On Lightening Up a Wee Bit
I’ve mentioned before the three views one can have of parents: a child’s view (my parents are perfect and have no faults); an adolescent’s view (my parents are embarrassing embeciles); and a mature adult’s view (my parents have strengths and faults).
Those are the same views one can have of a religious heritage.
I continue to bump up against the childish view: our heritage was wonderful and should never be critiqued or laughed at. If you critique it or laugh at it, then you hate it and think it’s stupid.
Last year for the Zoe conference I made a silly little video called “Mike Cope Sings the Classics.” (Soon it will be on www.zoegroup.org. Thanks, Keith!) Most people have enjoyed it.
After I showed it at Pepperdine in my class with Zoe, a woman came up and chewed me out so long people gave up trying to visit with me. She said I despised people like her and the songs they like. I tried to remain calm and explain kindly why people liked it — not because they HATE the heritage but because they LOVE it.
We suffer from humorlessness.
In healthy families, you’re able to spot weaknesses and tell humorous stories about the family. Not because you despise it, but because you love it and see the humor and joy of it. Dysfunctional families — those that remain in childish states — can’t allow humor. It’s just too fragile to joke about.
Some of the stuff in our heritage needs to be critiqued, like the exclusivism. (There’s a reason people thought we believed we were the only ones going to heaven.) However, if we attack our heritage like adolescents — as if it was totally devoid of spiritual impulses and spiritual people — that needs to be challenged.
But when we find humor — in skipping the third verse of every song, in the love of singing 728B, in the “scare you down to the front” invitation songs, etc. — that’s not because we despise the past. We are part of that past. It helped shape us and form us. And while we’re aware of flaws and quirks, we’re also deeply aware of the amazing strengths.
Will people in the future find humor as they remember my quirks? Oh, I hope so! And if they do, I trust that it will be with appreciation for the past.
Please, lighten up.
Let me get this straight?
Everything that is fun is NOT from Satan?
Oh now we’re on a slippery slope!
Next thing you’ll say is that sex is good…
I think we should sing “Jesus Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood for an invitation song.
But I do wonder if Jesus would turn into the skid like he is supposed to.
Just back from Pepperdine myself where the funniest line I heard was from Rich Little. “Are you sanctified?” “No, I’m Church of Christ.”
Reading these posts reminds me of Paul’s admonition in Romans 14 that the Ministers of Meat should not be condescending and patronizing of the Broccoli Brothers and the Broccoli Brothers should not be condeming and judgmental of the Ministers of Meat. God accepted both just as they were – something we need to practice today.
Growing up, I was a little confused that in every picture we had of Jesus he always had a beard! I mean, we sang the song “Jesus Shaves” nearly every week! (And why was Jesus’ shaving something to write a song about)
I was in jr high before I realized the song was “Jesus Saves”, but once you get it in your head it is hard to forget!
Don’t forget the classic…. “low in the gravy lay”
I haven’t read all of the comments, so its possible someone already told this one – plus, its a pretty old one anyway. But I always thought it was funny:
A guy from a charismatic background walks into a CoC. He sits down on a pew right behind a very pious, traditional CoC couple. When the preacher gets to a really important, exciting point in the sermon, the visitor shouts “Praise the Lord!”
Then, the lady who is sitting in front of him turns around very sternly and says: “shhh! We don’t do that here!”
I definitely think we can love our heritage, and still be able to laugh at our humanity…knowing that the work is being done in us on a daily basis…that we have been transformed, and are in the daily process of “being transformed”…we didn’t have it right then, and we still don’t…praise God for grace…AND for LAUGHTER!
And…by the way, growing up I always thought it was “Have a Little CHOCOLATE Jesus” (“have a little talk with jesus”)…Still can’t find anything wrong with my childhood version…I mean, what could be a better combination?!
I go to a C of C “up north”. We’ve been doing “progressive” things at our congregation for probably 10 years (women leading public prayer and serving communion, praise teams, the occassional musical instrument, etc.), however I don’t label us as liberal or conservative but just Christians doing the best we can. We all need His grace.
Some of you that label yourself as in the “progressive” ranks seem to have a chip on your shoulder, at least based on the tone in your comments. So you figured out that it is okay for a woman to pass the communion tray….congratulations. Let’s make fun of those that haven’t been so enlightened. Yeah, your humor is cute and it is all in good fun. Ha.
I’ve never read an inappropriate or disrespectful post by Mike. However, some of the “Disciples of Mike” get a bit carried away with your comments. Your children will probably be poking fun at your conservatism in about 20 or 30 years.
I felt Randy Harris’s co-appearance in “Booster Booster be a Booster” was the best part of the video!
This post reminded me of my favorite Church of Christ joke!
Q: How many Elders does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: “Change!” Did somebody mention “Change”???
P.S. – I am Elder and I think it is funny!
Just the title of your post has me cracking up. I can imagine saying those words with my accent but I just never took you for a “wee” kind of guy!
In the spirit of previous posts, when things get a little uptight , one may feel the need to at least offer (no not an invitation, I’m a girl) just guac…
Here I sit in my quiet little “place of abode” (does that phrase remind you of anything? all of us could probably list a bucket full of similar, well-worn phrases) here at the front door to the northeast corridor watching DAL tromp SA, having a series of “Dr. Pepper Splurting” moments as I read these hilarious comments. I’m thinking to myself how good it is that we can laugh with one another as we share stories of our flaws and foibles and then Bill-E has to go and spoil things by getting all serious. I think the day’s conversation has been wonderful! I just hope my four children don’t wait 20 or 30 years to start poking fun at me over my silly spiritual curmudgeonry. Come to think of it, they already are having a pretty good go at it. And I love it, but don’t tell them. It would spoil the fun. I’d rather be laughing with them than crying without them! Thanks, Mike, for giving us all a wee bit of lightening up! Now I lay me down to sleep…
My wife has always said, “Well, you can either laugh or cry.” It’s true. We often create humor out of sources of pain or irritation. Some of the best jokes I’ve heard were told at funerals or very serious times. It’s a way we can put distance between ourselves and events and put them in perspective. By laughing, we regain a certain degree of control over situations where we have no control. I’m sure someone has written a book anylizing this extensively.
