
When we read Jonah, we should conclude chapter four by confessing that we are
Jonah. Where have we failed to be compassionate? Have we told people that they deserve
their hardship because of their sins? Maybe you’ve never told anyone that, but you’ve
thought it. How do I know that? Because I too have thought it too.
Humor can reveal our hearts, and Jesus uses humor to reveal and transform our
hearts. The purpose of the book of Jonah is to reveal our hearts. As we conclude this
series, will we let Jesus change our hearts?
Maybe you feel like you don’t deserve God’s mercy and grace. Maybe you feel
like you have done nothing that would require God’s mercy and grace. Both of those
attitudes keep us from trusting God. But the story of Jonah and the ministry of Jesus
shows us that God is more compassionate than we think and he wants to change our
hearts. He desires to reconcile with people.
Jesus came to make that possible. His death and resurrection displayed the extent
of God’s love. He took the punishment that we deserve for our sins, and we are invited to
receive that forgiveness.

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Today if you are ready to receive that forgiveness of sin, will you let us know on
your discover card?
We’d love to pray for you and encourage you. Maybe the next step you need to
take is to get baptized next week. We would love to help answer questions about that. But
let us know, if you want to say yes to God’s mercy and compassion.
Our response to God’s compassion should be compassion. We don’t want to be
like Jonah. We don’t want to be like the plank-eyed person, we don’t want to be people
who practice religion for show. Will we let Jesus shape our hearts to be more
compassionate?
(S) Next Step: Jesus, help me be compassionate towards: _________
In a few moments we are going to celebrate communion. The names on these
tables are people who are far from Jesus. Who are you praying for? Who are the people
that you know God has sent you to? Family, friends? Who do you need to share Jesus’
compassion with?
(S) Next Step: Share God’s compassion with: __________
(S) Next Step: Memorize Jonah 4:11 - Specifically
Should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh? But let’s replace that
with our hometowns: Lynnwood, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace, Everett, Shoreline,
Brier?
Let’s pray.
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APPENDIX B: COMEDIANS AND CHURCHES SURVEY RESPONSES
Below are the results from the Comedians and Churches Survey. Written responses
are presented as written by the participants. Names and contact info have been removed.
How did you get into comedy?

• I wanted to do it, so I got a job as a doorman at a comedy club. I watched
comedians for over a year, six nights a week and then I did my first amateur night.
• Took a class
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• Transitioned from motivational speaker... now do both

• Club open mics
• God laid it on my heart to pursue it and I jumped right in feet first having fun
• I've always had a great sense of humor and comedic timing. In the early 1980s I
tried out at an ameteur night at a comedy club and I won. The prize was hosting
the professional show that weekend. After that I was hooked!
• Going thru very stressful time in my life- chose to find the humor in the situations
and laugh about it instead of crying. Found I could make others laugh too. God
started opening doors.
• I've always done comedic theater but my Dad encouraged me in my teens to try
stand up. 12 years later I finally took a class and started.
• Something I always wanted to try
• I started in radio as a on-air host of an entertainment show. I wrote sketches and
did voices. From radio, I got involved with an improv troupe and eventually stand
up.
• God called me to use it as a ministry of encouragement. Also, laughter tears
down walls so audiences will be more receptive to a message.
• Took a comedy class at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle, Royal Oak, Michigan
• I was a worship leader for student camps and I wrote some goofy songs for the
students at camp one year. And after I left college, a few of those churches called
me and asked if I would come do the funny songs. It slowly grew into my career.
• Open Mic contest at a local club
• God called me into comedy by dreams, visions and revelations
• Workshop in a comedy club
• Started 30 years ago in college. Did a radio comedy show.
Why do you identify with Christian Comedy

• I started out in Hollywood and comedy clubs. As my faith grew stronger, that
environment became more and more toxic. I basically stopped performing. But it
really is all I know and definitely part of who i am and how God made me. So I
began praying that God would open doors for me to use my gift for His purpose.
Give me a call and I will give you the rest of the story.
• Because I'm a Christian and want to make people laugh and minister to others
• It's who I am and I am comfortable in that role
• I love Jesus and tell jokes.
• So much pain and sinful issues in life I identify with bringing laughter to the plate
• I like clean comedy.
• I truly believe that laughter is the best medium. Also believe God has a sense of
humor too.
• Christ is the center of my life so all things are through Christ--or I try anyway
• Because we need to laugh at ourselves and like sheep, we can be pretty dumb
• Yes, but my act does not center around church humor. My act is about my life,
observations and more. I am a Christian and my act supports those values. I
perform in a variety locations and always stay true to my Christian values.
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• As a Christian myself, everything I do should honor and please God. So it's only
fitting that what comes out of my mouth brings Him glory. So when it's
appropriate, why not make it fun too?
• First, I am a Christian, second, I am a pastor
• Not sure what you're definition of "Christian Comedy" is. I have a lot of thoughts
on this subject. I don't tell "Christian" jokes. My comedy is clean but it's not
geared specifically for a church audience.
• I'm a Christian and some of my material is about Christian/church culture.
• I do clean comedy that is Christ centered.
• I want to make people laugh without being degrading, dirty or creepy.
• I have a Christian world view.
Do you perform at non-Christian events? If yes, what kind?

