It is said that
only five percent of Americans are ready, and willing, to command the public
platform. That means that the other ninety-five percent have to listen to that
five percent. As Christians, it is vital
that we are a part of that five percent that is ready to command the platform.
In an article
called, It Doesn’t Matter What You Know If You Can’t Communicate By
George Ambler, he states, “Communication has been central to the ‘social
process’ of all great leaders.” When we look back at the leaders of history,
you will notice that all of them were exceptional speakers. They connected with
their audience. Their message was crystal clear. They were able to inspire, to
motivate, to persuade. Men like Pericles of ancient Athens, Winston Churchill,
and Martin Luther King Jr. And also men like Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini,
and Joseph Stalin. These men were initially known for their communication
skills, many of them long before they came to power. They used their
communication skills to share their ideas, to further their cause. For Pericles,
his communication skills helped rally the Athenians during the Peloponnesian
War. Winston Churchill was able to keep Britain to keep their hopes up during
the Blitzkrieg in World War II. For others, such as Hitler, his communications
skills started the bloodiest and most destructive war in history, World War II.
Joseph Stalin jump started the murders of almost 700,000 Russians during The
Great Purge in the 1930s by communicating his ideas.
You cannot look at
these men and the roles that their public speaking skills played, and not say
that being able to communicate isn’t important. What if Martin Luther King Jr.
hadn’t been able to express his heart and inspire thousands of people during
his infamous “I Have A Dream” speech? What if Adolf Hitler hadn’t been able to
communicate his “Final Solution” for World War II to the Germans? Communication
is key in shaping lives and the course of history.
I once watched a
debate between a Christian and an Atheist on the topic of the existence of God.
Throughout the course of the debate, it became pretty clear which man was a
better speaker. The Christian speaker had some good points. However, he
mumbled, had almost no eye contact, and didn’t really connect with his
audience. The Atheist, on the other hand, was a very smooth speaker. He
communicated his thoughts well, incorporated humor, and was very
conversational, so he connected with the audience easily.
As the debate
progressed, I became more and more frustrated. How many people who watched this
debate would side with the Atheist? Not because he was right, but simply
because he got his points across to an audience that was engaged?
I walked away from
watching that debate with a new mindset. As Christians, we cannot afford to be
bad communicators. We have the most important message in the world: The message
of Jesus Christ. The message that the Creator of the universe wants a
relationship with us, so He can meet our deepest needs. And this message not
only impacts people now, but for eternity. Peter, one of Jesus’ closest
followers said, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you
to give the reason for the hope that you have.” How are we to do this if we
can’t communicate effectively? Everyone should be able to communicate. But it
is essential for Christians to be able to communicate effectively. Lee Iacocca,
an American businessman, once said, “You can have brilliant ideas, but if you
can't get them across, your ideas won't get you anywhere.” Jesus left us with
an incredible message. And we need to be able to communicate that message
clearly.
But how can we
become better communicators? For starters, we can study great speakers, get
training and mentoring, and finally by practicing.
One of the ways
that I am doing this is by being involved with The Institute for Cultural
Communicators or ICC. ICC is a Christian organization that teaches
communication and leadership skills to students between the ages of six and
eighteen.
I have been
involved in ICC for five years now. I started off learning communication in
ICC’s local chapter program, where, in a safe environment, students work
together on their communication and leadership skills. It was here that I
worked through the Young Speakers Guild, the communication curriculum ICC
offers, and served in many leadership positions. This year I am applying to be
a Touring Intern with ICC. That means that, if I get selected, I will spend
five months training and traveling the country teaching students communication
and leadership skills at conferences.
Learning how to
communicate isn’t easy. I’ve been scared. I’ve made mistakes. And there have
been times I wanted to quit. But I think back to that Christian Vs.
Atheist debate and I rediscover all over again how important it is to be able
to communicate well. I want to help people do this hard thing. So they can be
able to share the reason for the hope that they have. And be able to do it
well.
I have found that
The Institute for Cultural Communicators is very effective in mentoring and
training Christians to speak clearly, to connect to their audience, to inspire,
to motivate, to persuade. For more information, you can visit ICC's website: Iccinc.org.
Only five percent
of Americans are ready to speak. What if that five percent was filled with
Christians who could talk about their faith and share a message of hope. Being
able to get up and communicate that message isn’t for our benefit. It’s for the
benefit of those who listen. In one of my favorite songs by Elevation Worship,
they sing, “We are the change the world is waiting for. We've got a love the
world is desperate for. We will lead and take to your streets.” In the book of
Mark, one of the last things Jesus says to his disciples is, “...’Go into all
the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.’” Communication is
essential in being able to do that.
::sips coffee::
Kimberly
