Hello!
Normally my blog posts have been more information based and less opinion based…but that’s not always going to be the case.
Every now and again I feel like writing about my perspective about things as they cross my mind, and as it pertains to my standup comedy experience, and today’s blog post is categorized as a “Getting Personal” article verses a “Comedy Tips” one. This is 100% my opinion, and as far as I know, it’s not law and gospel.
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Church, God, Christianity, and Faith, have been very important to me since middle school. I was a youth pastor for 15 years, I went to a Christian college and seminary, and some of my best and most formative experiences have happened in the Church or around Christianity related activities. I know lots of people who have had really bad experiences with Christians and Church. I hate that for them, and in some ways I can absolutely relate (Because like I said, I worked in the thick of it for 15 years!) That being said, if I’m being honest, I have had more positive Church/Christian experiences then I have had negative ones.
Even though I’m “Pro-Christianity”, since I started doing standup comedy (14 years ago) it’s always been exceptionally important to me as a Christian and as a Comedian to not label myself as a “Christian Comedian”, or be someone who only works the Christian or clean rooms. Nowadays, with clean comedy becoming more of a thing here in Nashville (and around the world) I see a lot more comedians who are building clout for themselves as also labeling themselves as a Christian as well…or somehow connecting God and Faith to why they do clean.
I try not to judge. But, even though we don’t always want to say it out loud, we know the truth behind folks who are Christian Comedians.
For some they genuinely feel moved by their convictions to stay in a clean Christian lane, while others are 100% using it as a marketing ploy to build their brand and capitalize on Christianity. (It’s like how politicians weaponize Christianity to support their side, but in a way less harmful way because comedy has less worldly implications then, being a President, for example.)
So since I can’t read people’s minds or hearts, I find comfort in saying “To each their own”. That being said, I would love to share with you why i intentionally separate my “church and comedy” and how I believe Faith backs up what I am doing.
Let’s Start From the Beginning…
I’ll spare you my whole “Comedian Origin Story” but there is a very important part about when I first started that pertains to the topic of this article.
When I was 24 and went into my first open mic to try comedy for the first time (At Comedy Off Broadway, in Lexington, KY) I was experiencing a “mid 20’s existential crisis.”
My entire life up till that point, I had been going from “Christian Bubble to Christian Bubble” and I was starting to feel convicted on the fact that I only associated with people that looked and acted exactly the same as myself.
As a Christian, I read the words of the Bible that said “Go and Make Disciples” and even though i was literally in ministry…I was coming to terms with the fact that I really wasn’t “Going” anywhere….everyone around me was Christian, and I was just spreading the Word to folks that already knew it.
So when I walked into my first open mic, I found a community of people that were so different then the variations of “Church People” that i had surrounded myself with. (Again, I can’t stress enough, for the most part, I enjoy church people!)
Meeting these people in different walks of life was exactly what my life needed at 24. I am sure when I started there was a strong feeling of “Oh these people need God, and I’m going to be the light in their lives!” but I can honestly say over the years I have found such a greater value in the community I have become a part of through Comedy, then they probably received from me.
Because you meet so many different people in comedy, it helps you learn to be a less judgmental person. It’s not uncommon to watch a comedian bomb with a joke, and then turn it into something beautiful.
Or, if we’re being honest, often times you meet a new comedian who is bombing at being a good person, but you see them grow over the years, as you both are “comedying” together.
These experiences taught me the important lesson of giving people time, the benefit of the doubt, and a certain respect that comes from them being a human being, even if you don’t like them…because who knows, maybe one day you will.
Standup Comedy led me to becoming a less judgmental and more loving person…and those are two very Christian traits. So I guess you could say, comedy helped me become a better Christian! (Even though I went into comedy thinking I was going to make other people better.)
I also don’t want you to think I abandoned my original mission.
While I am not handing out bibles or preaching when I am performing, it is known that I am a Christian…I have lots of jokes about being a former pastor, or funny things I notice in Christianity. (Like how we’re obsessed with Chic Fila!) As a result, it’s not uncommon for people to come up to me after a show and talk to ME about THEIR faith, and how it compares with Christianity.
It’s not uncommon for folks once they know I was a former pastor, to come up and ask my opinions on “God topics”. I don’t mind, I do have two degrees in this having this conversation after all.
My favorite is when people who have had bad experiences with Christians, that have turned them away from the idea of God in general, find value in my “witness” (I put that in quotes because truthfully, I am no longer trying to be a witness…which might in fact be the essence of being a witness)
I’ll never forget a conversation I had with a comedian on a road trip to a show.
“Wait you’re a Christian?” She asked, “But you don’t hate gay people.”
It blew my mind that of all the definitions someone could label a Christian as, hers was “Christians are people that hate gay people.”
But after hearing her story, I totally get it…if I was her and lived her life, I probably would have come to the same conclusion about Christians.
I love being what I call a “Second Impression Christian.” For everyone who has voted off Church, and Christianity, because of rude religious jerks in their life, I like to try to be a “second impression” of what a Christian might be….I don’t preach about it, I don’t ask people if they want to get baptized after their conversation with me, but I am an honest and real person that in one hand feels for the terrible experience they have had with Church, but in the other hand I like to provide a different take.
Like I said, I have had mostly great experiences with Christians. Some of the biggest heroes in my life are Christians so I know not all Christians are like the ones who are ruining it for people. My life would be total trash without the good Christians that met my needs and gave me community when I was growing up, so I’m happy to share my experiences in any of those conversations.
