One of my most cringeworthy mission moments happened at the outset of my career in 1987 whilst living in Scotland and studying theology. I was part of an outreach to a prison in Falkirk. I accompanied a group from a local church which consisted of a full band and associated sound gear. The outreach plan consisted rather bizarrely of the band singing contemporary worship songs, followed by a talk. I’ve never felt comfortable with worship songs sung for performance, let alone in a prison, and as such was feeling nervous about the plan.

Double Entendre Hell

The lead singer was an attractive female and not long into the first song we all realised that we had a problem. The lyrics, which us Christians had become normalised to, could easily be interpreted as sexual double-entendres. The inmates began laughing and cat calling and eventually a decision was made to discontinue the singing and progress with the speaking.

That gives you an idea of how long as evangelicals we have been saddled with worship lyrics that have become to be called ‘Jesus-is-my-boyfriend’ theology, or as I call it for short ‘Jimbology’, so named because they are characterized by lyrics that emphasize an intimate, almost romantic relationship with Jesus. An easy test for whether a song checks out for Jimbology is to replace all references to God with the name of your boyfriend (or girlfriend), and then check if its indistinguishable from the love songs of top 50 on Spotify.

Back to the prison where at that moment, two worlds collided. The insular world of Evangelicalism, blessed by innocence but hamstrung by naivety and lack of introspection, found itself mocked by male prisoners who couldn’t believe their ears. Starved of proximity to females, they couldn’t hide their delight at what was served up to them. It’s been long time since then but the lack of introspection and the asking of hard questions still escape us. How did a bunch of hardened criminals work out that there was an issue with our worship lyrics before we did?

It’s been a while since that cringeworthy experience, but I don’t think we’ve got too much further on the issue. A recent video published by my State Baptist denomination typified the relationship we have with Jesus in the following way:

“You know what happens when you fall in love with someone? When you fall in love with someone you just want to be with them. You want to spend time with them, and as you spend time with them you want to get to know them. You want to understand who they are. You want to listen to everything they’ve got to say. You want to understand what makes them tick. You want to understand what brings them to tears. You want to understand every part of their story, what’s on their heart now and their hopes and dreams for the future. You want to deeply understand who they are. When you fall in love with Jesus it’s the same.”

For the record, I’m one of those walk & talk through the day types and so I relate strongly to a personal connection with an immanent God. However, I feel uncomfortable with Jimbology and I think we need to step back and evaluate how we typify a close relationship with God. The difficult balance between transcendence and immanence has been going on since the church was born. I just happen to think that striking the balance is the furthest thing from many Evangelical leaders. There is one dominant theological prism through which we see immanence, and it drives not just our theory of spirituality but our worship culture too.

There is no book in the world which to the same extent and in the same way as the Holy Scripture supports the absolute transcendence of God above each and every creature and at the same time supports the intimate relationship between the creature and his Creator.

Herman Bavinck – The Wonderful Works of God

Pop Culture Commentary

Just like the prisoners 37 years ago could see what we couldn’t, music artist Lana Del Ray’s seems to be able to see it as well. Her unreleased song ‘Jesus is My Boyfriend’, appears to be a satirical and irreverent take on Jimbology:

He’s Jesus Christ and I’m his babydoll
I’m his favourite human but he saved them all

He’s my personal saviour
He’s my personal saviour

Jesus is my boyfriend jesus is my boyfriend
Jesus is my boyfriend jesus is my boyfriend

He’s my personal saviour
He’s my personal angel
My God thinks I’m smashing
He thinks I’m fine
My God takes me dashing cross the party line

He’s my personal saviour
He’s my personal saviour
My God treats me special
Gives me lots of things

I had some of his
Boyfriends offer diamond rings

He’s my personal saviour
He’s my personal saviour
He’s my personal angel he’s my cherry pie
Said to call him “Dick Tracy”
He’s my private eye when I get in my gown
He comes to me in the night

As irreverent as it is, when people outside of our Evangelical bubble look in and listen to us, you can see how they arrive at this perception from the language we use. It reflects our highly individualised Western context – our own personal Jesus. It also reflects the projection of our own idea of intimacy.

