Self-Disclosure, Humor, and Preaching

Self-disclosure can be way to preach in one’s own voice and a way to inject humor in a manner that is authentic. Self-disclosure is the verbal and non-verbal revelation of the speaker’s feelings, values, and/or personal experiences (Arthurs and Gurevich 215). It is defined as communication of “self-content that is intentionally directed at another person, and contains information generally unavailable from other sources” (Rosenfeld & Kendrick 326). Self-disclosure and humor can form a powerful team because some of the best and most relevant humor often comes from real life stories (Bolton 91 and Pinsky 226). Practically no part of modern life is unaffected by stories (Cahill 39). Stories have many functions including helping the listener remember important things, helping solve problems, sharing experiences with others, and creating community (Seymour 24-32). Excellent supportive material for sermons can come from our life and our observations (Willimon 56-57 and Tucker 69-71). Laughing at oneself can display that the preacher is emotionally and spiritually healthy. Haddon Robinson writes about possible benefits of combining self-disclosure and humor, "Humor at your own expense, if not used too often, can be a way of getting people to respond. We like people who laugh at themselves, because they are saying, `What I am talking about is very serious, but I don't take myself too seriously"' (Hybels, Briscoe, and Robinson 134). Self-disclosure is form of communication found in the Bible (Craddock 208) and can be an effective vehicle to share the Gospel for contemporary Christian communicators (Morganthaler 155, Moore 191-2, and Bausch 68-70).

Although self-disclosure may be present in the Bible and is present in many of today’s sermons—the use of self disclosure is a controversial issue in contemporary homiletics (Eslinger 95). David Buttrick writes against the use of self-disclosure, “To be blunt, there are virtually no good reasons to talk about ourselves from the pulpit” (Buttrick 142). He notes that self-disclosure splits consciousness, reveals character flaws, can cover for the speaker’s insecurity, and may breach confidence (142-3). Taking the opposite view is Bruce Salmon who writes, “The best help we can offer is our own woundedness and a description of what has saved and healed us” (54). Each preacher does have a personal experience with Jesus Christ and this experience is essential for the preacher who is a Christian witness (Stott Preacher’s Portrait 74). Both power and danger exist in using self-disclosure. Balance is a desirable attribute when using self-disclosure in preaching (Long 177, Brown-Taylor 79, Littauer and Littauer 104-5, Stowell 143-4, and Craddock 208-9).

Simple rules exist for effective use of self-disclosure: do not be the hero or a victim, do not break pastoral confidences, do not embarrass a friend or family member, do not over use personal interests, and do not use the sermon as a confessional (Long 177, Foss 168, Barnette 6, Brown-Taylor 79, Wilson 161-2, Arthurs and Gurevich 222-3, Morgan 109, R. Allen 30, and Eslinger 95-100). Although Buttrick’s position of using no self-disclosure in generally disregarded in the field of contemporary homiletics, an opposite danger of using self-disclosure too often can signify that the preacher is maladjusted and preoccupied with self (Downs, Javidi, and Nussbaum 139). Self-disclosure more healthy when the gospel is reported through the lens of the preacher’s life, rather than focusing on the preacher’s life (McClure 122-4).

The use of humor in self-disclosure can be acceptable and even desirable because the ability of the preacher to laugh at himself or herself shows humility (Demaray 68, Long 16, Brown, Robinson, and Willimon 51, McClure 52, Miller 57 and Gritsch 177). Humility is having a real and honest evaluation of self—not thinking more of oneself than is accurate or appropriate (Cloud 146). Humility, the opposite of pride, is central to knowing and teaching the truth (P. Palmer 108 and Piper 162-6). In addition to humility, appropriate self-disclosure can also form a type of empathy that elicits trust (Franklin 52 and Miller 56). This is important in the American culture that values personality over office as a source of ethos (Marquart 159). Self-disclosure, with or without humor, should always be presented in a manner of humility (Foss 168) that shines the spotlight on God (Sjogren 19). The point of self-disclosure must be to point others to God and not self (Brueggemann 42 and Arthurs and Gurevich 223). Self-disclosure done with personal humility is helpful in developing relational solidarity (Nash 87 and Martoia 125-27) and ethos (Collins 22-3 and Arthurs and Gurevich 220).