Her.meneutics: Doing Authentic Ministry with My Smokin' Hot Bride

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July 19, 2011

Doing Authentic Ministry with My Smokin' Hot Bride

A list of the worst ever Christian cliches.

Karen Swallow Prior

I slipped. My husband and I were asked to take on another church commitment. I was trying to decline graciously. In my e-mail response, I wrote, “We cannot help now, but hopefully in another season.” I copied my husband on the e-mail and instantly received a one-word reply:

“Season?”

You see, season is one of many words long ago banned from our vocabulary. But my lapse reminded me how hard it is to resist the lure of the handy cliché.

The trouble with prefabricated words is that they don’t require or encourage much thinking. Yes, clichés contain truth; that’s why they are used so much. But familiarity can turn even truthful words into vain repetitions.

Church-based clichés are nothing new. In 1719, satirist Jonathan Swift warned in “A Letter to a Young Clergyman Lately Entered Into Holy Orders,” against “the folly of using old threadbare phrases.”

So I did some brainstorming with many Her.meneutics writers to find some of the worst clichés in vogue among Christians. (In fairness, the cliché problem isn’t limited to Christians.) The terms here are my personal peeves. If you happen to be fond of any of them, please know I’m not judging you — just your vocabulary, and mine.

Cliche Category #1: “Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice”

I drink my coffee black, prefer more potatoes to dessert, can’t abide chick flicks, and have a low tolerance for sweetness (puppies excepted). Sicky-sweet terms that certain Christians seem to love include

- precious (road trip to the Precious Moments Chapel, anyone?)

- come alongside (I can just see the strong arm of a big, burly come-alongsider draping across the shoulders of a grateful come-alongsidee)

- love on, as in, “Let’s just love on these precious kids.”

- a real heart for God: why doesn’t anyone ever talk about having a mind for God, which is just as scriptural?

Cliche Category #2: “Good Words Gone Bad”

These are perfectly fine terms that through misuse, overuse, and abuse have become trite.

- authentic

- contemporary

- intentional

- relevant

- community

I happen to be fond of the ideas denoted by all these words; I lament their downward spiral into triviality. But authentic, for example, has now become like that riddle about silence: “What’s broken when its name is spoken?” If you have to call it authentic, you’re probably trying too hard and are therefore not really authentic.

Subcategory: “Good Grammar Gone Bad”

These are nouns twisted into verbs and verbs deformed into nouns. The church loves to do this. For example, the noun impact (as in to have an impact) is rendered in Christian-ese to impact something. And rather than seeking, simply, to minister or to live, we now do ministry or do life. Why, oh why, do we do this to words?

Cliche Category #3: “I Heart My Wife and Have the Bumper Sticker to Prove It”

- bride, as in, "My beautiful bride, Tanya, and I went camping this weekend." This word generated lots of buzz recently when Jon Acuff of Stuff Christians Like brilliantly skewered this behind-the-times church edition of society’s expired license to call women “girls” (but not men “boys”).

- smokin’ hot, as in, “I just wanna love on these precious kids and come alongside them as we do life together and then go home to my smokin’ hot bride.” To me, calling one’s wife bride on any day after the honeymoon betrays a rather silly insistence that she is into perpetuity that sweet, young, virginal thing once greeted at the altar — or worse, a tacit acknowledgement that she's not (wink, wink), so let's just make like she is. Smokin’ hot, on the other hand, just sounds like someone trying a bit too hard to convince himself.

Cliche Category #4: “Does the Bible Really Say That?”

No harm is probably meant in using these theologically questionable terms, but thoughtlessness easily becomes wrong thinking, as George Orwell famously argued. If we believe in the power of words, we must recognize their thought-shaping ability.

- just. This is a mild but pervasive example that peppers many prayers and is intended, I suppose, to express humility. There’s nothing wrong with this unless constant use causes believers to forego coming to God boldly.

- testimony. This one is troubling when it is =used singularly, suggesting that the Christian life is marked by only one testimony when, in fact, every day provides believers with unlimited opportunities for more testimonies.

- Christ-follower. A problematic trend in recent years is calling oneself this rather than a Christian. I understand the embarrassment the label Christian can cause when it aligns one with others who are not as smart, savvy, or theologically and politically progressive as oneself. (Yes, that was sarcasm, another language altogether). But the term Christ-follower is vague enough to apply to any number of good-hearted folks who admire the teachings of the historical Jesus but don’t ascribe to the creeds that martyrs like Stephen, Polycarp, Joan of Arc, Tyndale, Cranmer, and Bonhoeffer lived and died for. Keeping this great cloud of witnesses — joined by the likes of Luther, Calvin, Wilberforce, and Mother Teresa — in mind can help one reconsider the privilege and honor it is to bear the name Christian.

What about you? What Christian-ese terms do you find mortifying, annoying, or simply amusing? Post your nominations below.

Comments

Intimate! It probably falls into Category #2, but it gives me the heebie jeebies!

Tee hee :) This reminds me of a professor in college who was easily ruffled by grammar misuses and used to say, "Don't talk to me about impact unless you're referring to your dentals." She would also nominate, "sharing," as we Christians LOVE to say. Sharing our testimonies, our hearts, our homes, etc.

And while I'm very interested in the biblical paradigm of Christ and His love for the church, His bride, in the NT and OT, this does not mean that Jesus is your boyfriend. Stop it. Stop dating Jesus. This is where the metaphor breaks down. :)

I don't mind 'doing life' etc, but stuff that's going round the UK is calling everything 'edifying', which seems now to be almost devoid of meaning, and asking God to 'soften hearts' when praying for non-believers.

Terrific. Thanks for excepting puppies from the "sweetness" rule. They DO deserve every ounce of sap. : )

Being "passionate" about everyone and everything.

Also "unpack" as in "Today we will unpack these verses," or "Let's unpack our ministry goals.

I like the Jesus is not your boyfriend. Jesus is also not your homeboy. :) In the same vein, Jesus can not be advertised by a coke logo.. or a Pepsi logo.... or a John Deere logo.... or a Tide logo... you get my point.

I think my smokin' hot husband will love this post.

"Awesome" damaged by overuse. And the phrase "going deeper" should only be used by miners or those drilling for water or oil.

"Christ-Follower" instead of "Christian" gets on my last nerve. You're not cute, you're not clever, and you're not helping yourself. You're trying to distance yourself from other believers -- something snobs do.

"It's not a Religion, it's a Relationship" is also inane. It's both, and trying to make it sound cool isn't going to change anyone's mind. Plus, it's a lie -- Christianity is a religion, and pretending otherwise isn't going to change it.

"Spirit-Filled Person" Here's the thing: If they're a Christian, they're "Spirit Filled." If you're a church, you're "Spirit-Filled." You may not act like it, but you are. Stop trying to make a caste system for Christians.

My contribution to the list: "missional."

I *think* I'm basically okay with what it means...but it's so imprecise and vague that I really have no idea what people are talking about. Plus, it's way overused.

LOVE IT. Best part: the "Christ-follower" bit. Every word of that was spot-on.

Speaking of the word 'just' Here is the Brand new version of the Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who just art in heaven, hallowed just be thy name. Thy Kingdom just come, thy will just be done, on earth just as it is in heaven. Just give us this day our daily bread. And just forgive us our trespasses,
as we just forgive those who just trespass against us.
And just lead us not into temptation, but just deliver us from evil. For thine is just the kingdom, just the power and just the glory, for ever and just ever.
Just Amen.

"Hedge of protection" is another pet peeve. My friend said she always has funny images of a big bush following her around doing blocking maneuvers! I do have to disagree on the "Christ-follower" paragraph, though. I use that term, not in an attempt at elitism, but rather to differentiate that I DO believe in, follow and attempt to live out the teachings of Christ as opposed to people who utilize the term Christian to define themselves as non-Jewish or non-Muslim or non-any-religion-that-does-not-follow-the-teachings-of-Christ. I think the term "Christian" has become over-used and, as a result, it's true meaning has been stripped away.

Turn this place upside down for Christ. ( You can substitute any city, state, country, etc. for this place).

Apparently Christ would like us all to learn how to do a headstand.

"Just" and "really" go together. "Father" and "God" as punctuation in our prayers.