BTW, I’m surprised that no one has mentioned the King of the Hill spoof of the mega-church movement. I posted the clip on my we site. It’s VERY funny! Check it out.
Maybe I missed it somewhere in the blog, did someone mention “Are you ready for the king dumb brother? That was always a favorite song of mine. Made me laugh every time once someone emphasized kingdom in a new way fo me.
When I read your title, I thought I was going to read about a Abilene thunderstorm.
I just stumbled onthis site yesterday and had to throw in my experiences on laughter in the coC. I come from a long line of preachers…who have giggled and laughed through the years at many funny things said and done in church, but never in ridicule of someone’s faith. I think that is the key. My mom and I barely got through one sermon when my dad said “we sorrow not as those who have no soap”…knowing my dad’s obsession with buying soap when it was on sale!
One of my greatest compliments came from a girl while I was attending a Christian college over 30 years ago….at the end of the year she thanked me for teaching her that is was okay to be a member of the church and to laugh.
In the book Father Joe, author Tony Hendra speaks of the power of satire. He tries to explain to his mentor, a Catholic priest, why so much of his work as a satirist centers on the church. He says, “We satirize that which we hold sacred.” Then he reflects to himself, “…what we once hold sacred, but do so no longer.” Perhaps folks get bent out of shape because we sometimes do the same thing. We satirize what we once held sacred, while they still hold those things as sacred.
Some people think that if we laugh at “religious inferences” it makes us less reverent. I find it sad that the lady who set on the edge of her seat after the video waiting her opportunity to pounce on you, obviously “stewed” throughout your wonderful discussion on how we should never forget that our baptism signifies that we bought into the wonderful story of Jesus. I’m sure she thanked you for that wonderful blessing, huh. Thanks for blessing us all week, Mike. Preach on.
Keith
One time during college, we were singing “The Glory-Land Way” during service (I can’t remember if it was a Sunday evening or a Wednesday evening).
Anyway, we were all singing the third verse, and this is how it sounded:
“Onward I go, rejoicing in his love,” (ah-choo)
For the rest of the song, I stood there, holding in laughter and not quite succeeding, because that was the most perfectly timed sneeze I’d ever heard in my life!
I still can’t sing “The Glory-Land Way” without thinking of that sneeze.
Years ago, the Highland Oaks Church in Dallas had phenomenal Sunday night services. The congregation would do a lot of singing before Gary Beauchamp would preach. It was a much more laid back service than Sunday Morning.
James Kendrick was leading singing, and announced the number for the next song. Before he could get the words out of his mouth, one of the security men rushed in and told the congregation that a tornado had just been spotted in our area and to please move under the balcony. Everyone moved to the back of the auditorium under the balcony, settled down, and James then opened to the song he had just announced. Everybody began laughing uncontrollably. The next song was, “I’ll Fly Away.”
When we challenge our quirks and laugh at our past dogmas, I believe these are done with no ill intentions. If, in voicing our humor and having a little fun, our audience contains someone who holds to those dogmas as important and real and part of truth, we are almost certain to offend. If we offend, intended or not, do we owe the person who is offended anything? Is there any blame on our part? Was Jesus calling US to leave our gifts at the altar? Maybe so.
It’s so hard to place ourselves in other’s shoes. In many facets of my faith, I do not believe as I did 30 years ago. Am I stronger now? I hope so. Am I more saved now? Hmmm. I thought I was standing in the right then, I think I am standing in the right now….. but when I think that, I should probably grab on to something…
My husband and I are clowns and we have a rule between us: we each make fun only of ourself not one another. That seems to work well and keeps us from intentionally or unintentionally hurting or offending our spouse or another person. Also, we make it a point to laugh WITH instead of laugh AT others. Just our one cent from a couple of clowns…
My grandmother had an uncle who did hand motions to “When the Roll is Called up Yonder I’ll Be There”. He pointed up during “yonder” and pointed down during “I’ll be there”. I never saw him do it but I can just imagine her giggling during church. She also had a dear friend who sang “Concentrate me now to thy service Lord” instead of “consecrate” (I am Thine O Lord, verse 2). I can’t sing that song without thinking about that. Maybe she had it right–we need to concentrate on serving the Lord more, don’t we?
I’m glad God included some humor in my heritage.
A great (?) video to view back to back with “Mike Cope Sings the Classics” is “Baby Got Book” at this address http://www.whiteboydj.com/babygotbook.html
How the heck do people get through life without laughing at themselves?!? I don’t get it.
I remember back in the 70′s my best friend had 3 children and so did I. One day we were in the kitchen sharing a cup of tea and we heard her daughter singing “Our God who sits up in a tree”. We laughed till we cried. A short time later we heard my daughter joyfully singing “I may never shoot the ole Hillery, but I’m in the Lord’s army.” My other daughters name was Hillery.
Are the Church of Christ the only people going to Heaven?
When you said above “There was a reason why people thought we were the only ones going to Heaven”,leaves me wondering…are you or not? Thanks… Von, Alabama Girl