THIS MATTER OF COMMUNICATION IS AN IMPORTANT ONE

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 41, 27 May 1965, Page 7

THIS MATTER OF COMMUNICATION IS

AN IMPORTANT ONE

The opeiiing this week of Taupo's new radio station — utlie station beside the lake" — is a inatter of community interest, says the Rev. G. T. Beilby in this week's Voice of the Churches. Because of it, we should get to know one another, and the things which concern our community life, even better. It will be an addition to the means of communication we already possess, and because its voice will be heard a little wider afield, it should widen the area of our unity. The whole question of communication today is occupying many minds. One of the problems of our world has been that young countries have achieved independence before their own leaders have been able to communicate to their own people what it is all about. True democracy cannot work in those circumstances.

The Church is equally involved in this i>rohlem of communicating its message. We are often appalled at what people who are not churchmen think we believe. It means we have failed in communicating our message. Perhaps we have not said it strongly enough or clearly enough. Paul knew the danger of that. "If the trumpet does

not sound clearly," he asked, "who is going to get ready for battle?" By contrast, Christian work in what we have come to call the mission fields of the world has been resolutely tackling this problem of communication. Keen young Christian men and women of outstanding intellect are spending years of their lives reducing unknown languages to writing and translating the scriptures into them. Other s are giving equally i

devoted attention to the outlook and needs of the people to whom they bring their message. This is often expressed in practical service to the people's needs. It is all a matter of communicating the message and, if because of it the Church learns to speak more clearly and understand more surelv those to whom it speaks, the whole progress of the Gospel will be served.