Every movement has its own vocabulary. Indeed one might argue that the primary task of a leader is to provide a vocabulary to the followers. "If you control a group's vocabulary you control its destiny" is more often than not true. You don't have to be around a church long to catch on to their vocabulary -- and thus catch their values, interests, and concerns.

I come from a revivalist tradition - a "camp meeting church." We were always wanting to experience "revival" -- as if it was some sort of third work of grace. Revival was our utmost value thus an elaborate vocabulary arose to promote this concern and to keep it alive. I've tried to recall some of the terms and recover what the intended "definitions" might have been:

Break. Several individuals who formerly had resisted the Holy Spirit's conviction respond in confession and obedience, becoming the first signs of spiritual revival. Or an entire church was moved to repentance where it formerly was resisting the preaching. Often such a "break" occurred after a long period of spiritual stagnation.

Cleansing. A supernatural work of deliverance from sinful thoughts, words, deeds, or the inclination to rebel against God's will, sometimes also called "Entire Sanctification."

Conviction. A state of heightened spiritual sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's voice, convincing a Christian of sin from which he or she needs deliverance or a Christlike character trait which can come only by infilling.

Convictional Lifestyle. A way of living so that others experience God's conviction by simply being near the person who lives this kind of life.

Deliverance. An instantaneous supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, freeing a Christian from a sinful thought, language pattern, habit, or attitude in a single momentary transaction.

Discipleship. Christians helping each other become more like Christ, resulting in spiritual maturity and obedient living.

Holiness. Christlikeness--the aim of Discipleship and the result of spiritual revival.

Infilling. A spiritual transaction where God fills a believer with a Christlike character trait, ability, thought pattern, or power not naturally present in the believer's life. Sometimes the experience of infilling is related to a simultaneous experience of deliverance, and other times it is independent.

Nominal Christians. A type of Christianity typified by cool-hearted, lukewarmness -- Christians "in name only," Christians who are not practicing Christians.

Obedient Living. Another name for spiritual maturity -- living the Christian life in obedience to all known commands of Christ, and above premeditated willful disobedience to God.

Outpouring. A spiritual phenomena experienced when God's presence sweeps on a group so that there is almost unanimous experiencing of a revival atmosphere resulting from a vertical movement of the Holy Spirit.

Personal Spiritual Revival. A state of individual spiritual awakening resulting from a person experiencing conviction through the Holy Spirit, responding in confession and faith, experiencing the changing power of the Holy Ghost resulting in either deliverance from sinful habits, attitudes or behaviors, or an infilling of a new Christlike character trait.

Practicing Christians. Individuals committed to Christ who actually live like Christians in their daily walk... the opposite from nominal Christians.

Prayer Warrior. An individual who commits significant time and energy praying -- especially for spiritual revival.

Progressive Deliverance. A gradual supernatural work of the Holy Spirit which frees a Christian from sinful thoughts, language, habits, or attitudes over a period of time... over days, weeks, months, sometimes even years.(see also "deliverance.")

Renewal. A low-key form of revival -- less than outright spiritual revival, but more than spiritual stagnancy. Renewal can sometimes be a sign of a coming revival, and at other times can partially satisfy a hunger for deeper spirituality and prevent a full-blown revival from occurring.

Revival Atmosphere. A collective social climate among a group of Christians where a significant number of people are experiencing personal spiritual revival, and even the onlookers who are not experiencing their own personal spiritual revival, become "revival sympathizers" creating a "revival expectancy" in the group.

Revival Expectancy. A climate of faith which occurs in a group when there is a common confidence that God will produce conviction, Christians will respond in obedience, and people will be changed through God's power -- an expectation that the revival is on the way.

Revival Sympathizers. People who, while not experiencing their own personal spiritual revival, are in sympathy with the spiritual revival occurring in others, and contribute to the creation of an atmosphere of revival expectancy in the entire group.

Revivalist. An individual who makes spiritual revival a dominant priority and focus of his or her ministry.

Revival. A spiritual phenomena where a significant number of people in a group are simultaneously experiencing personal spiritual revival which feeds a church-wide revival atmosphere through their testimonies to God's changing power in their lives.

Soul Winning. The inevitable result of any spiritual revival -- the conversion of lost men and women to Jesus Christ.

Spirit-Quenching. Any action or attitude which tends to reduce the convictional effect of the Holy Spirit's work in a revival atmosphere.

Spiritual Maturity. A level of Christian living at which a believer consistently lives in obedience to all known commands of Christ and thus lives above premeditated, willful disobedience to God.

Spiritual Stagnation. A static state typified by coolness, lukewarmness, and general spiritual lethargy, applicable to either individuals or groups.

Testimonies. Individuals reporting to a group how God has changed them through His power, giving all the glory to God. Testimonies tend to create a revival atmosphere.

But, of course most of these terms have passed away.  We have some new concerns today. My question is what are those concerns? That is, if a vocabulary is an accurate reflection of current values, what are the terms we hear over and over today which reveal to us today's values? What would you list? And what does it tell you?

To contribute to the thinking on this issue e-mail your response to Tuesday@indwes.edu

Other "Thinking Drafts" and writing by Keith Drury -- http://www.indwes.edu/tuesday