Matthew 13:33
Another parable He spoke to them saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like......"
God has kind of brought me full circle in some of my thinking and belief's.
One of the circles is the idea concerning the words we use to describe our relationship.
The church has become adept at creating a whole language that only those within the circle or community of believers understand.
We have ascribed phrases and words to different practices and dogma. If you're part of the circle, you have no trouble understanding what is being said. But if you're an outsider, it really is like a foreign language. I don't think most within the church truly think about the impact their words have on those who are on the outside.
Throw in the simple fact of the region of the country we live in (the South) and you've got a dangerous combination. Since we have more than our fair share of churches, we tend to thing everyone grew up at least knowing about Jesus. You'd be surprised of how many really know nothing of who He is or what He came to do for mankind. With this in mind, no wonder we have a hard time communicating with someone when we seek to tell them our story.
In the circle of people you run with, religious sounding words and terms are not a bad thing. But when you take it to the streets, it only creates apprehension and distrust among those you are talking with. This is one of the reason's Vineyard ReCovery church does not look like a church meeting, or sound like a church meeting. I want people to come to our meeting without putting up that wall to hide behind. The wall that goes up when I start sounding like "religious" person. Well, how do we combat this mentality? We create a new language that the average person on the street could understand.
Jesus was a master of this, as evidenced by the verse from Matthew 13. He takes a divine concept and pull it down to where those listening could understand. "The kingdom of heaven is like......."
He would tell parables (Stories) to the crowds using examples that they could relate to. He use the common language of the day to get across deep theological truth. Jesus knew that He could not sound like those who held Power in the Temple, and turn the hearts of the people. It was the "religious" language that helped to keep people in bondage.
I want my language and the the language of Vineyard ReCovery to be such that it is understood by someone who may have never darkened the door of a church. One of the greatest compliments I could ever receive is when someone comes up to me after a service and says, "You know, I understood what you were saying." Shouldn't this be the goal of every believer? To speak in a way that others may understand.
Food for thought.
God on you...
mb
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