Campus Crusade For Christ Drops the Name of Christ.
What is American Mission based ministries coming to?
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/07/21/campus-ministry-drops-christ-from-name/?test=latestnews#comment
This is so tragic. Brotherton I thought you were kidding until I read the article. I was discipled by Campus Crusade for Christ. I keep asking my question, where is Jesus Christ? Is there not a ministry that will not stand up and proclaim Jesus Christ? While believers suffer and die for the name of Christ around the world, Campus Crusade removes Christ from its ministry name. All I can say is shame on them for their lack of courage.
Sadly, I am not surprised.........brother Frank
Not too surprising. Bill Bright is one of the ecumenical signers of the Evangelical and Catholics Together document (agreement).
Look at all the former evangelical universities such as Yale and Harvard and many others which stood very strong for Christ at one time.
They were the CCFC of their time. It must have been equally astonishing when these formerly God-fearing institutions joined their heart with the world. Not saying that is what CCFC has done, but they may be headed in that direction.
In Christ,
Sarah
This is one more sad event in the demise of the Evangelical movement. As we know, in the last days, the name of Jesus will become more and more of an offense around the world. Carnal Christianity will crumble to the pressures exerted on them. When its all about the numbers, when the organisation and the survival of the organisation becomes paramount, then the name of Jesus has to go. The enemy knows that very soon every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Just prior to the Lord returning, there will be and is as we speak, mounting pressure to not mention the name of Jesus as it is an offence around the world. Long may it be an offence around the world. Calvary is an offence to those who are perishing, its when it ceases to be an offence that we should be concerned. For if there is no offence then there is only religion, humanistic organisations whose primary purpose is not to lift up the name of Christ but to propogate their own survival and paycheck......... brother Frank
Sad, but God is still on the throne! He lives!
This is very sad.
We didn't have a Campus Crusade for Christ on my college campuses. However, I was very involved with Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship. It was a great way to seek and serve the Lord alongside other believers on college campuses.
In fact, our Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship group was able to visit with Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, at a conference. He shared a great word at the conference and offered very strong and personal encouragement to our local group.
I don't suspect that Mr. Bright would be pleased with this particular name change. Now, Campus Crusade for Christ has always been abbreviated as "Campus Crusade" and even "the Cru" at the university that my sister attended. While I understand that the name may have been acceptable on an internal level by members of the organization, it does sound a lot like of trying to "modernize" a Christian organization through a non-offensive name.
Of course, the early Church was called "the way" or "this way" -- and believers weren't known as "Christians" until Antioch. Even the term "Church" didn't have the same wildly understood ecclesiastic titular meaning or designation in the first century as it does today. Still, I think that it was best to keep "Christ" in the title.
On a personal level, I don't suspect Bill Bright of any wrongdoing here. Bright encouraged our own Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship group to boldly proclaim Christ in love everywhere we went and to let our university know that knowing and walking with Christ was our central focus.
By the way, there are a couple of good messages by Bill Bright contained her at SermonIndex.
How You Can Help Fulfill The Great Commission
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?lid=17286
How You Can Walk In The Spirit
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?lid=17285
On a personal level, I don't suspect Bill Bright of any wrongdoing here.
I think he passed away in 2003.
In Christ,
Sarah
I think he passed away in 2003.
Yes, I know. We met him in 2001 when I was an undergraduate student. He was already quite ill at the time (he needed a portable oxygen tank).
I was just replying to the implication that Bill Bright might have encouraged this type of name as a means of "spiritual camouflage" by removing Christ from the name.
In all honesty it seems many of the campus ministries such as Navigators, InterVarsity, Campus Crusade, etc have compromised. Sarah mentioned the legacies of Harvard and Yale. Look st the legacies of the YMCA and YWCA. Even the Salvation Army is drifting from its Christ centered heritage. Is there a pattern here?
Is there a pattern here?
Possibly the Last days.
Perhaps we can think of this in another way, not immediately jumping on the condemnation bandwagon. Can we assume that the leadership of the organization really do mean to glorify God with this decision? The organization is more than its name.
The environment on many campuses is toxic towards the cause of Christ, and if you represent an organization which includes "Christ" in its name, many doors are instantly closed to you. The misunderstandings that are so prevalent in colleges and universities can be evoked by the name, creating an insurmountable barrier to communication. If, through a name change, that barrier can be avoided, allowing for a personal connection to be made, wouldn't that be good?