The difference between "heart" and "mind"; "heart" good, "mind" bad as if actually thinking about or through something is a waste of time and not spiritual.

Here I am going to be brutal. Any guy who calls his wife or bride "smokin' hot" is a complete idiot. It's TMI and invites us to become voyeurs.

I'll stop. But I enjoyed this post and it was spot on in many cases.

This was hilariously spot on. So true, I wish every Christian could read this...

It should be noted that the term "Christ follower" is not always bad. When I was in China ministering to the Uyghur people (predominantly Muslim)a few years ago, it was made clear to us by missionaries there that you do NOT identify yourself as a Christian, but rather as a "follower of Jesus". This is because Muslims (with their less than complete view of history) associate Christians with the Crusades, so calling yourself a Christian would immediately turn them off and lessen any chances of sharing the gospel with them.

I am a "word" person, too (and a "Word" person, for that matter!) and I enjoyed this post and all the comments!

We all have different reactions to words, depending on our background. I remember reading that Jews who convert to Christianity often struggle with being called "Christians," because, it can be a strictly political term that has always had a negative connotation for them.

I have no problem with people calling themselves "Christ-followers" if it helps them. After all, language only works if the people listening know what the words mean to the speaker. In addition, there is probably a language where Christian is actually translated as "follower of Christ!"

Thanks for an interesting post!

For me -- I could do without hearing the words "accountable" or "accountability" for the rest of my life.
I love the article and the keen observations. Also enjoy the reader comments. Thanks.

Just precious. I'll share this on my blog, which I must say is cutting edge. I've hated that word - precious - since my youth when grand-matronly church women loved on my five siblings and I with sugary sweet hugs and kisses when they saw us all dressed up and quiet in church. I was never wired for that.

Great post, although I will say that I do sometimes say that my goal is to live up to the meaning of my name, Christine, which means "follower of Christ." So in that sense, I'm not trying to separate myself from Christians in any way, but saying that I DO follow Christ. There are a lot of people out there who call themselves Christians but aren't actually Christians. Doesn't the word "Christian" come from someone who follows Jesus Christ to begin with?

This can apply to biblical phrases as well. Even the phrase 'born again' has its problems. Very few people that I have encountered know what it means. For many the question "Are you a born again Christian? is a loaded one that goes far beyond the intended biblical meaning. It's like asking "Are you a protestant, evangelical, pre-tribulational, Republican"...and so on. The same applies to 'Spirit-Filled' which is a often a synonym for Pentecostal or Charismatic.

Gina, I had to take you're Lord's Prayer a little farther:

Speaking of the word 'just' Here is the Brand new version of the Lord's Prayer

Our Father, Lord, who just art in heaven Lord, hallowed just be thy name, Lord. Thy Kingdom really just come Lord, and thy will just be really done Father, on earth just as it is in heaven, God. Just give us this day our daily bread. And just really forgive us our trespasses, God,
as we just forgive those who just trespass against us, Lord.
And just lead us not into temptation, but just really deliver us from evil, Lord. For thine is just the kingdom, Father, just the power, God, and just the glory, Lord, for ever and just ever.
Just Amen, Lord.

If you remember only one capitalization rule, may it be this:

Capitalize the word Bible.

Please. It's important.

I think I once heard someone use the word "just" in a public prayer 10 times!

When a term has become a part of the accepted "Christianese" dialect, I try to avoid using it--either on the air (I work in radio) or in conversations, especially with those who don't know Jesus. Frankly, I've heard the term "alongside" used by no one but Christians. That's one I'd definitely like to see disappear out of the Christian lexicon!

"Ministry" Why does everything have to be a ministry? Why can't we just do x, y, z instead of having an x,y, z ministry?!

From a sociological perspective jargon and lingo are often the means by which those in a given subculture self-identify themselves and distinguish their group from those on the outside. The problem is when words and phrases become mere mantras and devoid of meaning.

Okay, I confess. As a Biblical exegete, I love the word “unpack,” but I’ve had to stop using it because of the complaints. Regarding “accountability” and “accountable,” I see far too little willingness either to practice the former or be the latter. Any suggestions for a better word to describe how we should create a regular habit of making ourselves transparent in our actions?

Often, when I get a greeting card or note from another Christian acquaintance, they will sign it "In Christ," with their name. For some reason, this always strikes me that only "in Christ" are they sending these good wishes-- Otherwise they wouldn't even talk to me! I know this is probably not what is meant, but that's how it hits me! My bad!:-)

"Convicted" I had a non-Christian friend tell me she was in a seekers group when a woman said that she was "convicted" to teach Sunday School - my friend really thought that a judge had sentenced her to teach SS - hahaha!

Along with "precious", I would throw out "desire", as in, "I just really desire that you precious girls would just really come to desire God's will with your whole heart!"

Also, if we're going to do away with "smokin' hot" (which I agree is annoying if it's not my husband saying it!), can we PLEASE also kill off "holy hunk"? Uggghh! If I have to hear one more precious girl sharing how God provided a "holy hunk" who just really loved her "Modest is Hottest" t-shirt...

As someone who works for a missionary sending organization, I would like to point out that sometimes there is a valid reason for using the term "Christ follower." In some countries where our workers serve, nationals will not even talk to you if you say you're a Christian. This is because they associate "Christians" with a lot of the evils that have been imported to other countries via Western, "Christian" society, including many of the movies produced in Hollywood. Also, many people in these countries associate being a Christian with a specific foreign policy or political agenda. We have found that when our workers identify themselves as followers of Jesus rather than "Christians," it is much easier to connect with those who have a negative view of Christianity.

Ouch, ouch, ouch. Just ... ouch. Convicted.

I'm currently being driven nuts by "Homegoing" or "Homecoming" in place of "death" or "funeral." No. We Christians acknowledge death, the grief, and the separation. We also celebrate the life, the promise of Christ's final victory, and the hope of eternal life. Yet to gloss over the former is to demean death overall. We shouldn't push to sentimentalize the curse.

"Love on" is a personal pet peeve. Annoying and super creepy if you really think about it....

Karen, this is a win-win for Christians and wordsmiths alike!

These words strike me as being VERY Protestant, not neccesarily just in the Christian circles. I don't hear my Catholic Sister in law using any of these terms...

Holy cow! I think I may have to stop talking altogether. Wouldn't want to annoy anyone.

Bless your heart. :)

Love it. Oh, I'm so glad you brought this up! Love on IS creepy, as Brittany said. If I ever see anyone "loving on" kids in Sunday School, I'm calling the police.
"Coming alongside" has long been a pet peeve. I don't even know what that means and neither does anyone else, except that I hate when people come alongside me on the highway. Pass me or get behind me, but don't come alongside me.
I've been working on weeding out Christian phrases like this from my vocabulary because I realized that, hey, they just don't make any sense. I sometimes imagine saying these things to someone who's never stepped into a church and if it wouldn't make sense to them it just really has to go alongside the precious road.

I am grateful someone feels tasked to correct our abuse of English.

Could we add spot-on? Just sayin'; it's all good: not!

Thanks for having this "conversation." It's so important to "engage with" issues like this.

I've felt and thought most of these criticisms. However, we have to be on watch against becoming judgmental ourselves. Cliches are human; they will re-invent themselves in the next fifteen years. "Church" lingo is just like any other lingo, whether it be at your office or in your home. It will develop no matter what; have patience with it. Just my thoughts :)

Re: "smokin' hot" .. Candidate and ex-Governor Tim Pawlenty made headlines when he referred to his "red-hot smokin' wife" on the campaign trail. For the uninitiated, I'll mention that this was an allusion to a prayer uttered by Will Ferrell in "Talladega Nights," a NASCAR-spoof movie. From a grammatical standpoint, it is an interesting reversal of "smokin'" and "hot." In the original cliche, "smokin'" is an adverb that modifies "hot." But by reversing the order, Ferrell/Pawlenty suggest that the wife in question is not only "red hot" but also that she smokes.

And, oh yes, having a "worship experience." Or a "mission experience." The level of detachment suggested by that phrasing is enough to give me a nausea experience.

A useful article. Thank you.
"Awesome" is a word that is way overused describing a youth gathering.
" 'Personal' walk/relationship with God/Jesus". What other kind of relationship can one have with God? It doesn't get any personilier than that. Drop 'personal' so as not to be redundant.
And finally, not a word but a punctuation mark. "!!!!!!!"s are WAY overused in church newsletters, especially when describing a youth function or upcoming mission project.

