The ancient poet Horace had an expression for spoken words that went straight to the heart, “winged words.” Today’s the 25th anniversary of winged words from President Ronald Reagan. On June 12, 1987, standing at a podium just east of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, President Reagan said, “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”
What does it take for a spoken word to take wing? That’s an important question when we think about communicating in marriage, to children, in community and in church. You see that President Reagan spoke with direct address calling on Mr. Gorbachev three times in three lines. You see that the President spoke with short clauses, “if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Easter Europe, if you seek liberalization.” Then two short, direct sentences. And it all was very visual, the words immediately creating images in our minds and, thank God, the words and images were fulfilled when the Berlin Wall was opened. The style for oral communication is different than the style you use when writing something that will be read. In my area of work, one of the problems in the church is that pastors and theologians automatically take a literary style into the pulpit and classroom. Any bored parishioner or student can tell you, words written for reading don’t take wing when spoken.
There are “four billion oral communicators of the world: people who can’t, don’t, or won’t take in new information or communicate by literate means…. Ironically, an estimated 90% of the world’s Christian workers presenting the gospel use highly literate communication styles. They use the printed page or expositional, analytical and logical presentations of God’s word. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, for oral learners to hear and understand the message and communicate it to others.” “Oral learners find it difficult to follow literate-styled presentations, even if they are made orally. It is not enough to take materials created for literates and simply read them.” “A 2004 study reported that ‘literary reading in America is not only declining rapidly among all groups, but the rate of decline has accelerated, especially among the young.’ (Making Disciples of Oral Learners, 3, 55)
So if you’re still with me, you understand the relevance of this old prayer. “Almighty God, grant to Your Church Your Holy Spirit and the wisdom that comes down from above, that Your Word may not be bound but have free course and be preached to the joy and edifying of Christ’s holy people.” Oral communication. Winged words. Tear down walls. Spirit, fly into hearts.
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