Communication Revisited

Does a tree falling in the woods make a sound if no one is there to hear it? In my previous post I wondered a bit about selfless presentation. Putting the hearer first if you will. The more I think about it, however, the more convinced I am that it is only half the formula. I'm beginning to think that whatever method of communication you choose, some folks will not get it. For communication to occur the listener must meet you half way.

As I think about concerns over how the church communicates, I think about complaints about not knowing about events and then I think about responses to my reply- It was in the Window, It was on the website, We announced it in church. I invariably get, I don't read the Window, I don't go to the website, I don't listen to the announcements. At some point it begins to seem that some folks just don't want to hear.

Granted we can definitely improve our transmission of the message, but for communication to really occur the hearer has to improve his reception as well. I guess it is like the parable of the sower. No matter how well you spread your seed if it falls on the wrong kind of ground it will not bear fruit. We will continue to work on transmission, will you work on reception?