Who says Christians aren't funny?

The inspiration for the show came after she saw a performance by Atlanta-based Christian comedian Vyck Cooley. She thought to herself, "Man, this guy is not only funny, but he really loves God ... there's got to be more people out there like him," she says.

Christian comedians have been around at least since the 1970s, but their material and where they perform varies greatly. Some are regulars at churches or at church-related events, and may work only part time. They might be humorists, ventriloquists, or members of comedy groups. Others make a living doing stand-up gigs for higher-paying groups such as the Promise Keepers, a men's ministry, or for corporate clients.

"I'm not a preacher, I'm not an evangelist, I'm not a prophet or anything. I'm just a comic," says Brad Stine, a stand-up comedian recently profiled in The New Yorker magazine. His frenetic routine, he explains, is more along the lines of social commentary. "It's more of a philosophical exploration than it is a dogmatic sort of trying-to-convert-people thing."

Stine doesn't repeatedly invoke Jesus' name or repeat Bible verses. He has his own approach. In his 2004 DVD, "A Conservative Unleashed," he announces to the audience that he lives by a motto: "Nothing matters but God."

Amid discussions about airport security and American pride, he does a bit about how the job of naming all the animals got to be too much for Adam: He started with "hippopotamus" and eventually could only come up with "fly." Stine teases people who have "God is my co-pilot" bumper stickers, suggesting that if God is in the car, you should probably let him drive.

Stine - who prefers to be called a comedian who is Christian, not a Christian comedian - is conscious of his presentation. He makes it clear in his routine that he disagrees with gay marriage, for example, but he spends more time ribbing heterosexuals about divorce rates. "I've always tried to put more emphasis on my own people ... and where we have fallen short," he explains.

One advantage of spotlighting Christian comedy, says Anderson, the theater owner, is that it provides an opportunity for people to see Christians' joyful side. The comedians in his shows often make fun of how they don't live up to all their Christian goals, which he says also makes Christians look less hypocritical.

He hopes that the audience leaves with something else, too: "I would love it if [people's] faith was strengthened by the shows."

Houston comic Joe Gautier, who performs at Skyline but whose background is in secular comedy, says Christian comedy still has a way to go before it's consistently funny. But he sees a need for making people laugh in a time of terror alerts. His song, "God Makes Even the Bad Things Good," is one of the only times he refers to the Bible; he prefers to let his comedy reach people wherever they are in terms of faith.

Anderson agrees with that approach. "That [song is] an example of a performer using humor and using his own experience to present gospel without ... proselytizing really, or trying to actively convert anyone," he says. "We don't want to attract only a Christian audience."

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