In general, we can say individuals laugh at two issues: surprise and misfortune. These two developing blocks are necessary for fantastic humor.
A cartoon containing a lot of surprise would be a cartoon showing Pope Benedict XVI riding a skateboard. It is funny since of the incongruity. You are surprised by it - thinking a boy would be riding on the board instead.
A 1-liner containing a good deal of misfortune would be the line: It has been reported that Tiger Woods' marital affairs are up to 14. Where does the guy discover time to play golf?
Despite the fact that humorous, it can in no way be applied in front of your congregation. And this is one of the bigger troubles for preachers when attempting humor in the pulpit. Misfortune is a constructing block for humor, but preachers can't concentrate on hostility, so generally they will have to weaken the misfortune - unless you're about ready to retire.
So what can you do? You have two selections.
Definitely, the greatest way to correct hostile humor would be to come across an additional anecdote to use in the pulpit. I constantly use the phase: When in doubt, leave it out. There is a fine line in between fair play and foul play, and a preacher can by no means cross it. The other selection is to switch the misfortune. A line like this may possibly get a far better response from your congregation: Tiger Wood crashed his car. He is a fantastic driver, but only on the golf course. It still is about Mr. Woods but the misfortune is greatly reduced when switched.
When you have a weak misfortune and you feel the anecdote isn't humorous enough to get laughs then focus on the shock factor by creating the anecdote a lot more incongruent.
It is crucial to have amaze and misfortune in your anecdotes. They are the keys to getting laughter in the pulpit or on any other stage for that matter. Just remember that you aren't a stand-up comedian and what these comedians use for humorous material can be off limits for you and your congregation.