There’s Nothing Wrong With Speaking Christian
I have a confession.
I really dislike the word Christianese.
Not because I don’t understand what people mean when they use it. I do.
Usually, they’re talking about Christian phrases that have become so familiar that we say them without thinking. Phrases that can sound cliché, overly spiritual, or disconnected from real life.
I understand the critique.
What bothers me is the word itself.
Because somewhere along the way, we started talking about Christian language as though having a shared vocabulary were something embarrassing.
And I’m not sure why.
Every community has language.
Doctors have it.
Lawyers have it.
Entrepreneurs have it.
Marketers have it.
Athletes have it.
Therapists have it.
Gamers have it.
Every generation develops phrases that make perfect sense to the people inside the group and require a little explanation for everyone else.
We don’t usually mock those communities simply because they have language that outsiders don’t understand.
So why do we do that with Christians?
Every community develops shorthand
If you’ve been around Christians for any length of time, you’ve probably heard words like calling, fellowship, discipleship, testimony, conviction, grace, obedience, and season.
Those words mean something.
They carry history. Scripture. Experience. Shared understanding.
And yes, sometimes Christians use them lazily.
Sometimes we say “I’m in a season” when what we really mean is “Something difficult is happening and I don’t know what to do.”
Sometimes we say “I’ll pray about it” when we’re actually avoiding a decision.
Sometimes we use spiritual language to sound more certain than we really are.
That’s worth examining.
But the problem isn’t the vocabulary.
The problem is when the vocabulary becomes a substitute for honesty.
There’s a difference.
We don’t need to apologize for our language
I think Christians sometimes become so concerned about sounding “normal” that we stop speaking naturally.
We translate ourselves before anyone has even asked us to.
We avoid words we genuinely use because we’re afraid someone might think we’re being too religious.
But what if we simply spoke like ourselves?
If “God is leading me somewhere I don’t fully understand yet” is what you actually mean, why contort yourself into something more palatable?
If “I’m praying about this decision” is genuinely what you’re doing, why should you be embarrassed to say it?
If you believe God has called you to something, you don’t have to replace called with I have a personal vision for my career simply because the word calling might sound too Christian.
You can explain it when explanation is needed.
That’s different from being ashamed of the language itself.
The goal isn’t to sound less Christian
The goal is to communicate clearly.
That’s an important distinction.
If I’m talking to someone who has followed Jesus for 30 years, I don’t need to explain every word I use.
If I’m talking to someone who has never opened a Bible, I probably do.
That’s not watering down my faith.
That’s loving my listener enough to make sure we’re actually talking about the same thing.
The Apostle Paul understood this.
He was remarkably capable of meeting people where they were without becoming someone he wasn’t.
He could speak to people who knew the Scriptures.
He could reason with people who didn’t.
He could explain the gospel in language his particular audience could understand.
The point was never, Don’t use Christian language.
The point was, Communicate.
Maybe the better question is: Are we saying anything?
This is where I think the critique of Christian jargon can actually help us.
Not because Christian words are bad.
Because familiar words can become empty words.
We can say God is good without stopping to consider His goodness.
We can say I’m trusting God while internally trying to control everything.
We can say I’m waiting on God’s timing when we’re terrified to move.
We can say God has a plan as a way of comforting someone without actually entering into their pain.
The answer isn’t to throw away the language.
It’s to recover the meaning.
Say the familiar words.
Then live like you mean them.
I’m not interested in hiding my faith behind better vocabulary
I don’t want to become so concerned about whether someone thinks I’m using “Christianese” that I stop speaking the language of my faith.
I follow Jesus.
I pray.
I believe Scripture is true.
I believe God still speaks, leads, convicts, comforts, disciplines, restores, and calls His people.
Sometimes the words I use to describe those things will sound distinctly Christian.
That’s okay.
I’m not embarrassed by that.
And I’m also not interested in using Christian vocabulary as a badge that makes me sound more spiritual than I am.
There’s a difference between speaking the language of your faith and performing your faith through language.
One is authentic.
The other is empty.
Maybe we don’t need less Christian language.
Maybe we need more Christians who actually mean what they’re saying.
And perhaps that’s the conversation worth having.
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