Personally, I would think it more important to choose a name that does not suggest the word "crusade". Why oh why would an organization ostensibly dedicated to spreading the cause of Christ choose a name that is associated with the most damnably shameful and wicked acts committed in Christ's name? The connotations attached to this word are not insignificant. Osama bin Laden and the Taliban have shrewdly invoked the crusades as a call to arms for jihadists against the West, the sense of hurt is still so keenly felt amongst some. President Bush, betraying a startling ignorance of history, referred to the war on terror as a "crusade" in several speeches, enflaming hatred in the Middle East towards Christianity and the West. It is a word loaded with meaning and history, not to be used lightly.
I'll state clearly that I neither support nor condemn CCFC/Cru's change of name, nor do I openly support or resist the organization. I do wonder if we can see another side to this issue, though. Why can't we assume the best of those who are supposed co-labourers? Why is this forum so full of condemnation? Need we be so hung up on semantics?
For what it's worth,
aaron
Very sad... but not surprising. It's God's judgement, really.
I've found myself becoming more and more bold in my proclamation of the truth the more I grow in the Lord. There is a Christian friend of mine who says I need to employ more "stealth evangelism" in my life... to which I reply "get thee behind me, Satan".
But thats a phrase I am hearing more and more: Stealth Evangelism.
No no! Boldy proclaim the Truth! If people reject it, get offended and walk away then the only conclusion you can draw is that God is not saving them anyway... at least not right now. But nowhere in scripture can a person defend not being bold. Not rude or intentionally offensive, but BOLD.
Krispy
While I agree that any time Christ's name is removed from anything it is sad and disappointing, I sympathize with aaronhobbs' sentiments. The news article reporting this is at least slightly sensationalist. Working in Muslim Ministry I can vouch for the fact that using the word "Crusade" immediately creates an obstacle to the gospel. The Crusades are major history for Muslims and though the slaughter of Christians in Spain up to present day killings around the world by Muslims are even more appalling, the killing and atrocities perpetrated on Muslims in the name of Christ during the Crusades is absolutely something we should distance ourselves from. I appreciate the desire to describe evangelism with militant terms and the encouragement to inspire the Church to take ground, but the word "Crusade" does harm.
I know a number of evangelists who I greatly admire who use the word crusade; however, I think it would be wise to take "Crusade" out of Christianese vocabulary. It means something else to those outside the Church culture and it definitely means something else to those in the Middle East and around the world.
I also know at least two sold-out missionaries in their twenties who were greatly blessed by the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ and did indeed refer to it as "Cru" before this occurred.
In spite of the disappointment of removing the name of our LORD, let's hope this decision was made out of pure motives.
KrispyKrittr,
You would probably enjoy reading Adoniram Judson's biography entitled "To the Golden Shore", by Courtney Anderson. He was a missionary to Burma, a land ruled by a terrifying despot. He went to Burma and boldly proclaimed Christ, in spite of the many warnings. In fact, the first tract that he made and translated into Burmese proclaimed that there is only One True God, and that all other gods are false. He wouldn't receive people too easily for baptism either, he would make sure that they have a genuine desire to follow Jesus Christ to death, screening down those who were simply following their emotions or influenced by their peers. His approach was quite different from the shy and powerless approach that we often see nowadays. His approach was much more faithful to the example of Paul, who stood in front of angry crowds boldly preaching Christ, unashamedly. But, God's power was behind him... if God is not with us, I can understand why we would want to hide and use manipulation. May God be pleased to make us bold for Christ, in spite of the angry crowds, the rejection, and the persecution.
In Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior,
Renoncer
Mar 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
I wonder, when the Sanhedrin boldly told the Apostles not to mention the name of Jesus, as it was obviously offensive to them, should they have obeyed men or God?
"I'll state clearly that I neither support nor condemn CCFC/Cru's change of name, nor do I openly support or resist the organization."
Well that is pretty clear, you have no position, I will take you at your word...........brother Frank
There is a Christian friend of mine who says I need to employ more "stealth evangelism" in my life... to which I reply "get thee behind me, Satan".But thats a phrase I am hearing more and more: Stealth Evangelism.
I have never heard of ‘stealth evangelism’ or I have and completely forgotten about it! So I looked it up on the internet and here is a short blog about it by this man who loves God and country and makes NO apologies for it! His closing sentence says it all, “I guess I’m just old fashioned but I thought we were supposed to “speak” the Word, not “sneak” the Word.”
