I'll update and add to these as needed.
American Evangelical Culture:
A religious subculture in the US composed primarily of Evangelical Free, Baptist, Pentecostal, and Non-denominational Christians typified by it's hyper-spirituality and rejection of all things secular
*Note: Not all churches in these denominations are part of this culture and not all members of this culture are affiliated with these denominations. It is a general term not meant to reflect on any one denomination in particular
Evangebapticostal:
A term that lumps Evangelicals, Baptists, and Pentecostals together when there is cultural overlap. Basically, it's what I type when I don't want to have to type all three names.
Hyper-Spirituality:
A type of spirituality that seeks to find and pronounce the defense of one's theology in everything they see or attach a spiritual element to even the most minor of things.
Secular:
Anything that is not explicitly and openly Christian in nature
Passive Aggressive Prayer:
Any prayer spoken publicly that is a veiled way to tell someone what they should do.
Ex: "Oh Lord, help Jeff to know if this girl isn't the best for him" prayed out loud with Jeff in attendance
Gossip as Prayer Requests:
Expressing "concern" over an issue involving someone in order to tell everyone about it first.
Ex: "I wouldn't tell you this normally, but I just really think we should pray about it. I saw Betty out to dinner with a man that wasn't her husband and it looked pretty romantic."
Love On:
Experiencing/Expressing love in a tangible non-sexual way.
Ex: "Just let God love on you." "We really need to love on him right now."
Possibly my most hated of all American Evangelical Culture terms.
Christianese:
A way of speaking that involves a number of hyper-spiritual terms that would not be easily understood by non-Christians
I just feel like the Lord wants me to...:
Although sometimes valid, this is a heavily abused phrase within Evangelical circles that is often a get out of jail free card to give someone else a very uncomfortable answer, because even if they can be mad at you, they can't be mad at God.
Ex: "I just feel like the Lord wants us to take a break from dating for awhile."
Have a burden for:
to feel a special connection or calling to serve God in a specific region or with a specific group of people.
Ex: "I really have a burden for urban youth."
Prosperity Gospel a.k.a. Name it and Claim it:
A theology gaining popularity in the US centered on the belief that God wants to bless His followers with money and possessions
Bedside Baptist:
the "church" Christian College kids attend when they sleep in on Sunday morning
MRS Degree a.k.a. Ring by Spring:
A common phrase heard on Christian College campuses regarding the seemingly high number of female students who get engaged while studying there
Backslide/Backslider:
A term used to describe someone who has fallen away from his/her faith or is engaging in activities that the speaker believes he/she shouldn't.
Ex: "I think Paula is really starting to backslide. I saw her drinking at a party."
Nominal Christian:
Christian in name only. Although sometimes used in the proper context, this is another often abused term that is sometimes used to describe anyone who doesn't adhere to every little aspect of what the speaker thinks the Christian lifestyle should look like.
Ex: "My aunt is really nice, but she's a nominal Christian. She doesn't have a small group or bible study that she regularly attends."
Bible Believing Christians:
A term widely used within Evangelical circles to refer to "true Christians" (As of yet, I have heard no explanation as to how someone could be a Christian and not believe in the major tenets of the Bible.)
Pro-Family:
A blanket term usually adopted by groups fighting the "gay agenda" Essentially, it means "pro families that look, act, and believe like mine" Often times it's little more than a nice sounding label to coat over the knee jerk reactions and stereotyping that make up large parts of their work.
Family Friendly:
The label most Christian radio stations use in order to be more seeker friendly (see below)
Seeker Friendly:
This term is used by churches/Christian organizations to highlight their emphasis on reaching out to those outside of the church. They usually live out this term by avoiding using common Christian terms (i.e. "Jesus Follower" instead of "Christian", "Gathering" instead of "Church service/worship", "Community of Believers" instead of "Church", etc), dressing their pastor/leader in designer jeans, and spending a lot of money on their sound system.