• Corporate Christmas parties and other events where the client wants to be sure
there is no foul language.
• Yes, open Mike's and Country clubs
• Corporate events, charities, comedy club, schools
• Yes, fundraisers, clubs and bars.
• Yes
• Local comedy clubs
• Comedy clubs, theaters, private & corporate events
• Yes, Alzheimer’s Assoc, wineries, dinner theatre. Comedy club
• Yes, comedy clubs and parties
• Not really
• Corporate events, comedy clubs, casinos, theaters and 55+ communities.
• Yes- Corporate Events
• I do quite a few corporate events.
• Yes. Comedy clubs and colleges.
• Yes. Corporate events, meetings, parties, fundraisers and clubs.
• Yes, comedy clubs, juvenile detention centers, open mics
• I perform regularly in a comedy club.
• Yes. I've warmed up Hollywood sitcoms for years.
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Are some regions more responsive to your style than others? If yes, where do you
see the best response?
• Nope. If you're funny, you'll get em.
• It's about the same, but I feel more at home in church.
• Urban events
• Yes, The south doesn't get comics from the North East.
• Depends on city and crowd
• No
• Haven’t seen any difference
• not applicable
• I have a southern sense of humor, so more in the south
• So far so good. I've been blessed everywhere I've performed. I recently did a
series of shows in Nebraska and was a little nervous having never been there, but
the results were overwhelming...two standing ovations, so you never know.
• The south "gets" me more. But then, I am a southern gal.
• Typically, your larger churches, i.e. mega churches seem to laugh more than a
small traditional church. Seems they make more use of humor and some of the
small traditional churches.
• Not necessarily. My best events are usually young adult services or younger
churches but that doesn't mean the response is bad for other situations.
• Urban areas
• Non legalistic churches. Usually the pastor likes comedy
• Not really
• This sounds extremely biased, but I suppose I go over well in all areas except for
regions that are known for being "redneck." Generally, I play better in front of
educated crowds.
In your eyes, what makes a successful Christian Comedy show?

