Undercover Prophets
Pursuing Stand-Up Comedy to Talk about What Matters Most
Imprint: Cascade Books
152 Pages, 6.00 x 9.00 x 0.30 in
- Paperback
- 9781666734980
- Published: November 2023
$22.00 / £18.00 / AU$35.00
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Are you looking for a way to overhaul your communication style? Do you struggle to connect with people outside of church? Do you need more practice delivering hard truths? Or do you need more joy in your life? If you're answered yes to any of these questions, you might be a candidate to join the ranks of the Undercover Prophets. Go on a journey of self-discovery and comedic innovation as you learn to grab ahold of your story and transform it into a tool you can use to connect with people, both onstage and off. This book is one part cultural diagnostic, one part memoir, and one part instructional manual. With accessible, funny prose, Jelani Greenidge does a deep dive into an obvious truth hidden in plain sight--that pastors and other Christian leaders need help in connecting with unchurched audiences, and that stand-up comedy can be a great way to do just that.
Jelani Greenidge is a versatile communicator with a passion to inform, inflame, and inspire. In his decades of experience connecting with audiences, congregants, and readers in the Pacific Northwest and around the nation, he’s spent time as a pastor, worship leader, gospel vocalist, hip-hop emcee/producer, DJ, and stand-up comic. He and his wife Holly live in leafy Portland, Oregon, with an Xbox, no pets, a dead plant or two, and too many throw pillows.
“What a wonderful and refreshing read. Jelani Greenidge presents the role of a Christian comic as both a calling and an opportunity to engage culture as a new kind of evangelist and prophet. Pastors should read this book not simply for its invitation into comedy, but also to gain insights that will take their preaching from the sanctuary to the streets.”
—Efrem Smith, co-lead pastor, Midtown Church
“With a direct, and obviously humorous style, Jelani Greenidge’s writing captures the mystery of comedy as it connects us to the divine, one another, and our own stories. Greenidge claims that the world needs more laughter and random silliness. If you agree, this book should be at the top of your reading list! It is truly an excellent read.”
—Michelle A. Clifton, director of prison education, Lewis University