Upsides:

What are the benefits of this arguably skewed balance between immanence and transcendence towards the immanence? Here’s some advantages:

Emotional Engagement
Worship songs with intimate lyrics often resonate deeply with individuals, fostering a sense of a personal connection with Jesus. Hillsong built an empire out of worship that is deeply personal and intimate. This kind of worship provides comfort, especially for those in emotional distress, by emphasizing Jesus’ closeness and availability. This emotional engagement can be a powerful entry point for spiritual transformation and renewal. Hillsong became famous for a reason, and there’s clearly a market for how the worship music and lyrics make people feel. Crowds aren’t beating a path to conferences on liturgy or contemplation, but they are filling large venues to soak up worship experiences.

Accessibility
The relational language in these songs often avoids complex theological terminology, making them accessible to a broader audience. Try and tell me that you understand all the language and concepts in many popular hymn classics. For new believers or those unfamiliar with traditional liturgies, this simplicity can make worship more approachable and inclusive.

Whenever I attend and Anglican or Catholic church, I get nervous about all the cues I miss to either say things, stand up, sit down, sing or pray. It can be quite intimidating. You don’t need a choir or knowledge of sacred music. You don’t need pipe organs or a brass section. A gifted single worship leader with a guitar can do the job. Can you imagine if Ed Sheeran ever converts and becomes a worship leader?

Relationship Over Ritual
By emphasizing intimacy with Jesus, this trend aligns with Evangelicalism’s emphasis on a personal relationship with God over adherence to formal rituals and liturgy (and being authorised to lead liturgy). This focus can encourage Christians to seek a daily, lived faith rather than confining spirituality to Sunday services, especially in traditions that has mass or a high view of communion.

Downsides:

Theological Ambiguity
The romanticized language in Jimbology can blur theological distinctions. Phrases that resemble secular love songs risk reducing Jesus to a humanized, partner-like figure, sidelining his divine authority, holiness, and redemptive role – his transcendence. This anthropocentric approach detracts from the rich, multidimensional nature of Christ as Savior, Lord, and King:

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:15-20

Cultural Individualism
The emphasis on a deeply personal, intimate relationship with Jesus often mirrors Western individualism. While personal faith is essential, this focus can downplay the corporate and communal dimensions of Christianity, such as the Church’s role as the Body of Christ and the collective worship of God’s glory.

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many… 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:12 

Gendered Dynamics
The romantic undertones of “Jesus is my boyfriend” lyrics may alienate certain demographics, particularly men. The language often aligns more closely with feminine emotional expression, which might unintentionally exclude those who find such relational metaphors uncomfortable or difficult to relate to. This raises questions about inclusivity and whether such lyrics can genuinely engage the entire church community.

Shallow Theology
Critics argue that the lack of depth in some of these lyrics leads to a shallow worship experience, focusing more on subjective feelings than on biblical truths. While emotions are important, they should not overshadow the need for worship to proclaim God’s attributes, acts, and promises in a way that shapes theological understanding. By leaving out other aspects of the character of God we miss out on the depth and width that can be found in worship and contemplation of God. By emphasizing the intimate dimension only, we miss out on the wonder and awe of God.

Psalm 96

1 Sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
    proclaim his salvation day after day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvellous deeds among all peoples.

4 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
    he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendour and majesty are before him;
    strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

7 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    bring an offering and come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness;
    tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
    The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
    he will judge the peoples with equity.

11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
    let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
    let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
13 Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
    he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
    and the peoples in his faithfulness. (NIV)

Potential for Idolatry
Romanticizing Jesus risks creating a version of Christ that primarily meets personal emotional needs, rather than recognizing the biblical Jesus who calls for discipleship, sacrifice, and obedience (Matthew 16:24). This consumerist approach to faith can make worship more about self-fulfilment than reverence for God.

