“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17 – NIV) Today, I launch a new clergy collegial blog. I hope we will encourage and empower each other toward success and excellence in pastoral ministry. As I sit in the Pastor’s Study at Cambria Heights Community Church, I often ponder the possible feedback of clergy colleagues as it relates to preparing sermons, counseling in particularly difficult situation, designing fresh worship, balancing competing priorities of ministry, marriage and family, maintaining self-care, pursuing personal dreams and private interests outside of ministry and family, and finding resources to meet the ever evolving and changing needs of the people whom I serve. After a sustained period of prayer, reflection and meditation, I realize I can invite you to come “In The Pastor’s Study” for an exchange of ideas.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Four Funny Stories for Sermons, Speeches and Toasts

Four Funny Stories for Sermons, Speeches and Toasts

Story One – “Maybe, He Should’ve Put It in the Basement.”  A rich man who really loved money once told his wife, “Honey, when I die I am taking my money with me.  I have left a large bag of money in the attic.  As the last thing I do just before I ascend with the angels, I will reach down and grab that bag.”  He locked the door to attic and strictly forbade anyone in his household from entering it.  The fateful day came when his funeral was held at the local church.  After all the guests left the house upon finishing the memorial meal, his wife decided to look in the attic.  She retrieved the key, opened the door and climbed the stairs.  There, she found the large bag of money.  Then, she said to herself, “Maybe, he should have put it in the basement.”

Story Two – “Who Pushed Me?”  In a rustic town in the Mid-West, a wealthy man owned a large estate that rivaled the Feudal houses of the landed gentry.  On the estate, he built a large pond which he filled with alligators, barracudas and crocodiles.  Near the pond, he hung a sign agreeing to pay instantly one millionaire dollars in cash to anyone who could successfully swim from one end of the pond to the other.  One evening, he held a dinner party in which he invited the political, social and cultural elite from the neighboring towns and vicinity.  Surprisingly, in the middle of the party to everyone’s amazement, they witnessed a brother swimming fast and furiously as he evades snapping jaws of alligators, stealth of crocodiles and steely attacks of barracudas.  Shockingly but successfully, he arrives safely on the other side of the pond.  The owner of the estate stops the party to present his guest with the prize money.  Afterwards, the owner asks the brother does he wish to say anything.  He catches his breath and says rather angrily, “All I want to know is who pushed me?”

Story Three – “Do You Get the Point?”   Once, a local church pastor sought to demonstrate the dangers of drinking to his congregation.  He placed two large containers of clear liquids on the altar.  In the one on the left side, he had poured natural, pure spring water.  The one on the right contained good, high end vodka.  He dropped a worm in the left container and it began to swim freely and joyously.  After a couple of minutes, he put a second worm in the right container and it immediately died.  The pastor then asked the congregants, “Do you get the point?”  Known to be an excessive drinker, a congregant in the back raised his hand, stood up and said, “Brother Pastor, I get the point.”  The pastor responded delightfully and urged that man to share the point with the rest of the members.  The man said, “If you drink, you won’t get worms!”

Story Four – “The Butt Naked Truth”  The story is told of an encounter between “Mr. Truth” and “Mr. Lie.”  One day, they bumped into each other as they had decided separately to take a stroll.  Mr. Truth was dressed impeccably with fine, rich and refined designer clothes made from the very best fabrics, threads, and craftsmanship.  Seeking to emulate if not surpass his counterpart, Mr. Lie was wore synthetic and artificial versions of Mr. Truth’s clothing which he secretly and greatly admired.  In fact, Mr. Lie actually envied Mr. Truth and his clothing.  As they progressed on their stroll, they came upon a pond of clear and glistening spring water accentuated with a waterfall.  Mr. Lie suggested they stop and take a skinny dip to escape the heat and relax in the beautiful weather.  Mr. Truth agrees.  They undress and leave their clothes on the side of the pond.  Unbeknownst to him, as Mr. Truth dips deeply under water and returns to surface in the middle of the pond, he discovers that Mr. Lie has fled and stolen Mr. Truth’s clothes.  Furious with disdain, Mr. Truth rushes to the pond’s edge, jumps out and runs after Mr. Lie.  Later in the afternoon just before sundown, the neighboring town of Sleepy Hollow experiences the biggest commotion the residents had ever seen.  On the far end of town at the Drowsy Saloon above the fray of loud conversation, games and drinking, bar goers heard a mighty ruckus.  The butt naked truth came in town screaming and demanding his clothes!


In parabolic genre and tradition of the Gospels, each of these stories contains moral and ethical lessons.  I wish you imagination, creativity and spiritual insight as you meditate upon these anonymous stories and glean gems of wisdom.