C26. Dynamic Balance
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C26. Dynamic Balance
Many times I have had the opportunity to watch different Christians try to share Jesus with unbelieving people. It’s great that they’re trying! I encourage them to do so. The observation inspired me that in our communication with non-believers we need something I call
DYNAMIC BALANCE.
Dynamic balance means that the ratio of individual components can continuously evolve, but none should be missing.
Speaking / listening
In the training, we learn the so-called „irreducible minimum“ of basic tools. (Recall it in a lesson of the same name on this website.) The irreducible minimum means the smallest possible set of the simplest possible proven tools that we learn by heart. When we practice the instruments with each other, my partner should answer in one word if possible. The goal of practicing is my memory mastery of the given instrument. When it comes to real conversations out there, we repeat again and again that I really listen to my unbelieving George with my heart. And even ask further questions to what he just told me. This is the first sphere of our dynamic balance: speaking and listening.
Someone listens and listens, doesn’t get to Jesus at all, and then is disappointed that „nothing came of it.“ Someone, on the other hand, uses the right tools, but does not give George the space at all to show what is happening inside of him and how he thinks about it. The dynamic balance between speaking and listening means that I sensitively communicate the important things (Good News and such) and at the same time really listen to George.
Rehearsed / improvised
I would call the second sphere of dynamic balance rehearsed and improvised. On one hand, I have our concise tools in my head. But sometimes you need to expand things a bit or ask George what it makes him feel. Sometimes I even leave out some prepared things in the conversation. For a person from a religious background, I may partially use his religious vocabulary. I just need to keep making sure we understand each other correctly. Someone has it rehearsed and goes according to the script without observing his George. Although he „told him everything“, it slips down from George and he basically doesn’t know what it was about. Someone else, on the other hand, improvises wildly, and the key elements of his message remain vaguely blurred. Basic tools mastered by heart are very important! But at any given moment, I might formulate something a little differently for given George. This is the second dimension of dynamic balance: well-rehearsed skill and sensitive improvisation.
Targeted / contextual
The third area of dynamic balance I would call targeted and contextual. (Or call it your way.) On one hand, I have a clear goal in my conversations: I want to tell George the Good News and ideally lead him to accept Jesus! But at the same time I adapt to the context. I adjust my direction according to the situation that George is currently experiencing. For example, if he is going through something difficult, maybe the dominant part of our conversation will be my listening and a very specific prayer for the things he is telling me right now, without coming up with a challenge. Minimum contextualization can also be in the fact that I adapt to his style of communication. If he speaks slowly, I speak slowly—even if I didn’t tell him everything I had prepared. If he speaks quickly, I have thought out what I want to say, so I can respond quite quickly. I adapt to his style, his situation or his needs, and at the same time I follow a clear goal: Jesus, the Good News and the challenge. We see believers who „don’t want to be tied by some tools“… They are so „authentic“ that they let themselves be dragged along by George’s tricky questions and the conversation doesn’t really go anywhere. On the other side, there are believers who would be able to correct You for not saying our key words in the right order: Jesus Come – Forgive – Guide.
That’s why I’m talking about DYNAMIC BALANCE here with you. I dare to say that the most effective are those who learned the instruments really well with a lot of prayer and thus created a space for themselves to carefully follow their George, to listen in their spirit to Jesus who is present, and with all that to hit the context of his heart.
Thank You, Jesus, that You yourself are an example of perfect dynamic balance in all areas of your ministry.