Laughing Matters!
Feature Article Kidzmatter Magazine Jan 2018
Hello…one simple word that from the mouth of Funny Man Dan, Hillsong Kids resident comic, has thousands of children in fits of laughter. He went to comedy school and all he learned was one word! ‘Hello’ is the single line script of his ‘World Famous One Word Show’. I’m sure you’ve seen stand-up comedy, but when you are in front of thousands of kids, standing may not be enough.
After discovering that none of his jokes were needed because he could make kids laugh with a single word, Funny Man Dan embarked on a journey of developing what he calls "Bounce Around Comedy". What’s bounce around comedy you ask? For hundreds of years grown ups have been enjoying a thing called stand up comedy, where a man or woman will stand on a stage and make people laugh by talking to them. Children are filled with imagination and can find joy and laughter in almost anything.
This makes comedy a valuable, and often under utilised, goldmine for ministry with children and families. What’s so spiritual about laughing? We all know it’s great to have a “fun moment” in a program, the spiritual stuff should be serious right? WRONG! Laughing may be one of the most important and spiritual aspects of ministry to children and adults alike.
Throughout the history of Christianity churches have been known to be places of quiet reflection, subdued emotions, keeping to seemingly strict practices and routines of reverence. These aspects to the religious faith have value and certainly have their place, but over thousands of years, has the church lost the ability to laugh? Jesus is the most painted figure in all of western art. The large majority of these depict our Saviour as solemn and never smiling. Each of these artistic expressions of Jesus are simply one person’s impression of His image, some with their blond hair and blue eyes may even be far from what Jesus would most likely have looked like in reality. If we are created in His image, it stands to reason that if laughter is so much a part of our expression of life and love as people, Jesus too loves to laugh and maybe would have been better painted with a big joyful smile. The triune God-head, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the very source of community and connectedness. Through laughter and joy we relate to one another, and to God! Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, said, “Humour is a prelude to faith and laughter is the beginning of prayer.”
Laughter is a gift from God, we were born innately with the ability to laugh and experience joy. Think about hearing a baby giggle with glee, they didn’t have to sit in laughter lessons to figure that out. Psychology Today reports that toddlers laugh over 100 times a day, and the average 40 year old laughs only four times a day (and maybe that’s just from cat videos on the internet?).
One of the best things children can experience is to laugh. The Bible says in Proverbs 17:22 (NIRV), “A cheerful heart makes you healthy.” And science backs it up!
Laughter relaxes the whole body, relieving physical tension and stress, leaving muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes. It boosts the immune system and improves heart function. Laughter even burns calories (YESSSS! We like this!) One study found that laughing for ten to fifteen minutes a day can burn around 40 calories.
Laughter also has proven social benefits, it strengthens resilience, enhances teamwork, diffuses conflict and promotes group bonding. When the children in your ministry laugh, they let their guard down, relax, bond together and strengthen their relationships. Think about the opposite, maybe a first time visitor arrives full of nervousness and fear; “I won’t know anyone, I’ve never been to this place before, what happens next and why is there SO much singing?” The shared experience of laughter puts the child at ease, connects them with others and brings a sense of security that they are welcome and will have a great time. Maybe even cause them to want to stay a little longer and come back next week! A smile is a curve that sets everything straight. — Phyllis Diller
The Gospel transcends age, social status, race and gender - as does laughter! God’s heart would see a community of believers made up of people young and old, of every colour, social status and gender. The Gospel bridges the gaps between people that would maybe otherwise exist, and a good dose of humour goes a long way to connecting people despite their differences. Comedian and performer John Cleese (of Faulty Towers and Monty Python fame) states, “It’s almost impossible to maintain any kind of distance or any sense of social hierarchy when you’re just howling with laughter. Laughter is a force for democracy.”
