Jesus seemed to reserve His most scathing rebuke for those in the religious establishment. It is not that religious people are inherently worse than others, the problem is religion can often create a veil over the mind and heart that makes it difficult to see our need of Christ. Jesus said He came to minister to those who are sick and not to the healthy. Those who know they are sick will be open to get help. Those who say they are healthy think they are OK and don't need the kind of help those "real sinners" need.

The evangelical brand of religion can especially be unhealthy because of veils it wears that cloud the real issues of the heart. Ephesians 6:6 demonstrates the importance of Christians having obedience start from the right heart when it says, "not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart."

A veil can be practicing certain sub-cultural behavioral codes that are revered in a denomination or church and thinking such practices are the trump card or designation of real Christianity. These codes can refer to clothing or schooling practices or prohibited activities that mark one in that culture as truly "Christian."

Another veil can be doctrinal partisanship. Christians are judged "in" or "out" by holding to certain designations such as "reformed" or "pentecostal" or "dispensational" and the list goes on. A recent inquirer from our web site asked about certain doctrinal positions for CCC and I communicated some thoughts that I think are pertinent for our discussion here:

I appreciate your regard for orthodoxy and find it refreshing that there are still people out there who care about the doctrine of a church. We would, however, say that orthopraxis (our practice or behavior) should follow our orthodoxy. We do not think that our sanctification in Christ is found in what we believe or in holding the right doctrines alone. Of course, believing right doctrine is critical to our walk in Christ. However, our doctrine is to move us to act, behave in a way that makes us salt and light to the world and provides the unity, love, grace, and holiness that are to be expressed in our lives. A church that has the right doctrine, but does not express unity, grace, holy living, and a heart for the lost is a dead church. You can't sustain the right behavior on bad doctrine, but I have witnessed many dead churches that hold allegiance to certain manmade credos thinking they were healthy. It is our desire at CCC to have orthodoxy and orthpraxis work in unison.

It strikes me that CCC has a statement of faith, but we do not have a statement of practice. I would like for us to change that. Before you think the thought police have arrived and we will all be caged into some church internment camp, let me provide some biblical basis for a community of faith having a healthy orthopraxis:

"But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." (1 Timothy 1:5) Notice that doctrine has a goal. The goal is love from a pure heart and a good conscience.
"Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies." (1 Corinthians 8:1) Knowledge alone in the Christian life actually has negative effects because it creates arrogance and partisanship. When biblical knowledge is fused with the right heart and actions, unity in the body of Christ will be the result.
"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:1-2) In this passage Paul doesn't just stop with doctrine alone. I could also speak to angels and have the gift of tongues. I could preach better than Chuck Swindoll. I could know special revelations from God and secrets others don't know. I could explain with perfect clarity the right eschatology and get rid of any tension between man's free will and the sovereignty of God. I could have the kind of faith that does miracles, and produces healings and other wonderful things for the people of God. I could do all these things and yet, if I am not relating well to God and to others (love), it amounts to nothing in God's eyes.

Love for God and others is the trump card. Love separates the immature from the mature when it comes to spirituality. Love is what Jesus prayed for to be seen in His children (John 17:20-23). Perhaps this is why John said later the greatest thing that gave him joy was to see his children know and walk the truth (III John 3).

Not only does a good orthopraxis spring from a correct understanding of scripture, but it is consistent with our mission. The church has struggled for centuries and continues to struggle to keep doctrine targeted toward personal transformation. I marvel at how many people in Christendom get so hung up on issues of doctrine or nonessential practices and yet miss the log in the eye of the church. By church, I mean you and me and not just some organizational structure. When I think of having our focus on the right things, I can't help but think of Nehemiah. Remember when the wall around Jerusalem was in such disrepair and God called Nehemiah to build it up in the face of tremendous opposition? We read in Nehemiah 4:16-23 how the Israelites were to have a brick in one hand and a sword in another. Instead of a group split apart and nitpicking at each other, the Israelites enjoyed one of the greatest moments in their history as a focused unified body. "At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us" was the cry. How do you suppose they could have pulled off such a great feat if they were at the wall, arm's length apart, criticizing one another for the clothes they wore, or how they worshipped too slow or too fast, or whether the guy on their right was pre-millennial? Such actions would have appeared grossly out of place, so disloyal to the cause, that a person would have certainly thought long and hard before daring to stoop so low.

I want to submit that our mission, our wall to build, is to win others to Christ and disciple them. We say it this way in our mission statement, "A Christ-dependent community equipping people to impact their world." Because of the urgency of our mission, because of the importance of this calling, all other endeavors pale in comparison. My heart goes out to Christians who waste their time with infighting and fretting over lesser issues because they miss the joy that comes from having their heart beat consistent with our Lord. This week one of my children shared a story of how one of their friends came to Christ and my heart was so excited to see one my children "getting it," being excited about the right things. This past week several shared in the service of people with whom they have come in contact with and shared the gospel. I was excited as I realized our body is getting it. The mission of CCC is not to create one event after another, but to see individuals transformed by the gospel and loving others toward the same. What a great privilege to pastor CCC. May we fulfill the mission God has given and not allowing lesser things to distract us.

OK, we have our statement of faith, so how about a CCC statement of living? As we think about such a statement, consider these questions:

What difference does it really make that Christ rose from the dead and lives in each of us as believers in Him?
What difference does it really make that God is sovereign over the universe and our lives?
What difference does it really make that there is a heaven and hell?
How should we structure our lives if we are baptized into the body of Christ upon conversion?
How should I relate to those Jesus calls my brothers and sisters in Christ?
What does it mean to be an acceptable sacrifice to God?
How should I live if I am a temple of the Holy Spirit?
How should my time, treasure, and talent be handled if God owns it all and I am responsible to Him for all its use?
How should I relate to the culture around me when I am already called a citizen of heaven and yet I am also called an ambassador?
How can I reflect the beauty of God's creation when it is also fallen?
What does it mean to live a life of personal holiness and to also live in light of God's grace?

As you think about these questions, you might consider developing your own orthopraxis or life vision statement. May the truth of God's Word (doctrine) never be separated from transforming our lives.

-- Kevin Short, Senior Pastor