Stephen Colbert and Preaching- On Comedians

I try to learn from everyone. Regardless of field and area of expertise, if someone speaks I listen. And I try to pick up tips on how to better my craft. I have a strong belief in common grace.

So naturally as I was reading Colbert’s latest interview in GQ, I was simultaneously thinking about what I do (and no it’s not blogging). As I was about two-thirds done my mind started to drift towards the act of preaching. Of the many things I do I am a preacher. By the time I was done with this brilliant piece, I prayed, “Make me a preacher like Colbert a talk show host.”

I picked up three golden nuggets. Perhaps they will be valuable for you as they were for me.

1) Adjust when necessary- two questions plague the minds of Americans now. The first is, is Mr. Trump really going to be the GOP’s candidate for president? The second, which character will Colbert play when he hosts the Late Show? Like most comedians and prophets Colbert understands the time. That is why he played his former character. There was a need back then to neutralize the screaming heads; so he did that, albeit satirically. But Colbert knows America has changed. That is why he shut down the Colbert Report and that is why viewers can and should expect a new prophetic voice in Colbert.

I was reminded that adjusting does not equal the compromising of integrity. I should always be willing to adjust to the times and provide a pertinent and relevant message to the people.

Colbert is still a comedian. And preachers are still deliverers of God’s Word. But both should always question the effectiveness of their delivery method, mode of communication, use of language, etc. in today’s world. Put simply, take the message and consider the audience before delivering it. If I preach a sermon but it is not effectively communicated to the people, I have not preached.

I am not talking about crowd-pleasing sermons. But I am talking about the ever-present need for contextualization.

The Word is eternal. Not preaching methods and styles. Preachers should in effect be effective communicators.

2) The process of process is process- Colbert stresses this. And in his short visit, Joel Lovell saw Colbert practice this. “The end product is jokes, but you could easily say the end product is intention. Having intentionality at all times… The process of process is process.”

Sure Colbert has his jokes. But he also helps produce the show so that the audience will get the full effect of the jokes. Likewise preaching… Too often I am fooled into thinking my job is done when the manuscript is finished. But I am reminded that this is just the start of the process. As one produces a show, so also the preacher should take great effort in producing a message. And by this I am not simply referring to the use of powerpoint. The sermon should be rehearsed, every gesture should be intentional, and the majority of the worship should be prepared to push this message forward. And above all, prayer…

For example, if I go over or under the allotted preaching time, I have not prepared enough. The process was cut short.

This article made me question how much I love the process of preaching. Not just the act of preaching itself.

3) Life and message are inseparable- this is the most open Colbert has been about his past and how he dealt with the tragedy he faced (his father and two brothers died in a plane crash when he was 10). Though I don’t agree fully with his take on God’s sovereignty and the issue of suffering, still I think he speaks truth. How did he exercise the demons of his past and over come all the hurt? No spoiler alert here. Go read it.

But Colbert makes explicit the effect that tragedy had on his life. It made him to be who he is today. This was only possible after he accepted the suffering. That suffering eventually turned to true gratitude and joy (okay I lied, spoiler). That made Stephen Colbert.

Like it or not my hermeneutic and my preaching is going to be influenced by my knowledge, background, past experiences, my entire makeup. Though every nerve in body commands me to be as objective as possible, I know this not possible. I do not exist in a vacuum. Neither do the people. But this is okay. Since the beginning God has honored the dispositions of his messengers. This is one of the reasons why the books of the Bible differ in style, content, and emphasis (of course all in God’s design and purpose).

Again, like it or not, my preaching is going to be influenced by me Steven Jo,  and it will be either enhanced or diminished. A preacher cannot hide behind the pulpit. The life of the preacher will creep through the cracks of the sermon. And if Colbert has been my model for this slight moment, I certainly have a lot to sort out in my own life. Gratitude and joy…

It’s not that these are new tips. I’ve heard them from Spurgeon, Lloyd Jones, and my own preaching professors in seminary. But it was a good reminder from a fresh perspective. Good work ethic and practice is common grace. And I have to watch out that I don’t use special grace as an excuse for sub-par work ethic and practice.