Referenced blog: http://notallowed2laff.blogspot.com/2008/03/silent-witness-stealth-evangelism.html
God bless you,
Lisa
if God is not with us, I can understand why we would want to hide and use manipulation.
Thats it right there... you hit the nail right on the head.
Krispy
His...[ Adoniram Judson ] approach was much more faithful to the example of Paul, who stood in front of angry crowds boldly preaching Christ, unashamedly. But, God's power was behind him... if God is not with us, I can understand why we would want to hide and use manipulation. May God be pleased to make us bold for Christ, in spite of the angry crowds, the rejection, and the persecution.
In Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior,
Renoncer.............
Excellent and moving post, Renouncer. It is the preaching of the cross, The willful shed Blood of Jesus, and Him making a way for us by being born again by His Spirit. Then, what the Devil fears most, those who actually learn how to love....and are transformed as Christ to give life.
I like to greet folks at times, saying that I love Jesus...and get His Name out there right away...[ not all the time..] If Satan can quench this fire in us as to our unashamed love for Jesus, he's got us where he wants us.
The beginning of "Falling Away."
I have had no personal encounter with CCFC, all I know is what I read and hear from others. However....
There is a lot of power in a name. I know of Christian missionaries, ministries who work in countries very hostile to Christianity. In order for them to even be there they have to work underground. Instead they work in 'tent making' jobs, working for the country in education or medicine or some other humanitarian activity. They will tell you upfront they will never come back with impressive stats on people being saved, but hope to introduce people to the LORD privately and they in turn will evangelize their own.
Blaine made the point of how so many popular groups today started out well as Christian but have since apostasized. This happens all over the place. Why this happens would make for an interesting research project for someone, I think. He named a few organizations and I could add more to that list...
Just thinking about why this happens - is it possible that when their directors assume this role as this being their career that it begins to shift from being Christ centered to to humanitarian only? Is it possible that when people work in the gutter, they see first hand the injustices inflicted upon helpless peoples, they will resort to political means to fix the problem and evangelism is ignored? and then eventually abandoned altogether?
(I have personally witnessed this in an organization when a director assumed the job of director of a ministry. For her it was just a job, she did not have the passion for the work like the person she replaced. And it went downhill from there.)
Just wondering...
What say?
I suppose wasn't clear enough... I surely have an opinion, but rather than pick up a stone to join the circle around CCFC/Cru, I had hoped to encourage critical thought and debate... surely a difficult prospect on this forum, as many would agree. I wanted to conceal my opinions about the organization, hoping that discussion about what is essentially a semantic issue wouldn't become a "line in the sand" moment, though it feels to me that you've made it such.
I'd suggest that rather than continue with the expressions of disappointment, we wait and see what the members of CCFC/Cru do in the future. An individual Christian is not a Christian because they call themself a Christian; they are judged by their actions.
But I now politely bow out of the discussion.
That is the best advice. Always wait to see what kind of fruit is borne.
In Christ,
Sarah
Post has been reedoted for spelling.
Personally I was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ, not Cru, in College. This was in the 1970's. The Jesus movement was on. Young people were coming to Christ. Campus Crusade for Christ was at the forfront evangelizing and discipling young people for Christ. I was one of those people who was blessed by this ministry. The crusade folks of the 70's were radicals. They were not afraid to go out and debate the claims of Jesus Christ with the student radicals of their day. They were fearless. Josh MacDowell who was with crusade at the time would gladly debate the athest, satanist, and socialist and give his testimony for Jesus Christ.
Some on this thread may be saying so what. Just another 60 year old baby boomer rehashing the old days. My point is Campus Crusade for Christ now Cru has lost its fire. They have fallen into the trap of making Christianity respectable in the world's eyes. We are not meant to be respectable but salt and light to a dying world. A Christian thinker of my day said the church was to be the counter culture. Tragic we are anything but. The Cru of today is not the Campus Crusade for Christ I knew and loved.
Some on this thread may be saying so what. Just another 60 year old baby boomer rehashing the old days.
No need to be so judgemental... no one here has suggested such a thing.
If you feel like you need to say that then you have not been here long enough.
Krispy
HI Aaron, you write........
