Secrets of Spiritual Communication
by Joe
The first rule of communication I learned in the military was “Message sent is not message received”. That’s why communication is an important area to understand. I know I’m not the only one who’s tried to swallow words after they were let loose in a conversation about God. Unbridling your toungue and bringing up Jesus in a conversation can be the most challenging thing you do. On the other hand, you may talk more than you listen! Regardless, you might not realize how much people are really absorbing the words you say and walking them out in their lives.
Speaking with someone is the first tool we can become comfortable with in sharing Christ. We’re all well equipped to spread the gospel because we have a voice. Even you! There are many different ways of sharing the Gospel from a friendly smile to a simple “God bless you”. We’re going to focus on the styles of verbal communication and break them down into 4 areas: Direct, Indirect and intellectual. We’ll also talk a bit about emotions. Let’s look at some examples of these from Scripture.
Direct
Read the book of Acts, chapter 2 verses 14-47.
Peter had a strong, direct and assertive method of communicating. In this sermon on the day of Pentecost, Peter didn’t hold back; he delivered a cutting message of God. And 3,000 people responded. He told the Jews who gathered they had murdered the true Messiah, and if they wanted to avoid the wrath of God they must repent.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
- Are you a direct communicator in your life?
- Do you find this invigorating/intimidating?
- In what situations do you feel this method is useful today?
- Do you know anyone who’s really direct about God?
Indirect
When Jesus walked the earth, he veiled certain truths in parable form.
Here’s an example from scripture: Luke 15:3-7
“Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.”
Jesus understood that explicit truth isn’t sweet music to all ears. Simply put, there were those who didn’t have interest in God. But He was able to get His message in anyways.
Let’s break down this parable and see what his real meaning was:
“Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it?”
- Jesus speaks twice to the hearts of men here. First he says, “Do you care enough about your fellow man to go against the norms?”. Secondly, He says, “God cares about each single person enough to seek them out until they are His.”
“When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!”
- Next, Jesus says,”I am so excited when even one of my children comes back!”
“I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.”
- Finally, Jesus explains the parable in direct language, going against the grain of religion and the culture of the times.
The parables contain volumes of truth in very few words. They’re rich in imagery, can’t be forgotten and they speak on multiple levels. So two ways they communicate, the parable is translated and absorbed by those willing to hear it. But to people who weren’t, the parable is also an instrument to insert wisdom.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
- Do you consider yourself a storyteller?
- How can one paint pictures with words?
- What is the purpose of speaking like this?
- Who is the best storyteller you know?
Intellectual
In Acts 17:18, Paul is speaking to a group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in Athens. The Epicureans were disciples of Epicurus who before he died abandoned the idea that one can come to an understanding of pure truth by reason alone. Instead Epicureus lived a life seeking pure happiness. Interestingly, we have people living their lives this way today.
The Stoics thought they needed to “shut off” their emotions in order to fully understand the natural law. Although the term “Stoic” and their schools of teaching were closed with Justinian I, there are plenty of men who hide their emotions from God today also.
With this in mind, we can understand the logical communication approach and our limitations. A key reason why men to this day reject Jesus Christ is because they don’t open their hearts. We need to be able to appeal to what they do have open to Christ in order to love them and draw them closer to Him.
Now Read Acts 17:22-34
You can see here that when only reason is used, the Bible doesn’t call it intelligence, it calls it ignorance. There are plenty of reasonable Christians but they are followers with open minds and hearts. But logic is a starting point for a renewed understanding with the Greeks in Acts 17. Paul spoke to their ignorance and we can see the few that responded. Reasoning will bring the mind to Christ but full understanding comes from belief and you cannot reason belief otherwise you will be caught in a trap of being reasoned out of it. But Jesus is reasonable and he does make logical sense.
Fist Person, Second Person
Let’s look to the story of the Blind man in John chapter 9.
When someone really changes your life, it’s impossible to hold it in or deny it, even underthe most excruciating circumstances. You can’t downplay the changes that occur today, you can’t not challenge those who don’t believe because of the changes that have occurred in your life.
Additionally, if you know someone who has changed their life, it’s just as difficult to hold it in.
Look to scripture and the example of the Samaritan woman at the well in John chapter 4.
Action
The book of James speaks of works. It tells us about the grace we have in front of God and how we should show that to men via what we do. This method of communication, some say, is the most powerful of all because what we do, our choices, the effects we have on the world, determine who we are.
Look at Mother Theresa and the lifestyle she led. Or how about the Apostles? Or even some examples from your own life? The power of action always reaches the hardest to reach people.
Understand Emotions
You can also find a contrast to the Stoics in emotional Christianity. It appeals only to the emotion. It doesn’t engage the mind and is sometimes void of the Holy Spirit. But God never intended for our emotions to be placed first in the order of our being. As he breathed the breath of life into Adam’s nostrils, God intended for us to be spiritual beings. And spirit comes from truth and truth comes from Revelation, which is not an emotional.
Society and culture add to this in so many ways via advertising and the media. Today people are indoctrinated to this kind of hyper-emotional state. But that’s not the way we’ve been designed. He wants us to decide with our full being to accept him, not with just one facet. God built emotions more powerfully than our modern day experiences so we can feel where people are at in their life and empathize with their situations so they can be led by the spirit to their salvation.
The strongest emotion we can share is love.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
- Do you lead with logic?
- Do you find the facts and proofs to demonstrate to others?
- How has God acted in our life?
- What is the most logical reason for your faith?
- Do you consider yourself an emotional person?
- How significant are emotions in your relationship with Christ?
- When is it appropriate to make decisions based on emotions?
- What are the emotions that describe you?
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER
- How did Jesus communicate? Give examples.
- What style of communication do you best understand?
- Why do you think Peter was so direct?
- When can you tell God is speaking through you?
- Paul was a tentmaker and a disciple? How do you think our communication of Christ relates to the workplace today?
- What is a story in your life that relates Jesus Christ to others?
- Who are you most uncomfortable speaking with about Christ? Why?
- How did you feel before you accepted Christ in your life? Now?
- Do you find yourself starting or joining-into conversations?
- How can you build-up the way you communicate to others? What scriptures will help?
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