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September 29, 2006
Language is so Important
We must decide who our target audience is. It is a tragedy that most of what we communicate is targeted at us. And as a result of that we so often only speak in a language that is a part of our experience. This is especially true of those of us who work for the church. We speak in a language that the average person in the pew and even some in the pulpit don't understand or speak. And what does this say about our ability to communicate with the un-churched? If we are having difficulty being heard by a captive audience of those who show up on Sunday morning it is even more difficult to do so with people who have not committed their lives to Christ.
It is so important that we develop tools that help us to understand the language of the persons in the pew. We have moved away from what I call biblical language and most "pew persons" speak and understand this language. But, in many instances, we in the leadership at all levels are trying so hard to use the latest buzz words and images within our professional craft. This is great when speaking to ourselves but when we are seeking to communicate with "members" and the "un-churched" we need to communicate in their language. I believe some of this has led and is resulting in our numerical decline. I am not very committed to that which I do not understand.
Think about it.
Posted by Bishop at September 29, 2006 09:57 AM
Comments
This subject has been a on my mind for a couple of weeks. You are very correct in your title: Language is so Important. We need to form our presentations, mold our images, and select our every word mindful of who we want to reach. We need to always speak to the people who have never heard His word. How else will they ever know Him?
If Jesus was here with us today, walking and talking like He did 2000 years ago, - How would he talk to us?
Let us do like wise.
Posted by: GaryT at January 23, 2007 11:13 PM
Dear Bishop,
I have just finished reading you comments on our membership decline. I ask a question. Does this membersip decline mean that we, the church, are not meeting the need of our members? I have recently become acutely aware of how impossible is the tast the church has. Our society has become so diverse that the languages we use varies so widely and the church needs to talk in all languages. Ministers have the task of speaking in many different languages. This is clearly impossible and unreasonable. Some people need services of worship of all styles and clearly one or a few minister leading a church can not know and use all styles.
Recently, I have read a book by a good Christian who is a scientists. It demands that the church speak his language. I know that is not the language of most of the members of our church. Some are quite conservative and desires appropriate language. Some desire language more understood by "the man on the street."
Only a tolerance to the church sometimes speaking a language that I may not understand will allow the church to grow.
Bennett Horton
Posted by: Bennett Horton at October 24, 2006 09:43 AM