I have a question about the crusades, but it's not really about the event. It is more about the language we use.

Does crusade send the message of a loving God? I mean weren't the crusades a time where millions were slaughtered in Christ's name? Isn't the word crusade close in definition to the word Jihad?

I'm not knocking on you, Harvest CC, or the event. I'm just saying that if we serve a God who says above all else to love God, and love your neighbor, a crusade might not be the best title for something that's spreading the Good News of that God. top

I hear ya...
This is something we heard a lot when I was in college and did a lot with Campus Crusade for Christ.

A few things come to my mind.
One is that personally, I don't have a problem with the word. One definition that Google gives me is, "exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively to gain an end..."
I think this is a good, and even inspiring description of what Jesus commanded us to do... part of our purpose on this earth.
I cringe at the thought of giving up our language for the sake of political correctness. For example, in college, I came close to completing a degree in philosophy, and many people looked negatively on me for that. I even had one angry old man that I was trying to share the Gospel with tell me that I was going to hell because Paul wrote that 'vain philosophy' brings destruction. But at the end of the day, it's just a study of how to be more intentional in our decision making. If I had said that I was studying ethics, he wouldn't have thought twice.

However, stepping off my makeshift soapbox, Paul said that he became all things to all men. And that anything that makes your brother stumble is sin. And while I think that those who get tripped up by the word 'crusade' are mostly just looking for an excuse to shrug off the bigger picture, I agree that we shouldn't give them one. I make this very decision every time someone asks me whether I'm a 'christian'. At face value, the meaning of the word is 'christ-like'. And taken in context with the Jewish culture of the first-century church, it really means, 'someone who is trying to be christ-like by following Christ'.
But that's not what it means in American culture... or just about any other culture. So given a choice, I usually avoid the word and just call myself a 'follower of Christ'

...and I suppose we should suggest that the Harvest Crusade change its name to something like, 'The continuous, vigorous, and obtrusive presentation and pursuit of the Kingdom of God... presented by Harvest.'

Any other suggestions? :0) top

I have this language discussion almost continually. The word that most often spurs the discussion is church. We grew up going to church at the church, but as you know, we are the church, not a building and not a specific meeting.

This discussion heads down a similar path most times. People understand that we are the church, but continue to use the word the same way they have their entire life. The typical explanation of this behavior is that referring to it as something else is weird, or people won't know what you are talking about.

It's my belief that if our goal is to truly live out church as God designed it, and the early church demonstrated, then we need to be willing to sacrifice and alter our language to fit what it is we are trying to represent. So, to me it becomes a church building, or a church service.

It is unfortunate that we live in a world where certain words have lost their true meaning due to the connotations, and often times stigma, that they carry. We live in a time where it is crucial that we are intentional in what we do and say.

Altering our language may seem weird at first, but it may lead to some necessary conversations where people hear the message of Christ for the first time because it is not drowned out by the message of modern Christianity.

I like your idea on the name change. Maybe they could go with 'The CVOPPoKoYHWH... presented by Harvest' for short. top

Altering our language may seem weird at first, but it may lead to some necessary conversations where people hear the message of Christ for the first time because it is not drowned out by the message of modern Christianity.

Rabi Bell would be very proud :0)


Amen Bro top