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| Understanding Church Language |  |
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One of the things that happens in churches is that for people that have not grown up in church or for people that have come from other denominations or religions, it is hard to understand the "church lingo". The interesting thing is that for people that have grown up in the church, the lingo is often confusing for them as well. What we hope to be able to do is to break down the "church lingo' so that the Message of Hope that is in Jesus Christ is clearer. If you have a question about any of the words/phrases that is listed or if you have heard a phrase/word that you are not sure what it means, please feel free to contact us. We would love to help you understand as best as we possibly can so that "words" do not get in the way of understanding who Jesus is.
Age of Accountability - The age at which a person is old enough to understand that they are a sinner (what sin is) and old enough to make a decision to choose Jesus Christ as their Savior (understand that they need Jesus). There is much debate on what that age actually is. It is different for each person. Some people understand this at age 4 and some do not understand it until they are teenagers. The Bible does not indicate what this specific age is.
Baptize/Baptism - Once we accept Jesus as our Lord, we are baptized as an outward symbol of the inner cleaning (forgiveness of our wrong doings by the Lord) that has taken place. The symbol is that our sins have been washed away. We believe in baptism by immersion (totally submersed in the water) whereas other denominations believe in sprinkling with water. We believe that baptism cannot happen until we accept Jesus as our Lord.
Born Again - When you accept Jesus as your Lord and make Him #1 in your priorities, the Spirit of Jesus enters your life. He awakens your spirit which has been dead toward God. You are a new person, now open to God and all that He has planned for your life. You are not physically re-born but you have been given a new life and you now have a different path for your life.
Christian - A person who has put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. But it does not stop there because they also have to believe that He died on the cross as payment for their sins and that He rose again on the third day to obtain victory over death. The death, burial and resurrection were done in order to give new life to all who believe in Him.
Cross - A wooden structure that was used to execute people (typically slaves, rebels, enemies of the government, used mainly by the Roman government). It dates back to the pre-400 BC time frame. Most crosses would weigh approximately 300 lbs.
Crucifixion - The act of executing someone on a cross. Crucifixion was meant to be a slow, painful, gruesome and public way to be executed. It was done to people who were in opposition to the government, primarily the Roman government. "Criminals" were either tied via ropes or nailed to the cross at their wrists and often times at their ankles. Death on the cross typically resulted by suffocation and often took days. The body was attached in such a way as to allow the individual to use their feet to push themselves up to allow the lungs to receive oxygen. Christians believe that Jesus Christ voluntarily was crucified to provide payment for the wrong doings (sins) of everyone who as ever lived.
Eternal Life - Each person will have life that lasts forever after they die. However, the destination is what is important. Christians will spend eternity with Jesus in Heaven. Those that did not accept Jesus as their Lord while here on earth will spend eternity in hell.
Eternal Security - We believe that once a person is born again (is saved and becomes a Christian) that their spirit has been made alive in God forever. No matter what occurs in their life, their relationship with God and their eternal destination are sure/secure. Their salvation is based on the work of Jesus' death on the cross and God's choice to save them through that finished work.
Forgiveness - To grant mercy and grace to someone who does not deserve it. It is also the act of "wiping the slate clean" and to pardon someone. We ask forgiveness from Jesus for our sins in order to remove those items that stand in the way of our relationship with Jesus.
Gospel - The Message of Good News. The Good News is that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose (resurrection) from the grave 3 days later so that we can live in Heaven with Him forever.
Heaven - The destination of Christians when they die. It is where God dwells. It is the perfect place. It is a place of constant fellowship with Jesus. It is a place where there is no suffering, no pain, no sickness or disease. It is a real place.
Hell - The destination for those that did not accept Jesus while they were on earth. It is a place of intense pain (like nothing seen here on earth). It is a place of agony, sorrow, and grief. It is also a place where there is no relief or release from the intense pain, grief, agony, sorrow, or fire. There is no escape from hell. It is a real place.
Lord's Supper/Communion - This is a commemoration of the Last Supper that Jesus had with His disciples (closest followers) before His crucifixion on the cross. It was at the Last Supper that Jesus explained that the wine (we use grape juice) was a symbol of the blood that He was going to pour out for our sins and that the bread was a symbol of His body that was going to be beaten, broken, and tortured for each of us. Our church sets aside 5 occassions each year where we partake of those two elements [bread and grape juice] as a means of remembering the huge price Jesus Christ paid for our sins to provide us the opportunity to be born again.
