Dona Nagel: Why find new terms when old words are just fine?

While it is true that our English language evolves over time and words take on new meanings, sometimes it’s difficult to keep up with new terminology or new definitions. Words that once were used to define an ordinary situation have taken on completely different connotations.

Words such as “gay,” for instance, were often avoided a few years ago but now have been accepted with an entirely new meaning, no longer having to do with cheerful and joyous.

When I go into a store to purchase an item, I am no longer a “customer,” but have become a client. The person selling me the item is not considered a clerk or salesperson, but an “associate.” I’m not sure if there are secretaries anymore, as most are apparently renamed administrative assistants.

I have accepted most of these changes as the evolution of our language. However, there is one change that bothers me somewhat and leaves me rather puzzled. For hundreds of years, the word church has meant a building set aside for worship, or a group of worshipers. It now seems that, to many people, even that word is changing. Some of the newer names I have observed for a church are: house, river, well, association, fellowship, outreach, community, center and place. I’m sure there are other terms that I’m not aware of.

I cannot understand what is wrong with the word “church.” Have we outgrown this term? According to the dictionary, the Greek definition for the word “church” means, “The Lord’s House”, or “of the Lord.” That seems like such a perfect definition.

This story was originally published November 10, 2014 at 1:22 PM with the headline "Dona Nagel: Why find new terms when old words are just fine?."