"I suppose wasn't clear enough... I surely have an opinion, but rather than pick up a stone to join the circle around CCFC/Cru, I had hoped to encourage critical thought and debate... surely a difficult prospect on this forum, as many would agree."
Now I would agree, this is not a perfect forum, but it is not a difficult prospect for me to to think there could be critical thought or debate here. As far as anyone picking up stones, I have seen none of that on this thread. What I have seen are people who are passionate about Jesus, dismayed that a group, any group, would drop the name of Christ from their name in the name of Evangelism. I guess the Salvation Army was a bad concept then given that logic? What about the old hymns, " Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soliders of the cross," " Onward Christain soldiers, marching as to war. " Perhaps Peter should not have accused a huge crowd of Jewish people that they had crucified the Christ as it may have offended them? If only brother Stephen had preached something less offensive that day they may not have stoned him. Bottom line for CCFC is that they had already proven, back in the 90s, that they did not want to offend Catholics so they signed a pact agreeing not to proselytize Catholics as they were already supposedly Christians. Now they dont want to offend Muslims or anyone else who would find the name of Christ offensive.
There is coming a time soon when Christians in the West are going to have to make a stand and count the cost. It is hard to imagine any other group of people dropping the name of their leader whether it be Mohammed, Bhudda ect so as not to offend anyone.......... brother Frank
Sorry Krispy. Did not mean to be judgmental. Was sharing about the radicalness of Campus Crusade in the 70's. I think the older crusade folks would be disheartened to hear about the name of Christ being dropped.
Let's see here. Voice of the Martyrs reported aboit a brother who preached the name of Jesus Christ in front of a mosque. This was done on the Arabian pennisula. The authorities arrested him. They thought he was nuts for doing such a thing. He was found sane to stand trial. He will probably executed. So this brother preaches fearlessly the name of Jesus in front of a mosque. Campus Crusade drops the name of Christ from its name. What is wrong with this picture?????
I don't know what is so sad about the name change, afterall, it's just a title, it's not like it's ordained holy writ.
I would have changed it too, I personally don't like a title like that slapped over my door, if I don't act like Christ, than the words of the organization is useless.
People are sad because CCFC has been around for a long time and were used to that name, so when a name change comes along, we think it's because people are offended by the name of Christ. Well, there maybe a truth in that, who knows. It's just the name of an organization. I personally don't see Christ losing any sleep over the change.
Personally speaking, I don't think God really cares one way or the other what their organization calls itself. So far as I can tell, the apostle Paul never even bothered to name the team of missionaries he traveled with. However, my only pause for concern here is perhaps the spirit which motivated this change in name. Ultimately though, I wasn't there when this decision was made. I have a sneaky hunch that they did this to make their organization a bit more palatable, and perhaps such was motivated by the spirit of this age. But with that said, let us exercise a little restraint in melodramatic outpourings of grief and frustration. Chances are today you probably misrepresented Christ in a way that was far more grieving than having something to do with the legal name of an organization.
There is a red sky in the morning
And its calling you and me
It is a heavenly warning
Of just how things are going to be
Behold the King is coming
And He is coming in the cloud
And every eye shall see Him
And every knee is bowed
And in those days, they'll fall away
And the tribes of the earth shall mourn
They shall revile the precious Son of God
And upon His name pour scorn
And of that name which is above all names
They shall mock and they will deny
Yet every man shall see the Son
In His glory in the sky
There is no name under heaven
Bt which a man is saved
Its the glorious name of Jesus
And the road to hell is paved
With well intentioned people
Who fear man instead of God
Who have a form of Godliness
But deny the power therof
And so to some it may be nothing
To remove Christ from their name
But its a Christless Christianity
That will bring everlasting shame
hi, amen to king jimmy
Therefore God exalted him
to the highest place
and gave him the name that
is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus,
every knee should bow
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth,
and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord;
to the glory of God the Father.
I was listening to K-love yesterday and they talked about this, the Campus Crusade for Christ wanted to better appeal to the many Muslims that are now on Campuses and so dropping Crusade from their name. I agree with Jimmy though, does a name represent them or does their work for Christ represent them?
Hey Matthew, keeping cool in sunny Kansas? :) They did not drop the name Crusade, they dropped the name Christ. I think what this represents to many, and obviously not all, is the symbolic nature of this in a long line of events which has nothing to do with CCFC per se.
