The large crowd listened to him with delight (Mark 12:37).
And the common people heard him gladly (Mark 12:37, KJV).
And the great crowd enjoyed listening to Him. (Mark 12:37 NLT)
Did you ever think about how much fun it was to listen to Jesus? We sometimes think Jesus sounded like some professional radio announcer with a deep, serious voice and an always condemning message—but the Bible presents a different picture. As these three translations show, he was someone people heard with delight, enjoyment, and gladly.
What a wonderful example and challenge for our church communications. Our message is the gospel—that is good news and our challenge is to communicate it in joyful ways.
Desktop publishing, the web, and social media gives us great flexibility in our work. We can do things with type, illustrations, sound, color and motion that would have been impossible a few years ago. We can send instant encouragements, humor, prayers. We can be with fellow believers and uplift their spirits no matter where we are or they are.
Spend some time brainstorming with your communication partners about what it means to create communications that your audience will “hear gladly” either in print or on the web.
It doesn’t mean we have to always do wild and crazy things with graphics, sound, and motion, but if we are working with jr. High students, what some folks consider too much might just start to get their attention.
Wild and crazy isn’t for everyone. Communications create joy when they meet needs. For the mothers of preschoolers it might mean putting together a special calendar with all the events for kids, times, places, and contact names in a large-print format that’s easy to read when taped on a refrigerator door.
For businessmen in your church it might mean putting together an upscale, high quality on-line newsletter that highlights some seminars your church offers as an outreach to their peers.
For young professionals it might be a mobile phone ap or site that provides short Bible devotions to encourage them in the midst of crazy days.
Whatever it might be, ask the Lord to give you a light heart as you create your communications so that people might “hear gladly” the messages you share from him.