About two weeks before the solar eclipse this spring, I discovered that Chicago would experience 94 percent totality. My interest level kicked into high gear, and I started posting all kinds of eclipse-related information on Facebook. A few days before the eclipse, my inner comedian proudly posted this joke: “They say if you listen closely, you’ll be able to hear a faint ‘Ope! Just gonna squeeze by you!’ as the moon moves through the eclipse path.”
While I’m proud of my corny joke, my inner comedian isn’t quitting her day job any time soon. Even though my career as a stand-up comic never had a chance, I found Undercover Prophets to be an enjoyable and insightful read that will be a helpful asset to my ministry communicator toolbox. The book’s intriguing title and cover design piqued my curiosity, but the subtitle almost made me run for the hills. The mere thought of actively pursuing stand-up comedy almost literally makes me lightheaded and queasy. If you can relate to this feeling, this book is still worth your time and energy. Especially if you’re a pastor, preacher, or someone in a position of influence. (Spoiler alert: We all have a sphere of influence.)
Jelani Greenidge closes the first chapter with a list of things we can expect from this book. In addition to the obvious (“tips and tricks for how to build a stand-up act”), he promises to include random silliness, bits of his life story, and insight on why we should incorporate stand-up comedy into our public life. He delivers on all these promises, weaving them together through two primary themes: 1) your story is worth telling, and 2) the world needs laughter. The book reinforces these themes with the goal of equipping you to talk about the hard things in life, the “what matters most” in the subtitle.
In a move you probably don’t expect in a book about stand-up comedy,
Greenidge pulls examples from Old Testament prophets, who demonstrate how to communicate hard truths in a way that grabs the attention of the hearer, is memorable, and often brings about changed behavior. This isn’t a book that directly teaches you how to write better sermons or be a better preacher. But it can help you develop a greater sense of self-awareness as an individual and a communicator. This insight can lead to affirmation and liberation that frees you to be more confident about tapping into the prophetic.
You can purchase Undercover Prophets at covbooks.com.
