Christian Comedians?

[steve-in-kville]

Is the Christian Comedy genre a good thing? Does it help reach out to the unsaved? Does it edify those that are saved? I was recently made aware of a few of the better Christian comedians out there that do a lot of standup comedy tours.

I have mixed feelings. Please feel free to discuss.

For those that have unfettered aces to the web, check out Tim Hawkins or John B. Crist for examples.

As I said, I'm on the fence with this subject.

[MaxPC]

Is the Christian Comedy genre a good thing? Does it help reach out to the unsaved? Does it edify those that are saved? I was recently made aware of a few of the better Christian comedians out there that do a lot of standup comedy tours.

I have mixed feelings. Please feel free to discuss.

For those that have unfettered aces to the web, check out Tim Hawkins or John B. Crist for examples.

As I said, I'm on the fence with this subject.

I too, am on the fence. I don't need a comedian to laugh. The Lord knows I have plenty of "material" for laughter in my own foibles. Yet for those who are immersed and enmeshed in the worldly entertainment stimuli, Christian comedy can be a means for them to see that Christianity isn't all long faces and groaning. It can be a window to showing them the humility and joy of discipleship. As a steady diet throughout the week, days, hours, it can also become a dependency on laughter and a reluctance to grow further in discipleship. Laughter is medicine but it can also be an addiction depending on the person. Laughter is needed to cope with the stresses of life's bizarre moments. But when it supersedes the moments of worship and intimacy with God, that can be a problem. YMMV though.

[steve-in-kville]

Max, you bring up some good points.

I think there is a difference between a comedian that is "clean" and drops God into his act or church life or whatever.... and a comedian who is honestly trying to use his gift of comedy to reach the unsaved.

And then there are ministers who can be funny and get a chuckle or two out of the congregation.

There are also people who go to church to be entertained and those who go to worship, but that's another thread for another day

[MaxPC]

I think there is a difference between a comedian that is "clean" and drops God into his act or church life or whatever.... and a comedian who is honestly trying to use his gift of comedy to reach the unsaved.

And then there are ministers who can be funny and get a chuckle or two out of the congregation.

There are also people who go to church to be entertained and those who go to worship, but that's another thread for another day

Amen on all three points above. Additionally, I have seen deacons and pastors be truly effective in their preaching with a little bit of humor. A little bit though: they use it only as a launching point to get to the meatier teachings. In this case, the humor is a tool and lead-in.

I have also seen a deacon who views the pulpit as his personal stage. The parishioners refer to him as the "game show host". It's all about laughter and no teaching. He has a problem with no depth to his preaching. In this case, humor is his entire content to feed his need to be popular.

Yes on your point of the "entertainment church". I would hope a church like this would offer worship services and Bible studies to counter the entertainment. I have seen too many that have found it easier to entertain than to actually lead their members into an intimate relationship with Christ that provides a solid foundation for discipleship.

[KingdomBuilder]

I think John Crist is pretty funny

[DrWojo]

A little lengthy (and not from an Anabaptist), but this is what comes to my mind on the subject:

Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats?

Charles Haddon Spurgeon
(1834-1892)



An evil is in the professed camp of the Lord, so gross in its impudence, that the most shortsighted can hardly fail to notice it during the past few years. It has developed at an abnormal rate, even for evil. It has worked like leaven until the whole lump ferments. The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them.

From speaking out as the Puritans did, the church has gradually toned down her testimony, then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day. Then she tolerated them in her borders. Now she has adopted them under the plea of reaching the masses.

My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the church. If it is a Christian work, why did not Christ speak of it? "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). That is clear enough. So it would have been if He had added, "and provide amusement for those who do not relish the gospel." No such words, however, are to be found. It did not seem to occur to him.

Then again, "He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers .., for the work of the ministry" (Eph. 4:11-12). Where do entertainers come in? The Holy Spirit is silent concerning them. Were the prophets persecuted because they amused the people or because they refused? The concert has no martyr roll.

