The Language Of An Evangelist: How We Speak To Unbelievers

Note: Seeing the impact of words, I am constantly pausing to consider how we use them. Last week, I discussed how we use our words to talk about unbelievers (you can read that article by clicking here). Today, I consider how we use our terms to speak to unbelievers.

Words are critical to communication. It does not matter the form or method, all communication deteriorates without the appropriate word choice. On the one hand, an impotent word does nothing more than allow a person to remain passive. On the other hand, an effectively chosen term has the power to energize the hearer to an attitude of passion and provoke him to react. Their potential for influence should suggest that the words we use require deliberate use.

As followers of Christ, we find ourselves needing to be even more intentional with our use of words because they carry greater significance. Our Lord and Savior has tasked us with communicating His imperishable truth to a perishing world, truth that has the potential to rescue dying sinners. Following Christ obligates us to speak because it's a necessity for making disciples. One of the complicated matters about communication is that we tend to communicate with the words we are comfortable using. This leads us to share naturally. However, each discipline of life has its own language that may not necessarily be known outside of its own domain. This is true for Christians just as much as anyone else. We often use language that is not common outside of our Christian circles.

My family lived in a Spanish-speaking country for many years, so we were constantly asked if we spoke the language. That's a difficult question to answer. We communicated freely with the people, but specific contexts were still tricky. The example I always shared was that I could have an average conversation with someone but put me in an auto parts store and I had no idea what to say. I could use the word “antinomianism” in a sentence but couldn't tell the mechanic my transmission was slipping. To be fair, put me in a hardware store in America, and I still wouldn't necessarily know the correct terms either.

This principle is true for Christians operating within the church. Specific terms become so frequent that we think little about what they mean. Even phrases that may have been awkward through the initial point of salvation become part of our everyday language. We say things like, “I was saved” or “I am being sanctified.” Those phrases used to make us uncomfortable, yet now, they are part of how we communicate with fellow believers. The issue is that, while they are a standard part of Christian vernacular, they are not easily understood by the unbeliever.

Therefore, I want to plead with us all to intentionally consider the words we use when communicating the gospel's good news to unbelievers and His teachings to new believers. Certainly, we want to share with precision, choosing words that convey the Lord's intentions. However, precision does not nullify the need for clarity. Because the topic that we share already presents a barrier, clarity is crucial. To the unbeliever, the gospel is unbelievable. The new believer is taking in a lot of new information that may create confusion. As such, there is a greater need to elucidate our meanings. This struggle is not uncommon for believers. Once again, when we regularly communicate with the same words, it may not often occur that unbelievers do not know what we mean. So, here are some suggestions about what you can do:

1. Think About Your Words: Consider the words you regularly use and determine which ones may be part of your Christian vocabulary but not necessarily known in other contexts. Also, note when someone seems confused by a term you are sharing.
2. Choose Your Words: For those words that are unfamiliar to unbelievers or new believers, spend some time coming up with some synonyms or descriptors that bring clarity to those terms.
3. Convey Your Words: Frequently, a one-word synonym is insufficient to convey some of the more profound theological words. Write out some descriptions and definitions in more straightforward terms that you can use to describe them.
4. Study Your Words: Finally, if you seem to be struggling with simplifying those terms, it likely means you need to understand them better. So study more. Not only will it help you in communicating the Lord's truth to others, but it will help you live it out in your own life.

In one sense, this may seem labor intensive when we're simply discussing the need for choosing our words. However, the time is well-used because we are talking about essential terms we use routinely and should understand. And so, a little time upfront saves us time in the long term.Now, I need to clarify something. I write as though our words have the potential to determine whether or not someone responds to the Lord’s truth. While words are influential, we never substitute our work with the Lord’s work. Knowing that the Spirit may use our faithfulness and desire to clearly communicate the good news inspires us to communicate better. Yet, never is the Lord's will dependent upon our work. Therefore, I call upon us to communicate clearly, but when we have failed to do so, may we be comforted by the knowledge that the Lord is effective and works well even when we do not.