Going through my daily checklist of reading the latest news from various news websites one headline caught my eye. The headline read “Campus Ministry “Drops” Christ From Name.” So I clicked on the link and proceeded to read the article. As I read the article I became more and more disappointed and finally my disappointed turned to anger. Why? In the article, Campus Crusade for Christ International announced it was dropping “Christ” from their name. Steve Sellers, vice president for Campus Crusade for Christ International, said “We felt like our name was getting in the way of accomplishing our mission.” He went on to say that the ministry will still be committed to “proclaiming Christ around the world.” SAY WHAT? The name Christ in your organization is limiting your organizations ability to spread Christ’s message to the world. I don’t know about you but I am completely confused by the reasoning of Mr. Sellers.
To Mr. Sellers I say “Oh ye of little faith” (Matthew 6:30). Your organization has been around since 1951 spreading the message of Christ throughout the world. Your organization has flourished and endured over time because of Christ and now you are blaming Him for getting in the way of His message. Oh ye of little faith! Mr. Sellers needs to remember his organization doesn’t change the hearts of people, God does this. His organization is just an instrument for God’s message. Once the message is delivered God takes over and softens the hearts of his children. It may appear that the instrument (organization) may be broke.
In the article, Mr. Sellers said researchers found that 9 percent of Christians and 20 percent of non-Christians were alienated by the name Campus Crusade for Christ. To this I say, 20 percent of non-Christians who were alienated by the name would be because they are not followers of Christ. To alienate is to turn away. All non-Christians have completely turned away from Christ that is why they are called non-Christians. To the 9 percent of Christians who feel alienated I question their belief in Christ. As a Christian I have never felt alienated by Christ. In fact I embrace Christ. How can one who claims to be a Christian feel alienated by the One (Christ) they profess to follow? Are those 9 percent really Christians?
Later in the article Mr. Sellers says, “We were looking for a name that would most effectively serve our mission and help us take the gospel to the world.” Well you had that before the name change, Campus Crusade for Christ International! With that name your mission was pretty clear. In fact, crystal clear (I thank Tom Cruise in “A Few Good Men” for that line). Now with the new name “Cru” I have no idea what the organization is about. At least with the old name I had an indication the organization was about Christ.
The more I dwell on this article one piece of scripture comes to mind. Mark 8:38, “If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." From my perspective this organization is ashamed to bear the name of Christ in their organizational name. As Christians we don’t live by this world’s standards. We live by God’s standards. However, Campus Crusade for Christ International, oops I am sorry, Cru as they are now known, has chosen to operate by world standards.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
Gary
