communication

War of Words: One Question to Help us Minister in Divided Communities

War of Words: One Question to Help us Minister in Divided Communities

As Christians, how we communicate (or miscommunicate) with others is a gospel issue. Our ability to hear and speak clearly affects how we teach, disciple, gather, and evangelize. It's vital!

Learning to speak the truth in love requires we know how to speak and to whom we're speaking. So I have one simple question to help.

10 Ways to be a Better Listener

10 Ways to be a Better Listener

Are you a good listener? We'd all like to answer yes, but are we really? The simple gift of listening can build bridges and open doors in even the most delicate of conversations.

Listening well can deepen relationships, shape emotions, and inform decisions. Most know this. And most believe they listen well. But do you really? Here are ten suggestions for improving your listening game today.

A Layleader's Guide to Reaching the Nations Near You

A Layleader's Guide to Reaching the Nations Near You

I was fresh off the boat from two years of mission work when I first heard of diaspora missions. I joined a church that had committed to engaging the West African population nearby and was soon neck-deep in Gambian and Ivorian communities. In spite of my mission experience, this work was harder than I anticipated. But if I can do it, so can you. And so can anyone else in your church. That’s why UBA is hosting the Who’s My Neighbor Workshop to equip everyone to do this kind of work. Until then, here's my guide to anyone wanting to start engaging foreign-born peoples.

Three Things to Know Before Catching up with a Missionary

Three Things to Know Before Catching up with a Missionary

The majority of us who are involved with a local church know someone who has lived or currently lives on the mission field. On any given Sunday, we may hear about how God used a missionary’s obedience or a quick plug or through an introduction from the stage if they happen to be in town. Their work may be somewhat familiar to us yet still distant enough from the details to leave them feeling vaguely unknown. This can make catching up with a missionary friend over coffee quite uncomfortable or even awkward at times. But here are some helpful things to remember.