What are some examples of Christian jargon and their definitions?

Many social groups develop a jargon—a type of verbal shorthand—that members all speak and understand. For example, those in the medical field speak of “hypertension,” whereas the rest of us call it “high blood pressure.” Legal professionals deal with “torts,” and business-minded people with “ROI’s.” The church is no different in that it also has a jargon. Christian “shoptalk,” sometimes disparagingly called “Christianese,” aids efficiency in communication among the conversant faithful, but it can also leave church visitors confused.

Here are some common examples of ecclesiastical patois used in evangelicalism:

agape – a Greek word for “love”; “God’s type of love, characterized by goodwill, benevolence, and delight in the object of love”

alleluia/hallelujah – a transliteration of the Hebrew word for “praise the Lord” used to express praise and worship of God (see Psalm 150:1, CSB)

altar call – “an invitation to come forward at the end of a church service for repentance, recommitment, or prayer”

anointed – 1) “given a special ability by God”
Armageddon – “the final, end-times battle between the evil forces of this world and the heavenly armies led by Jesus Christ” (see Revelation 16:16)

armor of God – “God-given spiritual defenses to protect believers from the attacks of Satan” (see Ephesians 6:10–17)

ask Jesus into one’s heart – “to make a decision to place one’s faith in Christ”

backslide – “to return to a former sinful state”

be the hands/feet of Jesus – “in Jesus’ absence, to serve others by going where He would go and doing what He would do”

blood of the Lamb – “the power of Christ to forgive sin and triumph over evil, as shown in His crucifixion” (see Revelation 7:14)

body of Christ – “the church, either locally or all believers worldwide” (see Ephesians 4:12)

born again – “saved; made new through faith in Christ” (see John 3:3)

breakthrough – “God’s intervention in one’s life, leading to significant spiritual growth or a dramatic victory over sin, sickness, or addiction”

children of light – “believers in Christ”; the term emphasizes separation from sin (see 1 Thessalonians 5:5)

communion/the Lord’s table – “an ordinance in which believers partake of bread and wine to commemorate Jesus’ death on the cross” (see 1 Corinthians 11:23–26)

community – “fellowship among believers who share in mutual faith, love, worship, and accountability”

covenant – “a formal relationship based on a sacred agreement”

daily bread – “needed resources or provisions for the day” (see Luke 11:3)

decree and declare – “to state an authoritative command”; used primarily in the Word of Faith movement

devotions – “time spent in Bible reading and prayer”

disciple/discipleship – “to guide a fellow believer in spiritual growth and equip him or her to overcome the trials of life and become more Christlike”

do life together – “to embrace fellowship with other believers, sharing encouragement and support amid life experiences”; see community

eyeservice/eye-service – “work done to be seen by others; completing only what’s necessary to please the boss” (see Colossians 3:22)

faith over fear – “in every circumstance, trust in God is greater than being afraid”

fall, the – “the moment of original sin, when death and corruption entered the world and mankind lost their favored position with God”

fallen world – “our current earthly environment, which is under God’s curse and thus characterized by sin, corruption, and death” (see Genesis 3:16–19)

family of God – “all believers in Christ, spiritually united as children of God, regardless of their earthly family ties” (see Mark 3:35)

flesh, the – “the principle of rebellion within all humans that opposes God and seeks sinful gratification”

FROG – acronym for “Fully Rely on God”

fruit of the Spirit – “spiritual qualities resulting from being controlled by the Holy Spirit, listed as love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (see Galatians 5:22–23)

get one’s worship on – “to commit oneself to praise the Lord and connect with God, often through music”

give one’s heart/life to Jesus – “to make a decision to trust in the Lord and be saved; to commit oneself to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior”

hedge around, a – “protection by God against Satan’s attacks” (see Job 1:10)

intentional – 1) “marked by a deliberate pursuit of God’s will and obedience to the teachings of Jesus”
in the world, not of the world – “the perspective of embracing earthly existence while affirming a higher calling at odds with temporary values” (see John 17:14–16)

in this place – “any location where God’s presence is felt or where God’s people in community expect a divine encounter”

ΙΧΘΥΣ – an acronym for the Greek phrase Ίησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ, translated as “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior”; also, the Greek word for “fish”