Whenever I hear "love on" I picture someone nuzzling their head into you in a super creepy way.

Also, I'm sick of hearing Christian speakers say men are "wired" a certain way. Humans aren't robots or cyborgs--we're created with the breath of God, not randomly evolved biological machines.

This is great stuff. :) I think contemporary Christian culture (led and/or reinforced by religious media) goes through phases where hackneyed expressions come into fashion. I just wish they'd go *out* of fashion! Calling individuals under age 25 in a church "young people" also bugs me a bit.

I think the phrase "come alongside" came into over-use this way: in the Gospel of John, Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as "the helper" or "comforter." The Greek word for that is parakletos (para = close beside, and kaleo = called to). All it took was for one popular radio Bible ministry to say that a "paraclete" was one who "came alongside, to provide support" like the Holy Spirit. The radio ministry team encouraged its precious listeners to do the same and love on their friends who were hurting -- and a hackneyed expression was born.

Good grief! I thought writing this post was fun. But reading these brilliant comments even tops that! Keep them coming, folks! A little humor at our own expense is good medicine for whatever ails us.

One note about the term "Spirit-filled." Someone said that Christians are always filled with the Holy Spirit. However, filled and indwelt are two different concepts. When you become a Christian, you're permanently sealed with and indwelt by the Spirit, as in Romans 8:9, "You, however, are not in the flesh but are in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you." The Greek word for "lives" is "oikeo."

Being filled, however, refers to specific instances when the Spirit empowers a church or individual believer for a particular task, such as in Ephesians 5:18, "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit..." The Greek word for "filled" is "pleroo."

So we're permanently and constantly indwelt, starting at the moment of salvation, but we're filled multiple times over the course of our Christian lives, as it's also possible to "quench" the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19).

I do agree though that the term "Spirit-filled" often gets tossed around flippantly, especially if used to brag or to describe moments or ministries in which the Spirit isn't necessarily working.

I agree with "Elizabeth"... Christians seem afraid to say the word "die," as in " Mrs. Jones died today. ". We say she "passed." Passed what? Or we say she went to heaven. Seems odd to me, like we are in denial. I'm a journalist and I always insisted that we say "died" in headlines, but people told me it seemed too harsh!

"Unpack." While we are challenged to imitate Christ, it appears this term has hit the lexicon of mega churches, and it is those churches, that are beining imitated, instead. Cliche's are not always bad, but we do ourselves and everyone else a big favour, when we ask, why we're tempted to use them, before we begin to copy the crowd.

Does "Father God" bother anyone but me? It is not a scriptural term and doesn't advance our understand of God and at worse may promote confusion. If there is a "Father God" is there a "Spirit God" and a "Son God"?

"Plugged in" is now the seemingly ubiquitous phrase to describe getting involved in a particular church ministry or group. "We'd like to help you discover your spiritual gifts, and then get you plugged in somewhere so you can start serving the body." I am not an appliance!

I think some of the commenters here have given great reasons to stick with 'Christ-follower' in some situations. As for me, I'm keeping it - along with dropping "evangelical" every time I can. I'd rather have to explain what I mean, then have to explain what I don't mean.

I agree that all of these phrases, except for "Christ-follower," should be summarily terminated. Or quickly dropped, if you prefer. The optimal solution to this lethargy in language is to vociferate exclusively in polysyllabic pronouncements of imposing grandeur and resplendent vocabulary.

"It's a God thing" just keeps getting to me. Isn't it all? For all things were made by Him and through Him...

Alas, Bob, that Lord's Prayer wasn't mine. I only wish it were. :-)

I agree with the reasons some of you have given for using "Christ-follower" in international situations. So to that I cry "uncle." It's actually an excellent example of careful and deliberate use of a term in these cases, which is exactly the point against use of cliches most of the time.

Love all these nominations!

So, this is so insightful and extensive that it kind of makes you wonder if we are just lazy, uncreative, posing, or if we are really for some reason trying to avoid talking in real, everyday words about those things that are most important...

Food, Fun, and Fellowship! I just really don't find that phrase so precious...and it's a gross misuse of what fellowship is supposed to mean.

Thanks for including "love on" and the "Jesus is my boyfriend" as both are extremely creepy.

However, I do like the idea of being "called home."

Although some might think cliches aren't a big deal, I worry that we can use them as an outlet for pride. Sometimes, perhaps, we try to make ourselves seem more "spiritual" by using flowery language or Christianese jargon. I wonder if non-believers are ever turned off by this. Do they hear us talking and think, "Ugh, there go those Christians on their high horses again?" I know that I have that reaction to fellow Christians sometimes -- I really shouldn't, because I don't know their motivation for using the cliches, but there it is. And do new believers sometimes end up feeling inferior or less "spiritual" because they don't know all the "right" phrases yet?

I especially like category #1 (add "the Lord laid it on my heart" to the list), and the idea of getting rid of the big heart vs. mind distinction. I feel as if many modern American Christians think that intellectualism has no real place in Christianity, God doesn't speak to anybody through logic, and trying to think your way through things is always an example of "leaning on your own understanding." It's probably a reaction against the tendency of atheists and academic liberals to claim that they have a corner on intelligence and critical thinking, but it's still wrong. This is a personal sore spot for me because I went through a period of honest intellectual doubt when I was a teenager. My parents came down hard on me for it; they seemed to think that I could just snap my fingers and believe if I wanted to, and therefore I must be deliberately rejecting Christianity. My mom even said that I had "such a hard heart" at one point, when she thought I wasn't listening. Thanks to the doubts, I was already going through the worst period of my life, and having my parents treat me like a rebellious heathen made it even more difficult. I was so scared of getting the same reaction from other Christians that I didn't seek support or comfort from anybody, and dealt with the problem (which went on for years) in secret.

Best post I've read on Her.menutics! Especially useful for all who actally have interactions with people who aren't immersed in Christian culture. We must be able to articulate Christian beliefs and practice without relying on such empty word-symbols, and learning to do so requires thought and practice.

Just to jump in on the "Christ-follower" discussion, I also live overseas in a "non-Christian" country. But despite all the evangelism tips I heard growing up in the States, no one here is fooled by the old "Christ-follower" trick. Means "Christian" to them and gives off the impression that you're trying to pull the wool over their eyes. Same thing with calling Jesus "Yeshua."

I wish protestants would spend more time owning up to the evil done in the name of Christianity than trying to circumvent it or distance ourselves from the harm caused by the historical church, Catholic or otherwise.

I remember reading Randall Balmer's article on the word 'Just' in his Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism. To put it briefly the word is so often used because many Evangelicals eschew formal prayers. Makes me wonder if the word 'Just' is substitute for placing 'Hmmms' periodically throughout verbal thoughts. Or maybe as a means of alleviating anxiety.

"Spot on." It may not be a Christian one, but after so many "This blog was spot on!" declarations it's fast becoming one

I am so conflicted about what to say here. First I listed some of my least favorite words and phrases, but then I erased them and really prayed about this. We come up with our own language and have forgotten true Biblical words that really have meaning. Do you know what the words "justification", "sanctification", "atonement", or "propitiation" mean? These are Biblical terms that can mean the difference between eternity in heaven or hell. It is sad that christians have allowed the ideas of pop-psycology to take over our vocabulary. Lets throw away the silly sayings and funny cliches and really get to know our great heritage of words that are full of meaning about our God and how to get to know him. God bless you.

When I was in seminary, I heard a lot of people being "struck by" things, which I realized was a non-committal way of saying "here's what I think I heard you saying." Which of course made the rest of us lean closer in order to be a "non-anxious presence."

In a more germane topic, I could do without hearing anything emergent, or emerging, unless it's coming out of a sewer in a horror movie. Those words--like post-modern--mean whatever the speaker says they mean, and to challenge the lack of meaning shows you simply aren't hip enough to the cool-cat jive . . . you dig?

The article was a bit on the nit picking and, except for a few thoughtful ones, the comments were a bit nit picking. Honestly, what difference does it make if someone uses cliches? At least they are talking about the Christian experience. Now I hope "experience" doesn't make it on the cliche hit list.

