Please, Please...Christianese!

What I wouldn't give to learn a foreign language! Spanish in particular.
Living in San Antonio, sometimes I would like to understand what people around me are saying.

I no comprende'.

I was listening to Air1 the other day and Brant Hansen, one of the most hilarious DJ's ever, started a conversation about...well, conversations.

He brought up how difficult it can be for new people in church, or people outside of the church, to understand what we are talking about.

There should so totally be a Rosetta Stone for Christianese!

I will never forget being a brand new believer and walking into John Schneider's, Faithworks Production office years ago.

His secretary and I struck up a conversation about being new to the area and she started to tell me how amazing her church was.

"Have you found a church home?"

"I have. We've been going to a place called, The Turning Point."
"Oh! I've heard of them before. They're charismatic, right?"

I pondered what she said and enthusiastically and completely one hundred percent seriously said, "Well, yeah. They're pretty charming, I guess."

She burst out laughing hysterically.
I do consider myself  to be somewhat of a comedian, (although my daughter will disagree and say her dad is much funnier) I didn't understand at all what she found so funny.

After years into it, we sometimes get so deep in our Christian culture that we forget how to communicate with the rest of the world.

I never knew half the terms they were slinging around when we first started attending regularly.
Phrases like....prayer language.
What the heck is prayer language?

Early on I was told I was annointed.
Initially, I thought that meant I had something on me or I was demon possessed?
Some days, I still wonder.

Recently, God reminded me to remove the word, "douche bag" from my prayer language.

I remember one lady, also new to church who had been told to stand on the word of God.
So she got out her bible and stood on it....literally!

Hanging out becomes "fellowshipping."
And the list goes on and on.

This week, there has been much talk about, "The Bible," the amazing story told on the History channel of all channels!

Hear me sing in a silly high pitched opera voice, "Loooooved it!!"
My 15 year old daughter, initially complained about watching it and then asked me to "pause it" so she could pee.

Pause it!
Glory! Hallelujah!

It got the conversation started in a very non-threatening, I'm not shoving Jesus down your throat kind of way.

And then there are the critics.
The bible scholars who said it was inaccurate in parts and they took too many creative licenses.
Oh brother. Here we go.

Maybe it made millions of people want to open it up and check it out?
Let us be thrilled that the numbers of people who watched it were HUGE!

It made me look some stuff up.
I couldn't remember how many spies were sent into Jericho.
I was thinking, was it 2 or 10?
After reading I realized....2 went into Jericho, 10 into Canaan...and only two of them knew the power of positive thinking!! :) I always loved that story, but kept mixing up the cities.

It's difficult and challenging maneuvering around in foreign territory.

Way back when we were first involved with the Christian Music Connection, someone set an appointment  to come and speak with me before they committed to "fellowshipping" with the Chrisian music community.

He asked me, "And where do you stand on transfiguration?"

Um? Stand Tall?
Are they related to The Transformers?

"Excuse me?" I replied with a very confused look on my face, breaking out slowly in a heated sweat.
"Where do you stand on transfiguration and the Trinity?"

Now, just this morning I was reading 1 Peter 3 which says to always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have....

But back then, I was definitely not prepared to answer.

"If I'm going to be associated with an organization, it's important that I understand and agree with your declarations."

"I only have one declaration. I love Jesus. I'm sorry. That's all I've got."

19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

 

I think Paul was saying here...Let's just keep it real people. I could be wrong. I'm not a bible scholar.

 

But I do believe we can do much more for the kingdom by comminicating in a way the world understands. 

 

I'm sure there are a whole bunch of little details we can disagree on, but I'd rather just hang out with some people and talk about the great things God has done and is doing.

 

I want to get together and encourage each other to stay in the race and keep focused on the prize.

 

Like fellowshipping with Jesus Christ in a way that is desireable and leads people to draw closer to him.

 

Like listening to Air1 and cracking up laughing while commuting.

In the San Antonio area, turn up 97.7 if you feel like just 'hanging out' with Brant and the crew!