• The comedian, the purpose, the promotion and the prayer.
• Laughs and ministry beyond the laughter
• Lots of laughs, shared experiences, the interaction with the attendees both before,
during and after the show
• People laugh, learn about themselves and learn about God.
• Bringing the word of God mixed in with your humor
• A great show filled with laughter and a message
• The audience laughs, feel better when they leave, the non believer realizes
Christians can have fun,; clean comedy can still be funny.
• Comedian had genuine material that didn't put others down made people laugh
and testified to Gods goodness and creativity
• A good mixture of world issues, personal deprecation and church issues
• Solid comics that are true, Christ loving Believers. The biggest mistake I've seen
and heard is churches that book "clean" comedians. These comics don't always
understand their audiences and often offend. This kills comedy for future events
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at those churches. Simple tip, no food during the show. People can't laugh while
eating. There's more to answer, but not sure how much you want.
• When the audience has been primed for laughter, and can experience the show
with no distractions. When an audience is given the opportunity to laugh (by a
funny comedian), the laughter is almost a guarantee. But for it to be a real
success, God must also be pleased. That's what really matters.
• When people laugh. If they laugh, it went well.
• The point of my show, for church use, it to be an event that you can invite
someone who doesn't come to church and they will still get the jokes.. they will
still have fun.. they will still laugh. What makes any comedy, Christian or not,
successful is that people can tell if you're full of it. People can tell if you're
pandering to a Christian audience or telling cheesy jokes. Authenticity is what
makes a show so impactful and relatable.
• Universal material - goofy, clownish material.
• CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN
• People are happy and encouraged.
• The show must be clean, uplifting and offer the hope of Christ.
How have the churches and Christian organizations you have worked with viewed
Comedy?
• Some as a tool. Others as a novelty. When they just throw it at the wall, it tends
to be a mixed review.
• I think they may be a little afraid of what a commedian may do whereas if I just
get up there and be myself things go smoother.
• Very good, I keep getting invited to return and recommended for other churches
• Mostly open.
• Some love it and others aren’t too sure yet. Process for sure
• Not sure
• The same views I have.
• Outreach, breaks the ice, for the kids. Also seen as Potentially dangerous so they
sort of had to force themselves to listen without looking for something to criticize.
They are sometimes unsure if they are allowed to laugh at things.
• As refreshing and honest
• Most are very supportive and love it. Other are very leary of what they bring into
their church. This goes back to the last question on who is the comic.
• Very receptive. They hire me with the understanding that I am coming alongside
them to help them reach their community for Christ.
• Basically, the church is that I work with have been larger churches and comedy is
a great out reach vehicle for them.
• Most places that I work with view it as something different, unique, and fun. It's
not the normal band they may hire and it's definitely not a cheesy illusionist. Most
of the churches I've worked with view it as a tool to reach people who don't yet
know Jesus and show that Christians aren't boring, stiff people.
• Mostly afraid unless it is a " YouTube sensation" or well known comic.
• Shaky and suspicious
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• Sometimes with some suspicion because of bad stereotypes. Others with some
guilt thinking Christians should not like to laugh.
• Some love it, some are scared to death of it. Comedy can be seen as dangerous. It
upsets the status quo.
Why do you think churches hire you and other comedians for their events?
• Lots of reasons. They want to be relevant. (Many reasons)
• Cause I work free, but I know some pastors who are afraid to take the comedy
leap due to the volatility of a congregation. If someone gets offended, etc.
• I am cheap, I am low maintenance, I am safe and I am funny
• Looking for something different and they respond well to advertising
• I’m a silly guy at heart so once a church sees my social media stuff they are
curious to what my angle will be for church setting
• Laughter is a great way to deliver a message so the recipient will remember it
• We meet the goals they have for the events.
• They have proof of clean and funny material through a video or something
• Something outside of their norm, but they are cautious.
• Word of mouth first, reputation and lastly, repeat clients. They know what to
expect and I do my best to deliver past that expectation.
• I can only speak for myself. I get hired mostly because the event coordinator
knows I have a message to share following my comedy. They understand the
comedy is just a tool to attract unchurched guests to the event. But they definitely
want it to be an enjoyable event as well, since there are always some in the
audience who are under heavy burdens and need the joy that laughter brings.
• Laughter connects people. And when people attend the comedy event at a church,
and then down the road they decide to look for a church to attend, They always
check out the church where they laughed at the comedy event.
• For me specifically, I think I offer a show that is fun and different. I think
churches are looking for something that is light hearted and will bring groups
together.
• To attract people in to church
• I don't get hired, I do love offerings
• To bring joy to their people and as a means to involve and assimilate new people.
• Comedy breaks down barriers to the gospel.
What could churches do to employ comedy more effectively?

• Have a specific plan.
• Pastors need to open up to comedy if not to drone on, but to follow Jesus'
example. Jesus held the attention of the audience. Kids wouldn't have liked to be
around him if He wasn't fun and approachable.
• Schedule it quarterly, semi annually, monthly... build an audience that repeats
• Just allow it
• Do the research and give comics a chance
• Hire better, more experienced comedians
• For most - to just start using comedy.
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• Have audience seated far down front- the further you are from the stage the less
funny you are. Don't just let your Pastor try to tell jokes, give comedians a shot
and if you are worried about their material listen to a recording read their material
or watch a video. If you like most not all, tell them what to leave out.
• Don't be so nervous about offending people and realize you need to pay good
comedians.
• Fundraiser for youth camp/groups. Outreach for the community. I do improv and
train improv as well, so I've done workshop for the youth, staff. This helps when
writing curriculum to be creative in how they present the lesson.
• Prime! Prime! Prime the audience for laughter. Get them excited that a
comedian is coming! Promote! Promote! Promote early and often.
• Use comedy on a more routine basis. Get people used to laughing and using it as
an out reach event.
• I think we need to be able to laugh at ourselves and show that we don't take every
thing we do so seriously. When a pastor uses humor in a message, it brings the
group together and the message becomes a family talk rather than a "here's what
your life is supposed to look like" kind of feel.
• Have recurring comedy nights for regional (lesser known) comics.
• give it a chance, needs room to make mistakes
• Use it as an opportunity to draw new people. To show unbelievers that Christians
are just people too.
• Bring in comedians for outreach events
What churches have you enjoyed working with?

