What is Your Heart Language?
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” Nelson Mandela
The term "heart language" refers to the first language someone speaks at home, which often represents their cultural and geographic identity. Unlike a trade language, which may be used in business but not in the home, a heart language allows deep and intimate connection and provides the highest level of significance and comprehension. The heart language is the language of emotions and intimacy. It is how we feel and express our deepest thoughts. It connects us with others on a deeper level.
When we think of culture, we think of things like food, clothing and holiday celebrations, but it’s language that ties all those elements together. It’s the means that people use to communicate their values, beliefs and customs. Heart language is influential and meaningful in ways that we seldom recognize.
In the world there are over 7000 heart languages with the largest being Chinese Mandarin with 1.1 billion native speakers down to the smallest being those in tribes and villages in remote and isolated areas. English is second with 379 million native speakers. In the United States, 78 percent of the population speak only English which is their heart language. However, over 350 other heart languages make up the remaining 22 percent. Over 145 different heart languages are spoken in my home city of Houston, Texas.
Christianity is unique in that you cannot earn God’s favor by works but He freely gives His undeserved and unconditional love (grace) to all that believe in the salvation offered by Christ’s sacrifice for them. God wants to have a personal intimate relationship with those that have accepted His gift of grace through Christ. It became evident that the best way to communicate this kind of intimate personal love had to be through heart language. The trade language reaches the head but only through a person’s heart does he or she experience the intimacy of love.
When one believes God speaks in the language of his or her heart, it makes all the difference. (“God speaks my language!!!”) It has power beyond mere words. Using heart languages in Christian outreach is a powerful way to connect with people on a deeper level. When people hear the Gospel in their heart language, it feels more personal and relatable. It shows that God is not distant or foreign but understands and values their culture. Complex theological concepts and the nuances of faith are often better understood in one’s heart language. This can lead to a clearer and more profound understanding of the message. Using someone’s heart language affirms their identity and worth. It shows respect for their culture and heritage, which can open hearts and minds to the message of the Gospel.
Historically, the use of heart languages in Christian outreach has been a key factor in the spread of Christianity. It has allowed the message to be more accessible and accepted by diverse cultures. The Reformation sparked a surge in Bible translations into vernacular languages. Martin Luther’s German Bible and William Tyndale’s English New Testament were pivotal in making the Scriptures accessible to ordinary people. The 19th and 20th centuries saw a proliferation of Bible translations into numerous languages, driven by missionary efforts and organizations like Wycliffe Bible Translators. Today, the Bible has been translated into over 3,000 heart languages, making it accessible to billions of people worldwide.
Approximately 80% of the world’s population are oral learners. This means they prefer to receive, process, and share information through spoken rather than written means. This preference spans across all levels of education and walks of life. This reality demonstrated the need to develop new initiatives focused on oral and visual with audio translations of heart languages. Two ministries, in which my family has been personally involved, have focused on this worldwide need.
The Jesus Film was developed by Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU) and released in 1979. This film, based on the Gospel of Luke, has been translated into over 2000 heart languages and has had an estimated 10 billion viewings worldwide which has resulted in over 633 million indicated decisions to follow Christ. It has become the largest evangelistic tool that God has provided where at the average showing, 10% of the viewers decide to follow Christ. Every ministry, church, and individual worldwide has free access to this tool. More than 1,800 ministries use Jesus Film Project resources globally. The Jesus Film Project APP can be downloaded free at the internet APP Store.
Faith Comes by Hearing (FCBH) has produced audio (many are dramatized) versions of the Bible. Currently, more than 2000 heart languages, all over the world, have been produced and placed on proclaimers, other play devices and free Bible APPs that can be downloaded from the internet APP store (I personally use Bible.is) for use individually and in listening groups and church size settings. FCBH has joined the movement to record and freely provide God’s Word in every heart language that needs it by the year 2033, working to fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission. FCBH is partnering with over 700 other organizations and churches.
Ninety percent of the world’s population now has God's Word in audio and video in their heart language. The Earth will soon be covered with the knowledge of God’s glory as the waters cover the sea!