Some of these terms I (thankfully) haven't come across - maybe they just haven't made it across the pond to the UK yet.

The over-use of the word "just" in prayer is one of my pet peeves. And I felt what you said about the word "authentic" was, if you forgive the cliche, spot on... I'd also add "at this time" as one of the phrases that make me laugh, I don't know why people seem to use it a lot in prayer, as in "please help our brother John at this time" - nothing really wrong with it, it's just that it feels overused.

But a word that I seriously feel is misused is "worship" - talking about having "a time of worship" and really meaning a time of singing songs of praise and worship, as though that is the only way to worship God: oh, we can't have worship time because there's no guitar.

Re Christ-follower I'm really glad to see others have pointed out that there are some very good reasons to use this term instead of "Christian". And I'm glad to see a comment here explaining the real meaning of being Spirit-filled. I think there are times when we hear other people (perhaps from a different stream of Christianity) use terms which we're not familiar with and we judge those terms as cliches simply because we haven't engaged in dialogue with these people and found out what they actually mean or why they use these terms.

Oh My Heavens - I don't know which is funnier - Karen's post or the follow-up comments.

I don't know where I've been but I've recently been introduced to "unpack". I looked around to see if I was the only one without a suitcase ... which is really funny since my Bible "cover" looks like a miniature suitcase. I'm also unsure about "dig in" when I forgot my shovel. And agreed - "Love On" - gives me the heebie-jeebies.

But when I die I really want my obit to say that I have successfully met my final objective. :) Thanks for a great post.

"But a word that I seriously feel is misused is 'worship' - talking about having "a time of worship" and really meaning a time of singing songs of praise and worship, as though that is the only way to worship God: oh, we can't have worship time because there's no guitar."

Also, "time of worship" can be used to guilt you if you're not into contemporary Christian music. Not that people do it on purpose, but when someone says, "I had such a great time of worship in the car this morning listening to Christian radio!" you can't exactly come back with, "Really? That's great! I was rocking out to Toby Keith, myself."

Getting back to cliches -- I can't believe "traveling mercies" hasn't been mentioned yet. Allow me to be the first to nominate it!

Most ridiculous collection of pent-up drivel I've read in a long time. Perhaps the only solution is for us to start speaking Latin. A bit more acceptance of others and listening to what they mean and not how they make us feel might be in order. The article certainly got a lot of responses.

I skipped a few of the many posts, so someone else may have shared this before me - but it was a long time ago that C.S. Lewis warned us (in "Mere Christianity") that "Christian" was in danger of becoming a useless word. His fear was that it was being applied to many things that weren't truly "Christian" - for instance, people who did good things and supported worthy causes being described as being "more Christian" than those who merely attended services and subscribed to the traditional creeds. I think he was right - "Christian" has become a muddy, useless word over the years; Christ-follower, though pretentious, is at least fresh. What I don't understand is why we don't just go back to the Biblical word, since that is our source - disciple.

It would seem that there has been a mistake made in regards to the word impact. It can, in fact, be used as both a noun or a verb and not break any grammatical rules. I am an English teacher, and grammar is my specialty.

Dictionary.com backs me up, too. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/impact)

I've bristled at just about all these types of linguistic offences in my time (although in Australian rather than US contexts), but the posts that appealed to me were Gina's and Marshall's. This is because so many wonderful fellow Christians may lack the gifts of eloquence, awareness and sensitivity to language that enable them to detect and avoid those dreaded cliches. So I need to bite my tongue and beware of judging or mocking their use of words lest I mock and hurt them. God hears our true intention and looks on the heart.

Well said Lesley. The article on Christian cliches IS the new Christian cliche. This is little more than a self-indulgent rant about personal pet-peeves which should stay just that way--personal.

I'm tired of being challenged to "press in" all the time, as in "We need to press in this weekend and get serious about our faith!" Press in to what?

Another one that bugs me, although I haven't heard it in awhile, is wishing someone "God luck" instead of good luck. Really?

"Quiet Time." Does that mean nap time? Time out?

"Sitting at the feet of...'some great teacher or speaker'" always tickles me. I just hope they have a fresh pair of socks on!

Doing Ministry is mostly used out here :) now i see the folly :)

Loved this article! Lots to consider.

I think I saw somewhere in the many comments the misuse of "ministry" and "being led by the Lord".

Our family adopted two children from Ethiopia. During that time I came in contact with a whole new "ministry"-- the adoption ministry. For the longest time I couldn't put my finger on why using 'ministry' to describe adoption bothered me-- outwardly, I could justify its use, "care for the widow and the orphan", but inwardly the whole idea seemed to smack of shallowness; putting it in the same category as being an usher or greeter or Sunday School teacher. Adoption doesn't "feel" like a ministry to me-- at least not the definition of ministry as used to get people involved in their local congregations (or even the church as a whole).

Along the same lines, I find it vague and unhelpful to hear "I was led by the Lord..." What does that look like? What does that mean? How is it helpful to a non-Christian (or Christian) when they ask what made your family decide to adopt and you say, "We were led by the Lord." This is a hard one, because as Christians living with the power of the Holy Spirit, we do make decisions that may look crazy to the world. However, I believe there are better ways of explaining such truths which are tangible to others-- something they can grasp--not leaving them with fuzzy cult lingo.

I'm missing the fun here. Lazy language is irritating - agree. But this post crosses the line between approachable, self-included humor and upper-class arrogance. Exactly who is irritating you so much? Remember, all new Christians are like social immigrants trying to learn the language of a new cultural group. It wouldn't be right to make fun at their expense. This topic feels a little "high school" to me. Sorry. Usually love your posts.

"Radical" has become so ubiquitous that it isn't. (Apologies to David Platt).

Couple of comments, first I call my wife smokin' hot not convince myself but because I really believe it

Also, I don't think the term Christ follower is a cop out or a term used because of the fear of being associated with Christ like the martyr example you used. It comes from the expression Jesus used when calling the disciples to come follow me. It is also a reaction to the overuse of the word Christian in our culture. Many think if they are American and have been to a church they are Christian. That word has lost some of it's significance in our culture. So I believe the use of this phrase was to cause people to think or rethink if they were truly a follower, someone who obeys him.

I don't think new Christians are the point of interest here. New Christians are learning the language from leaders and other Christians. We all need to be careful about the language we use because we are passing on our language habits to new Christians as well as our kids.

Yes, I agree this thread is more of a "rant" to blow off some steam about things that irk us regarding word usage in the church. I don't see where any one was being malicious towards another. People just wanted to have some fun with it and use it as a diversion. It doesn't really matter what words or terms we use to describe ourselves because 50% of men in the church still view pornography on a weekly basis, the divorce rate among Christians is no different than the secular world, and 80% of our kids drop out of the church once they've been graduated from high school. A more accurate way to describe ourselves would be with the words, "sin", "sinner" and "sinful", but try getting that past the secretary who puts together the monthly newsletter.

Some of these made me nearly laugh out loud. I would add "fellowship" to the list.

And I have to agree with the "holy hunk" version of smokin' hot wife...I can only guess that the commenter was referring to a fairly well-known Christian singer who recently said that God gave her one. What I found irksome about her remark was not just the "Hey, girls, look what I got!" implication (drive your still-single Christian girlfriends wild with envy!), but the additional implication that she received this reward largely for arriving at the altar with her virginity intact...whether she actually intended it that way or not.

Easily the best article yet on the blog, one of the best across all CT publications in the last few years. I was trying to hold in my laughter until I reached this gem:

"I just wanna love on these precious kids and come alongside them as we do life together and then go home to my smokin' hot bride."

That's when I LOL'd. For real.

(and there's one that irks me. Don't type "LOL" if you aren't actually laughing out loud. And ROFL? How often are people falling out of their chairs and rolling on the floor from something their friend said? Hyperbole in acronyms, no good...)

Amen and amen...oops..sorry.

One quibble: although it IS overused, the Greek meaning of the word translated "comfort" is "to come along side". Same word that we transliterate "paraclete".

Great list...

what's the problem with most of these cliches? NOTHING!

"Asking Jesus into your heart." What does that even mean? And why especially do we use it with children, who are even more confused by it? The phrase is never used in Scripture in connection to salvation--why do we?

