#192. Using "love on" as a verb.
Apr 30th by JonI really like this phrase. If this phrase was a girl I met in college I would ask her out after chapel, take her to Outback for a blooming onion and reasonably-priced steak dinner, and then go to a movie. Which in college was considered a 5-star date.
But in all seriousness, this is probably my favorite Christian phrase. Here’s an example of how to use it: “Mark is going through some tough times right now, we really need to love on him.”
See how tender and compassionate that sounds? It’s lovely, but it can be a bit confusing. In the last decade, several other similar phrases have popped up. So, as a public service, I thought I would point out the difference between the “on phrases.”
1. Eat on
Sometimes before a meal, someone will say, “I’m going to get my eat on.” This usually means you are going to a Chinese buffet, often titled something like “Super Buffet.” Remember not to waste your time on things like salad and bread. Skip those altogether and focused on anything fried.
2. Drink on
Sometimes before a big boozefest, someone will say, “I’m going to get my drink on tonight.” This event usually involves malt liquor and making out with someone you would not usually make out with. I sincerely recommend that you do not in fact “get your drink on.” SCL does not support bad making out in any situation.
3. Freak on
Sometimes before going dancing, someone will say, “I’m going to get my freak on tonight at the club.” Nelly Furtado and Missy Elliot did a song called “Get ya freak on” so maybe the phrase picked up steam there. I think if more Christian marriages employed this phrase we’d have less divorce. Just a theory.
I could write and write and write, but my friend is going through some tough times and I need to go love on him. (See how awesome that phrase is?)
(Thanks for the idea Andy)
Lonesome Crick
Life doesn’t ask permission. Sickness doesn’t knock first before it comes into your life. It just shows up on your doorstep and one day you fall down in a field. And the next day you’re in a bed without the energy to sit up and they send for your son Dalton in the big city. And he’s racing home, reaching home as fast as he can on a horse that carries him through rivers and woods and heartaches and doubts about making it in time. But he does. And for weeks he sits right there, never leaving your side. His worry growing. His beard growing. His love of the widow Johnson growing with each meal she brought to the room where sickness had come to rest.
Click here if the widow Johnson hates Dalton at first but grows to love him eventually.
Comments
ya know, Jon, this site and it’s commenters are oh-so clever, I’m often intimidated to jump in, so I’ll just say this…
Would you consider “pouring into” me?
I hear this soooo often in the world of youth leader training. Oh and they usually say that in the same breath as “lean into”…
(I don’t really know what that second one means, but everyone else in the room seems so enthralled by the concept that I’m afraid to raise my hand. Am I alone?)
“SCL does not support bad making out in any situation”
About died laughing reading this.
You are on a roll today.
Commenting on Brenda–That was a good one “pouring into” I have heard that one a lot in youth ministry and at camps and stuff. Good one.
I’m not sure your examples quite fit with “love on” all three examples involve getting your ______ on but we don’t “get our love on” in the love on example, we love on someone. Which sounds rather creepy to me. Similar if you were to say, “We need to freak on Bill.”
That is some funny stuff that I am lov’in on right now! It was the generic youth pastor who would use this “love on” all the time when I was growing up in the church. I can hear his voice in my head now saying “hey guys Tom had a bad day and we need to love on him”.
Too Funny!
I’ve never liked this phrase. It sounds to me like something pedophiles do.
I’ve been thinking about sending this one to you, but just never got around to it. I just don’t get why this phrase is used so often given that in ANY other context it might result in a criminal investigation …
Rock on…
Remember DCTalk’s song “Love is a verb”?? You have to download it right now and listen! It goes perfect with this post!
As an avid nay-sayer of christianese phrases, I’ll be honest… I really like the phrase “love on” and use it often. If I’m feeling especially spiritual I have been known to say the phrases Brenda mentioned. One phrase that does freak me out is “Pour the blood of Jesus on ___.” I mean, I get it, but it’s a little too much for me.
Man, if someone told me they were “just gonna love on me” at church, they would get a swift kick to the groin…
You should make a post about how defensive we are about Bible translations. Maybe “judging someone’s faith based on their Bible translation”. Or you could make a post about Miley Cirus. She seems real popular, even gracing the cover of “plugged in” this month. Of course, with the new photos in vanity fair, it could be interesting. You could write a whole post on “plugged in magazine” for that matter.
