But, it’s also important that we don’t just give up or lose parts of our vocabulary simply because we’re trying to be new, or relevant, or refreshing.

It’s a fine line to walk, and as long as we’re attempting God will work through us and bless what we do. The message of Jesus is that everybody is welcome, including the outsiders, and we need to always be sure that the language and systems we are using (among other and amongst ourselves!) are above all else conducive to bringing those outsiders in and making them feel welcome, wanted, and loved…and many times this requires objective self-analysis of the words and tools we are using to communicate kingdom ideas.

Great post, April, I agree 100%.

Do you have an email I can contact you on please?

Your post about that fella doing transportation of Kids etc really struck a chord and I would like to ask you some questions.

Lots of love!

Pops

(Please understand that I am generalising when I use the term “You” )

Well you guys seem to be a lot more ‘traditional’ and into the dress code thing?

You also seem to be stuck on ‘keeping up with the Jones’?

You seem to get stuck on cultural issues like smoking and drinking.

You also try justify plain old sin as ‘medical conditions’.

The one that really gets up my nose is that you guys seem to think that God only speaks from the USA and every one else better listen!

Lots of love!

Pops

Is that you , the almost atheist?

Well you guys also refer to things that you are familiar with in the States; might be a well known advert jingle, a song, a custom, a news headline etc. and to me when these things are mentioned they mean something totally different not beong aware of what is going on there.

Oh boy! The only example that comes to mind is that of Woody! Here it has to do with a tree!

This is cross-cultural ministry 101. Learn the language, the culture, the value system of the people your are trying to reach. Translate the Gospel into that language and culture (so it’s ACCURATELY UNDERSTOOD). We assume because our hearers speak the same language as us that they know what we mean (and they know what WE mean) by certain words. They don’t. This is why saying that America has already heard the Gospel is so irritating to me. They’ve heard SOMETHING, for sure. The Gospel? Not so much.

Pops, I saw in your feedback on Jim and Casper go to Church that you live in South Africa. What other word differences do you run into, talking to Americans on blogs?

Anyway I think the difference here is, Christianese is a language some Christians choose to embrace, which causes needless confusion. Whereas those of us who grow up in different countries speaking English, didn’t choose the small differences we grew up with. Maybe Christians like Christianese because it makes them feel more Christian, or they think it makes them sound more Christian. Whatever the reason, it’s a choice which doesn’t endear them to people who aren’t Christians.

I was in Ireland and some of the locals were talking about the ‘crack’ on a night out.

I thought they were talking about the powder stuff but to them the word crack is ‘fun’!

I also run into trouble talking on blogs with people in the USA because our words mean different things - so it would seem to be a common problem not just as far as religious things are concerned.

I hope you get it right because conversations can become very boring if we have to keep defining our words!