What Is The Right Way To Handle...

[SavedByGrace31]

Sleeping in church?

The church I attend, there is a gentleman who sits close by me and every week he falls asleep and snores. Sometimes very loud that most of my attention is focused on him and not the preaching.
His wife just sits there next to him and does nothing.
The Pastor sees him asleep but doesn't hear the snoring where he is.

Should I approach this gentleman? Should I tell the pastor? It is very bothersome and in my opinion extremely rude and disrespectful.

What would you do?

 

[Gunther]

Bring smelling salts and let him have it.

 

[Scott J]

Approach him with gentleness. If you are a woman, it may be better to let your husband handle it.

His problem might be medical rather than ill manners. Maybe some accommodation could be made for him.

 

[USN2Pulpit]

When I've seen people dozing off, I find some way to include the passage from Ephesians 5, which in part says "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light" at a higher-than-normal volume than my regular preaching voice, combined with a "pay attention...to what God's telling you" or something to that effect! That way, I'm not calling someone down from the pulpit - it's just part of the sermon!

If it doesn't wake the offender up, it normally brings a swift elbow to the ribs from the offender's wife!

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

My pastor just says loudly, "Everyone who is still awake, say AMEN!".

We do have one gentleman who sits on the front row and sometimes nods off. It doesn't bother anyone because we know he works 10 hours Saturday night and comes to church without any sleep.

 

[Jim1999]

We had the story told to us in seminary about the student minister who found a parishioner sleeping on him. He asked the professor what he should do.

The professor said, "You put him to sleep. You wake him up. Shout! Pound the pulpit. Perhaps your argument is weak."

Cheers,

Jim

 

[LadyEagle]

sit somewhere else.

Some women would give anything to have their husbands go to church with them even if they did fall asleep.

 

[gb93433]

In one of the churches I pastored a man warned me that he may tend to nod off. He told me that often he had just gotten off work a few hours earlier and not to take it personal. I did see a few times where he looked very tired. But I did not ever see him sleep.

What is the ventilation like in the building?

 

[dianetavegia]

Is this an elderly man? Could he be hard of hearing and dozes off since he cannot hear the preacher?

We have an older fella who is so devout, never misses and is just a joy to know but he tends to doze off during service. I'm so thankful each week that the Lord shared him with us for another Sunday! What a sweet spirit!

I agree... sit someplace else if it bothers you.

We have two retarded middle aged brothers who many times sit right in front of us. One always passes gas and if it's loud enough his brother will slap at his arm and very loudly say 'Billy! Don't f@rt in church!'

Diane

 

[JonathanDT]

When I was on a missions trip to the Dominican Republic we went to the Sunday morning service at a local Spanish church. Very lively! Anyway, during the sermon an older man that was sitting in the back on a chair fell asleep. Near the end of the service he actually fell out of his chair and hit the floor with a big thud. I guess the moral is if you're gonna fall asleep, make sure you're in a pew so you have something soft to land on if you fall over!

 

[Gunther]

It happened to Paul.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Right on, Gunther!

I pastored a small town church filled with dairy farmers. We had many men (and women) who got up early, did chores and all milking in the bitter cold of Wisconsin winter, then cleaned up and rushed into town to church.

Sat down. Warm. Relaxing. And the early morning hours got to them quickly. With 30 farmers there, we would often have 4-5 snoring softly.

I was glad they came. And tithed!

 

[TomVols]

Good reason why temp in the building should be cooler than comfortable. That's why it's so cool in the places where they tape Leno, Letterman, etc.

Also, don't forget the medical issues that can cause this to happen. Apnea can be a dangerous thing.

If it's a distraction, it must be dealt with someway with gentleness and love. Worst thing you can do is let it go and let people snicker and giggle about it.

If it's not a distraction, let it be.

 

[Dan Todd]

I like what the Puritans did in early America!!

The ushers had a long stick with a feather on the end. They tickled the women sleepers - and hit the men sleepers on the head.

Keep in mind that the sermons were probably over two hours long.

