It’s no secret that we Christians have our own inside lingo. Words like propitiation, redemption, grace, salvation, etc. are not used in the same way in the broader culture. And the case can even be made that Christians of different denominations use these same words with a slightly different meaning depending upon their particular theological persuasion.
But at least these are “Bible” words and we have a common reference point that we all recognize as authoritative. Have you noticed how many phrases we use to describe some kind of spiritual experience that don’t have that reference point? But we’ve heard them so many times we just accept it and move on? I have to think that communication of any real meaning gets lost in these exchanges.
I want to share some of these phrases that I’ve been collecting for a while. I thought about putting them in sentences but I didn’t want to push my own context onto your understanding. Plus, it was getting hard to come up with original sentences. 
Let me know what you think or add some of your own.
- connected to God
- ask Jesus into your heart
- it’s not about religion, it’s about relationship
- don’t open yourself up to…
- call/called/calling
- invite Jesus into our worship
- laid it on my heart
- usher in the presence of God
- intimacy with God
- have a burden
- decision for Christ
- personal relationship with Christ
- God told me
leave it to Jesus
if the Lord tarries
led by the Lord
—
i can’t stand “laid it on my heart” or “led by the Lord”. i can’t count the times a person has used that to justify every fanciful decision or lack or preparation in preaching.
I was in an anthropology class this semester that included a look at some religious ideas. It was really. . . odd. . . seeing how certain academic types just couldn’t “get it” in regard to Christianity. On the other hand, I heard a couple of Christian students fail to communicate certain ideas because of some of the Christian lingo (though, honestly, in general they did a good job). I know several times I struggled to say what I wanted to say without using “insider” language. The word “bless” was the hardest one for me to replace.
~ My friend is lost.
~ He just needs to find Jesus.
~ “Lord, just be with him.”
~ God is in this place.
~ After the service, we’ll fellowship.
My friends and I used to joke about “let’s fellowship.” We’d say, “Hey, later tonight, let’s fellowship for a while, and then afterwards, let’s hang out.” “No wait, can we hang out first and then fellowship after?” “No, man, I might have to leave early, and I don’t want to miss the fellowship.”
Rey – I don’t even have a guess as to what “leave it to Jesus” means. I keep on getting an image of Jerry Mathers in my head which is a little distracting – and creepy. I totally agree with the whole “laid it on my heart” thing. I think I could come up with 20 different synonyms for it and still none of them would come close to anything found in the Bible.
TG – I think there’s a constant tension between making something understandable to a non-Christian but not losing anything in the translation process. And I don’t see it getting easier as our culture becomes more non-Christian. Did you face this in Ukraine? It would be interesting to hear your experience sometime.
Travis – Thanks for adding some good ones to the list. I particuarly like “just be with him”. Like God isn’t with him already? And the whole fellowship/hang out thing is hilarious. I can see that becoming part of my vocabulary.
Great post, Brian.
I wonder if, like attorneys, doctors and such, we Christians have sometimes developed a type of “Christian speak” based on what we believe to be a higher level of “education” / “understanding.”
Many Western Christians pepper their conversations with “amen”-s and “praise the Lord”-s in the sincere but groundless belief that this is somehow reflective of their discipleship. This is off-putting to many unbelievers, however, who perceive that – before they’ve even begun a relationship with that Christian – they are excluded.
For my own part, I’ve sought and still seek to be very aware of my terminology. If I discover that I’m using a phrase which an unbeliever can’t easily understand, I change it. There is a lot of “vocabulary” that has ended up in my trash can over the years.
Appreciate your blog, Brian.
I have a check in my spirit about this blog entry.
Ahh, and now I know WHY!! I’ll never get the emoticons right!
Isn’t God good!
I feel led
The presence of the Lord is in this place (this morning)
With every head bowed, and every eye closed
If you feel led
Turn to the person next to you and tell them “…
Give the Lord a clap offering
God brought you here today
Rusty,
I laughed out loud at several of your additions! Thanks for making me smile this morning. Now if only I could get Surely the Presence of the Lord Is In This Place out of my head…
interrrrresting.
I have always had annoyance with unthinking “Christianese” and will go off on whatever the offending phrase is at the time, but sometimes even irritating redundancies will have meaning if we don’t use them in a pat way. That is among ourselves… with those who sit in the seat of the unlearned;) I like to transpose the thoughts to where they are. I said alllll of that tot say this : My own salvation experience came by way of that phrase “Ask Jesus into your heart” – it was its very simplicity and naivete that caught hold of me. Maybe. I actually can’t tell you how God just happened to get hold me in that moment. The owrds mattered less than the power of the Spirit.
Ok, is that one? “power of the Spirit”? Or do we all get that one?
I think sometimes it is the fact that the meaning gets emptied out and we just start hearing “godwords” where they sound the same but have lost the context and meaning for us. That wouldn’t be a faultiness in the words themselves, but in the speakers and hearers.
I need to get back on discussing that concept of “Rhema word” just to see what Rusty will say.
Christian Lingo…
Check Brian’s post Things Christians Say, at A Small Faith, for a humorous look at our Christian subculture. Update: Brian stated,It’s no secret that we Christians have our own inside lingo. Words like propitiation, redemption, grace, salvation, etc…
Heh – I kinda think I know what Rusty would say about the whole rhema thing. But you should discuss it again anyway.
I like what you said about your salvation experience – it being more about the power of the Spirit than the words themselves. That’s something we need to remember.
I guess what concerns me about phrases like “ask Jesus into your heart” is that they have become shorthand for something else. And if you don’t know the longhand version then you’ll likely to infer your own meaning instead.
Thanks for the comment!
Lynn – Hmmmm, I think you need to dig out your copy of Decision Making. It might be time for a review.
Funny post. Wish I’d have thought of that.
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Jeff,
I can’t believe that Brian didn’t come up with “in our midst” himself! Our pastor has this habit of mispronouncing the word midst as “mist.” It makes it hard to hear him preach on “the mystery of Christ in our mist” without giggling a little.
Thanks for stopping by! Not sure how you found us, but I’m enjoying reading over at your site. We’re glad you’re here!
Things Christians Say…
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