I know plenty of Christian comedians who will never enter a seedy dive bar, do a show at a strip club, or perform at a brewery because it would absolutely send the wrong message to the church they work at…and I get why that might not be best for you, but I will 100% still make time to do those shows and go into all the “secular” venues I can.
Because even 14 years later, Comedy is still a means for me to expand my Bubble. It’s been uncomfortable at times, but I’ve also noted how personal growth is normally preceded by discomfort.
So that’s the backstory, now let’s talk about why in the Present I don’t want to be labeled as a Christian Comedian.
I Don’t want to be a “Christian Role Model” (Anymore)
I’m a flawed and broken person and nobody knows that better then me.
From the 8th grade to about age 35, I really tried my best to be a good Christian leader. In the church, outside of the church, everywhere I went I strived to be someone you could look up to and say “Wow, he’s a great Christian!”
In my early 20’s, that pressure actually took me to a pretty dark place where I felt the need to be perfect, and I ran my youth groups in a way where I (unintentionally) was teaching the kids that they need to be perfect as well.
Working as a leader in the church, part of the job is reconciling the fact that people will fall because of either how you lead, or more often, how they misinterpret how you are leading. Folks struggling with their faith will blame the church and the pastors as to why they have given up on God.
Yes, that’s more of a “Them” problem, but it takes a toll on every pastor or Christian leader to know that in their eyes, YOU’RE the reason they don’t believe in God anymore.
In this regards, I was so happy when God called me out of ministry and could get out of the limelight of church leadership where I didn’t have to intentionally lead people to God as the job I was getting paid for. No matter what job i have, it will never have as much pressure as being a leader in Christianity.
So no, I don’t want you to associate me as a good Christian leader because when I fail, I don’t want that to be a reason why your faith suffers. I was in that world for most of my life, and I’m happy to not be in that sphere of influence anymore.
I know sometimes you can’t help who follows you and who you are influencing, but you’ll never hear me tell you that you should look up to me as a role model anymore. We’re all just out here doing our best, and that’s the best any of us can do.
Christian Comics are putting themselves on pedestals and that’s risky business. If that’s where you truly want to be, then more power to you…I just know I’ve messed plenty before, and so I’m happy being on as few pedestals as possible. (Not to be confused with being on stages!)
Also, about calling yourself a “Christian Comedian”…
It’s Not a Great Look Today
This is the part where I want to remind you that this blog post is just my opinion…you can disagree and we can still go out for brunch later.
That being said….
Here is something that I learned when I started comedy, which was also kind of my first brush with “the World outside the Christian Bubble”
Christians don’t have a good reputation among the rest of the world.
The majority of the world hasn’t met your amazing pastor, or your God loving Grandma, or the amazing youth group that was instrumental to you becoming a wonderful person.
For the rest of the world, especially those who aren’t Christians, when they hear “Christian” they think of the MAGA brats that are hurting people in the name of Jesus…they think of that pastor that preached a hate filled “fire and brimstone” sermon that really hurt them, or someone close to them years ago…they think of all the news stories that involve youth pastors and pedophilia, or priests and pedophilia, or Christians who defend people who commit pedophilia.
Every comedian reading this should understand that optics matter. When you get on stage, everything about you will attract or detract from your stage character. How you dress, how you speak, your jokes, etc. Part of our skill is using literally everything about us to our advantage to create the most entertaining experience as possible.
Is it fair to say as a Christian witness, optics also matter? I am a Christian who is seriously struggling with what mainstream Christianity looks like today.
There are a lot of loud “Christians” who are standing up for sin, in my opinion. They’re polluting the (holy) water for a lot of us, and it’s gross and infuriating. So from the stage, when you tell a group of strangers that you’re a “Christian”, what image comes to their mind? Is it about that mean guy they heard about on the news, or your God loving Grandma who they never have met?
I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes, “Preach the Gospel, and if necessary use Words.”
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I’ll end with a fun fact from Church History.
Did you know between 1409 and 1417 the Catholic Church had THREE Popes? Yep, three guys fought over who was the real Pope ordained by God, and it created a big mess for the Catholic Church because all the priests, cardinals, bishops, etc were struggling with who to actually follow. It was like a Civil War in the Catholic church.
All the big important men were neck deep into this stupid political mess, and meanwhile the Catholic women (Who weren’t technically allowed to ever have any leadership office in the papacy) were going around locally and doing the work of the Church. They were feeding the hungry, taking care of the hurt and abused, making sure classes were still being taught.
Christian men were arguing over who was the real pope, and meanwhile the women were actually being the Church and being used by God.
My hope as a Christian who is also a Comedian is not to be someone who uses his words to tell you about what a great Christian he is…I already lived that era in my own life, and it didn’t go amazingly. Instead, I want to be like the Catholic women in the 15th century that were letting their actions in the community do all the talking.
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In a world where Bad Christians are getting most the press, and also there are plenty of people weaponizing Christianity to gain followers or to influence others…I’ll never call myself a “Christian Comedian” I am 100% a Christian, who does comedy, and I’d be happy to talk to you about God before or after a show…but since Jesus wants us to live in the world and make a difference to those that don’t know Him, I’ll never again set myself in a Christian bubble where I am not around the rest of the world.
