Points of Clarity

From Rod Decker’s blog quoting someone else:

It is also risky to be clear, for sometimes when the complex jargon is removed and the point is made in plain English, it no longer seems all that profound.

It’s also hard to meet the word count for a book or article if you simply state the point without complexities and jargoneering (I think I made that word up, but I think it’s a great word).

But I think this is a great point. Many things that sound impressive with big words only sound impressive because of the big words. The actual content is not all that impressive, and is sometimes downright “banal” (to use Dr. Decker’s word).

It reminds me of Tim Keller’s observation that preaching is too often ghetto-ized in its language.

Most pastors with a seminary education could stand to be more simple, I think.

Most pastors without a seminary education could stand to get a seminary education, or at least its equivalent through reading and study.

Then work on being more simple.