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Don’t Distract the Preacher! 8 Common Culprits

4. People yawning.

“So I worked on this sermon 15 hours and this guy can’t stop yawning. Maybe he was up all night, but I would rather him stay home and sleep.”

5. People frowning.

“I always wonder if they are ticked off at me or my sermon. Maybe they had a bad day with their spouse. Maybe their team lost last night, but I can’t help but take it personally.”

6. People sleeping.

“There is a deacon in my church whose favorite nap time is while I’m preaching. It doesn’t help that his wife gives him the elbow about 10 times each sermon.”

7. People texting.

“You might be able to argue that they are taking electronic notes, but I know better. Some of the young people in our church can’t go 10 minutes without texting someone.”

8. Cell phones ringing.

“We ask for all phones to be silenced before the service begins, so it’s not as bad as it used to be. But I did a funeral one time and the deceased’s son’s phone rang. He actually started talking to his hunting buddy while I continued my message.”

Dishonorable mention (others noted by preachers): sneezing; coughing; clearing the throat; picking the nose; flatulence.

What other distractions would you add? What do you think about this list?