• I have worked with over 700 churches, all over the U.S., big, small and all
denominations. I enjoyed them all.
• Fredericksburg Full Gospel, Louisville Catholic Church
• Living Grace Ministries, Beech Grove Christian, Spring Creek Presbyterian,
• Im not sure how to answer that. I supposed the only church group that didnt get
me was the menonites.
• Victory Christian Center
• Many
• Church of God (several different ones) General Baptist, Methodist, Non
denominational.
• Ministry called Hope Farm Inc
• Ones with coffee houses. It's more relaxed and people are at ease
• Recently in Nebraska at Country Bible Church in the town of Blair. Great fun and
it really brought out the community.
• Specific churches?
• First Baptist Snellville, GA
• Hope Church at the Moors, Milton, FL
• Springhill Baptist, Mobile, AL
• Hope Baptist, Olive Branch, MS
• I’ve enjoyed working with all kinds of churches. Denomination type has not seem
to be much of an issue
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• There's a church in Fort Wayne, Indiana that was an absolute BLAST. I believe
they were called City Church
• Small churches
• Full Gospel Businessmen International, Aglow International
• Churches that think outside the box
• Too numerous to name.
Can you share an experience with a church that did not go well, and why you think
it didn't go well?
• I've done a few where they had me perform while the ate, not good. I have
performed where children were unsupervised, took a lot of work.
• I can't imagine one. Most were very gracious.
• Hasn't happened... fingers crossed... night clubs, different story
• 300 80 year old menonite ladies and a 40 year old citu slicker.... Nuff said
• Not to my knowledge at this time
• The church always has fun
• Honestly, they have all gone pretty good. There are no bad experiences that I can
recall in a church
• Off hand,, no they’ve all gone well, yhey’ve asked me for most, back & or
referred me to another church.
• women's retreat changed the seating to a circle just before I performed. Had me
go after some teary witnessing after 9pm. The youngins loved me
• When there are too many comedians. Once had 10 and it was so long and felt like
a teenager driving a stick shift car for the first time.
• I had a issue with a comic who is a Christian get a little too edgy with one joke. It
created some quiet and uncomfortableness in the room, but it was early in the
show and we got the show back on track. I think the rest if the show went very
well and his "joke" was forgotten by most. I've been back since that episode, but
not the other comic.
• I've had some that could have gone better. The most sluggish was an audience that
thought I was coming as a Bible Study teacher. So of course only serious Bible
students showed up. The coordinator thought it would be fun to "surprise" the
audience with a comedian. They sat there with their Bibles on their laps the whole
time wondering when I was going to get into the Word. That was early in my
career, or I would have known better how to respond. Hence, PRIME, PRIME,
PRIME them for laughter! Promote! Promote! Promote early and often.
• I’ve not had a bad experience at a church, but since I do a clean act, another
Comedian brought me in at a corporate event. Part of my act is that kids are no
longer necessary, but what I did not realize was that I was speaking at a pro-life
dinner. So the moral of the story is no your audience! LOL
• In Houston, Texas, I was brought on stage but they didn't introduce me as a
comedian.. they introduced me as a speaker. So when I'm doing jokes, this group
of people is over it. They're expecting some dramatic shift into a heavy message
and seemed disappointed that I was making fun of myself.
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• Small country farmers church, the youngest person in the audience (other than
me) was about to retire. They had a full dinner and desert, a/c was out and it was
storming outside. They wanted it to be over before it began. And they gave me
the worst review I've ever had.
• When I first started I did a comedy routine in the church, not invited back
• I was asked to do a ministers Christmas party but before they would book me they
wanted a video of what I do so a committee could review it. I assumed to check it
for content. I gave them the video and the was informed that it “did not meet their
standards” and was promptly told they wanted jokes specifically about what it’s
like to be a pastor or the Christmas holiday. I believe it was just an excuse
because some of the older members of the committee were not comfortable with
comedy in church.
• I can always tell if laughter is "allowed" in a particular church in the first 5
minutes of my act. I have to work twice as hard when the Pastor is somber.
If you could encourage pastors to engage with comedy and humor, what would you
say?
• It's a great tool. But don't do it just to do it. Have a plan. And be sure to use a
professional.
• I would tell them to break the "third wall" Don't be afraid to admit or show certain
faults, but don't get into things you know would be objectionable. Also don't hurt
nobody, but a little fun poking may be okay. Be yourself, don't steal material let it
come from you and Jesus working together. Pray before going on stage ask God
while conceiving your act what He wants. We are the mouth and hands of God.
Act as if God is in your audience.
• Do your research, find the right comedian for your congregations style and your
budget
• Not all comedy is dirty. Clearly you need to vet your talent but pastors could trust
a little more.
• Sit and have lunch with the pastors and share your testimony
• Be funny. Not just corny but truly funny
• Short answer- find out their goals for the event - explain how those goals can be
met using comedy.
• Humor breaks down barriers and is a great way to deliver some harder truths
without being so somber it bogs people down. They can get the point without
having sour faces. (ex- obedience to God, communication, humility)
• Don't be afraid, but be willing to pay
• You should always be concerned with who you bring in your church, so ask
LOTS of questions. Humor is great for outreach. I've heard so many stories of
people bringing a family member to a comedy night that would never step foot in
a church ever. Our last show had the town atheist come to the show and he
laughed the whole time. Another person who left the Mormon church and caused
a riff in the family had her Mormon parents and sisters come to the show. They
laughed together for the first time in years together inside a church. So much
healing can happen when we laugh together.
224
• "It's not just about the jokes. It's about sharing joy with those who thought they
may never laugh again. It's about using the medium of laughter to move hearts to
be more receptive to a message. And it works!"
• And actually starts with the pastor. Congregations mirror the pastor. So if you
have a pastor that doesn’t laugh, you’ll have a congregation that doesn’t know
how to laugh. So pastors, learn to smile and learn to laugh. It is contagious!
• My view of comedy is that laughing is inherently vulnerable. People snort, cackle,
wheeze.. We act embarrassing when we laugh. We let go and enjoy the moment.
And I think if you AREN'T using that on a regular basis, you're missing the heart
of Jesus. He is joy personified. And we should be looking for opportunities to
laugh at ourselves every chance we get. I have a lot of views on this if you'd like
to call me, I'd love to talk to you more about it! I hope my answers have been
somewhat helpful!
• Even your most godly parishioners are watching secular comedians. When you
invite Christian comedians into the church you are not just helping to form a
powerful outreach to the community, but investing in a niche of comedy that does
not have many venues.
• All I am asking is give comedy a chance...and room to make mistakes and grow.
• It is a universal way to include people because everyone likes to laugh. It is an
effective means of reaching out to your community and bringing joy to those both
in and outside of the church.
• God invented humor. It's part of the human condition. While some humor can go
to the gutter, Christian humor can be both uplifting and inspiring.

