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November 18, 2009
Question of the Week: BuzzWords and Jargon
Which "Christian" phrase would you eliminate if you could?
I'm going to take things a little broader for today's Question of the Week. Specifically, I'm wondering this:
If you could go back and time and eliminate the origin of any Christian buzzword or jargon, which one would you choose?
Below are some examples of the kind of thing I'm talking about. If you have an opinion (good or bad) regarding any of these phrases, I'd love for you to post a quick note about it in the Comments section. I'd also love for you to let me know which words and phrases I've missed.
Buzzwords
- Emerging
- Metanarrative
- Praxis
- Koine Greek
- Assimilation
- Missional
- Community
- Attractional
- Seeker
- Witnessing
- Justification and Variagated Nomism (just kidding on that one)
Jargon Phrases
- Washed in the blood
- Assimilation
- Using "fellowship" as a verb
- The Sinner's Prayer
- Born again
- "Loving on" someone or something
- Stumbling block
- Having Jesus "in my heart"
- In the center of His will
I think that's a pretty good list, but it does not contain the phrase I would choose. If I could go back in time and stop the first person from uttering the word "frick" or "frickin" for the first time, I would do it in a heartbeat. As in, "That movie was frickin' awesome!" or saying, "Frick!" after you make a bad throw in frisbee golf.
That was all the rage back in college—a Christian method of cursing. And I'm afraid it's only growing stronger....
Can you think of any more?
posted by Sam O'Neal on November 18, 2009 3:05 PM
Comments
I'd love to come up with something better than "traveling mercies." And drop forever the use of the word "just" as a spacer during prayers.
But I would keep "born again" since Jesus used it...
Posted By: Kevin Miller | November 25, 2009 1:28 PM
i'd get rid of "witnessing". Makes me think of Jehovah's witnesses. I prefer "sharing my faith" or "sharing the good news" or "sharing the gospel".
i'd also get rid of "sinner's prayer"...can't find that one anywhere in scripture and i feel it has given false assurance that if you've uttered "the sinner's prayer" and wrote down the date you did it in your bible, then magically your saved. On the other hand, just because this was a part of someone being saved doesn't make it wrong. i just think it has turned into something sort of like an "incantation".
The other one i don't like is "asking Jesus into my heart"...doesn't the Word say that our BODY (not just my heart!) is the temple of the Holy Spirit? It also is confusing to little kids. My 6 year old asked me the other day, "Mom, does Jesus only stay inside your heart, and not the rest of your body?" Case closed.
Posted By: Cher | November 25, 2009 1:30 PM
Great topic, Sam.
Here are mine:
Tension, as in "you just have two hold those opposing views in tension" or "How do you deal with that tension?"
gift, when used as a verb--drives me nuts!
the phrase "what does that look like"
Posted By: Drew | November 25, 2009 1:52 PM
I'd get rid of "speaking into someone's life." I'm not sure where that started, but I'm tired of hearing it. ("Leaning into" would be a close second.)
Posted By: Eddie | November 25, 2009 1:56 PM
"Transformational" is starting to get to me. What's wrong with simply "change." But "fellowship" in any form is the worst. Could mean anything to anybody who's in a small group
Posted By: Jonathan | November 25, 2009 4:35 PM
I'll second you on "emerging" . . . when will the emergent church have fully emerged, or not longer be emerging? Will it then be the retreating church? :o)
Other phrases: "walking it out" and using the word "grow" as a verb for churches instead of plants, i.e. "7 steps to grow your church . . . "
Whew -- glad I got that off my chest!
Posted By: Nancy | November 25, 2009 7:31 PM
I completely agree with the 'sinners prayer' and 'witnessing'. I'd like to add 'getting right with Jesus'. It seems that this is spoken too much by people who use the phrase as a shield and may need to 'get right with Jesus' themselves!
domine vobiscum
Posted By: Joyce | November 26, 2009 4:26 PM
My choices:
"Led to Christ" as in Bill led Jim to Christ.
We don't lead people to Christ. We are only
an instrument used by God to lead people to Himself.
I prefer what Billy Graham says--that people
made a decision for Christ.
Why do Christians wish each other "good luck"?
God is sovereign and in control of everything.
There is no such thing as "luck".
Posted By: Steve | November 27, 2009 12:41 PM
It's not on your list, but the word "churched" bothers me the most.
Posted By: David | November 27, 2009 3:40 PM
Wow, very good stuff everyone! :) I don't know whether to laugh or cry...
Posted By: Sam O'Neal | November 30, 2009 9:56 AM
The worst phrase in use today: "worship center". Sorry, but the old cathedrals had it right - a narthex for fellowship and a sanctuary for worship.
Posted By: Jim Deck | November 30, 2009 10:59 AM