John Cleese is known for his brilliant humour, so let’s quote his wisdom once more, “He who laughs most, learns best.” The truth is that kids (and adults) learn best when they’re having fun! When children laugh they relax and their capacity for taking in new information and retaining that information is greatly increased. The elevated state that humour evokes makes it easier for children to understand fresh concepts and for that learning to stick. Laughing activates the brain’s dopamine reward system, creating the desire to keep coming back for more. Dopamine also improves both goal-oriented motivation and long-term memory.
Humour is a powerful tool in ministering to people, a sense of playfulness and joy can bring life and light as we share God’s heart with people. A favourite catch phrase of Hillsong Church Global Snr Pastor Brian Houston is, “Church is to be enjoyed not endured.” And the same goes for our children’s and family ministries. Ecclesiastes 8:15 (NIRV), “So I advise everyone to enjoy life. A person on this earth can’t do anything better than eat and drink and be glad. Then they will enjoy their work. They’ll be happy all the days of the life God has given them on earth.”
Occasionally you luck out when unplanned funny moments strike. When an object lesson explodes all over you or the balloon you’re attepmting to twist into a poodle shape bursts and you jump in fright cause racous laughter from your audience. Good comedy isn’t left to chance, it’s well pre-prepared and well planned. Funny Man Dan shares, “When you’re on stage in front of a group of children you are acting in your “on-stage” self. When you’re in front of kids, you’re you, but with a subtle difference, you’re acting in a role…playing the character of YOU.”
How to devleop the on-stage character of “YOU”:
- Be surprisingly predictable. When you are on stage there needs to be a certain predictability about you. Devleop catchphrases, funny voices, silly walks or sound effects. Being predictable puts the audience into a state of comfort and lets them enjoy what they are seeing. Think of your favourite cartoon characters and what their predictable catch phrases and responses are, Homer Simpson says, “D’oh!” anytime he injures himself, realises he has done something wrong or something is about to go wrong. Children should get to know your surprisingly predictable behaviours. Maybe you greet the children in the same quirky way every week, the one week you don’t do it, they will miss it!
- Extremes, no in-betweens
We’re all passionate about certain things. You might be a fanatic sports fan or a chocolate obsessed dessert eater, whatever it is your on-stage “YOU” needs to be extreme in your love for that thing. You may dislike something, that’s fine too, Garfield loves lasagna and hates Monday’s. Funny Man Dan proposes, “To be effective on stage you either love something or hate something and have no in-between.” Children, even if they disagree with your opinon, can relate to someone who takes a stand about their opinon of pineapple on pizza.
- Magnify you.
This on-stage “YOU” is still you, but magnified. There’s things about you that are already fun and interesting. Think, “What do I want to magnify?” Maybe you’re a keen fisherman or a excellent skateboarder. These things are all part of you, and the children in your ministry want you to share this with them. If you love to fish, magnify this by showing pictures all the time of the stange things you’ve caught on your line and when it’s time to teach the loves and the fishes feeding the 5,000 lesson, you can bring your smelly fish for everyone to see! Funny Man Dan encourages that, “Every time you go on stage you should be taking steps that cement your character and add depth so the kids can relate to you more.”
Funny Man Dan's top tips to get your kids laughing this weekend:
1. Try ‘The Humongous High-five’. It’s an oldie but a goody. Simply just recoil in pain over the smallest high-five. Advanced level - have a fake hand fall off!
2. Ask kids questions that are disproportionate to their age; Can I see your drivers license? Is your wife here? What ages are your children? How was work this week? Oh you’re at school, what grade do you teach?
3. Emphasise your speech by waving your arms around while holding a soft toy and ‘accidentally’ knocking kids in the head.
4. Show some (carefully vetted) YouTube videos.
5. Bring a prop: A whistle and ‘direct traffic’ as the kids enter your programs. A microphone and interview kids as they arrive. Carry around a toy moose, just because you find it a-moosing or an emu because that’s even more emu-sing, but not a vacuum cleaner because that idea sucks!
