Festival of Homiletics: Susan Sparks and "Putting the Ha in Hallelujah"

So a lawyer, a comedian, and a Baptist minister walk into a bar--wait, this is not what you think.  The Rev. Susan Sparks is lawyer--turned stand-up comedian--turned American Baptist Pastor who grew up in Charlotte, NC and now preaches at Madison Ave. Baptist Church in Manhattan.  I attended her workshop yesterday after lunch here at the Festival of Homiletics.  As often happens when you start running your mouth, I ended up making the newspaper through an interview with one of the local reporters who happened to show up. 

Here's the article link:

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100520/NEWS06/5200349/1001/NEWS

Here is a view from the workshop yesterday.  (I'm standing against the far wall in a lime green shirt)  It's her list (With the examples mostly edited out) of her 10 Commandments of Using Comedy in Church. 

http://www.tennessean.com/section/videoNetwork#/News/The+Ten+Commandments+of+using+comedy+in+church/47366661001/47454972001/86702098001

Now from the video and photos you will notice the room was packed.  There were media all over the place (5-6 up front at least). Given we haven't seen media any where else during the conference, this was a lot.  I am not sure if it is a good thing or a sad comment about the church in our society that the media chose this event to attend.  Susan is excellent at what she does, and she was very funny.  I also learned a lot! 

But of all the speakers we've heard, all the potentially-controversial things that have been said/preached/or sung, the media chose Humor as the thing to cover.  I happen to be a fan of Jim Wallis (Sojourner's Magazine Editor-in-Chief), and he spoke on Tuesday afternoon.  Yet, he is much more potentially-controversial than humor?!?  Really?!?!  Susan was covered by both TV and newspapers instead.  I don't get it.

[NOTE: Though after taking time to read all 32+ comments related to the article--ok, so I guess there are some folks here who don't have a sense of humor, and take themselves very seriously--well, that was Susan's point in many ways--we can laugh at ourselves, and should laugh at ourselves--it keeps us humble and promotes healing and reconciliation--I believe there might even be a sermon in that somewhere, lol.  Thanks for giving her more material for that next sermon, cause Sunday's comin'!]

[NOTE: Also, a few notes to the comments--if you're going to quote Scripture, at least spell the Book Names correctly--Isaih is close, but keep trying.]

[NOTE: As to a women being in a Southern Baptist Convention Church Pulpit... well, no Susan wasn't there yesterday afternoon during the workshop... but she was the worship leader this afternoon, and did a mighty fine job if I do say so myself.  

I have to say how gracious and hospitable First Baptist Church has been-they have been so wonderful to us!  But if you have issue with Susan in the Pulpit, she's in good company here... We've also had lead worship and or preach from the Sanctuary's main pulpit during the conference: Rev. Susan Phillips, Bishop Dr. Vashti McKenzie, Rev. Dr. Anna Carter Florence; Rev. Dr. Barbara Lundblad, Rev. Dr. Gail Archer, Naomi Tutu (Bishop Desmond's daughter), (Almost Rev.) Dr. Lauren Winner, Rev. Dr. Lillian Daniels, Dr. Amy Jill Levine, Rev. Dr. Safiyah Fosua, Rev. Dr. Magaret Aymer, and Rev. Dr. Grace Imanthiu --I count 13 women in leadership this week inside First Baptist Church in Nashville behind the pulpit, delivering the word of God with power and might!  And I give thanks to God for my sisters speaking God's word that inspires me, confronts me, confounds me, and kicks me in the butt! 

I also give thanks to my brothers in ministry who have shared with us this week from behind the pulpit in worship and preaching leadership, cause God's word must be spoken by many, and they also did a fabulous job:  Rev. Dr. Thomas Long, Jim Wallis, Rev. Peter Graves, Rev. Dr. Craig Barnes, Matthew Flemming, Rev. Dr. John McClure, Rev. John Bell, Bishop Dr. Michael Curry, Rev. Dr. Claudio Carvalhaes, Rev. Dr. Chelphus LaRue, Rev. Dr. Anthony Bailey, and Bishop Dr. Will Willimon--I count 13 men in leadership this week too... perhaps the Spirit is having fun with this, or I can't count well... I don't know which!]

[NOTE: PS--This isn't even a complete list of folks--these are just the ones I count that were in the First Baptist Church--folks were in the other churches as well!]

The people outside the church, and probably many within the church, take issue with the intersection of humor and faith.  There are many days in ministry where I have 2 choices--to laugh or to cry. (Though I can assure you, especially during my Clinical Pastoral Education as a Hospital Chaplain, the tears flew freely and often) I most often choose to laugh.  Plus then I will have great stories to tell later in my ministry--can you believe ____ that just happened to me?  I mean, the day I found a bucket of 4 month old slaw in the fridge at church in October after the BBQ from last June... REALLY?  I choose to laugh, because crying over slaw just didn't seem right.  But in all seriousness... God is big enough to handle our humor.  And God has a sense of humor--Susan is great at pointing that out, and I hope to learn lots from her.