Some believe that Christianity is in crisis, and some do not. Some believe that we are enetering into the beginning of sorrows and some do not. Some believe that we are fast approaching the great falling away, the great apostacy, the great whore church, and some do not.
I think of people like brother David Wilkerson who had such an urgency in his preaching, believing that Christ was at the door, and others simply believed he was a doom and gloomer, in fact one very notable Christian leader even made that comment the day that he died.
As far as CCFC. They were not alone in signing a pact agreeing that Catholics were Christians therefore they do not need to be proselytized, not to mention the trouble that brought them in places like South America where trying to share Christ with Catholics caused enormous problems from the Catholic church. I think of a good friend of mine who is now dead who was removed from prison ministries after explaining to prisoners, after having been asked about purgatory, that there was indeed no such place. He was given one warning and told that this was offensive to Catholics. He was asked again about a month later and answered the question truthfully, at which point he was " invited ," to leave.
I understand that many see no watering down of Christianity today. They do not see any crisis and they tend to mock anyone who does. I understand and accept that this is the postiton perhaps even the majority position of Christendom, I simply disagree and see the dropping of the name of Jesus as just one more step, one more drip in the watering down of the gospel, the softening of the message.
In an apostate church, the name of Jesus, as the Christ, the Lord of all and the King of Kings is going to be unacceptable. People can talk about a generic god until the cows come home, but the name of Jesus causes all the " trouble." The logic is going to be, in my opinion, in the end days ,that we simply agree that we all worship the same God and that we must stop emphasising Jesus as the only way to heaven and the Muslims will stop emphasising Mohammed. As impossible as it is to see right now, there is coming a one world church, and the groundwork is being laid for it even as we speak..........brother Frank
I am not personally acquainted with Campus Crusade for Christ. All I know of them is that if I show up for 3 days to do some open-air crusade style evangelism on a campus they have a presence on, nobody from their organization, or InterVarsity, stops by to so much as say hello, let alone offer me the right hand of fellowship, or show me any hospitality. I believe such is more alarming than what they call their organization. But, if Frank's observations about their ecumenical history is true, then their name change sounds more like a nail simply being driven into the coffin of a long dead corpse.
But at the end of the day our ultimate concern shouldn't be about an organization that you and I have probably had little to nothing to do with. At the end of the day, we need to ask ourselves, "Did I make Christ's fame made known amongst the nations? Or did I cause His name to be blasphemed?"
Hi KingJimmy,
Very good conclusion.
I would also like to point out that many such Christian student organizations are very loosely organized. They have a central office that organized some conferences, but it isn't like a denomination or anything.
I attended a Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, which was a very nice organization on campus for believers attending college. We had weekly meetings that resembled what most of us would consider a "church service." We had intimate times of worship followed by strong messages and times of teaching from the Word of God. We had several good faculty mentors who often taught the Word, as well as a number of guest speakers.
Moreover, many of the students were given the opportunity to preach the Word. In addition, the organization had Bible studies and prayer meetings throughout the week and we sometimes held our meetings outdoors along the main campus quad. We also held prayer walks around campus as we prayed for a revival on campus. Plus, of course, we hoped that believers would be able to encourage one another.
As wonderful an organization as our campus group had been, I had visited another Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship elsewhere that didn't resemble our organization at all. I suppose that this is because each group is autonomous and only loosely affiliated with the main office. In addition, the strength of organization for each group may only be as strong as the believers located there.
I just have to wonder if Campus Crusade for Christ was similar.
On the campuses where I attended school, we didn't have a Campus Crusade for Christ campus ministries. However, we had a handful of other Christian student ministries and student organizations. Like most denominations and individual churches, most of them did NOT have the name "Christian" within the title of their organization.
Again, I was highly involved in a Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship. The only other organization that I was aware of that had the name "Christian" in the title was the Fellowship of Student Athletes -- which, on one campus, most of its members might not have lived up to the title. However, there were other Christian student organizations as well. Off hand, I remember the Baptist Student Union, the Fellowship of Full Gospel Students, the Methodist Students organization, the Independent Baptist Mission, the Pentecostal Student Group, the International Fellowship of Evangelicals, Campus Outreach Ministries, and many more -- plus plenty of other groups like "The Tree," "The Net," "The Gathering," "The Door," etc... In addition, nearly every church in town had a "college and career" ministry as well.
