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Sin, snoring and sermons: What to say to the preacher
In a 1963 episode of “The Andy Griffith Show,” a visiting preacher from New York fills the pulpit in Mayberry.
The guest minister, Harrison Everett Breen, tells the town to relax and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.
Deputy Barney Fife takes the message a bit too literally: He can’t keep his eyes open during the sermon.
“Oh, Dr. Breen,” Aunt Bee tells the preacher after the service, “your sermon had such a wonderful lesson for us.”
“Yes, sir, you really hit the nail right on the head there,” Sheriff Andy Taylor chimes in.
“Yes, sir,” Barney adds with a nervous grin, “that’s one subject you just can’t talk enough about — sin.”
Oops.
Of course, Barney isn’t the first worshiper ever to doze through a sermon and then compliment it afterward.
“Really appreciated your sermon,” Adam Gonnerman, a member of the Central Jersey Church of Christ in New Jersey, remembers a man telling him after he preached at age 19.
The only problem: The man had snored throughout the entire message.
Eric Dishongh, minister for the Hickory Knoll Church of Christ in Harahan, La., recalls an older woman confessing, “Eric, when I have trouble sleeping at night, I just put in one of your sermon tapes, and I go right to sleep.”
She meant it as a compliment.
One of Don Middleton’s favorite compliments came from a dear friend who has gone to be with the Lord.
The friend told Middleton, minister for the Cross Timbers Church of Christ in Stephenville, Texas: “Don, if I ever go to sleep during one of your sermons, please understand that I do so knowing full well that you are not going to preach anything false or misleading.”
A member took a different tack with Eric Greer, associate minister for the Westgate Church of Christ in Dothan, Ala., saying, “Eric, that sure was a great presentation. I don’t know if it was Scriptural, but it sure was good.”
Most of the time, the people in the pews can get away with a quick “Terrific sermon, brother!” even if their mind wandered. A few preachers, though, enjoy asking a follow-up question.
“What part did you like about the sermon?” Ricardo Barrera, minister for the Elgin Church of Christ, a Spanish-speaking congregation near Chicago, asked a woman who praised his lesson.
“I don’t remember,” she replied. “But it was a great message.”
He couldn’t help but chuckle.
“It’s the people that every week say ‘nice sermon’ that frustrate me,” said Peter Horne, minister for the Lawson Road Church of Christ in Rochester, N.Y. “I don’t think I’ve ever planned to preach a ‘nice’ sermon.
“Motivate, inspire and convict? Yes. But nice? No.”
Many can’t resist mentioning the sermon length — in jest or not.
“You missed several good stopping points” is a favorite line of Shaun Casey, a member of the Fairfax Church of Christ in Virginia.
“You’re not paid by the hour,” Larry Killebrew, a member of the Pauls Valley Church of Christ in Oklahoma, said he has suggested from time to time.
“I could have listened to you all morning,” a woman told Danny Holman, minister for the South Main Church of Christ in Greenville, Miss.
“But Mom, we almost did,” her little boy interjected.
Others seem to prefer non-critical criticisms, such as “You’re going to make a fine preacher someday.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll get better,” an elder used to tell Drew Chapados, minister for the West Side Church of Christ in Windsor, Ontario.
So what would the preacher like to hear after putting his heart and soul into a sermon?
“The best thing is when people speak to me and interact with my sermon by recalling something I said or asking a question,” said K. Rex Butts, minister for the Columbia Church of Christ in Maryland. “I know then that they were listening and are now thinking, which hopefully transcends to the way they live their faith out.”
Bill Denton, minister for the Rodenberg Church of Christ in Biloxi, Miss., said a woman in his congregation takes lots of sermon notes.
“She reminded me of a series of sermons I preached from the Psalms,” Denton said. “That was 30 years ago.”
James Nored, minister for the Grapevine Church of Christ in Texas, said he loves it when people tell him God spoke directly to them through his sermon.
