Use Plain Language

We simply cannot communicate with others unless we learn how to use plain language. Something definitely lacking in our ability to communicate if what we says cannot be understood by a child (I still have this difficulty though). Now this may sound ridiculous, but is it true. In my early years as a Christian staff worker, I discovered that the effectiveness of my Bible Study with students was directly related to how simple I could make complicated, hard teachings easy to understand (or at least help them to think systematically about it).

The burden of holding someone’s attention, whether it be an audience or individual, falls on us. And no one will pay attention to what they don’t understand. I observe that many passionate first-time urban Christians when they go to rural area for mission trip cannot communicate with those on a lower knowledge level because they have never learned or been taught how to make Bible teachings simple enough. If someone fails to understand us, it does not necessarily mean that they are stupid or rebellious. More than likely, we have not explained our point clearly or simply enough. Not being simplistic but plain and simple.

Read the Gospel’s stories and you’ll noticed that Jesus doesn’t communicate the truths in a King James’s language, He talked in plain language – the contemporary language of the people. He speaks great truths in everyday language and parables. Let’s learn lesson from Jesus and use simple stories, demonstrations, parables and examples to convey what we mean, what God mean. In communicating Biblical truths we must rely on the Holy Sprit to open people’s hearts and their mind’s eyes to accept and understand the truth. But it doesn’t mean that we’re not responsible on how they received it. We must, by all cost, learn to use plain language so that people can genuinely respond to Jesus’ work on the Cross and says, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.