Speaking of Contemporary Cliches here's a parody video based on new term contemporvant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RJBd8zE48A

@Amy: I feel the same way about the phrase "making a decision for Jesus." That, too, is never used in Scripture. And it sounds downright silly, as if Jesus couldn't make up his mind about something and someone had to decide for him.

Hi All! I confess I'm rather disappointed by this post and not a few of the responses to it. I agree that it is better to use our words with precision and thoughtfulness, especially when it comes to talking about our God. But what, exactly, is the point of listing in this way personal pet peeves about how others speak? Is this helping you to develop patience? Does this exhibit kindness? Much of what is written here smacks of pride and even arrogance. This is creating a kind of class distinction, maybe something along the lines of careful/careless, educated/uneducated, smart/stupid. Do you really mean to create this false division--where you imply you belong to the 'better' category--by airing your personal language grievances here? Please consider that if this is a real problem, there is probably a better way of addressing it. Have the self-control to resist working yourself up over these things. Put aside your right to say them (all things are lawful, certainly) to do what is beneficial. If you genuinely think the way someone is speaking is hurting their relationship with God (I will stand by that word: It is an accurate description of what ought to exist between each of us and the person of God), then with gentleness, speak to them face-to-face about it. I challenge you to do the more difficult but more helpful thing. And finally, Christians, let's end this public festival of complaint right here, before we do any more REAL damage through another type of careless word use. Most sincerely, Cara Polk

Thank you, I thought it was only me that rolled her eyes when I heard any of the words mentioned...and I might add, 'wrestle' as in we are going to wrestle with this particular verse, to the list. It is not the words themselves but rather their over use...they just loose their meaning after while. I do not believe because I am a Christian I have to adapt to and use a 'new' language or vocabulary. I automatically shut down when I hear Christianize, I just stop listening. Just saying what you mean in your own words I think would be a fresh and new idea. Thanks for a fun article!

You did not address the largest offender - Missional."

I think it's interesting that many of those concerned by this post think it's an elitist dig at new Christians learning the lingo. Instead, in my experience it is never new believers who speak this way, but, as jbe noted, it comes from the top down, and is most prevalent in those who have spent their whole lives in a Christian cultural environment.

While I agree that many of the words listed in the post are merely pet peeves, some (and even more listed in the comments) perpetuate a poverty of theological and relational understanding.

This post is important because the way we speak shapes the way we think. The language of the church today is in need of critique, and on a broader scale than simply one-on-one encounters.

@ Carla I see you points but in my experience in the Evangelical subculture it is often the ones who use the cliches who portray themselves as spiritually superior to the ones who don't. They become code words if you will to show who is in and who is out.

Also a bit of humor was perhaps intended by this article. If Evangelicals can learn to do one thing it would be to laugh at themselves.

Heeheehee - I loved this article. The only one I disagreed with (besides Christ - Follower (although I do know of which you are speaking of) was "bride" - the first time I heard a man refer to his wife as his bride I thought it was sweet and adorable. And I still do. Perhaps it is indeed over-used in many places but I rarely hear it here (and I live in Texas!) so to me its actually sweet to hear. But maybe its because, the one person I know who uses it on a regular basis still gets that same joyous look when he says it that I imagine he did when he got married 30+ years ago.

There are some great billboards in the Dallas area that says "Your Wife is really hot!" and then below that it says "Fix the air conditioning"! (its a billboard for an A/C repair shop) It makes me want to ask the men who say that/wear the t-shirts now if she needs a fan.....

If everything is awesome and fresh, and pops, then nothing is.

Ah, thanks for this post and giving us place to vent. ;) I was going to add "missional," but several commenters beat me to it. I agree with many of the points regarding "Christ follower," especially when used in a phrase such as "I'm not a Christian, I'm a Christ follower." It can certainly have good applications (as in some of the overseas contexts others have mentioned), but I've more frequently seen it used to mean "I'm more authentic than you sticks-in-the-mud" (a la those parodies of the PC/Mac ad... which brings to mind another cliche the modern American church falls into: the overused culture parody).

My personal overused buzzword is "messy." As in, "relationships are messy." Almost every article on relationships I read uses this phrase.

@Nancy, sorry the post struck you this way! It was the furthest thing from my intention. I even opened by poking fun at myself and by pointing out later that I included myself in all "judgments." As far as being "high schoolish," I'll accept that charge. I spent several years as a high school principal and, try as I might, I just can't shake that schoolmarm part of my personality. Thanks for posting and reading. And hopefully, next time around will be back to the posts you love. :)

Men get a pass to call their wives "bride" on any and every anniversary or when discussing their wedding day ...

Sometimes even our cliches can misinterpreted within the same group by different generations. I went to a church that had a Saturday night time of singing and prayer. They called it Sold Out. The middle-aged and older folk took it to mean "I'm sold out for Jesus." Another group thought it meant you needed tickets and it was always sold out, so they didn't go. The younger generations thought it meant more like an artist "selling out," meaning to turn against your convictions or values. They eventually changed the name.

@Leslie, the "Your wife is hot!" A/C billboard must be nationwide. We got 'em up here in Pennsylvania as well. Absolutely hilarious.

From a communication perspective, this is fascinating. I've caught myself in conversation with non-believers starting to use a phrase like "the Lord spoke to me" or "laid on my heart" as a way of trying to explain something God has recently taught me through His Word or a decision I made as a result of the Holy Spirit's conviction, but then thinking - they will think I'm crazy. Literally. I was told once that one question physicians ask a patient when trying to determine their mental competence is "Have you been hearing things from God or a higher being?". I've been troubled by the phrase ever since.

I agree that we as Christians shouldn't hide behind these cliches as a quick, packaged, easy way to explain our relationship with God, as I have found is often my true reasoning behind using the phrase. On the other hand, we also shouldn't be shamed into saying nothing by the critique of other Christian's pet peeves. I think every situation calls for specific communication. You're right, Christian jargon is not always the most effective or sincere way to communicate about Christianity. Other times, it provides a clear visual or description to fellow Christians who are familiar with the term. I love what a previous poster said - Christian to Christian, maybe we should try to see the heart behind the words, instead of how they make us feel (Lord knows, I have judged the "just" prayers with cruel, counting fingers).

On another note, I say get on with you "bride" selves, gentleman! Call me Southern, but I think it's sweet. After all, how many time did King Solomon refer to his beloved as his "bride" in the Song of Songs? I may be wrong, but he wasn't only speaking of his wedding day, was he? Then again, if my husband referred to my hair as a "flock of goats", I'd die. So maybe "bride" should be left on the page, as well!

Really, I can't believe you left out "winsome" the most overused word in all of Christendom!

Right on JB!

also, the phrase "knit us together"

I don't know if many people use it anymore, but I was always bothered by the phrase "we covet your prayers." I always thought coveting was a sin...

There are a handful that get me and one of them is "love on". It just sounds... well, does it work as a phrase in the South?

The "smokin' hot wife" and "awesome kids" are a sure way to get me tuned out from a sermon.

In the same vein as "love on" is "we want to meet/love/minister to people where they're at." The sentiment is good, but please find a way to express it without ending your sentence in a preposition.

Just awesome post. What a blessing. ;)

how about "Pro-active" as in "we need to make sure we are proactive about announcing this event". Used a little too much. I think it comes more from the secular business world.

Am I the only one out of the 150 comments above to abhor the overuse of "vision" especially as in "cast a vision"? And you have to be from a certain group a certain number of years ago to hear "preacher boy" way too often.

I seriously posted something very similar this morning at my blog, too! http://jvpearce.blogspot.com/2011/07/christianese-buzzwords.html. What are the odds. Some I included that you didn't mention include: journey, living the gospel, post-x, praise-x, solid, and winsome. Woohoo for Christianese!

How about the phrase "invest yourself in ministry." Found in fundraiser letters which thank the donor for "investing" themselves in the work!

I don't believe this article in ANY way is just venting or personal pet peeves. Words carry significance. When we use memorized language to describe something that is (in the real sense of the word) awesome, we take away from the weight of that experience/feeling/observation.

Christian lingo can actually be incredibly ostracizing to those who don't understand what's being communicated, like new Christians or non-Christians. I've had friends who feel incredibly isolated and/or confused when people ask if they're "saved" or "born again" (just to site words often used to non-Christians.