As Nored sees it, preaching is a divine act in which God takes a minister’s feeble efforts and touches people’s hearts through the proclamation of his Word.
“When people can hear God, and not us, through the message,” Nored said, “well, that is an incredible and humbling thing.”
Amen.
Great point, brother.
The guest minister, Harrison Everett Breen, tells the town to relax and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.
Deputy Barney Fife takes the message a bit too literally: He can’t keep his eyes open during the sermon.
“Oh, Dr. Breen,” Aunt Bee tells the preacher after the service, “your sermon had such a wonderful lesson for us.”
“Yes, sir, you really hit the nail right on the head there,” Sheriff Andy Taylor chimes in.
“Yes, sir,” Barney adds with a nervous grin, “that’s one subject you just can’t talk enough about — sin.”
Oops.
Of course, Barney isn’t the first worshiper ever to doze through a sermon and then compliment it afterward.
“Really appreciated your sermon,” Adam Gonnerman, a member of the Central Jersey Church of Christ in New Jersey, remembers a man telling him after he preached at age 19.
The only problem: The man had snored throughout the entire message.
Eric Dishongh, minister for the Hickory Knoll Church of Christ in Harahan, La., recalls an older woman confessing, “Eric, when I have trouble sleeping at night, I just put in one of your sermon tapes, and I go right to sleep.”
She meant it as a compliment.
One of Don Middleton’s favorite compliments came from a dear friend who has gone to be with the Lord.
The friend told Middleton, minister for the Cross Timbers Church of Christ in Stephenville, Texas: “Don, if I ever go to sleep during one of your sermons, please understand that I do so knowing full well that you are not going to preach anything false or misleading.”
A member took a different tack with Eric Greer, associate minister for the Westgate Church of Christ in Dothan, Ala., saying, “Eric, that sure was a great presentation. I don’t know if it was Scriptural, but it sure was good.”
Most of the time, the people in the pews can get away with a quick “Terrific sermon, brother!” even if their mind wandered. A few preachers, though, enjoy asking a follow-up question.
“What part did you like about the sermon?” Ricardo Barrera, minister for the Elgin Church of Christ, a Spanish-speaking congregation near Chicago, asked a woman who praised his lesson.
“I don’t remember,” she replied. “But it was a great message.”
He couldn’t help but chuckle.
“It’s the people that every week say ‘nice sermon’ that frustrate me,” said Peter Horne, minister for the Lawson Road Church of Christ in Rochester, N.Y. “I don’t think I’ve ever planned to preach a ‘nice’ sermon.
“Motivate, inspire and convict? Yes. But nice? No.”
Many can’t resist mentioning the sermon length — in jest or not.
“You missed several good stopping points” is a favorite line of Shaun Casey, a member of the Fairfax Church of Christ in Virginia.
“You’re not paid by the hour,” Larry Killebrew, a member of the Pauls Valley Church of Christ in Oklahoma, said he has suggested from time to time.
“I could have listened to you all morning,” a woman told Danny Holman, minister for the South Main Church of Christ in Greenville, Miss.
“But Mom, we almost did,” her little boy interjected.
Others seem to prefer non-critical criticisms, such as “You’re going to make a fine preacher someday.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll get better,” an elder used to tell Drew Chapados, minister for the West Side Church of Christ in Windsor, Ontario.
So what would the preacher like to hear after putting his heart and soul into a sermon?
“The best thing is when people speak to me and interact with my sermon by recalling something I said or asking a question,” said K. Rex Butts, minister for the Columbia Church of Christ in Maryland. “I know then that they were listening and are now thinking, which hopefully transcends to the way they live their faith out.”
Bill Denton, minister for the Rodenberg Church of Christ in Biloxi, Miss., said a woman in his congregation takes lots of sermon notes.
“She reminded me of a series of sermons I preached from the Psalms,” Denton said. “That was 30 years ago.”
James Nored, minister for the Grapevine Church of Christ in Texas, said he loves it when people tell him God spoke directly to them through his sermon.
