Small Town Gospel

“Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.” – 1 Corinthians 14:19

A stranger walks into a local gas station and says “how do I get to the nearest bank?”  The local man whom he just posed the question to says “Well, stranger, what you need to do is turn right out of here and when you get to the old trading post hang a left, that will take you right by where that old bakery used to be, once you pass it hang a left.  Keep a look out for Jimmy’s place, you know Jimmy, because once you pass Jimmy’s you will need to slow down and take a right at the Marine ditch.  Once you do that it will be 2 miles down on your right.”  Stranger says “ok, thank you!” while walking out thinking “maybe I can just Google it.”

     The fact of the matter is, this local man’s directions were absolutely no help at all.  Though he was speaking the same language, he was not speaking the same language.  For too long this man has been giving directions to men like him.  “Local’s” so to speak, those who know the area, know the culture, speak the language, and could discern the syntax.  By and by, a COMPLETE stranger walks into the shop asking for directions and he gives them, but they walk out just as lost and confused as they came in.  There was no understanding gained, because the tongue was unknown even though it was known.  The references and landmarks that the local was using, the stranger did not know so the value of what he was saying was lost to the stranger, and therefore he remained lost.  The kind, local gentlemen with a heart to help did little more than speak over their head. 

As church going Christians, we must be very careful not to find ourselves falling into the same trap as this kind local gentlemen who gave the lost stranger directions.  If the members are not careful a “language or tongue” can develop within the church; this is not to say that one person is to blame, however, like any small, tight knit community, we can get so comfortable talking to one another it will be difficult for new people coming in the door to understand.  You might be telling a wonderfully hilarious story about brother “so and so”, but if the recent visitor to your church doesn't know who brother “so and so” is, they are not going to get it.  That sermon on Melchisedec brother “so and so” preached may have really been a powerful one to you, but if no one in the congregation knows who Melchisedec is…………it might not be so powerful to them ("so, don't preach on Melchisedec?"  No, bring them in, educate and include).  Now granted, there will always be parts of sermon’s, and pieces of conversation that some people listening will not be able to follow (I know this to be true because I am one of them), however the thrust of the message is this; when it comes to speaking, teaching, and preaching in the church and counselling lost souls into the kingdom let us use great plainness of speech endeavoring to be clearly understood.  Furthermore, let us guard against constant preaching, teaching, speaking to only people who preach, teach, and speak as we do.  As Jesus said “I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”  As an illustration of what I am trying to say, some time ago I read this little story about John Wesley.  It is said that a wealthy, high class women heard that Mr. Wesley was coming to town to preach, so she cleared he schedule to come a listen to this great preacher that she had heard so much about.  After she listen intently to every word she was overheard walking out of the church by another saying the following “I don’t see what was so great about this Mr. Wesley, why even the smallest child could have understood that sermon.”  The man who overheard her leaned in a gently responded “Madam, in this is the genius of John Wesley.”  God help us to preach, and preach plain.   

It is without question and contention that the Holy Ghost can guide us in this regard as true as any.  That is, if we leave off trying to “impress” one another with lacy sermons and baffling scriptural intelligence.  Furthermore, a consistent and constant push to reach out to the lost and unchurch will guard against any growth of “church speak.”  Finally, as Paul prayed and endeavored to speak the language (that is Hebrew or Greek) to those in the church who spoke Hebrew or Greek, so let us pray and endeavor to speak the plain gospel to the lost; speak so as to give them clear instruction on how to get to heaven.