Have you ever stopped to consider how many “church words” we use that aren’t found anywhere in the Bible? I’m going to share with you a partial list of terms that Christians say all the time, that you will NOT find in the Word of God. I concede that SOME of these principles are rooted in the teachings of the Bible, the terms, however, are not. MANY of the concepts are not at all supported by the teachings of Scripture, but are, in fact, simply man-made traditions. Man-made tradition isn’t always bad, but when it is elevated to the same level as the teachings of God’s Word, it will inevitably lead to Phariseeism, formalism and pious dogmatism.

I understand that asking us to question some of these terms and concepts (to see if they are, in fact, rooted in Biblical commands) will be unsettling to some. I think it is important, at times, to make us uncomfortable as we examine our practices to ensure that they we are not just living out a man-made religion, in the name of Christ.

For your consideration, I humbly suggest that the following terms (or phrases) are NOT found anywhere in the Bible (this may surprise you):

  • Pew
  • Hymnbook
  • Steeple
  • Sacrament
  • Pope, Monk, Cardinal, Friar, Nun
  • Pastor (okay, it appears once in the NT)  ______
  • Senior Pastor
  • Associate Pastor
  • Worship Pastor
  • Reverend
  • Youth Group
  • Sunday School
  • Special Music
  • Worship Team / Praise Band
  • Trinity
  • Rapture
  • Purgatory
  • Eternal Security
  • Accepting Jesus as personal savior
  • Sinner’s Prayer
  • Creed
  • Mass
  • Lent
  • Spiritual Retreat
  • Statement of Faith
  • Candidating
  • Missionary
  • Secretary
  • Offering Plate
  • Choir Robes
  • Church (as a building)
  • Theology
  • Small Group
  • Life Group
  • Seminary
  • Slain in the Spirit
  • Church Board
  • Altar Call
  • Legalism
  • Building Fund
  • Spare the rod, spoil the child
  • God helps those who help themselves
  • Cleanliness is next to godliness
  • Closing eyes to pray
  • Church Service or Worship Service
  • Children’s Church
  • Carry-in-Dinner (Potluck)
  • Fellowship Meal
  • Easter
  • Ash Wednesday
  • Christmas
  • Praying a Hedge of Protection
  • Seed Faith
  • Prayer Warrior / Prayer Partner
  • Accountability Partner
  • Prayer Chain
  • Prayer Request
  • Traveling Mercies
  • Baptismal
  • Clerical Collar
  • Vestments
  • Prayer Covering
  • Spiritual Covering
  • Catechism
  • Session (of Elders)
  • Denomination
  • Millennium
  • Omniscient
  • Omnipresent
  • Devotions
  • Quiet Time
  • Family Altar
  • Social Justice
  • Eschatology
  • Calvinism
  • Arminianism
  • Pentecostal
  • Charismatic
  • Protestant
  • Evangelical
  • Catholic
  • Incarnation
  • Immaculate Conception
  • Worldview
  • Once Saved, Always Saved
  • Ask Jesus into Your Heart
  • Backsliding
  • Confirmation
  • Name it and Claim It
  • Prosperity Gospel
  • Fundamentalist
  • Re-dedication
  • Revival
  • Bible
  • Christianity       …do we have anything left to talk about?!

Again, I am not saying that none of these concepts are supported by principles contained in Scripture, or that all of these ideas (even if they are simply man-made traditions) are necessarily bad or morally wrong. However, I do want to encourage us to think carefully about what we promote as being of Christ, and make sure that we are clear in our own minds about what is truly in the Bible, and what is not. (See Mark 7:3-8 & Gal. 1:14)

As a kind of fun challenge, I dare you to go a month using only Biblical terminology to discuss church life. Okay…a week! 😉

Israel Wayne is an Author and Conference Speaker. He is the Director of Family Renewal and Site Editor for www.ChristianWorldview.net.


Photo credit: OZinOH / Foter / CC BY-NC