Christianese is:

the terms and jargon used within Christian circles. It is characterized by the use of certain catchphrases in ways that may only be understood within Christian circles.

Growing up in church, and pastoring churches for over 20 years, it’s become easy for me to speak Christianese without a second thought. But I can also spot it a mile away. That’s because Christianese is valuable in communicating between believers, but can also be a very dangerous thing – especially for children.

In fact, I’ve found that if I’m not diligent as a parent, Christianese can easily poison my kids.

What I mean is this: it’s easy to learn how to speak the verbiage, and therefore feel a “part of the club,” without it making any difference in your life.

So, if your kids are going to avoid being poisoned by Christianese, it’s going to take YOU, a diligent parent, helping them know the reality underneath the words…

So, for this post I want to list some Christianese words and phrases that your kids need to UNDERSTAND, not just know how to speak.

Christian

We might as well start with the most common, but possibly the most misunderstood. Do you kids truly KNOW what it means to be a Christian? It’s not about going to church, being born in America, or doing good stuff. It’s about being called by God’s grace into the family of God. If you need some clarity on that, don’t read any further before you check out this presentation.

Believer

This one’s closely related to the first one, but clarity is a good thing, right? Do your kids know what a person must believe in order to be a “believer?”

Grace

Do your kids know what grace truly is? Commonly confused with “mercy,” grace is anything God does to help you as a sinful human being. It runs the spectrum from the grace you receive that leads you to faith in Christ, to the grace you receive to take your next breath or enjoy your next heartbeat. So, there are literally TONS of conversations you can have with your children about the meaning and bounty of God’s grace in their lives.

Mercy

I’m sure you saw this one coming… Do your children understand what “mercy” is? Mercy is when you truly deserve God’s punishment (always), but He chooses not to punish you or punishes someone else in your place (like Jesus). Another way to say it is, “not getting what you deserve.” Can you think of a good conversation you could have with your family over the breakfast table about a time when you received God’s mercy?

Faith

What is faith, really? Do your children know? Faith is not just hoping that things turn out O.K. It’s not wishful thinking. Faith always, Always, ALWAYS has an object (something or someone you are having faith IN). To “have faith” in a Christian sense means you are trusting in God for your eternal well being. It means that you have placed your entire life and eternal destiny into His hands. How can you better explain that specific meaning of “faith” to your children?

Salvation or Saved

Do your children know what it means, personally, to “be saved” or to “receive salvation?” It’s not something that happens only by walking down an aisle or raising your hand at the end of a church service. Being saved means you have accepted the fact that Jesus took the penalty and punishment that you deserve as a sinner when He died on the cross. By trusting in Him alone, you are “saved” from the eternal wrath of God the Father because of your sin. That’s some heavy stuff. Do your kids get it? How can you begin discussing the fact that they are sinners and need Jesus to save them from the righteous wrath of God? Maybe start by telling them your story.

Spirit-led

Do your kids know what it means to truly be led by the Spirit of God? There’s surely some controversy surrounding this one, but passages like Galatians 5:16 make it pretty clear, we are to live our lives under the leadership and in the power of the Holy Spirit. None of us can live the Christian life. It takes the Christ, through the Person of the Holy Spirit, expressing Himself through us. That is how the Christian life is to be lived. So, how about if you read Galatians 5:16 to your kids over dinner, and begin discussion what that kind of a life might look like?

Christianese is a double-edged sword.

It’s great to have some common language that we can all use to express the important aspects of our faith and the life of faith we live together. But it can also lull us into thinking we are more mature than we are. Very few of us live up to what we know… and James says that’s not a good place to be (James 1:22). So, work on it… for yourself and with your kids alongside. Don’t let Christianese poison your kids.

I can tell I’m going to have to do a follow up post (or two or three) to this one… there’s so many words we need to make sure our kids are getting right.

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Here’s a hilarious video about Christianese, a good natured mocking of some of the things we say as believers in Christ. I hope it gives you a chuckle and that you can have the humility to laugh at yourself in it.

Comments

Taz Bright says:

June 27, 2014 at 1:01 pm

To be totally honest …Christianese bothers me. I’m not saying it’s wrong or evil. But it’s way overused.
The non-Christian, baby Christian and our young children are not better educated or drawn to Christ by the lingo’ unless we take the time to explain our words and phrases as we go. (As you’ve done here Carey)
Like your daughter Carey, my children have never been shy to ask, “What does that mean” & my gift of teaching has always promoted me to try to answer that question before it’s asked.
Now that my kids are both 14 they’re quick to point out, “Yeah, you already explained that when we were five” 🙂
I’ve seen Christians use Christianese when speaking to individuals who’ve never stepped into a Church & never heard the name of #Jesus Christ. This same approach to speaking with our children about the Gospel is just as unproductive,….. counterproductive is a more accurate word.
Thanks for this article Carey. I’ll be sharing it in a Facebook group.

Christianese will poison your kids, unless…