Again, providing amusement is in direct antagonism to the teaching and life of Christ and all his apostles. What was the attitude of the church to the world? Ye are the salt" (Matt. 5:13), not the sugar candy---something the world will spit out not swallow. Short and sharp was the utterance, "Let the dead bury their dead" (Matt. 8:22) He was in awful earnestness.

Had Christ introduced more of the bright and pleasant elements into his mission, he would have been more popular when they went back, because of the searching nature of His teaching. I do not hear him say, "Run after these people Peter and tell them we will have a different style of service tomorrow, something short and attractive with little preaching. We will have a pleasant evening for the people. Tell them they will be sure to enjoy it. Be quick Peter, we must get the people somehow." Jesus pitied sinners, sighed and wept over them, but never sought to amuse them.

In vain will the Epistles be searched to find any trace of this gospel of amusement! Their message is, "Come out, keep out, keep clean out!" Anything approaching fooling is conspicuous by its absence. They had boundless confidence in the gospel and employed no other weapon.

After Peter and John were locked up for preaching, the church had a prayer meeting but they did not pray, "Lord grant unto thy servants that by a wise and discriminating use of innocent recreation we may show these people how happy we are." If they ceased not from preaching Christ, they had not time for arranging entertainments. Scattered by persecution, they went everywhere preaching the gospel. They turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6). That is the only difference! Lord, clear the church of all the rot and rubbish the devil has imposed on her, and bring us back to apostolic methods.

Lastly, the mission of amusement fails to effect the end desired. It works havoc among young converts. Let the careless and scoffers, who thank God because the church met them halfway, speak and testify. Let the heavy laden who found peace through the concert not keep silent! Let the drunkard to whom the dramatic entertainment has been God's link in the chain of the conversion, stand up! There are none to answer. The mission of amusement produces no converts. The need of the hour for today's ministry is believing scholarship joined with earnest spirituality, the one springing from the other as fruit from the root. The need is biblical doctrine, so understood and felt, that it sets men on fire.

PS - If I may wryly make this parting remark-
I place Christian Commedians in a similar category to Christian Rock-N-Roll, candy cigarettes & non-Alcoholic Beer.

[JimFoxvog]

I enjoyed listening to Mike Warnke several times, although I've been told his claimed background as a former Satanic high priest is fiction.

[Neto]

PS - If I may wryly make this parting remark-
I place Christian Comedians in a similar category to Christian Rock-N-Roll, candy cigarettes & non-Alcoholic Beer.

What? They ain't the real thing?
I remember the candy cigarettes, tasted real beer once, and if the real thing tastes like dog's breath, how could an imitation taste any better? (I won't comment on Christian Rock, as then I would have to get into stuff like Southern Gospel, which is related to Country & Western, at least historically, if not in style.)

[MaxPC]

PS - If I may wryly make this parting remark-
I place Christian Comedians in a similar category to Christian Rock-N-Roll, candy cigarettes & non-Alcoholic Beer.

What? They ain't the real thing?
I remember the candy cigarettes, tasted real beer once, and if the real thing tastes like dog's breath, how could an imitation taste any better? (I won't comment on Christian Rock, as then I would have to get into stuff like Southern Gospel, which is related to Country & Western, at least historically, if not in style.)

Good one, Neto.
I was told that Southern Gospel originated from the songs sung by African slaves. That C&W was influenced by the music from Ireland, Scotland, Southern Gospel, and even a little German music tossed in for spice. Since I wasn't "there" when it all began (contrary to what the grandchildren think ), I couldn't say for sure.

[steve-in-kville]

PS - If I may wryly make this parting remark-
I place Christian Commedians in a similar category to Christian Rock-N-Roll, candy cigarettes & non-Alcoholic Beer.

By Christian rock-n-roll, do you mean Contemporary?

Candy cigarettes are just stupid.

N/A beer tastes the way it does because it had to be heated to a certain temperature to burn the alcohol off. So I read on the internet