Dan - the hit em on the head - preacher!!

 

[SavedByGrace31]

I know for a fact that he does not have a medical condition.

He is not an old man. He is middle aged.

I cannot move my seat. It's a small church and people generally have "their Seats". So the seats that are open would leave me where I am, right in front or right behind this guy.

He does work but gets off at a normal time. IE.5-6:00. He is a nap taker in church and out of church.

Maybe I can sit behind him with a long pin and everytime he snores I can jabb him in the buttocks!

 

[USN2Pulpit]

Originally posted by SavedByGrace31:
Maybe I can sit behind him with a long pin and everytime he snores I can jabb him in the buttocks!

You should get in the habit of being the church's "Amen" guy. Every church has at least one! When you heartily agree with God's Word being spoken, say "Amen" really loud!

 

[Ulsterman]

The story is told of a man who would always fall asleep in church much to the annoyance of his wife. One day the wife enquired of the pastor as to what she should do. "Bring a piece of mouldy cheese," suggested the preacher, " and when he dozes off hold it under his nose."

So the next Sunday the man fell asleep as usual, and his wife reached for the cheese. After a few twitches he awoke and exclaimed "For heaven's sake Martha, get your feet out of my face!"

Sorry - it's probably not a laughing matter, but I couldn't resist it!

 

[TheOliveBranch]

Does he sit in the front? If not, I'm sure, like many churches, the front seats are usually somewhat vacant. Why allow yourself to be distracted by such little things? I've known alot of people who would get whiplash every time the doors in the back would open. Seemed they would be distracted by any noise, something that small churches just have to get used to.

 

[Justified]

Originally posted by SavedByGrace31:
Sleeping in church?
The church I attend, there is a gentleman who sits close by me and every week he falls asleep and snores. Sometimes very loud that most of my attention is focused on him and not the preaching.
His wife just sits there next to him and does nothing.
The Pastor sees him asleep but doesn't hear the snoring where he is.
Should I approach this gentleman? Should I tell the pastor? It is very bothersome and in my opinion extremely rude and disrespectful.
What would you do?
-------------------------------------------------
I know for a fact that he does not have a medical condition.
He is not an old man. He is middle aged.
I cannot move my seat. It's a small church and people generally have "their Seats". So the seats that are open would leave me where I am, right in front or right behind this guy.
He does work but gets off at a normal time. IE.5-6:00. He is a nap taker in church and out of church.
Maybe I can sit behind him with a long pin and everytime he snores I can jabb him in the buttocks!

A couple of things:

It sounds like you are sitting next to me, for unfortunately, I do doze off in church, or anytime I sit still, for that matter. I did ask Olive if I have ever snored, and she replied no, or she would have given me her elbow! I need not say more, about that.

As Dr. Bob mentioed, there are those of us, who work outrageous hours. I personally work on the average of 84 hours a week and I am off on Sunday. So, when this puppy stops and sits still, I can't help but close my eyes. Fortunately, a lot of times, that is all I do, and am able to listen to the preaching or depending on where I am, to other conversations. When I get home from church on Sunday morning, I will usually sleep until evening service.

I also have a problem driving for over 30 minutes, because of dozing off. That is why Olive drives me most everywhere I go.

I will also admit, that it has been tempting at times, just to stay home on Sunday morning, and SLEEP! I'm thankful the the Lord has given me enough energy and strength and desire hear His Word preached and to be with brothers and sisters and my family in church.

As for the distraction that you mentioned, maybe your attention is more toward others and things happening in the church, then to the preaching of God's Word.

As Olive has mentioned, it is simply amazing, how many people in church give themselves a chiropratic adjustment, when they turn their heads around, just to see who walked into church late! As for me and my family, we have made it a practice to pay attention to what is going on in front of the church, not to the back, or to the side of us.

And as for the seating situation, just get there earlier and sit more to the front of the church or as far as you can from this person. But most of all, pray about this, and ask the Lord to give you Wisdom about this situation.

 

[LadyEagle]

Ya'll are making me sleepy. Yawn.