Profile: Kelly Sisney
Kelly Sisney says laughter is a gift from God, and He expects us to use it.
"I always say anyone who could stick Mary on a donkey when she’s in full labor, He’s got to be funny."
Kelly Sisney is a Christian comedienne, and she's a committed and involved member of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, in Leawood, Kansas. That happens to be one of the largest churches in the denomination, but Kelly grew up in a small church in Kansas. In a performance, she talks about the experience.
 "I'm in kindergarten, alright? And we go to the First Christian Church. I thought it was the First Christian church… ever! Okay?"
Kelly is married, and she and her husband are raising two children. Her life - including her faith life - is the subject of her humor.
"Just life itself gives me material. Just waking up in the morning, there's material everywhere. And so probably when people are looking at things one way, I'm the one looking at them another way. And so between that and Bible study classes and all that, I just kept slowly developing these stories I would share."
She often speaks at retreats, youth events, church services, bible studies, and church celebrations. Her schedule has her booked in the next few months in Kansas, Missouri, Georgia, Florida, Colorado, and California. Her popularity at church functions has a lot to do with her positive attitude, and the focus of her observations.
“I feel like God has called me to very simply make people laugh.”
"I just talk about the crazy things we do not only in life but how we are trying to be Christians, and how we think of all the wrong things during communion, or that I'm attention deficit in prayer, or just trying to get your kids to church on a Sunday morning. And the way we look at the Bible, and the way the stories sound to us and I always wondered, 'Does anybody else think this is weird?' So all these things I talk about, but then I tie the message in with the fact that I'm never going to get communion right enough, I'm never going to get prayer right enough, but thank God for grace."
 Commitments to church activities and to children have also kept Kelly very busy. Every Tuesday night she can be found teaching a Bible Study to inner-city kids. She has taught Sunday School for years, and even wrote the curriculum for many of those years. Nowadays, her church often takes advantage of her great storytelling skills.
"I'll say yes to nearly anything the church asks me to do, because this church has been so supportive of me … so I spend a lot of time here, and doing special projects where I'm not locked in forever on it but I can be kind of flexible in what I'm doing with that. I'm always way over committed, but everybody is. But that's ok. It keeps me out of trouble."
Kelly's favorite Bible verse is one that ties together some of the things she finds most important in life … 1 Thessalonians 5:15-17.
 "'Try to be kind to each another and to everyone else. Be joyful always and pray constantly.' And those are three such important things. And there they are right nice and tidy in that verse. Because any one of them alone, to me, don't work. You've got to have them all. It's ok to be joyful, but what use is it if you don't show the kindness to anybody else. And you don't get through any of it without praying. So that's my favorite one I guess; it kind of ties it all together."
Kelly sees her humorous reflections on life as a talent God has given her. She's glad to use it in ways that help other Christians to appreciate their lives, and to be comfortable in their faith. And she's convinced all of our talents can be used in ways that glorify God and brighten lives.
"Some people may do it through singing, and some people may do it through magic or through whatever … but if nothing else, it shows people that there are all kinds of ways to worship the Lord, and that though mine might be this, their's might be something totally different, but to go ahead and pursue that and to know that whatever gifts you have, they can always tie into the Lord."
Kelly Sisney may soon come to a church near you. In the meantime, you can always find her at KellySisneyComedy.com.
The following people contributed to this Profile:
Audio story by Mike Hickcox; print story by Kathy Gilbert; videography by Craig Campbell, Video Soup. Special thanks to the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.
UMC.org Profiles are produced by Pam Price, 615-742-5405.
Kelly's Spiritual Gifts
- Healing
- Compassion
- Servanthood
- Exhortation
- Miracles
- Shepherding
Learn more about your spiritual gifts
Kelly's Recommended Resources
Disciple Bible Study
Adventures in Missing the Point by Brian D. Mclaren & Tony Campolo
Jesus CEO by Laurie Beth Jones
What's So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey
Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver
High Resolution Video for use in worship services
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