Funniest Slip Up From Pulpit?

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thistle93

Puritan Board Freshman
Hi! Last Sunday as I was preaching, I said the Solomon's temple was built on Mt. Moroni instead of Mt. Moriah. Thankfully I caught myself after saying it. I think I have been watching too much news converge on Mitt Romany and Mormonism and had a Freudian slip. While I take preaching very serious, I do think at times we need to be able to laugh at ourselves on occasion.
What is your funniest slip up in the pulpit? Or one that you have heard? Thank you!



For His Glory-
Matthew
 
Chuck Colson (I know) once relayed a time when a seminarian was preaching at his church and said "diary farts of the devil" instead of "fiery darts of the devil."

I also heard from a Canadian URC pastor who told of a seminarian that dropped his notes from the pulpit and as he leaned over, watching them scatter all around beneath him, he "whispered" into the mic, "Oh! Expletive!" He reassured me that although it is not a good pulpit word, that the Canadian brethren do not think it so crass as their neighbors to the south.
 
I once heard a preacher (who shall remain nameless!) refer to "the suffering on the crotch" instead of "on the cross."

It was hard to pay attention to the rest of the sermon after that one!
 
In a recent sermon, I commented that Abraham was told to sacrifice Elijah. When I preached my senior sermon in seminary (on Luke 4), I said that the people in Nazareth were asking, "Is this not Jesus' son?" Yikes!
 
Mine is related to another language. Walk referencing the story of the Tower of Babel I confused the Russian word for tower, bashnya with the word for swimming pool, basain. I spent several minutes talking about the people who were trying to build a swimming pool to heaven before realizing my mistake.
 
As I child, I once heard a preacher say that "Samson was a fine Christian man who took his eyes off Jesus." Yep....

What's so wrong about that? ;-) Ok, it's a little different than the author of Hebrews saying that Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt (wish the author had taken the time to tell us more about Samson!) Or Peter saying that Christ preached through Noah. But, the preacher might have been saying it for effect- reminding us that our Old Covenant counterparts were not saved apart from us.
 
In a sermon on why the Lord's Day is a special day, my pastor was referencing the morning of Christ's resurrection. He said, "The women went to the tomb because someone special to them was buried there. And who was in the tomb?" A few people said Jesus. He paused, and then said, "No, He wasn't! No, He wasn't!!! No one was in the tomb!!!! You don't say that anyone else, do you? No one was there, because He's risen!!!" I have to admit, I nearly said Jesus too, and then I'm like, oh wait! No, you don't say that about anybody else!!!

One time, it was said that Judas was betrayed by Jesus. It took a few times before it was noticed. The next time it was said, it was said correctly, very slowly, and deliberately!

I also heard on an older audio sermon that "we believe in the immaculate conception." He meant the virgin birth. At least, I hope he did....
 
Our former pastor was trying to quote a passage from Daniel but started by partially saying the name of Jacob (the subject of the sermon.) It came out "Jac..Daniel"- so it ended up sounding like he was endorsing the Tennessee bourbon.
 
This isn't so much a slip up in the pulpit, but it is related. One pastor was talking about Him who has the mighty power to save. He asked, "Who has such power?!" And then, in reference to Jesus, he said, "THAT MAN!" Immediately, a boy yelled to his dad, "DAD HE SAID BATMAN!!!!" And the pastor said back, "No--no I didn't!" And then the pastor proceeded to explain how Jesus, rather than Batman, has the power to to save.
 
This isn't so much a slip up in the pulpit, but it is related. One pastor was talking about Him who has the mighty power to save. He asked, "Who has such power?!" And then, in reference to Jesus, he said, "THAT MAN!" Immediately, a boy yelled to his dad, "DAD HE SAID BATMAN!!!!" And the pastor said back, "No--no I didn't!" And then the pastor proceeded to explain how Jesus, rather than Batman, has the power to to save.

If it's the pastor of yours I'm thinking of, at least the boy didn't say, "Christman!"
 
Well it's good to know you can laugh at your blunders. I also admire that you take preaching seriously.
 
