Top 10 Christian Cliches

Christians say some crazy things.
We think we are being spiritual, godly, helpful, wise, encouraging, but really we are sticking our big stinky feet in our big open mouths. There are quite a few phrases within the church that irk me. I’m guessing you feel the same.
Here are the Top 10 Christian phrases I never want to hear again--starting with … 

1. “Guard your heart.”

Yes, this phrase is scriptural and comes from Proverbs 4:23. I have usually heard this snippet of Scripture used in reference to a dating relationship.
One girl would pray for another, something like this: “Lord, please help her ‘guard her heart’ in this relationship with this particular boy … ” What they really want to pray and what they really should pray is: “Lord, help her be sexually pure and stay out of bed in this relationship with this particular boy … ” Just pray what you mean.

2. “I’ll pray for you.”

OK, this one is tricky, because I don’t want to judge. I want to believe that when someone says they will pray for you, they will actually pray.
I suspect, however, that all too often, Christians throw this phrase out as a nice-ism to either make someone feel better or because they don’t know what else to say.
Side note: I take this phrase very seriously, and I want you to know that when I say that I will pray for you I actually will.

3. “Quiet time.”

I’m going to be honest—I despise this phrase. It does not exist in the Bible (the concept does on some level, perhaps), yet we throw this around like law.
Did you have your “quiet time?” Don’t forget your “quiet time.” It goes on and on.
How about setting aside time to be quiet before the Lord, yes, but also meeting with Him in the loud times, the crazy times, the exhausting times—basically throughout your day and throughout your life?

4. “I don’t feel led.”

 This is another time when you just need to say what you mean. More often than not, it’s not that we “don’t feel led,” but rather, we just don’t want to.
Instead of being honest, we blame God, as if He was directing us elsewhere.

5. “It was the Lord’s will … ” when something fails.

Again, this is not always the case, but I have witnessed this phrase become a catch-all to excuse irresponsibility or sin.
Perhaps a ministry, or church, or (worst of all) a marriage failed because responsible parties allowed it to fail. Perhaps it really wasn’t “the Lord’s will.”

6. “Hedge of protection.”

I have caught myself starting to pray it as well, and I stop in my tracks. It’s just a silly Christian-ism.
Again, pray what you mean.

7. “Walk with the Lord.”

I don’t dislike this phrase so much as I think it has become trite.
More than that, we say this in front of unbelievers constantly, and they must be thinking, “What the what?”

8. “Invite Jesus into your heart.”

Again, I don’t despise this Christian-ism; however, I think besides not being entirely scriptural, it fails to communicate the fact that a life devoted unto Christ is the goal—total surrender, nothing less.

9. “Sinner’s prayer” or “Prayer of salvation.”

This phrase is not Biblical. God reaches us all differently.

10. “Jesus loves you.”

It is completely, 100 percent true. He does love you … and me. A bumper sticker isn’t the way to communicate His love, however. Action is.
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by Nicole Cottrell