As Nored sees it, preaching is a divine act in which God takes a minister’s feeble efforts and touches people’s hearts through the proclamation of his Word.
“When people can hear God, and not us, through the message,” Nored said, “well, that is an incredible and humbling thing.”
Amen.
Great point, brother.
Bobby Ross Jr. is Managing Editor of The Christian Chronicle. Reach him at [email protected]
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FeedbackI’d been preaching at Armstrong Ave. Church for only a few months when an elderly gentleman shook my hand in the foyer and said, “I really enjoyed that sermon.” Then after a brief pause he added, “I always like to wake up refreshed.” We became good friends after that memorable comment.AnthonyMesa Church of ChristMesa, AZ
USAMay, 23 2013From a speaker years ago in describing members of the congregation:
My preacher’s eyes I’ve never seen,
Though a glow in them may shine,
For when he prays, he closes his eyes,
And when he preaches, I close mine.
-Jo Pennington, Ohio Valley University, longtime daughter of a preacher and wife of a preacher. Hang in there, preachers. Some of the flock are listening and applying.Jo PenningtonRiverside church of ChristVienna, WV
USAMay, 17 2013One of my pet peeves is to hear someone critisize the preacher for going over the “allotted time”. We go to a sporting event where we sit on hard concrete benches, in the blaring sun or pouring rain for several hours at a time, praying for overtime. But at worship service we have to hurry up to fit everything in the neat little box that tradition has given us. I sure hope we have overtime in heaven!!Ken CarterLake Park Church of ChristLake Park, Ga
USAMay, 16 2013One of the best comments I heard was, “Every sermon you preach is better than the next one.”
Think about it.Jerry TindelBrentwood Oaks Church of ChristAustin, TX
USAMay, 16 2013A woman once came to me and apologized for sleeping in a Bible class I taught. I asked if she went to sleep with the TV on. She said yes and was glad I understood. People who sleep with the TV at home do that so they can relax enough to go to sleep.
Some members will think what they want about a preacher, but a preacher loses people with their attitude toward members. I avoid hearing a preacher in my area because he says “30-minute sermons are sermonettes for Christianettes” even though his lessons are very negative and projecting. I once had to tell a preacher I got more out of sleeping during his sermons because his behavior harmed his credibility. I told him and elders I felt I was sinning listening to him. That should never be.Johnny MullensVisiting AroundEl Paso, Arkansas
USAMay, 16 2013I was told by a lady early on in my career that I hadn’t suffered enough to preach. I remember thinking, “Does she really want me to suffer?” At the same church I was told by an elder that “One day, you’ll be able to preach the allotted time” I had preached for 22 minutes, the allotted time was 40-45 minutes.Jason BennettCornerstone Church of ChristThomasville, GA
United StatesMay, 16 2013I was a 19 year old sophomore when I preached my first sermon in Crescent, Oklahoma. A dear sister who refused to lie but wanted to encourage, told me, “You sure did look nice standing up there.”Alan TaylorMountainsideAlbuquerque, NM
USAMay, 13 2013I love it, Russ! Thanks for sharing.Bobby Ross Jr.The Christian ChronicleOklahoma City, Oklahoma
USAMay, 11 2013I hold church services every Sunday morning at a local nursing home. After one service I had a resident say she really like my sermon. Then she followed it up with, “But I’ve already had my meds, so what do I know?”Russ HicksSt. Joe Church of ChristSodus, MI
USAMay, 11 2013
View Comments
I can’t help but wonder what’s wrong with a system that depends so much on one person. Although many seem to feel they “haven’t been to church” if they haven’t heard a sermon, losing the sermon as an expected element in every assembly wouldn’t upset me one bit. But, as with most other issues, I’m part of the problem: since I think I have something worthwhile to say, I have recently myself asked for, and received, an opportunity to preach a “guest sermon” just before we move from the area. May God somehow use our feeble and long-winded efforts.
USA