Turn Truth Upside Down

Recently, while reading my Bible one morning (so you don’t think I’m too pious, this was AFTER checking email, Twitter, and Facebook) … anyway, I’m reading my Bible and I have this thought about a challenging verse. Hmmmm, if I reverse this verse and say the opposite, then suddenly the truth comes through even more clearly.

For example, let's look at Philippians 4:8:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.

The reverse becomes ... 

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is false, whatever is selfish, whatever is corrupt, whatever is vulgar, whatever is awful, whatever is repulsive - if anything is loathsome or dishonorable - think about such things.

Suddenly the truth of the real Philippians 4:8 becomes even more clear – more assured.

Now, gentle* church communications leaders, jump with me and look at our list of "The Seven Deadly Sins" we often see in church communications. We’ve turned each one into the reverse to make the truth more clear.

1. AMBIGUITY: Your church’s vision should be blurry, boring or non-existent. This way, people won’t know what’s really important or what the church is about.
    
2. PARADOX: Your leaders should do all they can to communicate ineffectively – sporadically, inconsistently and without a plan. People don’t really like to know what’s going on in the church.
    
3. UNCERTAINTY: The best process for church communications is to decentralize everything – use uncoordinated processes in an “every ministry for itself” approach to help your congregation take important next steps.
    
4. BEWILDERMENT: Whatever you do, put out a bewildering amount of content and don’t organize it. People really soak in a message they’ve had to hunt for.
    
5. SEPARATION: If you have a lot of Gen X and Gen Y people, don’t waste your money on a good website or your time on effective social media. And, most Baby Boomers and Silent Generation folks won’t bother with good printed materials.
    
6. CONTRADICTION: We're a church. Leave branding to life-changing organizations like Playboy and Captain Morgan!
    
7. GLUTTONY: People are basically left-brained, unemotional people, so in all your communication, just stick to the facts. Nobody ever signed-up for a mission trip with tears in their eyes.

Huh? See how crazy the truth is when you turn it upside down? When you say it all that way, the advice just seems absurd. How are you turning truth upside down? How do you plan on turning it right side up?

*props to Miss Manners®