Some ideas for future posts:
“judging someone based on their Bible translation”
“Miley Cirus” (could be real interesting with her new pictures).
“Plugged in magazine”
Why do we as Christians try so hard to cultivate our own language? Imagine a non-believer walking into church on any given Sunday, it would probably sound like a bunch of Charlie Brown’s teacher-talk, “Wah Wah Wah Wah Wah, Wah Wah, love on, Wah Wah, born again, Wah Wah Wah, where do you want eat lunch at today, Wah Wah Wah, quiet time, Wah Wah Wah”
We talk and talk about authenticity, let’s bring that into our speech as well, we don’t need to speak in “Christglish” let’s just be real in ALL things!
I have heard the term “love on” and thought it was just used in the south. I have not heard it up here in Yankee land. But, we do get our praise on!
OT: Here’s an idea you might want to use, Jon:
http://thepoint.breakpoint.org/2008/04/my-picture-of-t.html
While working in the nursery, I’ve put babies in these myself. Now I’m starting to worry that my blog commenters are going to form a mob and come after me!
Did someone named Mark or Marc have a deep influence on you during your formidable years? You seem to have issues with guys by that name.
I love how you can go to a Chinese Buffet and have a whole meal that does NOT include Chinese food.
Worship leaders use this phrase all the time. I will never use it when I lead worship.
Whenever I need a good laugh, I just click on your blog. This is my first time to post, but thanks for creating humor in our office every day. I was linked to your site through another sarcastic friends blog.
That’s hilarious. I’m glad you’re getting your write on, cause you crack me up.
ugh…I just despise those “get your ____ on” phrases. They originated from questionable sources and completely creep me out.
Along the lines of what an earlier commenter said… ideas for more Christianese terms: praying for “traveling mercies.”
Still kinda new to the site so I’m catching up.
Christglish?
That’s another topic entirely!!
Have you thought about writing a post about celebrating “Fall Festival” or “Autumn Harvest” instead of Halloween. I for one always went to a Fall Festival party as a kid dressed up as a biblical character or the old standby, an angel. When we were at home for the evil holiday we’d pass out christian tracts instead of candy. yeah we were those people. haha.
My favorite is “Speak into your life” (as in “What a great opportunity to speak into Mary’s life”). Yikes! This seems so patronizing to me. My husband is a pastor and we moved from Southern California to a small town in another state about two years ago. When we moved here, I started hearing this phrase all the time from people (as well as the “love on” one). One time, our senior pastor told me that he was glad that I had developed a friendship with one woman in the church, so that I could “speak into her life”. What he didn’t realize was that she had probably spoken into my life in far greater (or should I say louder) ways than I had into hers.
Chevette, that brings up another point.
Sometimes we can get a bit self-righteous and think that we are “so saved” that others need us to speak into their lives when the truth is the exact opposite. This happens a lot when dealing with people younger than us in age and in faith. God uses EVERYONE who allows him.
The Chrisitanese my church seems to employ is “Jesus with skin on”. I know what they mean when they say it, but I’m sorry, that freaks me the freak out.
Ex: Melinda’s dad just found out he has cancer. Let’s start a meal list circulating so we can bring the family some spaghetti chicken and show them the love of the Lord by being Jesus with skin on.
I might be the biggest sinner on here, but “love on” does not mean something holy or brotherly/sisterly to me. I kind of think of #141. But that’s just me.
well, actually, when i refer to “the christian language” i refer to it as Christianese. You know, because the english language is so boring and incompetant that we need to create words that make us sound, um, “christian.” oh, sorry, i really don’t like this phrase.
if some random guy came to me and said, “whoa, you look down, let me ‘love on’ you,” i too would aim for his groin. seriously, who else says that phrase besides christians!? oh the humanity! lol. thanks for the post!
I love this ;o)
It’s 3rd May already – am I still allowed to comment? THis blog moves so darn fast…
Anyway, my favourite pet-hate Christianese phrase is “touched our lives” as in “Gary has a really powerful ministry – he’s touched many people’s lives”. It’s just a bit creepy.
