SEEKER FRIENDLY

[see-ker frend-lee]

adjective
-appealing to those not normally affiliated with the church or Christianity
-emphasizing reaching those outside the normal scope of the church

Let's use it in a sentence!
Replacing the communion wine and wafers with Red Bull and Doritos is just one more way the new church is trying to be seeker friendly.

Secular Synonyms
none

Find it in the Bible
This term does not appear in the Bible.

Fun Fact
Seeker friendly churches can often be identified by the following:

• Their insistence that they are "not your parents' church"
• Using lesser known terms --"Christ Follower" instead of "Christian", "Gathering" instead of "Worship Service", etc.
• Absence of common Christian symbols on the exterior of their building
• Worship space more like a convention center than a cathedral
• Atmosphere reminiscent of a rock concert
• Pastors who wear designer jeans
• Large amounts of money spent on their sound system

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

[spir-i-choo-uhl   gifts]

noun
-abilities given to you by the Holy Spirit that serve a purpose in fostering spiritual growth or serving in your church

Let's use it in a sentence!
Alice always has the best dinner parties. Her spiritual gift of hospitality is obvious.

Secular Synonyms:
natural abilities, talents, skills *note that these are not true synonyms as they would not use them only in reference to how one can serve in church ministries

Find it in the Bible:
1 Cor. 12; Rom 12:6-8; 1 Pet 4:10-11;

Fun Facts:
-Lists of spiritual gifts often include those listed in the passages above as well as others that Christians believe to be spiritual gifts. They include prophecy, discernment of spirits, teaching, giving, serving, compassion, faith, healing, working miracles, knowledge, wisdom, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, pastoral, exhortation, evangelism, voluntary poverty, celibacy, craftsmanship/artistry, worship/music, and  interpretation of dreams.

-There are many places online to take spiritual gifts assessment tests.

-Once you know what your spiritual gifts are, it is a handy excuse for not doing other things in the church/ministry that you are less interested in. Simply tell people "That's not my spiritual gift" and you are off the hook!

SINNER'S PRAYER

[sin-ers  prair]

noun:
-the prayer that Evangelicals believe marks one's entrance into the Christian faith

Example of a Sinner's Prayer:
Lord, I know I have done a lot of bad things that have kept me from you. I am sorry. From now on, I want to do the right thing and follow your laws. Please forgive me. I believe that your son Jesus Christ died for my sins and was raised from the dead so I can come back to you. I invite Jesus into my heart to be the Lord of my life from this day forward and help me to walk in His ways. Amen

Let's use it in a sentence!
Sharon, if you'd like to become a Christian, you can pray the Sinner's Prayer.

Secular Synonyms:
none

Find it in the Bible:
This specific term does not appear in the Bible.

Fun facts:
-Due to the guilt of slipping into past sins, many Christians pray this prayer multiple times as a way of rededicating their lives to Christ.
-The early church viewed becoming a Christian as a process that could take years of study and devotion and generally frowned upon the idea of instantaneous conversion.

SPIRITUAL BIRTHDAY

[speer-i-chu-uhl   berth-dey]

noun:
-The day on which one officially became a Christian
-The day that one prayed the "sinner's prayer"
-The day one gave their heart to Jesus
-The day that one commemorates his/her decision to become a Christian.

Let's use it in a sentence!
Today is Jose's spiritual birthday. He became a Christian 7 years ago.

Secular Synonyms:
none

Find it in the Bible:
This term does not appear in the Bible

Fun fact:
When 30 yr old Christians who commemorate this event put up Facebook statuses and Tweets that read things like "Today is my 12th birthday!!" the vast majority of their non-Evangelical friends furrow their brow in confusion and question the poster's sanity.