“So how should a Christian respond to these ‘imaginings?’ What would you say if someone played that at a funeral, right before you were supposed to speak?” - P&D
The Missing Gospel at Funeral Services
“He briefly mentioned Jesus, faith, and baptism but never explained why Jesus was so important. He missed a tremendous opportunity to give the gospel to over 400 people.” - P&D
More Cremations Mean Fewer Chances to Grieve Together
“With church funerals and burials no longer the norm, pastors hope to restore occasions to gather and remember.” - C.Today
Do’s and Don’ts When You Preach a Funeral
“I went to social media to listen to pastors….My question was simple: What are some do’s and don’ts for preaching funerals? Several hundred pastors responded.” - Rainer
These 3 Elements Should Be in Every Funeral Sermon
“A funeral sermon should not exceed 20 minutes and should highlight these three categories, preferably expounded from a text(s) of Scripture” - C.Leaders
4 Tips for Livestreaming a Funeral Service
“Funeral homes have experience livestreaming funeral services and will have great advice to share during a crisis like this. However if you yourself are hosting a livestream of a funeral there are several things you should know. 1. Understand Copyright Regulations and Licensing.” - F&T
Grief in a Pandemic: How Do We Do Funerals During the Coronavirus?
“With all these limitations we still have options to honor the lives of those who have passed and to minister to their family and friends.” - F&T
Should We Trade in Funerals for “Celebrations of Life”?
“I’ve nothing against celebrating the life of a servant of the Lord Jesus. We ought to honor faithful followers of Jesus for finishing their race. We ought to challenge those in attendance to “let [their] manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” And yet I wonder: does this desire to celebrate life grow out of a stronger desire to avoid death?” - Jason Allen
In Defense of the Funeral Over the Celebration of Life … Why It Matters
“Scripture doesn’t prescribe whether we should call a service a funeral or a celebration of life or anything else, nor does it prescribe exactly what we should do during the service….But I believe we’ve lost something, and that we would serve ourselves and others well if we recover the time-honored practice of holding funeral services.” - Christian Leaders
All Fun and No Funerals Makes Jack a Dumb Boy
Death is an occasion and funeral homes are a place marked by much sadness and grief. And yet, according to Holy Scripture, there is something potentially beneficial about such an occasion and such a place. As the writer of Ecclesiastes puts it, “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting” (7:2 NIV). To paraphrase, “Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties” (NLT). Why would the Bible make such an assertion? What is this passage teaching us?
What the Text Isn’t Saying
To begin with, let’s consider what this passage is not teaching: