"CCT and its Legacy to Future Generations"

Rev. Carlos L. Malavé 

Executive Director report to the CCT 2014 Annual Convocation

"Christ's name creates communion and unity, not division. He came to create communion among us, not to divide us!" Pope Francis

The Church in America today has many challenges.

I believe one of those challenges is to pass on to coming generations a church that is both faithful to the gospel and relevant to issues and challenges of our time. In recent months, I have found myself pondering this challenge more and more.

Are we willing to show new generations that the Church is a living and real expression of the kingdom of God, and that TOGEHTER we can build that kingdom?

Are we willing to obey the Holy Spirit in making every effort to live in peace with brothers and sisters of different traditions? Can we recognize the presence and the work of God in Christians of other traditions?

What will be the legacy that, as a Christian leader, I leave to my children? What will be the legacy of our generation?

What would happen if, 100 years from now, someone built an interactive museum to display the common life of Christians in our country from the year 2000 to 2025?  What would the youth of that generation learn about our life together?

I have committed my life and ministry to make sure that, if such a museum ever exists, those children will see displayed a beautiful legacy of faithfulness, courage and boldness. I hope that they will witness a Church that is countercultural in its commitment to seek and love other followers of Christ, even though they disagree on matters of doctrine and theology. I hope those children will feel proud of a Church that was able to overcome its human limitations and allowed the Holy Spirit to take full control of their life and the destiny of the Church.

Every effort we make towards this kind of legacy will be a contribution, not just to the history of Christianity in our country, but also to the witness of the gospel and the present and eternal life of millions of God's children. We can choose to join the forces against life and a common future, or we can side with Christ who said: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."(John 10.10)

We are witnesses today of the changes in the attitudes of the younger generations. The truth is that many of us fear those changes in attitudes. Several months ago, in a much-discussed CNN blog post, Rachel Held Evans suggested that what millennials (herself included) need from the Church is authentic worship, theological substance, an end to the culture wars, a truce between faith and science, a moratorium on divisive politics, and a challenge to live holy and sacrificial lives like Christ. (http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/27/why-millennials-are-leaving-the-church/)

Progressives are eager to move towards their ideals. They want to move forward with their agenda and many are not willing to be slowed down by issues raised by Evangelicals. They want to see the evils of society overcome so that justice, equality, peace and mercy are established as the foundational principles for life in a new society. Many progressives see evangelicals as a sector of Christianity that will eventually be left behind by our culture. So why bother or get entangled in fruitless discussions with them?

By the other hand, Evangelicals and conservatives have demonstrated throughout the last 5 to 10 years (with the exception of a very few who have always been concerned with social justice issues) that they are also committed to most of the same principles as progressives, but without setting aside historical moral, theological and doctrinal positions.

Many on both sides of this religious and theological struggle are not willing to cross the established lines of demarcation to dialogue. These leaders often fear the critique of their partner churches. Some of them, particularly the conservative and fundamentalist churches, consider that being in the company of the liberal churches or its leaders is offensive to God or simply anathema.

A conservative Christian leader recently said to me: "We have fundamental concerns about being in a grouping of churches in CCT who identify themselves as Christians, but have a different view of scriptures, who deny Christ as the only means of salvation, and who hold positions on sexual morality that contradict Scriptures."

The words of Pope Francis speak so boldly to this kind of attitude: "If we really believe in the abundantly free working of the Holy Spirit, we can learn so much from one another! It is not just about being better in-formed about others, but rather about reaping what the Spirit has sown in them, which is also meant to be a gift for us."

Christian Churches Together is a home for those who reject a spirit of division and exclusion. I believe all of us here have taken to heart the invitation of the apostle Paul when he said in 1 Cor. 12.31: "And moreover a most excellent way show I unto you."(ASV); "But now I want to lay out a far better way for you."(The Message)

If we immerse ourselves in the life and the message of Christ; if we listen attentively to what it is at the heart of the gospel, we must come to the conclusion that the words of the Psalmist are still true: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1) Unless we are not willing to accept at face value the testimony of someone who claim Christ as his or her savior.  Some are willing to pass that judgment. I choose to leave that judgment to whom it belongs, to Christ. We must exorcise our fears and let God's love overturn "our self constructed tables". We can flourish alongside one another. We must grow and be transformed together.

The call for cooperation, dialogue and even unity is urgent. If we don't do it, the next generation of Christians will; they are actually showing us the way, a more excellent way. 

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