God told the prophet Ezekiel to act out various scenes as signs of punishment that the people would face because of their unfaithfulness. Each scene gave a nonverbal demonstration that the people could understand as it was acted out. And the dramatic effect was often powerful.

One highlight of our ministry in the Philippines was to work with young adults in discipleship. A group on Negros Island developed an evangelistic team that they called Halieus (“Fishermen”). They practiced pantomime presentations (sometimes in our home) portraying the gospel story. Then they worked with churches to hold rallies in local neighborhoods where they presented the pantomimes. A shiver would go up and down my spine when I watched them. God used them to open the hearts of people for whom words alone were inadequate.

One reason why some people groups have not been reached, or have not responded to the gospel, is that typical strategies are not effective with them. To bridge those barriers, we need to understand the people and their culture more deeply, and to find creative strategies that can reach their hearts. That can also be true close to home, with people who live with us and around us.