The Communication Strategies Of Jesus: Part 1

I haven't really written much about Jesus in my blogs. Shock. Horror. But this week I'm going to write a series of posts about the strategies Jesus used to communicate in his day. 

Throughout the series it is my hope that your church and ministry can learn more about how Jesus communicated and apply it to your own context. I'm not saying I have all the answers, just some of the ways Jesus communicated have stood out to me. 

I'm also not saying that Jesus had a marketing or communications strategy in the same way we would understand a communications strategy. His ways are not our ways, but there are some principles we can take away and apply to where we minister.

Strategy #1: Jesus Was Viral

Jesus performed some amazing miracles in his life. Healing the sick. Casting out demons. He also mixed with people who were not like him, those on the fringe of society. His grace and mercy towards those on the fringe was totally counter cultural. Jesus also demonstrated disgust, distain and spoke out against the empty religious types of the day. Despite the massive impact he was making he asked people to keep it quiet.

However the people could not stay quiet about the incredible miracles he performed in their lives. The people began to talk. They raved about this man who was changing peoples lives in an instant. The stories spread from village to village and massive crowds began to follow him.

Personal testimony powered his communications strategy. He was in today's language a one man walking viral video. (I have no proof, but I have a very sneaking suspicion Jesus knew that everyone couldn't keep their mouth shut.)

Bottom line, he let his actions do the talking and let others talk about what he was doing. 

What does it mean for us today?

1. We need to get out the four walls of the church and impact communities surrounding us. We need to heal the sick, cast out demons (Yes its a bit scary and freaky for me too).
2. We need to hang around those who are not like us and treat them differently to how they expect to be treated by mainstream society. Look after the poor and the marginalised. AID's victims and the homeless are another couple of examples of those on the fringe.
3. We should speak out against dry, cold, empty religion. 
4. Slick brochures, mailers, websites are redundant if we aren't actually doing something outside of the four walls of the church.

When we let our actions do the talking, others will talk about what we are doing.

What examples do you see where we can make a difference today?

What ideas do you have around the way Jesus communicated?

Follow me on Twitter, come and say G'day on Facebook, get regular updates via my RSS feed or stalk me in person in Melbourne (you'll have to do the leg work on that one).

Comments

[Phil]

Great post. To me it comes back to that verse in James: faith without deeds is nothing.
Church families should be measured not by what they say, but what they do. It's not about showing off - some of the practical stuff churches do should never be made public - but about showing love for everyone, not the people we like.