I once heard my Pastor use it six times consecutively in one message. AAAgh!
Maybe it is because this post was fresh in my mind but no less than 3 times today did my pastor say “love on” including in a prayer. He also said butt cheek so everything was pretty well rounded. Hmm…that could be a good post. 12 words that you thought your pastor would never say in church. What do you think?
We also like to say “Think on”. I have heard it so many times in sermons/reflective conversations/etc. (And alas, in recent months, I’ve noticed I also use it myself.)
“So, think on the implications of…”
“I’ve been thinking on why I’m not more involved in the church…”
and the like.
- CG
Oh boy – I’m really worn out on Christian slogans. I was hoping from the title of this post that you would side with me, but in fact, we’re opposites. I cringe at phrases like “love on” and “Lord, we pray a hedge of protection around this person” and the like.
Why must we create slogans for everything? How do these things catch on, by the way? You’ll run into someone from a totally different state, and here they are spouting the same slogans you’ve heard in Christian circles from your own town.
Maybe appreciation of Christian slogans depends on background and personality. Here’s a good slogan: “Can the slogans.”
I appreciate Moreland’s brief commentary on Christian slogans in the first section of his book, Kingdom Triangle. Read it, if you haven’t yet.
Bleh, I never liked this phrase. It conjures up mental images of unwelcome back rubs.
I have a problem with the comparative use of these phrases. They are not interchangeable. Check it out:
Bob’s had a hard day. We need to go love on him.
Bob’s had a hard day. We need to go eat on him.
Bob’s had a hard day. We need to go drink on him.
Bob’s had a hard day. We need to go freak on him.
Am I right?
Reminds me of the line from “Under the Tuscan Sun” said to the main character by a hot Italian hunk: “Im going to love all over you!”
Ew.
Anyway, I never realized how much Christianeze one picks up when hanging out with church crowd. I caught myself using things like “Calvinist” and “agape” and “postmilennialiism” in every day conversation. Then realized that to non-believers I probably sound not much weirder than someone who wants to “align my chakras” and “refine my aural glow”.
Knowledge is worthless.
“Nelly Furtado and Missy Elliot did a song called “Get ya freak on” so maybe the phrase picked up steam there. I think if more Christian marriages employed this phrase we’d have less divorce. Just a theory.”
So true…and hilarious.
I agree 100%! Yay for passion in christian marriage lol!
Tonight I was in my church’s new member course and our senior pastor said “love on.” I snickered a bit, having read this article. Another girl in the back around my age let loose a controlled laugh also.
It isn’t hard to tell who the cool kids are.
Every time I hear this phrase I hope that the visceral negative reaction I have to it doesn’t make it to my face (say by way of an eye twitch or a sudden stony expression). It is my least favorite abuse of the preposition “on,” followed very closely by the phrase “wait on” when the person speaking really means “wait for.” Then again, I’m a grammar nerd and have no trouble admitting it.
I’ve always felt that ‘love on’ was a little too sexual for my tastes.
You forgot "Fish on!". Like when you're on a charter fishing boat.
I know this post is super old, but I just read it because of the link to it from #579 "Forgiving people who don't apologize," so its fresh in my mind. And, driving home from work just now, I heard a country song talking about hanging out at the bar and "everyone started loving on eachother"….quite different than the use of "love on" by Christians (…I hope!)
On the topic of Christglish – how about the annoying habit of talking to God like He has Attention Deficit Disorder – "Dear God, we just want to tell you that, God, we really love you and, God we just wanna ask you to, God, really speak to Marc in this time and God, really show him that you care for him God, and God, thank you for what he means to us God, and if it's your will God, help him to get over this, God. Injeesnameepray, Amen". Ooo – makes me want to punch someone right in the teeth….
"Love on" creeps me out. I'd rather people love me from a distance of at least two feet. Of all the weird phrases Christianese has, this one probably bothers me the most.
I sooooooo HATE the phrase "Love on"! Where did that come from??? It is so cheesy, and quite frankly…its ounds a bit obscene. I do not want someone to love on me. I just want someone to love me.