7 Safeguards for Using Humor in Preaching

Laughter is good for the soul.

Think back to a time when you and your friends or family burst into uncontrollable laughter. Aren’t these some of the best moments of your life?

Laughter unites us. It reminds us that we are all imperfect. Plus it just feels good.

There are some who argue that there is no place in a sermon for humor. The message is too serious to be weakened by jokes.

But God created laughter. It was His idea.

I believe pastors should use God’s gift of laughter to communicate God’s Word.

There are three benefits of using humor in a sermon:

Benefits of Humor in a Sermon

1. Humor kills boredom.

We worship a God of infinite love, joy, power, wisdom, and creativity. But many sermons do not reflect this.

A boring sermon is not representative of who God is. A dash of humor is one element that can spice up a sermon.

2. Humor grabs attention.

A timely joke or humorous anecdote has the power to regain the focus of a person whose mind has drifted from the sermon to lunch plans or to-do lists.

3. Humor disarms skeptics.

It is impossible to laugh and be angry at the same time. There are people who come to your church with no intention of liking it.

Maybe they do not believe in all this nonsense. Maybe they lost trust in organized religion because of a bad experience. They sit with crossed arms like a barrier to keep anything from getting in—fully intending to hate your sermon.

But humor can lower these barriers. It has a powerful way of helping uncross arms and open minds.

What Makes Something Funny?

Humor is an art, not a science. There is no perfect formula to being funny.

Sometimes something is funny because it is unexpected. Sometimes something is funny because we all see it coming. Sometimes it is what is said. Other times it is the way it is said. Sometimes it is funny because it is true. Sometimes it is funny because it is wildly exaggerated.

But beware: humor is like a firework. When used well, it’s a beautiful thing. When used wrong, it can blow up in your face.

Before you go overboard with the jokes, try to be a comedian, or say something that gets you in trouble, consider these tips:

7 Safeguards for Using Humor in a Sermon

1. Laugh, then get to the point.

The best preachers I know have you rolling one minute and hit you with a hard truth the next. Humor to a preacher is like laughing gas to a dentist; it dulls the pain before the root canal. It softens the blow of candid truth.

2. Be naturally funny.

Be yourself. If you are goofy, be goofy. If you are witty, be witty. If you have a dry sense of humor, use dry humor.

Don’t try to be someone else. It won’t be funny.

3. Don’t preface a joke.

Never say things like:

• “This is hilarious…”
• “I heard a really funny story…”
• “You are all going to laugh at me…”

Let the audience decide if it is funny or not. If you say it is funny and nobody laughs, you set yourself up for a letdown.

4. Never explain a joke.

“Get it? It’s funny because…”

If you have to explain, it wasn’t funny. Don’t tell a joke that only a few people will understand.

This often happens when a pastor tells a joke that is funny to their seminary professor, but not their audience.

5. If nobody laughs, keep rolling.

If the joke was really bad or cheesy, laugh about how bad it was and move on.

Learn from it. Why did nobody laugh? Was it a bad joke, or just bad delivery?

6. Be self-deprecating.

Never laugh at someone else’s expense. Some will find it funny; others will think you are a jerk. And the person you laugh at could be deeply hurt.

When you poke fun at yourself, people will relate better to you. It is refreshing when a preacher admits they aren’t perfect. It grants the audience permission to admit their imperfections too.

7. Don’t joke about sensitives subjects.

If a joke could slightly be seen as demeaning towards a person’s gender, race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, or any other sensitive subject, stay away.

You may think it’s funny. People might laugh. You may not mean it. But if people are personally offended, your joke just got in the way of the gospel.

Have you had humor backfire on you?

What other safeguards should pastors know?