We did a good thing
I say we. It was mostly Steve and Gill’s idea. I help hold them to it now and again. The idea was, when we start a church, let’s not use a bunch of terminology that only we understand. Let’s speak everyday English.
In my wandering on the web I visit quite a few church websites. Pretty much none of them get it. The big attractional churches don’t get it. The new missional churches don’t get it. (I’m using jargon here because I’m writing for Christians.) The churches in between don’t get it either.
Don’t believe me? Imagine you’ve never been to church before. Pick a church. Visit the website. Do you, the imaginary non-church you, have a clue what they are talking about?
It’s a simple idea. Missionaries to other cultures get it. Talk the same language as the people you want to reach.
Take a good, hard look at your church’s lexicon. If you are saying things in a way that only people who are already in the club can easily understand, find a new way to say it.
Probably what you will really do is go to my church’s website and look for how we are failing to be understandable. (Please do. Then comment here. We appreciate any help we can get.) After you get us sorted out, maybe have a look at you.
18 April 2009 Jeff Gill
tags: church,
communication
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