How to do church Part 19: communicate truth

AN INTERVIEW BASED ON PAUL’S  LETTER

What is speaking in tongues?

Speaking in tongues is a special language of communication between God and an individual. Where words are not enough. words in an unfamiliar language come pouring out of the mouth, prompted by the Spirit. The individual uttering these words does not understand the meaning of what they are saying – not specifically anyway. They have a clear sense of what the words are conveying – sorrow or joy or praise or confusion etc. This is a private language – soul to soul, spirit to spirit.

So how can we understand what someone is saying?

Anyone listening in will have no idea what is being said. Occasionally, there is someone who can translate what is being said so that everyone can understand this prayer from the heart. If not, a prayer in tongues is meaningless to anyone other than the person praying and God.

So what is prophecy then?

Prophecy is different. Prophecy is a message from God to His people, spoken in the clearest language. This message is meant to be understood. It’s a challenge, a truth for all to hear. Through prophecy, God communicates strength, encouragement and comfort to His people. Prophecy makes much more sense in a public gathering than speaking in tongues, which is a much more intimate, personal experience.

Is that everything you want to say?

No, not quite. I believe we need to take it one step further than this. I believe that some of the language we use in churches today is so antiquated, people who come have no idea what we are talking about.

If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me.  I Corinthians 14:12

The version of the Bible we use, the words in the hymns, the liturgy and the prayers – if we’re not careful, all of this can go completely over the head of someone who needs to hear the truth of God communicated clearly and simply. The imagery we use is inaccessible too – the blood of the Lamb, passing through the veil, approaching the throne, hiding in the shadow of His wing, wearing royal robes….

We may be speaking in the same language (approximately) as the people there, but the meaning can still be lost.

I have a passion for communicating truth in everyday language to everyday people. I yearn for God’s truth to be conveyed in a relevant, exciting, engaging way. I look for God in the everyday, in our everyday culture – in the world around us, in the worlds of media and entertainment. Everything is spiritual. Everything has a deeper message. I long to drag the church out of the 1900s, the 70s, the 90s – wherever it’s got stuck – and to challenge the church to be entirely relevant to people today.

We need to speak in a language and a way that people today can understand. God’s message for the world is fresh and relevant and revolutionary every single day.

Let’s make sure we don’t bury that in stuff that works well enough for us, but not for the people who need to hear God’s message loud and clear today.

This message for us as church today was based on 1 Corinthians 14:1-25