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Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

Using Comedy to Build Community in Local

USING COMEDY TO BUILD COMMUNITY IN LOCAL CHURCHES:

HOW LAUGHING TOGETHER CAN BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER

THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY

IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF

This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of

has been approved by

Primary Advisor: Phillip Carnes, DMin

Secondary Advisor: David McDonald, DMin

Lead Mentor: Leonard I. Sweet, PhD

To Kathy, Judah, and Jocelyn

making my writing retreat possible, was probably a marriage-saver. I love you.

will look back and laugh.

Comedy is present in some form in every culture. Understanding humor theories

humor. Church leaders have embraced and rejected humor throughout

presented before a live audience. Technology is helping comedians expand their

leading with a comic perspective can help bring people together.

Figure 1: Tragic Plotline ................................................................................................ 34

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM

people and, if employed intentionally, it could be something that fosters greater

podcasts, and other means.

Currently, many churches have challenges keeping their congregation engaged.

What would happen if pastors intentionally employed humor in their communications

people move closer to Jesus and connect them in community.

Jim and Jesus.

possibly for nefarious purposes.4

Why Study Stand-Up Comedy?

Koziski Olson makes this point well:

Standup comedy performance is more than a performer’s ability to hold people’s

environmental factors in the performance spaces that help foster laughter. By

think and act. Smith’s claim

. . . is that liturgies—whether “sacred” or “secular”—shape and constitute our

object that people are worshiping in the cultural institution.

culture making. What is the culture that our play is developing?

Humanity and Culture Making

In the beginning of the Hebrew Scriptures we read this,

So God created mankind in his own image,

us that, “Culture is what we make of the world.”16

God is sovereign over all of culture?

that can help people diagnose culture:

These questions can help followers of Jesus thoughtfully participate in cultural

bring greater understanding to what these artifacts are communicating to people.

Cultural Liturgy: An Explanation

build on humanity’s desires.23

performance. Also, by understanding how these cultural liturgies are established,

churches, as well as individual followers of Jesus, can develop another pathway to

The development of modern stand-up comedy happened in tandem with the

the performance of the comedian as well as the experience of the audience.

Cultural Liturgy of the Comedy Club

acceptable in a different context.

are environmental factors as well as factors the performers affect.

Before the Show

Environment. A stand-up comedy performance doesn’t look complicated. Jay

where people are free to laugh.

performances. As part of my research for this project I visited several different

comedy showcases were in a variety of spaces, some dedicated to comedy performances,

create that freedom.