Jesus-follower/Christ-follower – “one who professes faith in Christ and seeks to obey the Lord’s will”

Jesus freak – “a passionate believer whose faith is lived out in a consistent display of boldness, commitment to biblical authority, zealous service to others, and willingness to stand out from the culture”

lay hands on – “to place one’s hands on another person for the purpose of conferring authority, commissioning for service, or imparting a blessing of some kind” (see Numbers 27:18–23; Acts 13:2–3)

love on – “to show heartfelt, agape-style love to others through encouraging words and tangible acts of service, kindness, and charity”

lukewarm – “characterized by tepid faith rooted in indifference, laziness, or a lack of motivation”

move of the Spirit – “an event or a period of time when the Holy Spirit is actively working in people’s hearts, resulting in revival or the widespread transformation of individuals and communities”

NOTW – acronym for “Not of This World”

ordinance – “a church practice commanded to be performed by the Lord Jesus and often seen as a symbolic reenactment of the gospel”

OSAS – acronym for “Once Saved, Always Saved,” referring to the doctrine of eternal security

outpouring – “a divine gift that abundantly flows from heaven to accomplish God’s will on earth”; used of God’s Holy Spirit, the bestowment of blessings, or the dispensing of judgment

plead the blood – “to invoke the sacrifice of Christ for protection, blessing, and power over every problem”; used primarily in Pentecostal and charismatic circles

quiet time – “a part of each day set aside for Bible reading and prayer apart from all distractions”

refiner’s fire – “the process of God’s testing as He judges the world and purifies believers according to His holy nature and His desire for holiness in the church” (see Malachi 3:2–3)

right hand of fellowship – “a welcoming of believers in a manner emphasizing support, trust, and partnership in the gospel” (see Galatians 2:9)

scarlet letter – “an ongoing stigma for a past misdeed; a censure”

small group/home group/cell group – “a gathering of individuals, typically within a church, who meet regularly for discipleship, fellowship, Bible study, and prayer”

speak life into – “to encourage, uplift, and bless others through hopeful words of truth”

Spirit-led/Spirit-filled – “marked by the Holy Spirit’s influence and control, resulting obedience to God’s Word, godly character, bold witness, and spiritual fruit”

spiritual gift – “a supernatural gifting from the Holy Spirit to equip individual believers for God’s glory and to minister to others in specific ways”

spiritual warfare – “the unseen battle between good and evil involving God’s angels and believers seeking to further God’s will, and Satan and his demons seeking to destroy God’s work”

strength, one’s own – “the unreliable and flawed resources one naturally possesses—personal abilities, material assets, human intellect, etc.”; usually set in opposition to God’s power, which is reliable and totally sufficient

sword of the Spirit – “the holy Word of God that enables believers to withstand the onslaughts of Satan and his demons” (see Ephesians 6:17)

take up one’s cross – “to be willing to abase oneself and live sacrificially in absolute surrender to God and Christ”

temporal – “related to an impermanent earthly existence”

throne of grace – “God’s seat of power that believers are invited to approach with confidence, in the name of Jesus, to receive forgiveness, mercy, and God’s undeserved blessing (see Hebrews 4:16)

tithing/tithes and offerings – 1) (under the Old Testament law) “a tenth part”
traveling mercies – “divine oversight of a journey to ensure a problem-free trip and provide safety and security for the travelers”

TULIP – acronym for the five doctrines of grace in Calvinism: Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and Perseverance of the saints

walk – “practical daily living in faith; one’s manner of life or conduct as a follower of Christ” (see 2 Corinthians 5:7; 2 John 1:6)

washed in the blood – “forgiven of sin and redeemed by the sacrificial death of Christ”

world, the – 1) “the heavens and earth, created by God” (as in Psalm 24:1)
WWJD – acronym for “What Would Jesus Do?”

youthful lusts – “desires and passions commonly associated with youth, including sexual temptations, the desire for approval and recognition, covetousness, pride, impatience, and impulsiveness”

There is nothing wrong with using idioms, metaphors, or lingo with a specific Christian bent. And some of the terms listed above come straight from the Bible. But we do need to make sure our message is clear: “Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody” (1 Corinthians 14:7, NLT). Christian jargon may need to be explained—or avoided altogether—so that our hearers can readily understand the all-important gospel message.