Thinking Fellows Podcast: The Worst Phrases Christians Use

Episode Date: December 10, 2025
Hosts: Caleb Keith, Scott Keith, Adam Francisco, Bruce Hillman
Duration: ~45 minutes

Overview

In this spirited and humorous episode, the Thinking Fellows tackle some of the most “cringe-worthy” and problematic phrases commonly used within Christian circles. These are expressions that, while often meant to comfort, encourage, or express faith, can undermine sound theology, cause confusion, or even unintentionally wound. Throughout the roundtable, the hosts analyze the phrases from theological, pastoral, and practical perspectives, often peppered with jokes, stories, and pointed honesty.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Let Go and Let God

• Speaker: Bruce (02:49)
• Analysis:
  • Superficially sounds humble, but subtly teaches that "God can't work until you let Him" (03:03).
  • Puts burdens on believers and shifts sovereignty away from God.
  • Bruce: “What the phrase is really teaching is that God can't work until you let him. And I just have a real problem with that.” (03:29)

2. God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle

• Speaker: Scott (06:48)
• Analysis:
  • Considered trite, especially when people are suffering grievously.
  • Neglects the reality of overwhelming experiences in a fallen world.
  • Can deliver weak law—a milder, more insipid version of God’s demands—without true comfort.
  • Scott: “It seems like a really kind of trite thing to say to somebody who's really suffering... Just doesn't seem helpful to me.” (07:29)
  • Caleb: “It's the law of Christian accomplishment and self-preservation and perseverance.” (09:59)

3. Abrahamic Faiths

• Speaker: Adam (13:38)
• Analysis:
  • Adam’s “chicken tikka masala” level of spicy annoyance.
  • Critiques the term’s implication that Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are fundamentally related branches.
  • Theologically misleading, as all three faiths make exclusive claims on Abraham.
  • Criticizes modern interfaith efforts for “fuzzification” of real doctrinal differences (18:06).
  • Adam: “It’s a very new sort of term... as if they’re all sort of part of the same olive tree... But the implication is that they all worship the same God, just in different ways.” (14:02-14:13)
  • Caleb: “To serious practitioners of any of these religions, it's seriously insulting.” (18:56)

4. Niceness as Witness – “A Great Witness of Christ’s Love”

• Speaker: Caleb (21:12)
• Analysis:
  • Critiques the idea that simple kindness or civility inherently witnesses the gospel.
  • Proclaims that actual Christian witness requires explicit proclamation of Christ.
  • Risks reducing Christian behavior to mere “niceness”—a weak law masquerading as gospel.
  • Caleb: “It's not a witness at all of Christ's love unless you actually preach about or proclaim Christ... your kindness is that witness... That's a lot of assuming that's going on.” (22:37-23:44)

5. Speak the Truth in Love

• Speaker: Bruce (28:26)
• Analysis:
  • Can justify unkind or manipulative behavior under a veneer of loving correction.
  • Sometimes becomes an excuse for unnecessary confrontation.
  • Also, can be used to inaction—claiming to wait for the ‘right’ loving moment.
  • Bruce: “I think it's only used for manipulation. And it's an unnecessary thing to say.” (33:24-33:26)

6. Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin

• Speaker: Scott (33:54)
• Analysis:
  • Scott finds it “bad preaching”—wrongly separates sin from the sinner, which doesn't account for the total depravity of humanity.
  • Points out the importance of forgiving the sinner, not just the sin.
  • Traces the phrase back to Augustine; its context originally was more about ethical restraint than theology (38:22-39:46).
  • Scott: “You don’t hate the sin and still love me at the time. You hate both of us.” (34:19)
  • Bruce: “Everyone who goes to hell is loved. Love doesn't say loved.” (36:38)

7. Judeo-Christian Civilization/Scriptures

• Speaker: Adam (43:47)
• Analysis:
  • Another phrase Adam finds deeply problematic.
  • Historically used to form alliances or express supposed shared moral roots.
  • Adam disputes the accuracy and theological honesty of the label, noting differences in law, soteriology, and social ethics.
  • Adam: “I don't think Western civilization has a Jewish root…Their theology…could not be more opposed to classic Christian theology and their moral standards.” (45:14-47:40)
  • The panel distinguishes between ancient Israelite values, rabbinic Judaism, and Christianity, finding the term reductionist.

8. Just Wait for God to Bless You

• Speaker: Caleb (54:41)
• Analysis:
  • Usually said to fill an uncomfortable silence in the face of someone’s misfortune.
  • Functions as a way to avoid direct help, shifting personal or communal obligation onto God.
  • Sets up unhealthy spiritual comparisons (i.e., the more materially blessed are 'favored').
  • Caleb: “A lot of these phrases are you hear your neighbor, the words of your neighbor calling you to action, and you want to pass that action off to God.” (58:02)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On “Let Go and Let God”:
  • Bruce: "What the phrase is really teaching is that God can't work until you let him." (03:29)
• On “God Won’t Give You More Than You Can Handle”:
  • Scott: “...people need to kind of read the book of Job a little bit.” (07:08)
  • Adam (on hospital visits): “This is bad. So I, I'm, I'm just going to stick with 'God can't give you more than you can handle.'” (08:24)
• On “Abrahamic Faiths”:
  • Adam: “It’s a term... invented really... maybe you could find it late 20th century at some point. But post-9/11... and it really was a theological compromise.” (15:03)
  • Caleb: “It’s just kind of wild.” (18:43)
• On “Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin”:
  • Scott: “You are the one separated from the love of God because you are a sinner... It gives this impression that the only thing that needs to be corrected is the individual sin.” (35:17-36:06)
  • Bruce: “Love doesn't say loved. The cross does.” (36:38-36:39)
• On “Just Wait for God to Bless You”:
  • Caleb: “Usually, it’s sort of like the let go and let God, but with physical... expectations.” (54:58)
• Comic Relief:
  • Adam: “Christians are the only children of Abraham who can eat ham.” (19:51)
  • Bruce: “That would be my tattoo.” (34:21)
  • Multiple moments of playful talk about hymn-singing, hospital visits, and wedding music choices.

Important Timestamps

• 02:49 – Bruce introduces “Let go and let God.”
• 06:48 – Scott attacks “God won’t give you more than you can handle.”
• 13:38 – Adam introduces “Abrahamic faiths.”
• 21:12 – Caleb targets “X is a great witness of Christ’s love.”
• 28:26 – Bruce addresses “Speak the truth in love.”
• 33:54 – Scott on “Love the sinner, hate the sin.”
• 43:47 – Adam and the term “Judeo-Christian civilization/scriptures.”
• 54:41 – Caleb: “We’ll just wait for God to bless you.”
• 58:02 – Caleb closes with a strong point about dodging vocation by shifting to platitudes.

Tone and Style

• Candid, Lay-level but Theologically Deep: The hosts use humor, personal stories, and frankness, but always tie back to confessional Lutheran theology.
• Playful Banter: Frequent jokes (especially about hymn selections, spiciness of phrases, and inter-host teasing) lighten the mood, even on weighty subjects.
• Challenging Listeners: Regular invitations to reconsider commonly held expressions, with intent both to comfort and to provoke deeper reflection.

Takeaways for Listeners

This episode encourages Christians to critically examine common phrases for their theological accuracy and practical impact, advocating instead for honest communication, clear law/gospel distinctions, and authentic service of neighbors. The hosts remind listeners that Christian life is about truth, compassion, and real engagement—not just platitudes or surface-level piety.

Memorable Challenge:
“If you feel like uttering that phrase, it's actually the conviction of the law probably telling you you have to do something.” (Caleb, 58:41)

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