One Thing You Might Not Know about Charles Spurgeon

Careful, Pointed Humor

What most people didn’t seem to know about Spurgeon in his own life—and probably today still don’t know—is how funny the guy was. Many people meeting the great, zealous pastor would be surprised to find that we would just throw humor out at them. Friends said, “I’ve never laughed so much as when I was with Spurgeon.”

Therefore, we fight not just against the acts of sin, but against the disposition of sin to be melancholy, morose, gloomy, complaining, grumbling, and despairing.

Often, people meeting him for the first time would be a little bit wary of being in his presence and he would make a joke just to break the ice. He used humor quite carefully. He knew there was a danger that he could be too much of a joker.

One time he was in the pulpit, told a joke, and he ticked someone off telling that joke. He said, “If you knew how many I’d held back, you would have commended me, for were I not watchful, I should become too hilarious.”

Humor as a Weapon

He saw humor as a potential weapon of righteousness. Humor can lance pride, gloom, religiosity. He loved to mock our religious silliness. He loved to mock our pride. More than that, he saw that humor was a manifestation of the happiness we’re supposed to have in Christ. God is a happy God and would have his people be happy, he said.

Spurgeon on the Christian Life

Michael Reeves

This introduction to Spurgeon’s life and ministry—organized around themes such as the centrality of Christ and the empowerment of the Spirit—will encourage readers to live for God's glory.

Therefore, we fight not just against the acts of sin, but against the disposition of sin to be melancholy, morose, gloomy, complaining, grumbling, and despairing. Humor is part of his happiness. He’s fighting against that gloomy tendency of sin. He’s fighting to enjoy the happiness that knowing God brings.

Michael Reeves (PhD, King’s College, London) is president and professor of theology at Union School of Theology in Bridgend and Oxford, United Kingdom. He is the author of several books, including Delighting in the Trinity; Rejoice and Tremble; and Gospel People.