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‘Christianese’ When I first arrived in Costa Rica I would stop by a photo copy place quite often and it didn´t take long to figure out that the employees were Christian by the way they talked to each other. I was the new on the block and looking forward to getting closer to these sincere believers. They´d use church-type phrases that must have sounded somewhat odd to anybody outside the Church experience. For example imagine what kind of impact, ¨We´re washed in the blood of the Lamb¨ could make on an unreligious person? The interesting thing is, I refrain from using these patterned phrases even when I´m inside the church walls and prefer to talk about spiritual concepts using my own words... as much as possible. The day I finally sought to befriend the members of this group, letting them know I was also a Christian, they handed me a Biblical track with a look of unbelief in their eyes. So, I restated my case, ¨I´m a Bible-believing Christian¨. Still the same look with the same track extended to me. Why do you think these sincere believers were so unconvinced that I could be Christian like they were? Well, for starters, I did not happen to talk their brand of ¨Christianese¨ so that raised their suspicions. David Yeubanks comments, “Most often we are compelled to respond a certain way, feel a certain way, look a certain way, act a certain way ‒ even when that ‘act’ denies what is truly going on inside us. Most of us who have attended Church our whole Christian lives do not really feel free to be openly, blatantly honest about what’s really in our hearts, so we put on smiles, speak in ‘Christianese’ and learn to react to situations and engage in conversations with patterned responses.” Yeubanks also writes, “We pray with words of religion and we say what we think He [God] wants to hear and what we think will be most effective for us or someone else, but seldom are we boldly honest. ” Yeubanks confesses that the tendency toward evangelical religiosity is thorny, because it so permeates our thinking. He says, “Religion has largely succeeded in convincing people that what God is generally concerned about is weekly Church attendance, giving your money to the Church, getting you to pursue some ministry, building grand religious edifices and elaborate ‘inspirational’ programs, or any number of other such things. But friends, there is nothing God is more interested in than to engage in the most intimate, vibrant, abundant, incredible close and personal relationship with you and teach you how to have this kind of love for one another!” Trust is a powerful human connector and positive change agent. Roman 12:9 says that love is to be free of pretense. It is sincerity that invites people closer, not religious form. The truth is we need each other. We need to strive to restore human connection through authenticity. I think one great obstacle to God’s message is when we Christians try to show care in a language that we ourselves don’t understand, but which is ingrained in us. What are these phrases? Like most groups, Christians have a specialized language for those who are truly "in the know". Note: Please take in mind that the following examples are written tongue-in-cheek and are not intended to offend or mock anyone. Also, the meaning behind a patterned saying is subjective ‒ and may vary. Many sincere believers use ¨Christianese¨ because they’re not aware that what they say is patterned or stereotyped, and so perhaps it´s the only way they know how to express themselves. Christianese: "If it be God's will." Translation: "I really don't think God is going to answer this one. Christianese: "Let's have a word of prayer." Translation: "I am going to pray for a long, long, long time." Christianese: "That's not my spiritual gift." Translation: "Find someone else." Christianese: "Fellowship" Translation: "Organized gluttony." Christianese: "The Lord works in mysterious ways." Translation: "I'm totally clueless." Christianese: "Lord willing . . ." Translation: "You may think I'll be there, but I won't." Christianese: "I don't feel led." Translation: "Can't make me." Christianese: "She has such a sweet spirit!" Translation: "What an airhead!" Christianese: "I have a 'check' in my spirit about him." Translation: "I can't stand that jerk!" Christianese: "Prayer concerns" Translation: "Gossip" Christianese: "In conclusion . . . " Translation: "I'll be done in another hour or so." Christianese: "You just have to put it in God's hands." Translation: "Don't expect me to help you." Christianese: "God wants to prosper you!" Translation: "Give me all your money." Ron Hutchcraft explains further by saying, “Our ‘Christianese’ encourages a person to "accept Christ as your personal Savior." We are so accustomed to the phrase, it seldom occurs to us that such a statement does not even register on the screen of most people. The average person’s concept of "accepting" a person is nowhere near the biblical imperative of putting one’s total trust in Jesus. The word Savior is seldom used in modern conversation and certainly not in a way that clearly communicates what Christ did for us on the Cross. Asking someone to "receive Christ" is also likely to leave the unspoken response, "I have no idea what that means." Many years ago, people spoke of "receiving" a guest, but these days we "receive" a package or a letter. When we ask someone, "Would you like