Our organization was probably the most visible and well known on campus. We weren't denominational or sectarian, so we had students from diverse backgrounds (a lot like SermonIndex) and invited members from other student organizations to fellowship with us as well.
I have a strong suspicion that many other student organizations might be similarly "loose" with their affiliation. Our local organization was often highly oblivious to most of the conferences, conventions and announcements of the national organization. I was even an officer with the group (we had to have officers to remain as a registered organization on campus) and on the mail/email list for the national organization. There was no direct control over our group and the national group never contacted us except to let us know about conferences. They were, however, available for us in case we needed them.
Thus, I hope that we don't look at localized groups as belonging to this decision by the national organization of Campus Crusade for Christ. Many students may have been oblivious that such a change was even being discussed. And, as others have pointed out, the name is far less important than the substance. The organization is already known as "Campus Crusade" or "the Cru" on other campuses -- including the one my sisters attended.
I suppose that it has something to do with a human tendency to abbreviate. I know people who attend local churches who do the same. When asked, they say that they attend "First Baptist" instead of "First Baptist Church" -- or "New Life" instead of "New Life Christian Fellowship" -- or "First Assembly" instead of "First Assembly of God." Even our local campus organization was often referred to as "Chi Alpha" -- even though our name was "Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship." The "Chi Alpha" or "XA" was taken from the Greek symbols "Chi" for "Christ" and "Alpha" for "Ambassadors." In fact, one of the fraternities on campus (Lambda Chi Alpha) changed it's name so as not to be affiliated with our group. One classmate who was a part of that fraternity explained that their recruitment was down and that they suspected that the name "Chi Alpha" was associated with Christians on campus...which didn't bode well for Lambda Chi Alpha since it was known as a party/drinking fraternity.
Like someone else said, we may not want to "throw stones" yet. After all, it may just be nothing more than a "bad idea" rather than a concerted effort by the national office to camouflage the organization's Christian principles. Still, I think that it would have been much better to leave the name as it was. If some of the local groups wanted to continue to be known as "Campus Crusade" or "The Cru" on a localized level, then there was no need to change the name of the entire organization.
Many churches have done the same -- out of an attempt to sound invitingly "non-denominational" by removing the references to the denomination -- or just non-offensive. Ultimately, we might be able to learn a lesson from KFC: Whether it is called "KFC" or "Kentucky Fried Chicken," it is still the same fried chicken.
Here is a small extract from a piece that brother Greg just posted from Tozer. It could fit into this thread I believe.............
The ambitious will lead and the timid will follow. The result is a multiplicity of overlapping groups consuming millions of dollars each year to keep up offices and pay salaries for the carrying on of projects which is morally certain God never started. From all such we are in duty bound to turn away.
Every movement that solicits our support should be put to the test of sound Christian godliness. We have a perfect right to ask to see its credentials before we cast in our lot with it. We are, in fact, commanded in the inspired Word to do so, and we disobey God when we fail. We should ask first: Who is the hero of the piece, Christ or some star of the religious firmament? Next, are they who guide the project saintly and self-denying men whose records show them to be wholly concerned with the honor of God? Is there evidence of the travail of the Holy Spirit in the movement, or was it born painlessly at a get-together luncheon somewhere? Is there any real need for the organization, or is it a duplication of already existing means of accomplishing the same thing? Will our money, if we pay it into their treasuries; be used to spread the message of dying love and to encourage believers to seek to be Christlike? Will we be assisting men and women to live in all meekness of humility, to study to mind their own business, to live godly at home and attend to their duties as pilgrims of eternity, or will we be giving to the support of overpaid men who know not what sacrifice means? Will we be promoting the personal glory of publicity-hungry men or truly supporting the work of the Holy Ghost in this generation?
To see the full piece click here ...
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=40158&post_id=291685&order=1&viewmode=flat&pid=291682&forum=34#291685
One must wonder if the glory has departed? I thought of Cru as I read the thread on relics of the Salvation Army.
"New wine must be poured into New Wineskins." When men take over, God departs, for the Lordship of the church is either one way, or the other. When God's ruler ship is established, that of men must diminish. That is the principle of headship.
I think of every major move of God I know of...and ALL of them seem to have fallen someway very soon, one way or another. Think of the fire of John Wesley, and the famous circuit riders and interchanging Pastors. In 1839, the largest Protestant denomination in America, [750,000] with great Presence in the churches, and 9000 ministers with the majority travelling to teach and encourage the body; IE....Apostolic.
