Jargon, slang, and cliché-driven language that's used inside Christian and church culture is called Christianese.
But I think they spelled it wrong.
It should be called ChristiUNease, because unease is exactly what Christianese creates. Not for the people who speak it, of course. For them it's normal. But for those who don't, it can feel like being left out of an inside joke.
That's what the chapter I've been working on at Applebee's today is all about.
Here's a short excerpt, but please be kind, it's still in rough draft mode.
"Could you imagine putting in all the years of hard work into getting your doctorate, only to write your thesis and fail because the those who read your thesis didn’t understand it? You knew all the information, but it didn’t matter when it came to your doctorate, because those in charge of granting it didn’t understand what you were trying to say. They didn't speak that language you wrote it in.
Now imagine God doing the same. Creating earth, then creating people to live on that earth. Imagine Him giving those people directions and instructions on how to live a free and Happy life. Imagine God writing that thesis, only instead of using paper God used humans instead. Now imagine all those people God created to be free, hopeful and happy, not getting that same freedom because they didn’t understand God’s thesis. Simply because it was explained, by the messengers who represented God and His thesis, in a language the reader didn’t understand.
That’s Christinease. ChristiUNease I should say. ChristiUNease is miscommunication. Maybe not to those who have been speaking that language for so long that they understand it without even trying or thinking. God didn’t come to earth in the form of Jesus and then die a tortuous death so that all humans had the opportunity to receive forgiveness and freedom so that it would be misunderstood. Yet ChristiUNease does just that.
UPDATE:
I'm excited to share that the rough draft of the book has officially been completed and is now in the hands of my copy editor. We've come too far to turn back now!
These days, I'm working through all the homework my editor is giving me—and, as usual, most of that work happens in coffee shops and restaurants.
If you'd like to help bring this message to life and get it into the hands of more people, I'd love to invite you to be part of the journey. You can literally "buy me a coffee" or maybe an appetizer, since I write a lot from places like Applebee's, Red Robin or Buffalo Wild Wings.
Every coffee, appetizer, gift as well as share helps us create more pages, more chapters, and, I hope, more opportunities for people to discover the freedom and hope that Jesus offers us.
Thank you for believing in this journey and for helping these messages travel a little farther.