by Michael Youssef.com
Many faithful Christians feel that Campus Crusade for Christ’s announcement to drop Christ from their name is one more confirmation that there is a wholesale departure from the bedrock foundation of their faith. A woman recently asked me, “Where will this end?” Certainly, she is not alone in feeling overwhelmed and confused at the changes taking place today.
While I am not one who questions the motives of CCCI’s current leadership’s decision to drop “Christ” out of their name, I do question the wisdom of their timing. In a time when political correctness has run amuck and the name of Christ has been eliminated from many Christian organizations (like The Christian Children’s Fund which is now ChildFund International), the faithful feel that Campus Crusade’s decision is yet another rug pulled out from under them.
Some Christians are rightly skeptical of CCCI Vice President Sellers’ words assuring them that, “…the ministry will still be committed to proclaiming Christ around the world.”
Sadly, these Christians have history on the side of their skepticism. When organizations in the past have found it necessary to downplay their Christian roots, for whatever reason, they always assured everyone that, “Our mission will remain the same.” Unfortunately, it oftentimes does not.
Take, for example, an organization known as The Fellowship Foundation. It was founded in 1935 by godly men who realized that politicians in the nation’s capital were in desperate need of Christ and His power. The current leaders have slowly but surely moved far away from this founding purpose. Today, they feel compelled to include Jewish and Muslim elements in their annual National Prayer Breakfast held in Washington, D.C. Yet, the changes began by saying that they just did not like the term “Christian.”
As a pastor, I hear the pain in the words of many Christians when they talk about how one super mega church pastor, when squeezed by a non-believer on secular television on whether Christ is the only way to salvation, ended up waffling. Another super mega church pastor apologized to homosexuals and Muslims for biblical stands that he previously held. As the lady said to me, “Where will this end?”
Every few weeks it appears that some super-duper mega church pastor who built his ministry and his reputation on biblical orthodoxy grabs the headline news by denying the very things that he once claimed to believe.
The tragedy of all tragedies is that the reason Campus Crusade for Christ was successful around the world was precisely because they overtly identified with Christ. When Mr. Sellers declared that the name of Christ was hampering their effectiveness, he placed “expedience” above the supernatural power that Christ promised to those who identify with His name. It was not CCCI’s methods or clever techniques that blessed them in the past, but the very Christ whose name they now have removed.
It leads me to wonder if the current leadership feels so secure with their sizeable endowment that they no longer feel wholly dependent on Christ, trusting Him alone to accomplish His mission through the ministry and provide for their needs. Clearly it is a question that we all need to ponder. Jesus taught that money (mammon) rivals for the allegiance and affections of His followers. This is why all Christians and Christian institutions must be extremely careful lest mammon move us away from our foundation, Christ, the very reason for our existence.
I say a daily prayer that has intensified in my life the older I get: “Lord, keep me more faithful in my latter days than in the previous ones, and if I am not…take me home to glory.”
Everyone is welcome to join me in this prayer.
Related: Campus Crusade Drops 'Christ' in New Name after 6 Decades
While I am not one who questions the motives of CCCI’s current leadership’s decision to drop “Christ” out of their name, I do question the wisdom of their timing. In a time when political correctness has run amuck and the name of Christ has been eliminated from many Christian organizations (like The Christian Children’s Fund which is now ChildFund International), the faithful feel that Campus Crusade’s decision is yet another rug pulled out from under them.
Some Christians are rightly skeptical of CCCI Vice President Sellers’ words assuring them that, “…the ministry will still be committed to proclaiming Christ around the world.”
Sadly, these Christians have history on the side of their skepticism. When organizations in the past have found it necessary to downplay their Christian roots, for whatever reason, they always assured everyone that, “Our mission will remain the same.” Unfortunately, it oftentimes does not.
Take, for example, an organization known as The Fellowship Foundation. It was founded in 1935 by godly men who realized that politicians in the nation’s capital were in desperate need of Christ and His power. The current leaders have slowly but surely moved far away from this founding purpose. Today, they feel compelled to include Jewish and Muslim elements in their annual National Prayer Breakfast held in Washington, D.C. Yet, the changes began by saying that they just did not like the term “Christian.”
