“What’s bussin’, bruh? Did you peep the new skibidi drop? What’s up with your aura? Your chill’s all sus! Mind if I pull up and Fanum tax some chips?” “Yeah, freak, usually I’m mogging but I’m not mewing right now.” “You’re cappin’! What in Ohio?”
If you understand ANY of that, you are doing a lot better than me. A few weeks ago, I received a lesson from a teenager on Gen Alpha speak. To say that I was confused is an understatement. Gen Alpha are those born since 2010. And they have a language all their own.
Before we go any further, let me explain that opening paragraph. It’s a conversation between two friends. One friend is watching a YouTube video called “Skibidi Toilet” which shows virtual heads singing in toilets. Yes, you read that correctly. And these are the future leaders of our nation who are watching this stuff and calling it entertainment! Here’s how the conversation would be if normal English was used.
“What’s happening/going on, brother/friend? Did you see the newest release of the Skibidi Toilet video? What’s going on with your complexion? Your mood is suspiciously different. Mind if I sit down with you and share your chips?” “Sure, friend, usually I’m looking really good but I’m not looking so good right now.” “You’re kidding/lying! What’s so bad?” The conversation actually went on for another couple of minutes in that confusing Gen Alpha gibberish.
Crossing the linguistical cultural divide can be challenging. Even if the words are completely understandable, their meaning may not be. Such was the case for British blogger Luke Cawley as he tried to get to know an American girl.
“I had only known her for a few hours when she shocked me for the first time. We were
walking in the park, chatting … when she told me that she liked my pants.
“Her words froze me in my tracks. I liked her, but this was too much, way too soon. “You like my pants?” I asked.
“Yes…” she said. “Is that okay?”
“I wasn’t sure what to say. I opened my mouth to reply and then the realization popped into my head: Because she is an American and I am British, she uses “pants” to mean something completely different to my understanding of the word.
“Oh…” I replied, “You mean you like my trousers? In Britain, ‘pants’ means ‘underpants.'”
She blushed, laughed, and hurriedly explained, “Yes, yes, I like your trousers.”
“Thank goodness for that,” I replied.”1
Talk about an embarrassing moment!
Unintentionally, Christians can create a language hurdle by using words we know and love, words that are perfectly fine to use, but are confusing to those who are unsaved. Here’s an example.
Romans 3:23-26 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (24) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (26) To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
EVERY word in this verse is perfect and inspired by God. But notice the words in bold. How many unsaved people know what those words mean? Notice the words in italics. They are simple words but, again, does a lost person really know what they mean?
As we use the Word of God to bring an individual to the saving knowledge of Christ, we must also provide the explanation of what those words mean. We can’t just drop the verse bombs on them and walk away. If they don’t know what those words mean, the effect of 
the words is going to be lost. Change the words? NO! Just explain them.
I leave us today with another powerful passage of Scripture that can be used to introduce someone to Jesus and the wonderful plan of salvation. Go through the passage. Highlight the words that might even give you some difficulty and study out what those words mean so that you can “rightly divide the Word of Truth.”
Again, I’ll put harder words and phrases in bold text that might need defined and simpler words that still require explanation will be italicized. If I didn’t hit the words that give you trouble, work on those as well.
“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, (5) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (6) Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; (7) That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7)
1https://evangelism.intervarsity.org/resource/how-not-speak-christianese
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