Wednesday, December 24, 2008
What is inside the box number three
As we discuss working "outside the box and inside the BOOK" there are some things that have been done for years and years, just because its always been done that way, when there is no scripture to back it up. Today lets take a peak at what I call "Churchy language" Have you ever noticed how people use the old english language in Church? They often try to replicate the KJV. language. We live in a generation where many people have no idea what we are saying, Remember we are not trying to reach Church people, but unsaved people. We must talk in terms they can understand. The english language is changeing and every few years we find ourselfs out of touch and not communicateing. Many insist on useing the KJ. only that is ok, if that is what you want to do. But if you are going to be understood you must do a lot of translateing into modern english. It is a fact that people you are likely to reach to do not know the "Churchy Terms" And if you are to reach them it is a must thay you speak their language. if we send a missionary to another country the first thing they must do is to learn to communicate. Sooooo. let us put "Churchy language" in the box. What do you think? Marlin Freeman.
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Good observation! It has been my experience that 99 percent of the people you win are your friends. First, make friends! Chances are great that friends are not made using churchy language. That can come later...(in the box).
ReplyDeleteI agree on the need to explain some of our terms. For example, many don't know what we mean by "age of accountability". We need to explain to them that it is the age when the Holy Spirit first pricks the heart of a sinner that he has sinned against God. However, at the same time, we don't want to leave out words like "virgin". I believe it needs to be implanted in the minds of the children, even before they know what it means, because, as Jesus' shed blood, if he had not been virgin-born, we could not have had a Savior!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. We need to let the Word of God sink into our hearts after much study and meditation. If we do, when we are talking to others, we can easily communicate from our hearts, which usually is understood just as easily. I do believe God inspired the words, and preserved the words in the Textus Receptus (otherwise, He lied about preserving the words, since no other text was preserved throughout history) and I also believe the KJV is the only one I feel 100% confident to be a complete (static or formal) equivalence translation of the Textus Receptus. I, therefore, believe the KJV is the only current one we can call God's words. The NKJV, for example, has translation errors (the #1 I see being 2 Timothy 2:15).
ReplyDeleteI also, however, believe a new formal equivalence translation of the Received Text would be perfectly fine, and wish someone would do it.
When it comes to church, however, we should certainly not use "KJV" language or when witnessing. We should try our best to communicate the message in modern terms, using the KJV Bible when we use a Bible. Therefore, when our youth sing contemporary songs or hymns, we may change "thee" and "thou" to "you" on the screen. I know it seems as though that is crossing the holy line, but it really helps our children express themselves to God instead of vainly singing meaningless words.