Have you ever been in a conversation where you had absolutely no idea what was going on? Almost as if everyone was speaking a different language? Like you’re swimming in sea of confusion?
Yeah, that’s been the last few weeks for me at Fishhook. You see, I’m the newbie. Wide-eyed, bright-eyed, and bushy-tailed. I’m willing, able … and confused!
To be honest there are times when I have no idea what everyone in the office is talking about. People are using abbreviations, terms that are familiar but not something I fully understand, phrases that seem to be so natural to them yet so unfamiliar to me. It’s hard to keep up with the lingo and, by the time I figure it out, it’s on to the next thing. I want to yell, “Man overboard! I’m drowning! Remember, I’m new!”
I wonder if a first-time visitor would feel the same way at your church. Maybe they feel like you’re speaking a different language (Christianese, as I’ve heard it called). Maybe they don’t know what this “VBS” thing is. And they have no idea what’s going on during service. Stand up. Sit down. Sing this. Read that. They’re sitting there wanting to yell, “Man overboard! I’m drowning! Remember, I’m new!”
Being new is hard. And as people who think about church every single day, it's important for us to remember that using unfamiliar words or phrases can throw up roadblocks for newcomers. Because we don’t want to be throwing our guests overboard.
| INSTEAD OF THIS | TRY THIS | |
| Fellowship of believers | Church family | |
| Witnessing | Sharing your faith | |
| Born again/saved | A believer in Jesus/a Christian | |
| On fire for God | Excited about God | |
| Redeemed | Set free | |
| Service-based outreach | Ways you can serve or reach out |
Thoughts? What other words can throw people off?