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THE NEED FOR COMMUNICATION
1. INTRODUCTION
Communication is the sharing of information with another party so that it can be understood and acted upon. It is not just the giving of information. The information must have been received and understood for communication to have taken place.
So, communication has a purpose - a change in the attitude or behaviour of the recipient. Those to whom I effectively communicate, I change. They are never the same again as the result of the exposure. In 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul tells Timothy to teach others. Timothy will know he has succeeded in communicating his message when his listeners have been so impacted that they in turn are able to communicate it to others. The response to truth is to do something - to impart it to others. Nothing is as easy as talking. Nothing is as difficult as communicating. We talk very much. We communicate very little. The apostle Paul refers to this issue in 1 Corinthians 14:8-19.
President Gerald Ford said: Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively. Because we all breathe we all think that we breathe efficiently. Similarly, because we all communicate after a fashion we all think that we communicate effectively. Any teacher of physical education or singing will draw our attention to our faulty breathing: and just as we can be taught to breathe more efficiently so we can learn to communicate more effectively. (A) Understand the Fear of Public Speaking Dale Carnegie, in his book Effective Speaking , lists four facts most people don’t realise about stage fright. They are that … You are not unique in your fear of public speaking Carnegie estimated that 80 percent of those enrolled in his speech classes suffer from stage fright at the beginning of the course. He estimated that 20 percent suffered from chronic lying!
The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never
stops until you stand up to speak in public'. - George Jessel
A certain amount of stage fright is useful! Fear is nature’s way of preparing us to meet a challenge. When you notice your pulse beating faster and your respiration speeding up, don’t become alarmed. Your body, ever alert to external stimuli, is getting you ready for action. If these physiological preparations are held within limits, you will be capable of thinking faster, talking more fluently and speaking with greater intensity than in normal circumstances. You should learn to expect a certain amount of fear as a natural consequence of speaking in public. You should also learn to depend on a limited amount of stage fright to help make you a better talker. Most preachers assure me they never completely lose all stage fright Dale Carnegie writes: “Speakers who say they are cool as a cucumber at all times are usually as thick-skinned as a cucumber and about as inspiring as a cucumber.” The chief cause of your fear of public speaking is simply that you are unaccustomed to public speaking
To make this fearful situation simple and easy …. Practice, practice, practice Public speaking is made a joy instead of an agony simply by getting a record of successful speaking experiences under your belt. Our goal in this course is to learn to communicate more effectively.
2. THE COMMUNICATION OF THE GOSPEL We would all agree that the Christian gospel is the essential answer for our Christless world. Evangelism is our mission and something at which we must develop maximum effectiveness. However, we would probably also agree that the church overall is not fulfilling its task as it could. We have not penetrated society with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. James Engel describes "the typical US evangelical as a white female southerner over the age of 50, with a high school education or less and below average income. Only one in eleven lives in a large city, and sixty percent reside in rural areas or small towns." (P.18). Obviously the bulk of society is not being impacted. In Australia, the percentage of people attending church at least monthly declined from 44% in 1950 to 24% in 1983-84. Of those who attended church, how many are genuinely Christian? Church historian David Wells concludes that "Evangelicals have never been so numerous; the impact of Christian values on society has seldom been less" (Engel, p.19).
give their lives to Christ after a simple gospel presentation. D. Institutionalised Church The church too often has become a self-serving institution caught up in its own tradition and culture. It is often a poor advertisement for the life changing gospel.
The church is to be both message and medium. It is the channel for the good news, but its life should also validate the good news.
4. SOME PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN COMMUNICATION Engel gives seven principles which will make Christian communication more effective. 1. Goal-Oriented Communication is Imperative The church must be focused upon the goal of making disciples (Matt.28:18-20). Without such a clear focus we can easily be seduced by the pluralism of our society. Live and let live is the prevailing philosophy. The problem with such an attitude is that it directly contravenes the commission of the church. 2. The Bible is the Only Infallible Rule of Faith and Practice We must clearly understand and be convinced of our message if we are to communicate it effectively. Our message is firmly based upon the written Word of God, and therefore we must be convinced of its authenticity. The real need in this area is for "biblical scholarship that can help in communicating the relevance of the Word of God for modern man" (Engel, p.30). 3. The Church is Both Medium and Message The church must both exemplify and proclaim the kingdom of God. Our lifestyle should validate our message. A healthy church is the essential basis for the effective communication of the gospel. The church is to be a healthy worshipping and fellowshipping body which proclaims the gospel. This is evident in such scriptures as Matt.5:13-16 and 1 Peter 3:15. A healthy church is the best advertisement for the claims of the gospel. 4. The Message Must be Adapted to a Sovereign Audience The audience is always sovereign. They see and hear what they want to see and hear. Their attention is captured and held only when the message is seen to be relevant for their life at that point. Without sacrificing biblical fidelity, the message must be adapted to the audience. This
requires the ability to focus historic truth on contemporary issues. Of this, John Stott has said: "Now it is comparatively easy to be faithful if we do not care about being contemporary, and easy also to be contemporary if we do not bother to be faithful. It is the search for a combination of truth and relevance which is exacting" (quoted by Engel, p.31).
5. Becoming a Disciple Is an Unending Process Discipleship continues as a process over a lifespan as believers are conformed to the image of Christ (Phil.1:6).
Therefore, the role of the church is not simply to gain decisions, but to cultivate new believers to spiritual maturity. As well as having an evangelistic focus, the local church must have a conscious goal of maturing and equipping believers.
6. Christian Communication Is a Cooperative Effort Both God and man cooperate in the process of communicating the gospel. God has given us the commission and we need to find ways to be effective. But no promotional strategy will win the lost without the power of God. 7. Disciplined Planning Is the Obligation of the Church If we are to be effective we must hear from God, then carefully implement the strategies of the Holy Spirit. Gottfried Osei-Mensah states: "Nothing is more calculated to check our tendency to sloth than a clear spiritual vision articulated in concrete objectives and well-defined principles for action. Spiritual goals give meaning to commitment, inspire perseverance in prayer, and promote self-discipline for their realisation" (quoted in Engel, p.33). Every church needs a vision from the Holy Spirit, and a plan of action to accomplish that vision.
THE GOALS OF PREACHING
A. Inspirational - It must impart God to the people and bring the uplift of the Holy Spirit to them. B. Motivational - It must produce change in their lives. They must be motivated to repent and live according to God's word and plan for their lives. It is the preacher's task to motivate the Church to its ministry. Phillip Brooks said, "You must count your work unsatisfactory unless you burn men's brains and awaken their consciences". A. Relational - Preaching should establish the relative positions of God and man, & then man to man. Matt. 21:37-40. B. Revelational - It should bring forth the whole counsel of God for that congregation. There should be an element of fresh revealed. Matt. 13:52. It is not enough to impart information. It is essential that his truth being constantly messages should have revelation from God. Facts of the Word which God has taught him personally. C. Confrontational - Not in a negative, destructive sense, but with respect to being able to accept the responsibility to challenge and change a city. The preaching which has no goal to change its community has lost its reason for being. D. Proportional - Preaching must be: a) Balanced - It is possible to be so caught up with ultimates that practicalities are ignored. There should be a proper balance between what is revealed and what is relevant. b) Consistent - The preacher ought not to go after fads or new emphases unless he can see that he can make it part of his ministry for all time. Zig-zagging in ministry will produce confusion, inaction and frustration in the congregation. Paul advised Timothy to be consistent. 2 Tim. 4:2 - "be instant in season and out of season".