to receive Christ?" he will likely wonder what we mean. To add to the confusion, there are religious traditions where members "receive Christ" every time they partake of the elements of Holy Communion. Some of our most precious faith-words can be misconstrued, misrepresented, and misunderstood. A few years ago a bumper sticker read: "Jesus saves – but Moses invests." While such irreverence makes us wince, it illustrates how confusing our words can be. For many of the people who need Christ most, a call to be "saved" is baffling.” We need down-to-earth intelligible words to express what is often an intangible spiritual realm. God is the Lord of freshness, rather than patterned speech, often overblown tired phrases that truncate conversation rather than stimulate it. We are meant to be God’s messengers with an unmistakable individuality. May we replace our ‘Christianese” into life giving words that draw us closer to each other rather than isolate us.  Vincenzo ¨There is no key to contentment. The door is always open.¨ |
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7/22/2007 5:49 am |
We need down-to-earth intelligible words to express what is often an intangible spiritual realm. God is the Lord of freshness, rather than patterned speech, often overblown tired phrases that truncate conversation rather than stimulate it. We are meant to be God’s messengers with an unmistakable individuality. May we replace our ‘Christianese” into life giving words that draw us closer to each other rather than isolate us. I am with you 100% on this one. We had this conversation at the church once and decided to leave out on purpose of this phrases in our prayers, because quite often we repeat phrases, that have lost their meaning to us. And if they are not from the heart, I don't think that God appreciates them. Thanks for the post, bless you What God does in our lives during the waiting period is just as important as what we are waiting for. John Ortberg CHRISTIAN WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS
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I was raised in a liturgy type church where repetitions were nothing short of meaningless to me. Liturgy and rituals were tiring, lifeless, meaningless, and repetitive gibberish and God seemed anything but "real" to me until a "godly person" came along and shared how one can have a "personal relationship" with God. Thus, my interpretation was that unless I was born again, I did not know God which by the way was not how I felt. I absolutely do not doubt that some who use the lingo mean it well with the utmost sincerity. The main problem is that people who do use it sound just like everybody else who uses it and to me this sounds meaningless. Jesus is said to be our personal Savior and Lord in evangelical Christian circles. The implication is that God knows each one of us as an individual and each person's relationship with Him is unique and special. "I have called you by name; You are mine...thus says the Lord. (Isaiah 43)" Then, why do we have to sound so alike as if we all tow the party line? Why do we need a collective lexicon besides the Bible? Some pastor or popular Christian author coins a clever and catchy phrase, and it spreads like a wild fire among Christians. I never heard the words "born again" when I was younger. It may serve us better to reflect on our high school English teachers' admonishment to use our own words. So let's get back to the christianese phrase "born again" or how about "personal relationship" or "washed in the blood of Jesus" or "reborn in the spirit" or "raptured out of here" or " are you ready for the second coming" "or "slain in the spirit" or "What does this mean?" (Christianese for Lutherans) lol. Yes, it must be confusing for non-christians, as these words have been confusing for me as I have heard them. Since childhood, I really have had a personal relationship with Jesus, however, it was never labeled. It showed in my gentle and most honest, diligent character. It showed in how I conducted myself most of the time. It showed when I did do something wrong, I felt convicted and ashamed and perhaps guilty in my concience. It showed when I honored my parents wishes. It showed when I was merciful to others. When I hear the words "born again", it has normally been around people that have become reformed from prison, drugs, alcohol or some other sinful addition. So I ask, why do I need to be "born again?", when I have already recieved the most precious blessing ONCE when I accepted Jesus as my Savior at the age of 13. Just thoughts and again an inspiring post, Vincent. Sheri (¯`•♥•Â´Â¯) ¤`•.♥.•Â´ ¤ (¯`•♥•Â´Â¯)
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What a great post! And so very true at times. I believe that those who have a weakness in being open or sincere, or whatever it may be, should be asking the Lord to work into them the virtues that we are lacking. Remember it is all about us asking, and not amiss (or in unbelief) because we cannot be open, loving, forgiving, patient, etc in and of our own selves so we need to ask of God to work these fruits into us, so that they could come out of us, so that we could consider others by provoking them to ask of God to work these good things into them. Heb 10:24 This is the love that edifies others. 1 Cor 8:1 We shall know them by their FRUIT, no matter what they profess... 
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