Ministry - A single event or an ongoing event where people share the message of Jesus Christ with others. It can also represent the ongoing service/vocation of a Christian as he/she seeks to share the love of Jesus with others.
Missionary - A Christian who has received a special burden to tell others about Jesus Christ and to bring them into a relationship with Him. These individuals may go to cities within the USA (local or national) or they may go to a different country (international). They work with a specific church or group of churches to help support them (both financially and through prayer). Every Christian is a missionary, but some individuals' full-time occupation is telling others about Jesus Christ.
Offering - Similar to a tithe except an offering is a gift to the church that is in addition to the tithe. The tithe is given as an act of obedience to God whereas an offering is given as an outward sign of extended appreciation for a work God has done internally. Oftentimes this offering is given to help support missionaries, special mission projects (local, national or international) or to help with a specific ministry.
Prayer Meeting - A time where Christians come together to spend time dedicated to prayer. The prayer could focus on a particular person, item or event, or could be a combination.
Priesthood of the Believer - This is the belief that once we accept Jesus as our Lord and make Him #1 in our life we can approach God at anytime and anywhere without the aid of another. Clergy and lay people alike have the same access to God through their relationship with Jesus. Each Christian is capable of representing Jesus to other people.
Repent/Repentance - The act of changing your behavior and your life. It is the recognition that we are not doing what Jesus would want us to be doing and then changing our behavior to be more like Him. Think of it as driving down the interstate going one way and then getting off at the exit and going the other way.
Resurrection - After Jesus was crucified on a cross, he was buried in a tomb where He stayed for 3 days. On the third day, He came back to life and departed from the tomb. After His departure from the tomb, He walked and talked with people here on Earth for 40 days. We believe that God will bodily raise each Christian who has died when Jesus comes back for His people during the last days.
Salvation - Accepting Jesus as your Lord, asking Him to forgive you of all wrong doing and to come in your life, and making Him #1 in your life; and thus putting Him above ALL else in your life. When Jesus came to earth as a baby, died on the cross to pay the price for our sins, and then rose from the grave, that provided us the opportunity to become a part of His family. Salvation is the avenue to which we accept Who Jesus was AND Who Jesus is. Additionally, it is the ONLY way to Heaven and prevents us from going to Hell, which is what we all deserve as sinners.
Sin - The act of disobedience to doing what God wants us to do (i.e. separation from God). Sin does not necessarily have to be bad things we do. Sin can also be good things that we do, if we are doing them for the wrong reasons.
Sinners - Someone who sins. Each of us is born into sin; that is our nature leans away from following God and leans toward following our own way.
Sinner's Prayer - The prayer that a person prays as they accept Jesus. There is no "specific" prayer to pray. The prayer consists of telling Jesus that you are sorry for the sins that you have committed and asking Him to forgive you. It also consists of telling Jesus "Thank You" for dying on the cross for your sins and for rising from the grave. It also consists of telling Jesus that you believe that He did die on the cross and rose again 3 days later from that grave. Lastly, you ask Jesus to come into your heart and live with you forever AND to make Him #1 in your life.
Tithe - Comes from the Greek word ma`aser which means a tenth part. Traditionally thought of as voluntarily giving 10% of one's income to the church. Christians believe that this is more than a voluntary gift. It is as an outward sign of a inward obedience to a total reliance on God. Additionally, it is a way of saying "Thank You" for the blessings God has given. The giving of a tithe is between an individual and God. Each and every Christian should diligently pray as to how much they should give There has been much debate about whether or not it is 10% off of the Gross Pay or 10% off of the Net Pay. There is nothing in the Bible that indicates which one an individual should use. However, our belief is that God should not receive our gift to Him after the government. A tithe is not the same thing as an offering.
VBS - Vacation Bible School. A yearly event held in the summer where children & youth come together, usually for a week, to learn about Jesus Christ. The week has a specific theme where all activities and events revolve around that particular theme. The children learn specific Bible verses, hear stories from the Bible, learn songs about Jesus as well as make crafts related to the theme.
Washed in the Blood - A metaphor used to describe the price that Jesus paid on the cross. When you wash something, you clean the dirt from the item. When Jesus died on the cross, He provided the means by which our sins could be forgiven.
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