Question 1: Why do we insist on not using some words and always using others? When words like “Christian” or “Missionary” or “Evangelism” have been used for centuries, why would you discard those and try to “make up” some new ones when it only confuses people?
There are so many times when I think it’d be easier if I simply said to you – and the rest of the world – “Yes I’m a Christian. Church Planting Missionary among Muslims. Making them into Christians and getting them into Churches that meet at 10 am on Sundays.” That would be so much easier!
So….why don’t I do that? Do I not believe those things anymore? (Interestingly I’ve recently read some of my earliest email updates from our Lebanon years, 1992-1997. They read like the above sentence).
Here’s what I’ve learned about language and the power of vocabulary over the years.
- It’s not what I say that matters as much as what you hear. This does not mean I want to “tickle your ears with what you want to hear.” It means that I need to speak in a way that you can actually understand my point. Words like Christian, missionary or evangelism are latent with meanings we cannot control and have a history of hundreds of years behind them that we cannot change. So part of my reasoning is simply semantics. We need to make sense to our audience.
- Words are not simply cognitive, they are emotional. If someone feels that I’m “evangelizing” them – in word or deed – there will be an emotional response. We have to be in touch with the feelings of the recipient in order for us to communicate effectively.
- Words create. They hold the power of life and death. They are not simply cognitive and emotional, they are creative. When I say something, an image comes into your mind. If I say “Would you like to come with us to church this Sunday” a certain image comes into the mind of the hearer. I have created a picture for him to consider. He thinks “Church? Hmmmm? Well, the last time I was in a church was when I was 12 with my Catholic grandmother. I remember smelling a lot of something and not understanding a word. I hated it. Boring. So…no I think I’ll pass.” But what if I said, “Hey John, imagine with me for a moment. Wouldn’t this be fun. You know, a place where a bunch of our friends hung out for an hour and a half. Learned some cool stuff together about life and how relationships work. Had some good coffee and donuts and then did like a Karaoke sing-along with a band. I know it’s weird, but we call that place “church” and we do hang out on Sundays, but I think you’ll be pretty darn surprised by what you see and feel there. Whatdoyathink?”
Believe me, there are no magic formulas to communication. I can say to “I’m a follower of Jesus” and they will say “Oh, a Christian.” I can say “It’s a cool place to hang out” and they will say “Church.” So….why, again, do I do this?
I believe that taking a one word noun like “Christian” or “Church” and forcing yourself to explain what it is in a short paragraph is good for you and the hearer. It makes you a disciplined communicator. It forces you to think more clearly about what you’re saying or what you’re inviting someone into. Think about replacing words which have become nouns of a sort, like missions, evangelism or church planting, with longer descriptions that don’t let you off the hook so easily as using a single word does.
Finally, I think changing our vocabulary every few hundred years isn’t a bad thing anyway. We’re not changing theology or the meaning behind the words, but we’re simply thinking of new ways to express what we mean and in ways that our new audiences can hear. It has less integrity to say “I’m a Christian” if what the listener hears when you say this is – “I’m a right-wing fundamentalist who doesn’t like Gays and am Anti-choice and anti-women and anti-progress, because I’m stuck living in my own private reality of 1950’s Leave it to Beaver Kansas.”
Not that you mean to say those things (or maybe you do, but surely that wouldn’t be your point of using the word “Christian), but that’s surely what some will hear. So could you say it lacks integrity to call yourself something that for sure doesn’t communicate what you meant to say? Maybe.
You will still need to explain if you use a phrase like “I’m trying to follow Jesus.” It’s still not clear. But sometimes confusing the person gets them to ask “what do you mean by that.” Whereas if they think they understand (but don’t) they will not ask you to clarify.
I want to use words and phrases that get people to ask something. To keep the conversation alive. Go to the next step. And then, hopefully, they will see how wonderful our friend and savior, Jesus, really is. He’s awesome!
Thank you Carl! I am new to your ministry/approach/website, etc. I found this post today to be very helpful. I sensed that this was the thinking behind your words and find it helpful to hear your reasoning articulated more explicitly. May God continue to be glorified.
Interesting points made. However, by worrying about what we are called or how to say “Christian”, don’t you think that some use this ideology to make an excuse on why not to identify with Jesus?? Are we dumbing down Jesus to make ourselves seem more “with the times”, or “hip”?? Its like a sales pitch to make something seem more than it is. Sounds like something my old “Christian” high school would do. Won’t Jesus reveal himself to those that don’t know without us screwing it up by worrying about words??
Just some thoughts….
Love it, Carl. Great explanation & you touch on things that I’ve experienced & encountered over the last 10+ years.
I think that saying one is a “follower of Jesus” says exactly what one who follows Him is trying to do. And, directly identifies more with Jesus than any other term I’ve ever heard (since it, in fact, uses His name).
How did the disciples refer to themselves (not a rhetorical question)?
Can’t wait for the other 5 FAQ responses.
Jon
Yes, some could use it like that. Not my point at all, in fact, quite the opposite. I don’t know anyone who talks with people about Jesus more than I do. And I never talk about Christianity. So I don’t know if that’s more hip or coo, but it’s more real. And it’s not dumbing it down at all – it’s raising the bar to speak of Jesus rather than the name of a religion (that he didn’t even start and doesn’t own).