It seems these cliches are used many times to show how spiritual one is, and how well-versed one is in Christian dialect. I think this article points out (in a fun and relatable way) that it can be harmful.

Referring to people who are not Christians as "pre-Christians." I am also driven nuts by "I felt a check in my spirit."

Passionate. It's just overused and the claim frequently doesn't seem to be entirely born out by the actions that ensue.

I just wanted to say that this blog and all the comments have really lifted my day by giving me a hearty belly laugh---I read some of them to my best friend over the phone and we counted the ones that we've used or heard someone else use in church. Thanks all.

@Patrick - how cool is that ;) I've only seen them in Dallas so I had no idea.

@Mary Clara - I'm finding myself nodding to what you are saying. To often we assume that because we know something others do to. I remember when I was leading a Bible study during lunch at work with 3 other women - We had started with the Old Testament and we were talking about Abraham and how God had promised to make his descendants a blessing to all the earth. The "baby" Christian had no idea what that was referring to - she had no idea that Jesus' physical line was through Abraham (and I got the distinct impression that the other two didn't know it either but didn't want to say anything). It was a bit of an eye opening experience and I learned from then on to not assume. The same is true with all of our "Christianese"

Isn't it a little cliche to be annoyed by cliches. Just sayin' (yes, I know it's a cliche).

The word "gospel" is overused a bit in my circles. It seems that if one uses it as an adjective it makes anything godly or Christian. The gospel is noun not an adjective.

@Anonymous July 20, 4:20 PM: Yeah, that's why the post says the problem is nothing new and cites an early 18th century writer saying the same thing ... doesn't mean we can't vent a little and have fun, too.

Party poopers are kind of cliche, too.

How about using every single name for God in one prayer...as if we can't remember who we're praying to. Or, maybe God doesn't remember who he is and we have to remind him.

Good list, overall. I am going to stand by "Christ-follower" though. In my community at least, everyone thinks he/she is a Christian. They were born in America, after all... of course they are Christians! Globally and universally, "Christian" is indeed a badge of honor. But when preaching to comfortable and sometimes-jaded American audiences, I have found it is helpful to distinguish between those who are sincerely following Jesus and those who are "Christian" by mere association.

How about the phrase "really spoke to me." Such as, Sunday's sermon "really spoke to me"

Brilliant, funny, enjoyable article!(or was that a "piece?") I smiled and laughed all the way, "reading on". You, guys, are "just""awesome"! Frustrated with my always poorly composed stuff in English I "just" came to a sad conclusion that i have to start studying all the cliché first.
Thanks, Katelyn,it's so relieving and I "brake on"!
P.S. May I also propose a ukrainian one to all the church staffers? Every time, using "missional", "just" add "tourism". It will be very close!

@Julie/Cara Polk @10:17 AM

Thank you. Wisdom that seems to have been ignored by both the original author and most if not all the other writers of comments.

I was going to hop on to mention my number one all-time most hated Christian cliche and I see I am not the only one. The word is 'unpack.' Once the word unpack has been unpacked I have already checked out of the sermon.

Ever notice how "Bless his/her heart" is a license to append an insult? "Bless his heart, he's got a face only a mother could love."

I read this blog and most of the comments, and the whole time I was thinking "YES!!", then I started to contemplate my own pride, and got pretty disappointed pretty fast. Every group of people; community, if you will, has a way of speaking, and language evolves to suit a culture. It's always something and always will be, and I can't help but think that's ok. In the 80s-90s we "coveted prayers" and prayed to "beautiful Jesus" and had "fellowship suppers", and now we have "community groups", "intentional teaching", and "relevant Monday-morning Gospel". I just started going to a new, smaller church, and I love that they call themselves a community and really are...also they invited us in warmly.

All those words you mentioned, except for "smokin hot wife", (which I don't even want to be called, it gives teenage boys permission to think of you that way, gross) actually mean something important, and they are easy to over-use because they are vital to your church experience and Christian experience. And you know, it's ok to have an "experience". We've called it many things in the past but at least "experience" is a word that non-church-goers understand and identify with.

Every culture has its lingo, and it's not just church. For instance, has any one of you "put something on your radar" or gotten "on board" with something? What's wrong with being a part of your culture, and while you're at it, have a truthful experience with God, be a part of a healthy community, and say RELEVANT things to the non-Christians around you. Please, enough venting. This post is quickly becoming anti-"missional".

I would disagree strongly with the inclusion of "Christ-follower" on this list. It is perhaps too easy to call oneself a Christian in the U.S. today, in the sense that it costs us nothing in terms of persecution (especially in comparison to other countries around the world). As a result, the sad reality is that the word is very often used in merely a social or political sense, rather than referring to a spiritual transformation. In fact, in much of the south, it's still generally assumed that everyone is a "Christian," regardless of how little the teachings of Christ affect their life on a daily basis.

It's been my experience that those who use the term "Christ-follower" do so not to distance themselves from other believers, but to associate themselves as closely as possible with Jesus. Like some of the other valuable words on your list ("authentic," "intentional," "community"), "Christian" in our culture has come to mean more than just "follower of Christ."

This is kind of a specialized case, but, as a Jewish believer (hope that phrase passes muster) (and that one too), I'm annoyed when "Christian" is used instead of "Gentile" when opposed to "Jews" or "Jewish" in an ethnic sense. ("Though it was a Jewish rally, many Christians were there also.") I see this in the tabloids as well as in the most supposedly cultured periodicals.

I don't hear it much anymore, but the use of "anointed" to refer to a highly-praised, not-to-be-criticized, celebrity believer - "Do not touch God's anointed - is another one. Scripture says that all believers are anointed.

While I'm at it, I might as well "unpack" some secular pet peeves also: "Very unique"; "inner feelings"; the here-to-stay "free gift"; the stranded "hopefully," not attached to an appropriate, or any, verb; "literally" when attached to any reasonably believable fact (Sean Hannity is particularly vulnerable to this; "more than happy" (ecstatic?); and, of course, "110%" and "I could care less." There, I feel empowered. Thank you.

I also dislike the statement that Christianity is a relationship, not a religion. I think that some Christians feel a need to use new catch-phrases. A while ago, people said that one needed to be 'born again'. Then, they said that people needed to 'let Jesus into their hearts'. Now, they say, 'Have a personal relationship with Jesus.' I wonder what silly phrase they'll invent next. I know, 'born again' is biblical, but still, I wish that they would stop inventing hip phrases and let Christianity stand on its own.

"Show up" as in "God really showed up today!"
and
"Beloved", often used to address women's groups, ala' Kay Arthur.
EXCELLENT article!! I agree with all the terms you mentioned and many I saw in the comments. Someone beat me to my biggest pet peeve, "unpack".

As enjoyable (for a chuckle) as this article (rant) was, and regardless of how much I appreciate the skillful tongue-in-cheek (amiably sarcastic) approach, has it, or the subsequent barrage of bandwagon-jumping-upon comments, done anything to build up...or has it all perhaps done more to tear down? We should always remember that some who read or hear our words are new believers without the maturity of "the rest of us" who can smugly scoff at the overuse or, sometimes inappropriate use of certain "Christianese" terms.
Just sayin (doh - I said I wouldn't use that phrase anymore!). Perhaps, given the context, "SELAH" would be more apropos. Bless y'all! :)

"We covet your prayers." Isn't coveteousness a sin? Why say it that way?

"Bow your hearts" is an instruction I've heard pastors give before leading a prayer, and I always think....ouch!

I think the Christian comedian Tim Hawkins hit the nail on the head when it comes to interpreting Christianese. For example, "you have a servant's heart" translates into "we need people to move the tables and chairs." Also he prays a prayer sounding something like "just just Father Father just just Father Father just just!" Haha. Too funny. Personally, I think the "ask Jesus into your heart" phrase is probably the most dangerous because...I mean, what is that? it's about makiHg Jesus the Lord of your life and giving Him the reigns to direct your paths decisions and life. Not asking him to come habitate in one of your organs.....muscles? Whatever. Also, I use the heck out of "precious" because how else do you describe the little old ladies who always wear their red sweaters in December?!

Somehow I have this funny feeling that everyone, no matter how thoughtful, biblically or linguistically precise they want to be, use cliches at some time either to express themselves, or to make themselves clear to someone familiar with the particular term or word that they use.

