Using jokes and fun in Christian communication “The Gospel is too serious a matter to present in a serious manner” Humor is very valuable in evangelism and Christian communication because:
a.. humor breaks down barriers and can smuggle ideas and challenges into people’s hearts.
b.. a joke or humorous situation is often very memorable.
c.. it shows that we don’t take ourselves too seriously, that we are not ‘holy Joes’, killjoys, or boring.
d.. humor has been shown to be an essential component of adult learning.
e.. most importantly, because we have a biblical mandate to use humor!
Says who? a.. “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” (Victor Borge)
b.. “What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul.” (Yiddish Proverb)
c.. “If somebody makes me laugh, I’m his slave for life.” (Bette Midler)
d.. Says writer Rabbi Shmuley Boteach: “Humor allows us to approach threatening subjects in a non-threatening way… Most people find it difficult to receive information from someone who has little or no sense of humor.”
e.. “You cannot teach people unless you have their attention. . . by using illustrations, questions and even humor. Most people don’t like to be preached at, but most people like to be talked to.” (Firm Foundations, by Trevor McIlwain, New Tribes Mission)
f.. “Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not.” (Vaclav Havel)
g.. Spurgeon’s emphasis on humor in Christian proclamation and living was so marked that it occupies a whole chapter in his autobiography. There is no doubt that his humor was a major factor in his ability to communicate clearly – he was able to “get away” with very strong statements precisely because they rode on the back of jest.
h.. “If you ask me, I think it is often just as sacred to laugh as it is to pray . . . or preach . . . or witness. But then – laughter is a witness in many ways. We have been misled by a twisted, unbalanced mind if we have come to think of laughter and fun as being carnal or even questionable.” – Chuck Swindoll, from his article says The Winsome Witness. (Winsome = win some?)
i.. “Research shows that when people laugh together, they not only enjoy themselves, but they are more receptive to new ideas,” says Outreach Comedy – a ministry which arranges comedy events for evangelism.
j.. Christian humorist, writer and evangelist Jim Watkins writes, “Humor is one language that everyone can understand. It breaks down barriers between people. If you can share a laugh with someone, you’ve connected with that person. The defenses come down, and there’s a desire to continue the dialog. And secondly, humor is ‘laughing gas’. You’re not going to stay in the dentist’s chair and allow him or her to drill away on a root canal unless you’re hopped up with plenty of anesthetic. So humor is the laughing gas that allows us to drill away at the abscessed areas of another person’s life.” For more of Jim’s valuable insights, see Using humor to spread the word.
k.. In the old days of kings who ruled with absolute power, only the court jester could safely tell the King the truth, mediated through humor. Anyone else who attempted plain speaking was in danger of an ongoing head-loss situation.
l.. The word basar (preach) in, for example, Isaiah 61 carries a strong implication of, if not exactly humor, then cheerfulness. Strong’s Concordance says the word means “to be fresh, i.e. full (rosy, fig. cheerful; to annnounce (glad news) … bear, carry, preach, tell good tidings.”
The Bible. Funny? Someone asked recently in a newspaper, “Are there any jokes in the Bible?” It is filled with humor – usually wry Jewish witticisms, hyperbole and idiom! “You can tame every animal on earth, but not the tongue,” says James. “Yeah, yeah,” says Micaiah to King Ahab, “You’ll win the battle for sure.” (I Kings 22). “I don’t want to twist your arm, but hey, you owe me on this one,” (Paul to Philemon). [Loose paraphrases]
Many of the Proverbs communicate timeless wisdom with a smile and a wink. God invented humor! So surely we would expect Jesus to use it. And He does, frequently. Many of the parables are intrinsically amusing cameos. They were surely not delivered as deadpan monologues, but in the style of the story-teller with voices and gestures to match (and much two-way banter) – and with very likely from time to time the involvement of children or other listeners as props. This method of communication was very near to street theater!
a.. “Full recognition of Christ’s humor has been surprisingly rare. In many of the standard efforts to write the Life of Christ there is no mention of humour at all and, when there is any, it is usually confined to a hint or two.” [Elton Trueblood, The Humor of Christ]
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