Sean Sarvis is a mutli-talented entertainer - writer, producer, director and professional stand up comedian - who gives all his glory to the Lord. He has appeared on BET's Comic View and at clubs, colleges, universities and military bases nationwide. He is the creator and founder of the "Gospel Comedy Praise" tour that performs at many churches in the Washington area. His newest project to be showcased shortly.

"My goal is to use this ministry to bring souls to Christ," he says. His mission is to entertain while leaving a message or ministering through the audience. He uses humorous life experiences to craft his jokes.

"The amazing thing about it is that when people come through the doors, their wife left them, the dog bit them, they lost their jobs. A comedian's purpose is to let them forget about it for an yhour and a half," he says. "My goal is to use this ministry to bring souls to Christ. It is a high that I could not imagine before I did Christian comedy."

Sarvis has been a comedian all of his life. At Crossland High School, when his art teacher told him that, if he was quiet all period, he could get five minutes at the end of class to do a routine, he often obliged. During his freshman year at Bowie State University, someone dared him to perform during a talent show. He was a big hit. "It started out as my hobby, not it's my career."

Sarvis got his professional start as a secular comedian in the early 1990s. He has appeared on BET's Comic View six times and has toured with Monique of the sitcom "The Parkers" and comedian Imes Jackson. He has opened for all of the comedians on the Kings of Comedy Tour.

In 1996, he was named Washington-area comedian of the year. But although he was gaining fame and notoriety, something was wrong. "I had been saved since I was 14, and that was kind of a conflict. It just kind of felt awkward with me being a born-again Christian."

In 2001, after a show at the Lincoln Theater, a six-year-old approached him and repeated his Comic View routine - curse words and all. "I knew when that happend I did not want to be an ambassador for Satan," he says. "If I want to be a great role model for my children, something had to give."

Never before had Sarvis seen a Christian comedian, but that year he put on a comedy show for Glendale Baptist Church. IT has a snowball effect. "I got inquiries to do four more shows." He also does weddings, family reunions and birthday parties.

Sarvis is a full-time comedian. He says that the purpose of his work is to add joy to the lives of others. "Sometimes as Christians we can be so spiritually arrogant because we think we're not supposed to laugh, we're not supposed to have fun... we can have fun as long as it's aligned with God."

Sarvis feels that laughter is healing. When he performs at a church, people often tell him "I read the word, got the sermon. I prayed and fasted, but what I really needed was a laugh." Indeed, he says, "That's like providing medicine to them."

As of January 2005, Sarvis has become a featured guest on the Washington DC Gospel Station Heaven 1580, Infinity Broadcasting. Sarvis displays his gift to gift every weekday morning at 7:05am.

To all of the above, what he is today and ever hopes to be - Sean Sarvis gives His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ all the Honor, the Glory and the PRAISE!

Adapted from the article by Angela Swinson Lee/Brian Haynes published in The Gazette on August 12, 2004.