A few years ago, I found myself in a conversation with someone who had never really been around church.

As we talked, I used a phrase that I’ve used all my life!

“Have you been saved?” I asked.

They looked at me slightly puzzled and replied, “Saved from what?”

It made me smile.

Not because it was a silly question, but because it reminded me that words we use all the time in church are not always obvious to people outside it.

After all, what does “saved” mean if you’ve never grown up hearing Christian language?

What does “born again” mean?

What does “washed in the blood” mean?

What does “quiet time” mean?

What does “fellowship” mean?

For many of us, these words feel completely normal. They’ve become part of our spiritual vocabulary.

But increasingly, we live in a society where many people have little or no understanding of Christianity.

We can no longer assume people know the story.

Perhaps that’s why Jesus was such a remarkable communicator.

He rarely used complicated language.

He spoke about seeds.

Sheep.

Fishing.

Coins.

Farming.

Bread.

Things ordinary people already understood.

He didn’t change the truth.

But He explained it in ways people could grasp.

And I think there is an important lesson in that for us.

The apostle Paul wrote:

“I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22)

Paul wasn’t changing the message.

He was changing the way he communicated it.

Because the goal was never simply to speak.

The goal was to be understood.

Sometimes I wonder whether Christians can unintentionally become fluent in a language that nobody else speaks and I reflect – what good is that? 

We use words that make perfect sense to us but sound strange, confusing or even frightening to those outside the church.

Perhaps instead of saying:

“Have you been saved?”

We might begin with:

“Have you ever thought about who Jesus is?” But again people might not know who Jesus is! 

And this principle of using familiar language doesn’t just apply to evangelism.

It applies to everyday life.

How often do we assume other people understand what we mean?

How often do misunderstandings arise because we speak from our own experiences rather than considering how others might hear our words?

James reminds us:

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” (James 1:19)

Listening may actually be one of the greatest gifts we can offer another person.

Because when we truly listen, we begin to understand the questions people are asking.

And once we understand the questions, we can speak in ways that make sense.

After all, Jesus never expected people to understand heaven before He had first spoken about everyday life.

He started with what they knew.

And perhaps we should too.

Because people don’t need us to sound impressive.

They simply need us to speak with clarity, kindness and love.

The message of Jesus has never changed.

But perhaps the language we use sometimes needs to.

Not so that we fit in with the world.

But so that the world has the opportunity to understand the One we are talking about.