Orginally published on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at 8:29 AM
by Todd Rhoades
Researchers have compiled a list of the ten most irritating phrases. See how many of those you use in your daily communication. I know, at the end of the day, I personally will absolutely need to stop using some of these phrases. After all, it's not rocket science, and, with all due respect, I shouldn't of started saying these phrases in the first place. I guess what I thought would make me fairly unique, at this moment in time, make me look absolutely stupid. It's a nightmare 24/7 for me. I hope you understand. Oh, and here are the phrases you should avoid:
1 - At the end of the day
2 - Fairly unique
3 - I personally
4 - At this moment in time
5 - With all due respect
Wait... there's five more...
6 - Absolutely
7 - It’s a nightmare
8 - Shouldn’t of
9 - 24/7
10 - It’s not rocket science
What phrases really drive you crazy?
Todd
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As I continue to close
In conclusion
“The top ten”
I am trying to stop “go out on a limb” and “can I tell you” in my preaching. I run through cycles where a phrase will land in a several sermons and you get comfortable. Almost every repeated or worn out phrase is a transition phrase… I make a list of them and rotate them. Not as well as I wish but I try.
“This whole thing” and “what you need to understand is” and “the truth/fact of the matter” all drive me crazy!!
“Can I be honest with you?” (no will you please lie to me!) and “In reality...” (what are you making the rest of it up?) oh and by the way - Can I be honest with you and tell you that in reality I use ‘em from time to time.
“Paradigm Shift”
It’s not a “paradigm shift” to change the colors of a bathroom.
I’ve got a short list, too. A little snarky, I know, but these phrases are overused, inappropriately used, or just plain wrong:
-Accept Jesus.
-Ask Jesus into your heart.
-Make a decision for Jesus.
-God-shaped hole.
-Live victoriously.
-Sow a seed.
-Have a conversation.
-Purpose.
-Self-esteem.
-Cross the line of faith.
--
CS
Dang it CS now I can’t preach Sunday.
As a pastor and communicator, I have one phrase that I really think that we, as a society, we should drop as quickly as possible. This phrase is used to qualify what people say to make it look like they actually know what they’re talking about.
And as a person who gets tired of hearing it all the time, I’d like to see it stop.
As a mother of 5 children, my wife is great and she doesn’t use this phrase often.
As the father of those same five children, I strive to be the best dad I can be, as the shepherd of the home.
As a bi-vocational pastor, I hear it from all sorts of people: “As a graphic designer, I think...”; “As a furniture salesman, I suggest you...”.
Or in ministry: “As a pastor for over 20 years, here’s my wisdom in this situation...”; “As a youth pastor, I think kids...”; “As a long-time board member, I think we should (get rid of this or that person or thing...)...”
And now, as someone who has other things to try and accomplish today, I will stop this post, because you, as people who have better things to do than read this, have other things to do as well.
The Thing is....
That’s awesome....
Nice....
“i’m so not...” (which can be fun too, depending)
“Let’s unpack this for a minute”
That’s gettin’ old quick.
“...and we’re going to camp out on this for a while...”
“I want you to hear my heart on this...”
“literally” - it hardly ever was
“it was incredible” - why are you telling me if I shouldn’t believe you? Especially if you are telling me that what God did was “incredible.”
ditto: “unbelievable”
“there’s a sense in which...”
AAAAAH!
“Amen?” Looking for the parroting back after you’ve made a brilliant point…
“Impacted” drives me nuts! As in, “The things that have impacted our church today.” We can have an impact, and we can be affected. but unless you’re really trying to clog things up, stay away from “impacted”!
Jerry, your words have impacted me… thanks. Now here is a contest. Who can take these phrases and make the most creative sentence from them. Winner gets to use it in church Sunday.
Another one that gets me is “whole entire”. Is it the whole thing, the entire thing, or is there more than meets the eye? Just wondering....
As far as your suggestion for a sentence, how about this:
At the end of the day we find ourselves in a fairly unique position of being impacted 24/7 by a condition that, and I want you to hear my heart on this, that I personally at this moment in time find to be a nightmare, and with all due respect to other less informed individuals, shouldn’t of wasted our time on because it’s absolutely not rocket science. Amen?
If I hear the term “Jesus in skin” one more time, I may jump out of mine!
“Whatever” as a rejoinder, i.e., ME:You need to pay more attention to detail. SECRETARY: “Whatever.”
“Awesome” has lost so much of it’s impact (oops).
God is awesome, and so are my new shoes.
“it’s not about you.” “It’s not about>....(fill in the blank).”
This was very effective until the last year or so, now it is so cliche. Like awesome, it’s lost it’s impact (oops, I did it again). BTW: this is not a statement against PDL, it’s a statement against the whole, “it’s not about you” usage.
“In Closing....” from a minister means at least twenty more minutes until the end of the message.
“Privledge.”
“What I am going to talk about today is..” Just talk about don’t tell us you are going to talk about something just talk about it.
“If you only get one thing out of this message, get this...”
It’s not about me, it’s all about God.
or
It’s not about us, it’s all about God.
or
It’s not about you, it’s all about God.
or
It’s all about Him.
Sick of it! None of us live this. We live like we are the center of the universe. We live like there is no other god but us.
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