What does your pastor do about people who sleep in church?

I stop in the middle of the sermon and call on them to pray!

 

Just kidding in previous post!

 

Our pastor is always slapping his hands together for one reason or another it makes it hard for those who do sleep to do so. He dosent use a pulpit.

 

I think they must be in every church. One lady here sleeps EVERY Sunday (and she is our 89 year old pianist). We have had to wake her up to go play the invitation hymn. And it really irks when she says, "PAstor, that was the best sermon you've preached in a while!"

 

My former pastor put it very nicely.

People go to sleep, or become tired, when they are comfortable and relaxed. It very well could be that you're preaching is soothing and relaxing to them, and they have difficulty fighting through that comfort to stay awake.

I know many times I have great difficulty staying awake in church, unless of course I'm the one in the pulpit.

I have found that taking a small notepad and pen, following the preacher and writing down what passages of scripture he's using and jotting a few notes about what he is saying, has really helped me to stay alert and also to follow along and "hear" a lot more of the message than I would normally follow.

There are also the people who may be working un-godly hours at work and it takes much of their strength just to come to the place where they feel they should be on Sunday mornings. I can hardly blame someone if such is the case. At least they have made the effort to be there, which is more than can be said for many people.

I would think it best to leave it alone, unless they are snoring or causing commotion in some other way.

We never know what someone's situation is at home or work, but the fact that they are at church, rather than at home sleeping, should show you that they do at least feel the need to be there.

If their sleeping becomes disruptive I would call them at home or visit with them at a more appropriate time and place, rather than make my own scene from the pulpit or in front of other congregants.

 

I let'em sleep.

 

how about tossing a hymnal at them?

 

One of our members, a retired former pastor and missionary himself, falls asleep every sunday. Its not that he wants to, but the man is close to 80 years old and a great Christian. I dont believe that he can help it. Our youth pastor will smack a kid or two a week if they happen to fall asleep!

 

I have fell asleep one Wednesday night and he left me alone. I was so embarrassed. I asked him why no one woke me and he said I looked so peaceful they didn't want to bother me.

 

Anyone who can sleep through one of my sermons----deserves to sleep!!!!! I would equate it to sleeping through a combat zone!!!!

Bro. David

 

I hope your sermons are better than your posts. I've slept through several of those.

 

My Dad used to go to sleep every time he sat for any length of time. He slept in church, watching tv, listening to a ballgame; wherever he got comfortable he was gone. He never sat in an easy chair at home. He sat in a straight back, cane bottom chair, crossed his legs, put his left elbow on his leg and his hand under his chin. He would be asleep in a few minutes. It seems some folks just can't stay awake when they sit down.
The preacher always let "Mr. Jim" sleep through the whole sermon. Thank God, he didn't snore. LOL

 

I watched a man sleep through my entire sermon. At the door he exclaimed, "Great sermon brother!"

Next to that is the man that got a cell phone call in the middle of the sermon and answered it

On the sleep, some older people that have heart problems are on meds that make them very sleepy so some may be doing it honestly.

 

This reminds me of a story that D. James Kennedy once told on his program.

He explained that he was preaching one Sunday morning and that he saw a man and a woman that he didn't recognize sitting up front, and that the man fell asleep while he was preaching.

The next week the same couple was there again and that the man again fell asleep. Dr. Kennedy admitted that he was a bit perturbed by this man, but his wife seemed to like the sermons.

The next week the same thing occured and this time Dr. Kennedy decided that after the service he would confront the rude man for an explanation.

So after the service he was surprised to see the wife approach him with a big smile on her face. Before He could say anything the lovely wife explaned that her husband just loved Dr. Kennedy's sermons, and that infact he was his favorite preacher! They lived in Georgia and came south to spend her husbands last days in Florida in order to hear him preach. Because, as she explained, her husband was dying of cancer and had only months to live. She also apologised for her husband falling asleep, but you see the pain medication that he was on often overpowered him.

At that point of course Dr. Kennedy was convicted by the Holy Spirit for being iritated without cause, and resolved to let God do the mind reading after that.

True story. Take it for what it's worth in all aspects of life.

 

Someone asked Charles Spurgeon this same question, What to do about those who sleep during the preaching and he said "Wake up the preacher".

 

I will admit it. Sometimes I am the sleeper. I don't intend to sleep I have never walked into the sanctuary and said "Man, I am going to saw some logs to day boys.". We have big screens in our sanctuary where they flash the words to the songs and then show the sermons so the lights are turned down low so people can better see the screens. The low lights, the soothing music, the calm of the service, and high blood sugar seem to work me over. If I sit in the balcony there is enough open space around me and natural light that it doesn't happen as often.

On behalf of the rest of us who are guilty of this, I can only ask your forgiveness. Usually it is a mitigating circumstance. I'm not excusing myself because I feel bad about every time. Yet there are reasons.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Oh Sorry.

 

I heard Brother Bailey Smith tell this one!!(and who can sleep with Brother Bailey preaching---"Barley Fields on Fire!" or "Wheat and Tares!"

The preacher went to the doctor

"Doctor! I have a problem!"

"Whats your problem, Preacher!"

"Doctor, I snore!"

"You snore??"

"That's right! I snore!"

"Well, tell me, Preacher! Does it bother your wife??"

"Doctor, it bothers the whole congregation!!!"

 

OK, but still, you shouldn't sit in the first row.

HankD