What do you think about yelling

reformedman · #1 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 07:53 AM

I'll be very blunt.
I am not sure why some preachers do it. Why do some preachers feel compelled to yell and be charismatic and not just rely on their words? I hope I am not insulting any preachers here because I am not intending to do so but I have seen yellers look up to other preachers who are normal speakers. The normal speakers are usually very educated (M.divs, authors, or thds).
I don't refer to the loud emphasis like RC Sproul or Piper who sometimes emphasize certain statements. I am referring to people who have a fine working audio setup and yet belt out everything to the ends of their vocal capacity. Perhaps a paragraph or two.
I can't imagine J.Edwards or J.Owen doing this.

How do you guys feel about this? Do you do it? Why?

Whenever I have preached, I put emphasis on the applicatory notes and some key points but not to the extreme where my voice will break. Should I?

I guess I am writing this (thinking in retrospect), because I think I feel a little bit of nervouse pressure because I feel that I HAVE TO preach loud in order for it to be proper or right. Spurgeon says that if you don't have the manliness to belt it out you do not qualify, but I think he referred to the era of time before audio systems.

jwithnell · #2 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 08:42 AM

This is my observation as a layperson: I think God uses the personality (as it is being sanctified!) of the person who is preaching. A quiet, scholarly type person is just as much used by God as is the charismatic (outgoing) person or the one prone to a dramatic speaking style. In any case, it is God who gives the ability to teach and preach and it is the Holy Spirit who illuminates the word. While this is not a perfect analogy, a similar situation exists in the scriptures where Paul has a style that is different from David.

Zenas · #3 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 09:26 AM

If I were a preacher, I would probably yell. This is not due to anything other than the fact that when I get up in front of people and I'm making a point, I get loud, real loud. In moot court, they told me I was very loud, imposing, with a strong presence. It's just what I do and I have not the slightest inkling why. At least you can't ignore me.

Joshua · #4 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zenas

At least you can't ignore me.

Not true. With the exception of this post, I ignore you all the time.

Zenas · #5 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 09:50 AM

That's because I'm not in person yelling at you!

Joshua · #6 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zenas

That's because I'm not in person yelling at you!

You're right. And you're yelling wouldn't be ignored; however, it would be swiftly taken care of.

Zenas · #7 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 10:15 AM

You'd have to enlist the help of your cuzin' for that one.

Joshua · #8 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zenas

You'd have to enlist the help of your cuzin' for that one.

Nah ... Stop sidetrackin' the thread!

Barnpreacher · #9 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshua

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zenas

At least you can't ignore me.

Not true. With the exception of this post, I ignore you all the time.

Sorry Andrew, but that was funny.

Barnpreacher · #10 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 10:29 AM

What you boys really need to do to end this dispute over who could take care of who is to get a Wii and box it out. Although I'm bettin' my four year old daughter could give you both a run for your money. Talk about a hit to your manliness!

Barnpreacher · #11 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 10:30 AM

Oh, and I'm done sidetrackin' this thread cause I'm pretty sure Josh could take care of me with or without his cuz.

JonathanHunt · #12 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 10:45 AM

I hate yelling in sermons when it is habitual. A favourite preacher of mine occasionally asides to himself 'Stop yelling, ****, why ya hollerin at the people?'. I understand what it is to be compelled by the word and desperate to communicate some vital point, but it really should be the exception, not the rule, otherwise style rules substance.

For example, there is a forthright style of preaching here in the UK that comes from Wales - the lilting, musical tones, and the emotion in spoonfuls, with crescendoes of noise. Some folk don't think they've heard a good sermon unless they've been shouted at, whispered at, wept at, and cajoled. I do believe that some men put on the 'act' because it brings acclaim, sadly.

Joshua · #13 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonathanHunt

I hate yelling in sermons when it is habitual. A favourite preacher of mine occasionally asides to himself 'Stop yelling, ****, why ya hollerin at the people?'. I understand what it is to be compelled by the word and desperate to communicate some vital point, but it really should be the exception, not the rule, otherwise style rules substance.