As a pastor, I hear the pain in the words of many Christians when they talk about how one super mega church pastor, when squeezed by a non-believer on secular television on whether Christ is the only way to salvation, ended up waffling. Another super mega church pastor apologized to homosexuals and Muslims for biblical stands that he previously held. As the lady said to me, “Where will this end?”
Every few weeks it appears that some super-duper mega church pastor who built his ministry and his reputation on biblical orthodoxy grabs the headline news by denying the very things that he once claimed to believe.
The tragedy of all tragedies is that the reason Campus Crusade for Christ was successful around the world was precisely because they overtly identified with Christ. When Mr. Sellers declared that the name of Christ was hampering their effectiveness, he placed “expedience” above the supernatural power that Christ promised to those who identify with His name. It was not CCCI’s methods or clever techniques that blessed them in the past, but the very Christ whose name they now have removed.
It leads me to wonder if the current leadership feels so secure with their sizeable endowment that they no longer feel wholly dependent on Christ, trusting Him alone to accomplish His mission through the ministry and provide for their needs. Clearly it is a question that we all need to ponder. Jesus taught that money (mammon) rivals for the allegiance and affections of His followers. This is why all Christians and Christian institutions must be extremely careful lest mammon move us away from our foundation, Christ, the very reason for our existence.
I say a daily prayer that has intensified in my life the older I get: “Lord, keep me more faithful in my latter days than in the previous ones, and if I am not…take me home to glory.”
Everyone is welcome to join me in this prayer.
Related: Campus Crusade Drops 'Christ' in New Name after 6 Decades
Watch Campus Crusade for Christ Vice President, Steve Sellers, talk about the name Cru and the recent controversy on Fox & Friends, from Saturday, July 23, 2011. Please visit: http://video.foxnews.com/v/1072879438001/prominent-christian-ministry-drops-christ
ReplyDeletePlease also kindly consider visiting CCCI Frequently Asked Question for further clarification. URL: http://www.ccci.org/about-us/donor-relations/our-new-name/qanda.htm
ReplyDeleteI was involved with this ministry and dropped out because I found them becoming more and more worldly and less and less Biblical. Their latest attempt "to reach the lost" actually doesn't surprise me. They've been on this road for some time. The excuse they offered for dropping "Christ" from their well known ministry name is weak at best.
ReplyDeleteThis is an example of compromising with the world under the guise to reach the lost. Did Christ ever compromise to seek anyone? Did He ever try to please the world in order to bring in sheep? Not once did He ever. Instead of sticking to foundational doctrine and trusting Christ to bring the sheep in, as Scripture assures He'll do, they throw off that millstone "Christ" that offends so many and hinders their work in order to reach those same people for that millstone. A great example of American Christianity.
They've now openly chosen to amuse the goats all the while claiming it's for Christ. I can only hope this ministry repents. In the mean time they've lost all future support of my household until they do and get back to Bible basics and the Christianity of the Bible.
We are excited about this new change and the open doors that will come along with it. As a ministry Crusade has been talking about changing their name for the past 2 years in order to be effective in reaching all people for Christ. Research showed that 20% of the people we encountered were not open to us purely by our name. That means that 1 out of every 5 people were not willing to hear the Gospel simply because of our name. It breaks my heart to think that we were not able to minister to people mainly because our name prevented us from speaking truth into their lives. We want to emphasize that just because our name is changing our mission statement and ministry objectives are staying the same. We are still about winning lost students to Christ and turning them into Christ centered laborers. We still have a strong evangelistic emphasis, a heart for discipleship and desire to see students sent into the world. Check out this link for discussion and more information: http://www.ccci.org/.
ReplyDeleteI remember when the YMCA decided to just be the "Y" so that people would not be turned off by the word "Christian." Of course, the initial mission statement of YMCA was probably abandoned 75 years ago.
ReplyDeleteNow that they come up with "Cru," which, comfortably, means nothing. Oh, it does sound like a hip-hop group, or more conservatively, maybe someone will think they are "Motley Crue," and come in to hear music and, before you know it, "wham," they have been "tricked" into accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They might even find out Whom they accepted a year or so down the road after they are tricked into joining a church and tithing and serving on a committee.
Does this bother anyone else as much as it bothers me? Maybe I just need to drink some green tea or something. But I keep being nagged by that pesky scripture about being ashamed of the Name of Christ, versus confessing Him before men.
This isn't accurate... and is silly.
ReplyDelete