I smiled at the many who followed Ms.Prior and shared their pet peeve over some cliche. I enjoyed the cliches that I had never even heard of before reading the article.

Somehow, maybe inadvertently, Ms. Prior succeeded in bringing out the hypocrite in many who responded, because I am sure that while there are many cliches used by others that we hate, if we would ask persons who must listen to us we might be amazed or amused to discover that we too use cliches on a regular basis. In fact some cliches have even made their way into our dictionaries.

So if this article was designed to be hilarious then a thousand bouquets to Ms. Prior, but if to ridicule,change those to brickbats!

Bahaha, "do life"... Yes, I've noticed that one. When did we start doing life instead of just living?
Also, the idea of building hedges around people when we pray... The saying, "that's just not what God has for us right now"... And the words, "fellowship" and "anointed" are in continual use among "Christ-followers." ;)

I agree with the comments on the use of "Christ follower". I myself use that term because like others have stated already, in today's society being a "Christian" could mean anything from someone who is not Jewish, Hindu or Muslim, to someone who knows about and God goes to church on Christmas and Easter but doesn't KNOW God, to someone who has a personal relationship with God and tries to live as He commands. So reluctantly I use the latter to describe myself. I say reluctantly because it saddens me that the word Christian has been used inaccurately so much that to use it now doesn't convey what it should or used to.
Now to add my own overused word peeve. I am thoroughly distracted during a prayer if the person saying said prayer throws a "Lord", "God", "Father" or any name of God in multiples times per sentence. For example, "Dear Lord we come to you in prayer now God to thank you for all that you do in our lives heavenly Father. Lord we just ask that you guide our paths God, and God we ask that you watch over our loved ones Father and God be with the orphans in Africa Thank you Lord Amen" To me, that's the same as speaking to a person and using their name two or three times per sentence. "Hey Bob that's a cool shirt you've got Bob! Bob where'd you get that shirt Bob? So Bob did that shirt come in blue and Bob how much was that shirt Bob?" Makes me want to giggle through their whole prayer!

Christianese is about as palatable as contemporary Christian music.

God uses farmyard animals and people speaking what sounds like drunken gibbersih to proclaim his name, so surely a few cliches aren't going to stop his glory.

If we let ourselves be subject to hypocritical and intellectually proud restrictions on what constitutes 'correct' and 'biblical' language no one would dare open their mouth to encourage, teach or share the gospel.

Meanwhile Satan and his children aren't so restricted in what language they can or cannot use when slandering our Father and us.

Sounds like some of you guys need a good dose of persecution to remind you which side you're on.

It's an easy trap to get easily annoyed and narky at other Christian siblings who are just trying to do the right thing, the best way they know how.

Sure language loses its punch after a while, but this is only because we are in a fallen world, using an imperfect language.

Yes keep our language fresh by all means, but what really matters is our humility under God. Doesn't matter what language we use - if we are honest and humble Father God will work through us. If we are proud and hypocritical, Satan will work through us, and every bit of eloquence will soak into the listeners like poison.

So use your tongues wisely and humbly.

Proverbs 9:10

Knees on carpet time.

This post was a breath of fresh air! I think it's good that we can laugh at ourselves and acknowledge our own linguistic shortcomings.

My own not-so-favorites:

"on fire for the Lord"
"personal savior"
"have a heart for..."/"have a burden on my heart for..."

Of the phrases mentioned in the article, I have a real problem with "smokin' hot" but really like "follower of Christ." I don't like "smokin' hot" or "holy hunk" because they turn people into sex objects. I do like
"follower of Christ" because so many nonbelievers I know are instantly turned off by the word "Christian." You say "Christian," and they immediately think of Ted Haggard or Harold Camping and roll their eyes. When I tell someone I'm a "follower of Christ" or "someone who follows the teachings of Jesus to the best of my ability," they usually ask me what that means, inviting further discussion instead of just shutting me down at the outset. So I'm going to keep using "follower of Christ"!

Great Post!
What about "getting plugged in" and if I hear "organic" one more time I will puke.
Great version of the Lords Prayer up top! I think I just heard this exact prayer by a CCrusader the other day!
And sorry for the controversial statement but Mother Theresa as an example of a Christian? This too must be one of the most overused "cliches" and to put in the same sentence as Luther and Calvin. Ughhh.

"I wish protestants would spend more time owning up to the evil done in the name of Christianity than trying to circumvent it or distance ourselves from the harm caused by the historical church, Catholic or otherwise."

Captain, I am all for taking personal responsibility for one's own wrongdoings, but having to apologize constantly for something that a bunch of supposed Christians did 1200 years ago is not my idea of personal responsibility. All religions have done evil in the name of their gods. And I wonder if you believe that Muslims should own up to the evil some in their faith are doing TODAY and every day against anyone who doesn't convert to Islam?

I chose to identify myself as a "follower of Christ Jesus" after learning that the term "Christian" was coined by the Pagans who were hostile toward Jesus' disciples. I also thought that the term "Christian" had lost its distinct effectiveness not merely because of past errors of the church, but because it is a term that slides in and out of conversation without much thought about the roots of the word and its true meaning.
I considered saying "disciple of Christ Jesus", but I wanted to make my description more accessible to the general public, which might not be familiar with church terms such as disciple. And what does disciple mean? I believe following is part of being a disciple.

I am about as progressive as the sole pair of socks I own, which are hibernating in the back of one of my drawers (I assume). I know I'm not smart and savvy, and I quite often claim stupidity. And, Nancy, seeing as how my sneakers are probably quite stinking by now from all my sockless hikes, I know I'm not cute. Acne and, oh yes, my occasional verbal slippage, my peeving verbal slippage, speak of such, too.

I don't call myself a follower of Christ Jesus out of embarrassment, Dr. Prior. Rather, I want people to see more clearly who I am: a member of the body of Christ. I do, however, find myself feeling embarrassed when people identify me as being a Christian only after I have behaved badly in public. I don't want anyone to turn away from God because of my thoughtless sinful moment.

Isn't it more prudent to worry about our daily ongoing testimonies of actions, our genuine displays of Christ working in us, than to quibble over which title is more acceptable? A brilliant person once reiterated how good it is to share Christ without using words... Instead of introducing myself as a Christian, I hope that people will be able to perceive that I am Jesus Christ's disciple and that I do follow him, despite my stumbling.

Edit: Where I addressed Nancy, I should have addressed anonymous. Sorry, Nancy. I confused the owner of one of the above comments.

@Cara...thank you for your thoughts, I thought I was the only one!

@Anonymous, July 19, 10:11 AM.

"It's not a Religion, it's a Relationship" - Absolutely right that's a lie (at least the first half). See James 1:26-27. The Bible calls it a religion. The Greek word in James 1:26-27 is the same as in Acts 26:5

Good post but for the record, Christ calls the Church His bride.... all the time. So what's wrong with the groom calling his bride that all the time?

I love this tongue-in-cheek (?) post and appreciate all the various comments. Someone else already mentioned being called "Beloved" by some female Bible teachers out there and I heartily agree with that. For whatever reason that always made me bristle inside. I know I am God's Beloved but I'm not yours. Having said that, I am also guilty of using many of the others mentioned. Since I'm from the South, I will go to my grave saying "Bless your heart" though. :)

I find it ironic that "authentic" is a cliché.

I have to giggle: There's an article titled "The Messiness of Authentic Community" right on the home page of CT today. Triple Word Score! :)

Wow ...what an incredible number of p/o'd Christians!! Maybe instead of discussing the disservice done to the English language by the use of these cliches we should consider what communication is all about. Obviously cliches are used so much because they communicate thoughts, ideas and concepts so well. Of course they can be over-used but ... our message never changes the way it is communicated does and must. Etymology tells us that language changes with time so let's stop trying to defend the purity of the English language and keep trying to communicate effectively.
JF

I agree with everything you said, but your referral to Mother Terese was not a true believer in Jesus Christ. Here is a quote from her own book.