Today, generally, the Methodist denomination is not Christian at all. In my wife's grandparent's church, an old line Methodist one, a lesbian couple co-pastored it for a while.
Consider the 7 churches of Revelation, only one generation removed from Paul, and current with the Apostle John. Most had severe problems and several were rebuked to the point of being cut-off; their Candlestick removed!
Did the Holy spirit fail?, Was He Diminished? No, of course not. He simply moved on, to another people who received Him as Lord. This is the only place He will stay. He will depart from all who refuse His Lordship.
It is these churches, and the abiding Nature of their submission to the Lordship of Jesus that is THE requirement. Anything less than total worship and submission to Jesus is failure; rebellion.
As I see it, when men take headship...[ and Oh!...how they do, and love to do..!] there is an underlying ambition to succeed, and that usually manifests itself in numbers. Men want a king, and what kind of a king are you with a tiny kingdom?...or an impoverished one??..[ Jesus had no place to lay His head..]
So then, there is the rush for numbers...Evangelize! Grow!Grow the church!...and to keep them happy, a deep and witty word preached....good singing, and perfect order. About that time, God is already gone, and folks have a form of Godliness, but no presence or power. Paul advised from such, turn away.
But the truth is, people do not. It is a secure place, a place of approval, a place of belonging. [ Read Pilgrim's Progress about Christian City..] This is what happens every time men control the church, then the service, and the money..[ they live on and covet..], and God departs, every time...and they keep on the same track, and most never know the difference.
I don't really know much about the former CCFC...and hope that God would use them, but I don't know much about the real purity of the gospel they live either. I know that the compromise of not evangelizing Roman Catholics because "they were already Christians" is an evil thing..and certainly proves my point. When Man controls, God doesn't, and moves on to pour His New Wine into something that will honor Him fully.
Please read my perspective on this here https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=43163&post_id=310908&order=0&viewmode=thread&pid=0&forum=48#310908
Well Brothertom,
On my campus at University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, C4C (Campus for Christ) changed it's name to "Power to Change." Of course I was infuriated, knowing that Christ must have absolute preeminence, supremacy, centrality, and sovereignty over all things. When I told the C4C fellowship of the objection I had to the name change, they just gave me a weird look as if they were displeased with me.
I'M STILL CALLING IT [CAMPUS FOR CHRIST] UNTIL I DIE BRETHREN!
Even if they got use to the name change, I'm still calling it that, because Christ is my King and He deserves His Name to be proclaimed in this fellowship and campus!
In Christ,
- Michael Liao
The change in the name of the organization seems to me like a subtle shift of theological emphases, from being Christ-centered to man-centerned. No surprize, after all movements start in the Spirit and end in the flesh.
Why did they not change the word "crusade", instead of "Christ" ? Since in the muslim world or even our western world the word "crusade" brings to mind the religious fanatism of the crusaders of the middle ages.
The word Christ or the cross, will always be an offense to the world, this is a non-negotiable for christians. Throwing out the word "Christ" from the name of your organization, it's like throwing out the banner of your army in the battlefield, so not to be offensive to the enemy.
When a christian organization lowers its standards, its an indication of compromise. We are living in a post-modern culture, when the subject "YOU" is in fashion, and who else but the students in colleges are the first ones to flow with "the new tides" of post-modernity.
CRU, I guess that's a "smart move", but is it a move of the Spirit or a move of men? A name can be a reflection of the character of an organization or a movement, may be the new name fits the description of their character, at least they are honest about it.
Well Brothertom,
On my campus at University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, C4C (Campus for Christ) changed it's name to "Power to Change." Of course I was infuriated, knowing that Christ must have absolute preeminence, supremacy, centrality, and sovereignty over all things. When I told the C4C fellowship of the objection I had to the name change, they just gave me a weird look as if they were displeased with me.
I'M STILL CALLING IT [CAMPUS FOR CHRIST] UNTIL I DIE BRETHREN!
Even if they got use to the name change, I'm still calling it that, because Christ is my King and He deserves His Name to be proclaimed in this fellowship and campus!
In Christ,
- Michael Liao............................................
Amen Michael! and whether they get it or not, this whole "CRU" thing is too weird for folks, especially old-line supporters. CRU sounds cultish...and this will backfire big-time on them. I think the Lord had his hand in their demise, for other issues....
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