Thanks for your response. To be honest I figured that was your point and from hearing you speak in the past I’ve seen your heart and that you’re sincere. I’ve struggled however with the modern Christian mindset and the fact that they try to make “Christianity” or being a “follower of Jesus” as sugarcoated as possible to try and trick people into believing things that are not Biblical. I’m not saying that you are doing this or have done this but some do use this for their own agendas.
Our pastor has substituted “Christ Follower” (CF for short) for “Christian” and I also saw that Joel Rosenberg refers to ourselves that way. I agree Carl.
I’d love to hear you discuss your take on evangelism to Muslims, specifically if they become followers of Jesus and still believe the Qu’ran and Mohammed etc., if there is a conflict there? Thanks and we love your work!
Carl -
some good clarity to this post that helps me understand your reasoning better.
I guess my question would be, ‘can you carry on with your conviction to be a better communicator w/o villifying or condescending to those of us who still use these terms?’ To use phrases like ” It has less integrity to say “I’m a Christian” ” COMMUNICATES that ‘those of you who still use that term have less integrity’ doesn’t it? Just saying, can you simply act under your conviction w/o throwing a bulk of evangelicals who still use these terms under the bus?
Hi Carl,
Thanks for you answer in another area of this blog. This discussion got me thinking about my own journey. I am of recent asking God’s help to internalize thinking of myself as a Subject of the King over being a citizen of the U.S. Now reading your material and thinking through the concept of being a follower of Jesus. I am coming to the conclusion that Jesus hasn’t really given me a lot of choices since I followed the example of the thief on the cross. So now I am wondering would the statement that I am a Slave of Jesus be more accurate? It certainly would cause people to ask questions.
Wesley and Dan
Of course, we can use whatever terms we’re comfortable with and that communicate. I think every term we use will need explanation. There is no “silver bullet” term where everyone will go “Oh, now i see what you mean.” They all must be lived out and explained.
But all terms are NOT equal. Since the disciples never referred to themselves as Christians, it’s probably the least biblical of all possible terms. The fact that most who follow Jesus today do call themselves Christians is a strong point for NOT using the term – in my opinion.
Everyone in Spain is a Christian (Catholic). All Greeks are Christian (Orthodox). Sebians, Columbians, most of Africa and almost all of North America would call themselves Christian. And most of us who are believing, loving and following Jesus would also use that term. So it is confusing.
I just think that if we describe what we’re trying to do rather than simply use a noun as a defacto statement of faith – it’s more helpful.
Our Pastor gave us a copy of your book, Muslims, Christians and Jesus.
I’ve been eating it up the last couple of days. Thanks much.
I have a very special friend who is from Afghanistan and he and his family have lived in the States for the last 28 years or so.
Abdul is one of my favorite all time friends, and your book is helping to increase the understanding of his background and hopefully help in future contacts with him.
We are visiting our grown children in Denver in Oct. and if at all possible would like to look you up there.
John and Trudy Quinlan
Bassett Va.
Carl,
I re-read your summary of upcoming blog posts in this series… My primary question for you does not look like it’s on the drawing board at this point, so I’ll ask it here
I deeply resonate with your approach and have been helped in my own outreach by absorbing your talks that a friend gave me on CD.
However, I have not yet found any clear description of what comes “next” in your ministry. I typically hear the narrative accounts of outreach to stop at the point of people (e.g. Hezbollah leaders or neighbors in Colorado) gathering, reading, discussing, praying, etc. I do not imagine that is the end of ministry in your mind, but I never hear accounts of the subsequent steps. Would you be able to address your take on what typically gets classified as soteriology and ecclesiology? I’d also be very interested to hear what terms you find more helpful as replacements for these obviously stuffy and cumbersome terms. I look forward to learning more!
Blessings!
Jared
Greetings from downunder. Thanks for these posts. I have been changing over the past few years as to how I describe myself to more along the lines of “devout follower of Jesus”. This has opened some awesome opportunities to discuss Jesus with people of non western backgrounds. This enables the conversation to start at Jesus and revolve around Him, not christianty as they perceive it.As you say, the disciples did not use the term “christian”.
Okay… but lay off Kansas, huh?
I agree that it’s best, simplest and clearest to stick with historic terms. I hope that others will join you in this. My current frustration is with the non-historic use of the terms ‘religion’ or ‘religious.’ I think James 1:26, 27 represents the historic connotation of these terms. “If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.
Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you”(NLT). Let’s use some adjectives, as James does, to describe the kind of religion to which we’re referring. He uses adjectives such as ‘worthless,”pure,’ and ‘genuine.’ I could add ‘corrupt,’ ‘legalistic,’ ‘hypocritical,’ and ‘true.’ Historically, the word religion, in itself, has not been a dirty word, let’s not begin to make it one now.
Your decision to be precise with your terms really resonated with me. I have been trying to explain it to people ever since you came to speak at Biola. Thanks.
Great post. Some excellent ideas from the comments also. I’ve heard it called “Christianese” (using what could be polarizing terminology which only my church friends understand)