This is a continuation of my Reworking Church Communications series. Check out Part 1: Constraints are a Blessing.
–
You’re talking, people are listening, but do they understand what you are saying?
Example: the teacher [or any adult figure] in the Peanuts cartoons:
The teacher is saying something. Linus, Lucy and others can understand her and are able to communicate with her, but to the average person [you and me] watching it all sounds like nonsense.
When people come to our churches and hear what we’re saying, or if they are reading something on our website or in print, do they have the same experience?
I don’t know how or when it happened but we developed our own inside language. Our own secret code. Some people call it Christianese, but I like to think it’s just like speaking in tongues.
We are saying some really important stuff, but all too often the message is lost in translation. We’re saying things in a language people don’t understand.
Intellectual vs Intelligible
For some reason we’ve taken something very simple and made it incredibly complicated and hard to understand. In our quest to be intellectual we’ve really turned out to become exclusive, hindering people from hearing the message of the Gospel in way that’s easily understood.
I’m not bashing theology or saying we need to dumb-down what we are trying to say, but at the same time I want to point out the fact that Jesus didn’t use words or phrases justification by faith alone, double imputation, Ebenezer, transubstantiation, limited atonement, eschatology, or predestination. He used everyday objects and experiences to communicate some of the most profound spiritual truths to His audience.
In our quest to study, understand, and explain what it all means, we’ve complicated the message. And while it’s great to sound smart and use big words, we’re oftentimes leaving people in the dark.
Use words people understand. Use experiences and circumstances people relate to. Tell stories… Jesus was a master storyteller.
Words Matter.
Language is oftentimes our first impression.
What do people really hear when they hear you speaking? What impression do they get when they read your publications, website content, or other printed communications? Are you building bridges or creating barriers with your words?
There can be a difference between life and death in the words we use. We have an immense responsibility to communicate the Gospel with reverence for the message and respect for the audience that will be hearing it.
Choose your words carefully. Craft your messages with conviction. Are you bringing people closer to Christ or pushing them further away with the messages you convey?
Give People the Basics, Not a Dictionary.
People have limited time and a short attention span. Remember to embrace brevity. Give people what they need to know in an uncomplicated, easy-to-understand way.
Acronyms, individual ministry identities/brands, and insider lingo can create tremendous hindrances for people trying to get connected. When I started at Park I felt like we needed to give people a dictionary to understand some of the names and phrases we used in everyday publications. If something has to be explained or defined it needs to be renamed. Create easy on-ramps for people by clearly defining the path they need to take. Don’t litter the pathway there with words and terminology that need to be defined.
Be an Interpreter
In Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost people started speaking in tongues. To the passersby, it sounded like a bunch of nonsense and people even thought they were drunk. Finally, Peter stood up and made sense out of the chaos and interpreted what was being said. In the end, thousands were added to the church.
As communications directors, we’re not the people preaching but we play a vital role in ensuring the messages our churches communicate are effectively and clearly communicating the message of the Gospel in way people understand.
The throngs of people around the upper room in Acts 2 heard nonsense, but when Peter stood and communicated what was really being said, they came to faith in Christ.
We are interpreters. We’re standing in the gap between what is being communicated and the audience that is going to hear what is said. We have an opportunity to help form and shape the message so people can really hear it.
Here’s a few things to keep in mind as you interpret your church’s messages:
- Where are you? Context matters. What does the community around you look like? What’s happening in your city? What do people in your community care about? What are they worried about? What are challenges people are facing? Are you focusing inward so much that you are neglecting to see what’s happening in the community around you?
- Who are you talking to? Knowing your audience is key. Who are you talking to? A middle-aged crowd? Young adults? Families? Singles? How do they communicate? Are you talking in a language or style that they understand?
- What language do they speak? What words and phrases are used in everyday conversations in your community? Do the conversations you create sound like your community?
- What are you really trying to say? Be clear. Don’t complicate your message with excess “fluff” or Christianese. Just say what needs to be said. Pare down what you are trying to really say to a single sound-byte. Think 140 characters, not 140 words. Focus clearly on the main message and only tack on what’s essential for people to know immediately.
- Why does it matter? People are motivated by their own needs. Focus on how what you are saying can connect with their need. Lead with their need and your solution.
- How are you coming across? Tone is everything. Do you sound needy? Too excited? Listen to what you are saying and the tone in which you communicate. Find balance. Don’t be too serious. Don’t be bubblegum happy either. Find balance.
- When they hear it, what do you want them to do? Make the next step clear. Everything you communicate should motivate people to do something… sign up, respond, repent, give, etc. Have you clearly told them what to do next?
- Get an outside perspective. One of the most valuable exercises you can do is get an outside perspective. As much as possible look at yourself as an outsider as you develop the messages you communicate. Listen with outside ears and read with outside eyes. And, when you need to, have someone who is a real outsider give their perspective and feedback. I had a self-professed pagan proofreader for about a year once. She was great at grammar and editing and I had her help me edit church publications. She quickly helped me identify things that didn’t make sense and in the process I had a significant opportunity to share my faith with her.
It’s been said that Christianity is fundamentally a communication event. Throughout time and history God has wanted to communicate and have relationship with mankind. We have a tremendous opportunity to ensure that message doesn’t get lost in translation. Be an interpreter. Communicate with clarity and conviction. Do all you can to make sure your church isn’t speaking in tongues so that people can hear the message of the Gospel clearly and ultimately connect with Christ.
–
For the record, I grew up in an Assemblies of God church and this post was not all intended to bash speaking in tongues or to suggest I’m a cessationist. Just putting a new spin on the whole Christianese discussion, that’s all. 
