Friendly, and Unfriendly, Persuasion

by Jordan Starling

What's it take to change a culture?

CollegePlus! grad Jonathan Krive has the answer.

According to researcher George Barna, only about half of Christians in America feel comfortable communicating what they believe. In fact, in his recent book Revolution, Barna notes that most believers don’t even base their decisions on the Scriptures but instead on what they take in from the media, family members, and peers. CollegePlus! graduate Jonathan Krive has made it part of his goal in life to change this disturbing phenomenon.

Krive currently lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his wife Noel. In 2007, he received a Presidential appointment to the Bush administration as a political appointee to the Department of Labor. He recently left the administration to become the fundraising coordinator for a nonprofit organization that helps philanthropists achieve their charitable goals.

Krive has been involved in persuasive communication for over a decade, beginning with speech competitions sponsored by the National Christian Forensics and Communication Association, or NCFCA for short. Krive won this nationwide competition for three consecutive years before pursuing his college studies and other outlets for communicating a biblical worldview in today’s postmodern culture.

Not only is persuasive communication an essential skill for all people to have, but it is especially necessary for Christians, according to Krive. “We have a mandate in 1 Peter to be able to give a reason for why we believe what we believe,” he said. “Therefore, persuasive communication is an essential skill for Christians to have, not only to succeed in life, but also in defending our faith.”

How to Communicate Effectively

Krive feels that there are two parts to effectively communicating one’s point of view: the message and the medium a person uses to present it. “If someone is to be persuaded, the persuader will have used logic, analytical reasoning, and hard factual evidence,” he said. According to Krive, the medium needs to be different depending on the crowd. “If you are speaking with a group of children, use simple logic,” he said. “If you are speaking with a group of scientists, use more academic, scientific language and reasoning.” He also encouraged presenters to use visuals as appropriate, like incorporating PowerPoint presentations into a speech.

Krive explained the principles believers can use to come to a Biblically-sound conclusion while thinking through an ethical trend or issue. “First, I try to keep an open mind. I may be wrong and there may be another view more superior to mine,” he said. “On the flipside, a more important point to remember is that I know why I believe what I already believe, and I always interpret what I hear through the lens of what I already know is true.”

What It Takes to Persuade

Krive said that his success in speech and communications didn’t happen overnight but only with a tremendous amount of hard work and determination. He spent time with speech coaches (a common practice for those participating in speech competitions), watching well-known speakers like Alan Keyes and Ronald Reagan, and practicing in front of a mirror or video camera.

An avid participant in public policy efforts, Krive also took part in political assemblies and rallies. “Because these events were different from speaking in front of an unbiased panel of judges [like at speech competitions], I had to adjust my speaking style, and I did that by considering what my audience believed,” he described. “If they were skeptical of my point of view, I would speak to them a lot differently than if they were more likeminded.”

Practical Steps for Developing Communication Skills

Along with the NCFCA competitions, Krive’s CollegePlus! experience also helped prepare him for a career in communications. He said that the best part of CollegePlus! was the flexibility, which allowed him to pursue other extracurricular activities. “I was able to intern at a journalism magazine, write for my school newspaper, and work on two political campaigns,” he said.

Krive likes to encourage students who may not feel confident about their communication skills. “Practice, practice, practice! Everyone has the ability to be a great communicator,” he exhorted. “Not everyone will make a career out of it or pursue it as a favorite activity, but everyone should be able to get their thoughts across.”

On a practical level, Krive said that it’s essential to “begin by becoming familiar with new vocabulary and watching successful speakers. But the most important thing is: Go do it.” He highly recommended taking a public speaking class or joining a speech and debate league such as Toastmasters.

Jordan Starling lives in Jefferson City, TN, with her parents, younger sister and two younger brothers. Aside from majoring in communications with CollegePlus!, Jordan is also studying drafting at a local trade school.