How The Holy Spirit Enables Us To Communicate Across Social-Cultural Barriers

1. The Holy Spirit gives us the wisdom to communicate according to peoples' social-cultural perspective. Every person has a social-cultural perspective developed through years of conditioning. The Spirit of God helps us learn how to best appeal to the aspects of each person's perspectives according to their felt, perceived and actual needs. Isaiah wrote, "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power." (Isaiah 11:2) Ask the Lord to help you grow in your understanding of every person and group's social-cultural perspectives enabling you to be a more effective communicator for Christ's messages.

2. The Holy Spirit sensitizes you to the most relevant, appropriate and effective ways to communicate across social-cultural barriers. David prayed and saw God answer prayer in regards to his communication skills. "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground." (Psa. 143:10) Ask the Lord to develop your sensitivity so that your communications can be more relevant, appropriate and effective in crossing social-cultural barriers in your audiences.

3. The Holy Spirit helps us transmit Christ's message in a way that is contextual, interesting and respectful of peoples' social-cultural perceptions. Every person is more apt to accept messages that are delivered in terms they are more familiar with. Ezekial wrote, "Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and he told me to say: 'This is what the Lord says: That is what you are saying, O house of Israel, but I know what is going through your mind." (Ezek. 11:5) Ask the Lord to help you transmit Christ's message in a way that is most contextual, interesting and respectful of people's social-cultural normal perceptions.

4. The Holy Spirit facilitates the articulation of Christ's message by helping us articulate His truth in ways that are most appealing to people's social-cultural interests. Each culture has its own set of values that have higher priority than others. The Spirit of God helps us direct Christ's message to those values that are uppermost in the minds of every culture. Ezekial wrote, "I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord." (Ezek. 37:14) Ask the Lord to give you greater articulative abilities to communicate truth in the love of Christ directly to each person's values.

5. The Holy Spirit helps you take into account the most pressing problems on the minds of your audience. Every culture has particular problems that are bothering people. Moses wrote, "And He has filled Him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts." (Exod. 35:31) Ask the Lord to help you take into account the most serious problem of your people and adjust your communications accordingly.

6. The Holy Spirit guides you in how to organize and deliver your communication in the most culturally effective manner. Many times communicators fail to connect with their audience because they speak in disorganized or boring ways. Moses wrote, "Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him and he took the Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again." (Numb 11:25) Ask the Lord to help you organize and deliver your communications in the most effective and culturally powerful way.

7. The Holy Spirit uses multiple forms of communication to reach your audience through multiple channels. Christ's message can be communicated using drama, TV, movies, videos, evangelism, disciple making ministries, Bible studies, prayer meetings, house fellowships, church planting ministries, music, preaching, literature, puppets, as well as through normal classroom teaching sessions. Joel wrote, "Afterwards, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my spirit in those days." (Joel 2:28) Ask the Lord to help you utilize many forms of communication to enhance the effectiveness of your ministries for God's glory.

8. The Holy Spirit enables you to by pass the many filters, obstacles and objections in the minds of your audience with Christ's message of truth and love. Every culture has its own set of filters, obstacles and objections to change. John wrote, "For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the spirit without limit." (John 3:34) Ask the Lord for help in overcoming the barriers to your communications with the power of the Holy Spirit.