Broader Spiritual Implications

The Jimbology phenomenon reflects a longstanding positioning in evangelical spirituality toward experiential, relational faith. While this has made Christianity more accessible and emotionally engaging, it also risks reducing God to a personal confidant or therapist. The balance between relational intimacy and reverence for God’s transcendence is critical to a healthy spiritual life. Worship should aim to glorify God fully, capturing both his immanence and his majesty.

Looking for answers – how can the church rescue itself from an imbalance?

Audit
Go through your top 30 worship songs that are on your rotation list and check the lyrics. Do they use the language of ‘I” rather than ‘We”? Are the songs personal or communal? Are there other elements in your worship service that either emphasize the intimate or the transcendence of God? Tally up the results in percentages so that you can see how the balance between immanence and transcendence works out in your church.

Curate Worship Lyrics
Having completed an audit pastors and worship leaders should aim for lyrics that balance intimacy with theological depth, incorporating themes of God’s sovereignty, justice, and redemptive work alongside his closeness and love. This may involve ‘retiring’ certain songs or editing the rotation frequency of certain songs downwards, and others upwards, or introducing new songs. A handy guide can be found in the top 10 most sung worship songs in USA churches as reported by CCLI for 2024 Most of these songs have a heavy accent on the transcendent.

Cultivate Communal Worship
Churches should emphasize the communal aspect of worship, fostering an understanding of faith as a shared journey within the Body of Christ, rather than solely as an individual relationship with Jesus. Involve many voices in your worship. Turn the lights up and bring your congregation out of the shadows. It’s one thing to have a stage in your church for practical purposes, quite another to ‘stagify’ worship. Try and make your worship services less of a performance and more of a corporate collaboration. Emphasize ‘We” whenever you can over “I”.

Explore Diverse Metaphors
Explore Scripture for an extended list of metaphors for God in order to provide a fuller picture of his character, making worship more inclusive and biblically rich: Rock, Shepherd, King, Father, Ruler, Saviour, Refuge, etc. Utilise the rich treasure trove of names of God in your worship, helping people gain a deeper understanding of the character of God outside of their own personal connection.

Liturgy
For Baptist churches who have no liturgical elements, consider adding a few to help strike the balance. Instead of the first words heard in the church being something like “tap, tap, tap. Is this mic working?”, or “Can all the people up the back please come down the front”, or “Good morning and welcome to worship”.

Use a call to worship from the Scripture as the first words that people hear:

The LORD reigns! Let the peoples tremble.
He is enthroned between the cherubim.
Let the earth quake.
The LORD is great in Zion;
he is exalted above all the peoples.
Let them praise your great
and awe-inspiring name.
He is holy. Psalm 99:103

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136:1-3

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!
Serve the LORD with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the LORD, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100

Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!
Who will not fear, O Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed. Revelation 15:3-4

Give up saying “Thanks for coming, see you next week, don’t forget to grab a coffee on your way out and fill in your welcome slip”. Finish with a benediction that emphasizes the transcendence of God:

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. Romans 16:25–27

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20–21

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20–21

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 24–25

Though God be everywhere present, yet He is only present to thee in the deepest and most central part of thy soul…

William Law

Expanding Worship

Help your congregation to understand the wider concept of worship beyond musicians and a singer leading singing worship on a stage:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Roman 12:1-2

True worship extends beyond the ecstatic experiences many Christians look for in singing worship. Real worship is a lot harder and requires a lot more of us.

Balancing Act

We are no different today to those who have gone before us who have tried to balance the relationship between and immanent and transcendent God. We can probably never feel that we have got it right, but at the very least we can wrestle with it and try. It requires of us that we examine our own tradition and interrogate it to work out if our forebears have thrown any babies out with the bathwater. We can stay true to our tradition (if that matters a great deal to you more than faith itself), whilst learning from others. It can only enhance and deepen our corporate worship and personal encounter with God.