In my first sermon I preached on Exodus 3. I had built up, dramatically in my own mind, to the point where God declares Himself Holy. What should have been, Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." Came out of my mouth as, Do not come near, take off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground!!!!!" People reminded me of that for years :->

And yes, I lost the moment.
 
My pastor told of one time he was preaching in I Timothy when it came to the section about the role of women in the church. He was trying to emphasize that he did not hate women, and said something to the effect of, "Some people will say that I hate women for expositing what this text says, but really, I love women!"

Apparently that wasn't the wisest choice of words.
 
i had a youth pastor once mention in a sermon how aaron and miriam held up moses' arms during battle. i asked him later to tell me again who it was who did that. he still said aaron and miriam. i asked him to show me the text. he did and and he said, 'see. it says aaron and hur. who else would the 'her' be but miriam?'

and to tell one on myself, i once sang the doxology as 'praise God from whom all dressings flow'....

kelvin
wcf, pca
 
I know a dear pastor who always refers to Deuteronomy as Deuterominy (like hominy).....I couldn't help but snicker one time....
 
I know a dear pastor who always refers to Deuteronomy as Deuterominy (like hominy).....I couldn't help but snicker one time....

Man, you've got to share the one you said when you were teaching about loving one's wife. I still laugh about it somewhat regularly. :lol:
 
In my inaugural sermon a couple years ago here in Pompton Plains New Jersey (I'm Canadian), I inadvertently said in my introduction, "Your President, Osama bin Laden". I felt like crawling under the pulpit in the fetal position. I corrected it as soon as I said it, but the damage was done. The sound man told me after, "Don't worry pastor, I took care of the recording as soon as it happened. The Sermon Audio edition has you saying Barack Obama". Amazingly, this kind congregation let me keep on preaching!:p
 
I know a dear pastor who always refers to Deuteronomy as Deuterominy (like hominy).....I couldn't help but snicker one time....

There's a pastor who refers to Deuteronomy ;)

I wonder if he'll call it Deuteromney now...

A co-worker was leading a prayer meeting at his church, and he said, "Father, we pray for our President, Osama Bin Laden" Since they were about through, they ended the meeting there and then...
 
In my inaugural sermon a couple years ago here in Pompton Plains New Jersey (I'm Canadian), I inadvertently said in my introduction, "Your President, Osama bin Laden". I felt like crawling under the pulpit in the fetal position. I corrected it as soon as I said it, but the damage was done. The sound man told me after, "Don't worry pastor, I took care of the recording as soon as it happened. The Sermon Audio edition has you saying Barack Obama". Amazingly, this kind congregation let me keep on preaching!

I didn't read that before posting...at least you aren't alone!

This isn't from the pulpit, but the day they killed Osama, my dad announced, "hey, did you hear they got Obama?!" And then, "sorry to disappoint, but I meant Osama!"
 
I love listening to Joe Morecraft's history sermons, but he cracks me up when he mixes up names. I'll never forget learning that not only did Martin Luther post the 95 theses on the door at Wittenberg Chapel--so did Martin Bucer! And even John Knox!
 
Sorry I have to throw our pastor under the bus but several months ago he made an attempt at a sports analogy. For several minutes he was saying "Michael Jackson" when clearly from the context he should have been saying "Michael Jordan." He must have been corrected by a dozen people after the service. Poor guy.
 
I visited a church in which the pastor, a fiery Northern Irishman, had a knack for climactic moments. He was preaching in Romans and was talking about the necessity of faith. "Tryin' to get tuh heaven withoot fayeth in Jesus Christ is like tryin' to sail a ship with a hole in the bottom!" "And I want you all tuh know," he said, screwing himself up to the height of his dramatic capacity, "THAR'S NO HOLE IN MY BOTTOM!"

Pandemonium ensued.
 
A church I visited in 2007 just before the Superbowl where Da Bears met the Colts, the pastor intended to reference the professed faith of both Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith, but instead referred to Lovie and Smith: over and over again. It made this die-hard Bears fan cringe, but I didn't have the heart to say anything.
 
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