For example, there is a forthright style of preaching here in the UK that comes from Wales - the lilting, musical tones, and the emotion in spoonfuls, with crescendoes of noise. Some folk don't think they've heard a good sermon unless they've been shouted at, whispered at, wept at, and cajoled. I do believe that some men put on the 'act' because it brings acclaim, sadly.

What remains to be told, Jonathan, is why you "preach" with that cadence accompanied by occasional bursts of melody from the organ for emphasis?

greenbaggins · #14 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 11:07 AM

Preaching involves the whole person of the preacher. Emotions cannot be left at the door. I think there are appropriate times when the preacher should have a raised voice. Sometimes it will take that to grab the audience's attention. The Holy Spirit can use that just as He can the plain words. The Holy Spirit uses the whole preacher. However, love needs to contextualize any use of the raised voice. And the text being preached had better justify the raised voice as well. The woe passages of Matthew 23 come to mind, as well as some of the more denunciatory passages in the prophets. Yelling just to put on an act is not honoring to God, in my opinion. Yelling to manipulate people's emotions is not right either. The level of emotion should match the text.

Blue Tick · #15 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 11:08 AM

Generally a lot of preachers are passionate about the gospel. When the gospel is presented some tend (not all) to get emotional about the severity of the message. Sometimes this is good, sometimes it's not received to well. It kind of depends on the topic of the preaching. I’ve noticed that “yelling” should be distinguished between raising the tone of voice. At times, which has been discussed in the above messages, certain points are emphasized and the preacher’s tone is elevated. Yelling usually takes the form of showboating or beating the sheep. Raising one’s tone of voice usually is done to persuade or highlight a specific reference in the sermon.

I like it when preachers are passionate about the gospel but not at the expense of yelling at the sheep.

KenPierce · #16 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 11:09 AM

IF you're not a yeller, don't yell.
NObody ought to yell like Jeremiah Wright.

But, how many REformed sermons are given as if the preacher is about as moved by his material as the man who reads the farm report on rural radio stations?

Passion, not volume, is what is lacking, men.

Archlute · #17 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 11:51 AM

Preachers who make a habit of yelling do so for the same reason that some squad leaders/coaches/parents consistently yell while attempting to enforce discipline - they are hoping to make up for a lack of both thoughtful discourse and respect through increase of volume.

I don't believe that I have ever envisioned the preaching of Christ or the Apostles as including the practice of yelling, even when reading their most serious words (I don't know that Christ's throwing out of the money changers qualifies as a sermon). Possibly the only one who might fit that imagery for me would be John the baptizer.

Reformingstudent · #18 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 01:28 PM

What about preachers who take deep breaths before each sentence like they are hyperventilating or some thing. There's a few down here I know of that do that still. I guess it's for emphasis. Makes their message seem more important sounding.

MrMerlin777 · #19 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 04:02 PM

Many have taken ellocution to learn how to better deliver not just a sermon but any kind of spoken material. In this day and age of sound systems that can pick up a pin dropping I'm not so sure some of the older style techniques are needed. If someone is out doors w/o a PA or in an older building that doesn't have amplification, however, I can see why some techniques could still be usefull (especially in my case, it seems as I age my hearing is not as sharp as it once was).

Barnpreacher · #20 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reformingstudent

What about preachers who take deep breaths before each sentence like they are hyperventilating or some thing. There's a few down here I know of that do that still. I guess it's for emphasis. Makes their message seem more important sounding.

Brother,

I would say a lot of preachers that do that have seen only that kind of preaching most of their lives. They were brought up on that style of preaching and it's all they're used too. So they take that style for themselves.

Leslie · #21 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 04:26 PM

This lay person as well as others that I know will get up, if necessary in the middle of the sermon, and head for the door when the preacher starts yelling. It's totally uncalled for. Passion is o.k., even with a somewhat raised voice. Yelling is not. It's rude. When a preacher yells, the content is lost.