While she worked with the poor, Mother Teresa was adamant that any type of evangelism was unnecessary. In her book, Life in the Spirit: Reflections, Meditations and Prayers, she says:

“We never try to convert those who receive [aid from Missionaries of Charity] to Christianity but in our work we bear witness to the love of God’s presence and if Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, or agnostics become for this better men — simply better — we will be satisfied. It matters to the individual what church he belongs to. If that individual thinks and believes that this is the only way to God for her or him, this is the way God comes into their life — his life. If he does not know any other way and if he has no doubt so that he does not need to search then this is his way to salvation.” (Pages 81-82)

Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth, the LIfe. No one comes to the Father except through Me"

Totally funny. And not in an elitist way as some have claimed.

I can't believe this has not been mentioned:

"Please be with so-and-so, and bless them in a special way."

If we our Christians, Jesus says He will never leave/forsake us, so why do we need to pray that He will "be with" another Christian? And what exactly does blessing them in a special way look like??

"Gospel-centered" I love the good news about Jesus Christ. I celebrate my acceptance before God - my acquittal based solely upon Christ righteousness imputed to me. I love the implications of that message for my life and the ministry of our church. However, all the gospel-centered language is actually just making the word "Gospel" central without really working hard to spell out the implications of that message for my life and those around me. It's easy to use the term and everybody knows its an accepted buzz word. Lets do the hard work and explain it's content and implications.

My family tends to use the word "precious" like it's slander or a swear, but it's true that I cannot refrain from starting every sentence of a prayer with the word "Just". I even know it's bad as I'm doing it but I can't stop myself!

Some of you think these cliches are harmless, but I can tell you that this type of thing makes me reluctant to get involved in a church. When someone says "You are Just Precious" and want to "love on me" it sounds so insincere I want to run away. If a Christian of 30 years is saying this, what are unsaved visitors thinking?

Many of us are looking for sincere people and a worshipful service. Instead we are met with people who probably are sincere but come off as totally false, raucaous music from the stage, "hip" interviews in place of a sermon, and references to the pastor's "smokin hot bride" (YUCK), with no reverance toward God's holiness or call to come to Christ.

I'd rather stay home.

This post and the comments gave me my chuckles for the day. AND I sent the link to my pastor, who knows I can't stand the word intentional.

Saying stuff in Latin because it makes you sound smart and avoids related English cliche. Soli Deo gloria! :)

I hate the phrase "on the same page." It makes me feel like I'm being forced into unity without some careful effort.

"Let's do some praise and worship." Do what?

"God is moving in this place." What does that mean?

But I'll never give up on "my brotha from anotha motha."

As the editor of a magazine for an evangelical seminary, I subscribe to a secular periodical for editors. Every issue includes a column that features a word which has changed in its primary meaning (e.g., "gay"). One month the featured word was "Christian," along with the explanation that the new primary meaning in our culture was "member of a right-wing political party." That's when our mag switched to using "Christ-follower." It had nothing to do with cliche OR with thinking we were better than those in other branches of Christendom.

After reading the comments, I think we can add "spot on" and "pet peeve" to the list. It might be good to step back a little here. Contempt for vocabulary can lead to contempt for people. Though I'm sure that's not the case here.

"pour into" drives me crazy.

Although I know what is meant, I truly dread hearing that someone "got" saved. Can't we say that the person "was" saved? Or that Christ redeemed his life? I am too often reminded of a "got milk" commercial.

Bless you for ministering to your brothers and sisters from your heart. I'm in a valley now and needed some uplifting words of encouragement. Although I am not a baby Christian anymore, I feel it is wise to be sensitive to the potential stumbling blocks of fellow beleivers still on the milk. After all, the Christian life is an adventure filled with the sweet fellowship of our loving family. So, we must be steadfast in our words and actions as we persevere to run the race, keeping our eyes on the prize.

I totally agree with the idea that Christians - and other people - mis-use and over-use words and phrases. Something I plan to write about in my own blog some day. However, I disagree with some of your examples. "Christian" - though biblical - has bad connotations in ours and other cultures, which IS embarrassing. I'd rather be know as a follower of Messiah (not even "Christ" which is a Greek word).

Oh, and I like the idea of having a mind for God. Sir Isaac Newton?

My papa died last year. .....My poor goldfish, BigLips, just...(sniff, sniff)...passed on...sniff, sniff).

Does it really matter? Of course it does. If you loved BigLips. Really, really loved him. More than papa.

Some things, or words, are evergreen. If it aint broke, dont fix it. Hope that don't rile ya, people.

I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one with inside jokes about these words!

"Love on" was actually used at my church this past week in the context of a kids' basketball camp--something like, "We just want to love on these kids this weekend so they're more receptive to the gospel." I shuddered and thought, why don't we love children all the time rather than exude this fake-ulterior-motive love?

And don't get me started on "come along side," which usually tends to mean "harshly correct you." It's almost as bad as "the truth in love"!

Anyway...

I really loved this: "The trouble with prefabricated words is that they don’t require or encourage much thinking." Totally. It gives us an excuse to gloss over what we truly mean.

I don't know....I understand why many find this funny but I think there is something a bit off when we are so critical of our fellow Believers. I know we are just "funning" but I don't know....I think it along the same lines as listening to a Christian comic make fun of people who go to Wal-mart. Would Jesus talk like that?

We shouldn't use words lightly. And in the church as well as in the world, people say things without thinking because that is how people talk. But we need to go below the surface as Believers of the Living Word of God.

Christ-Follower is a good term. I don't use it personally. I tend to use Believer rather than Christian though i would call myself a Christian if people asked. Christian I think has lost its meaning to many. I think Believer or Christ-Follower might hit someone's mind (who doesn't know Jesus) in a way Christian can't any longer.

I guess we'd need to add the phrase "lift up".

Although I admit I use the phrase often, both in out-loud prayers and in my silent ones.

Love it when we Christians finally engage on something of substance. No sarcasm here; the level of honesty, depth of thinking, and general gentleness in the great long thread above truly gives me hope (oops) that Christianity is not dead yet.

p.s. o.k. I counted like five cliches in this otherwise sincere post. :-)

I'll start off by saying that this was a great column, and most of the comments have been funny and thoughtful and irenic and edifying. So many of your original examples, Karen, are hilarious, ludicrous, jarring and wince-inducing. I've probably reacted to each of them in such ways more than once over the years.

This also reminds me of something I saw back in the 80s. The Wittenburg Door had a cartoon where someone with head bowed and eyes closed was saying, "God, I just really want to ask you to really just help me to just really be able to pray without using the words 'really' and 'just' so much. Amen." Although not necessarily hilarious, I thought it clever. I showed it to some friends. One said, "I don't get it." That friend also tended to use "really" and "just" with great liberality in prayer.

This cartoon and the conversation with my friend made me remember that my own prayers are clearly in need of help, and made me grateful that I am assured of such help in Romans 8:26-27 ("In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.").

Still, careful use of language is helpful; words mean things, and language shapes thought which in turn shapes action. Sloppy language does tend to grate on me. But it's not sloppy if the person using the language is a novice. I don't expect toddlers to be Shakespearean, and I don't expect new believers to understand the nuances of biblical terms or thought. A person who is going to publish or broadcast his or her thoughts, though, is held to a higher standard of discourse and expression. If they are prone to sloppiness, that affects their message which may in turn affect their listeners and readers. And that is why prepackaged words and phrases can be dangerous.

Thanks for a great column and the opportunity for all these wonderful comments, Karen.

Tim

What a great blog and comments! I had a good laugh. I grew up with Christianese, so some of it naturally is a part of my language. I've tried to eliminate some of my Christianese because it can be so confusing to others. I remember that I almost freaked out a woman in my discussion group after she told about her loneliness after the death of her husband. I told her I'd be "praying that she would feel the presence of the Lord in her life". The look on her face told me I certainly had used the wrong expression. Later, she asked what I meant by that. She expected some ghost to appear.

I'm old enough to have heard many cliches come and go. Many that are mentioned here I've never heard in my church and suspect that they are sometimes geographical or denominational(love-on, smokin' hot bride, bless his heart). Right now in my church, I'm a bit tired of the "community of grace" phrase that is used over and over again.

I don't think that this blog and most of the comments were anything more than looking at ourselves and laughing a bit. Let us all be aware of how easily it is to fall into Christian buzzwords that may mean something within our group but tend to make others we want to reach with His Word feel like absolute outsiders.

Thank you, Tim, and all who took this post in the spirit in which it was intended.

(P.S. I remember The Wittenburg Door!)

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