Thoughts on the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church Controversy

I have been saddened by the recent controversy at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church (CRPC) in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. I’ve waited a while to express my thoughts on what has taken place. The reason I am so close to the action is that I grew up worshiping at CRPC. My parents were members of CRPC ever since they moved to Florida from Ohio in the late 70′s. They both taught at Westminster Academy, a private, Classical Christian school started by the late Dr. D. James Kennedy, who was the minister at CRPC from its inception up until he died a few years ago.

Since I was homeschooled through 2nd grade, most of the friends I made early on were from Sunday School and children’s choirs at CRPC. I was very involved in Gangway, the youth ministry at CRPC, from the drama team to Youth Evangelism Explosion, including many mission trips along the way. After graduating high school, I interned as a youth leader, leading the junior high boys Bible study, planning and attending youth retreats, and alternating teaching nights with another intern. After going away to Florida State University, I would still return to South Florida to visit my family and worship with the church that helped my parents bring me up in the Christian faith. CRPC was truly a covenant family to me.

When Dr. Kennedy died in 2007, a pulpit nominating committee was elected to search for a new minister, someone who would pastor the flock in a new era at Coral Ridge. The process took months, and it wasn’t until the spring of 2009 that Tullian Tchividjian was voted to take the role as CRPC’s new preaching elder. There was much excitement, as Tchividjian brought with him youth and passion, which is what I felt CRPC needed at the time.

Pastor Tullian Tchividjian

My history with Pastor Tchividjian is very brief, but I was immediately impressed with him. When I was attending university and home on a break, I heard about his ministry with New City Church. Curiously, I attended a worship service and met Pastor Tchividjian afterwards, as my parents knew him from his days when he attended Westminster Academy. Since I was going to be searching for work after graduation, I emailed him to ask if they were looking to begin a youth and student ministry. He emailed me back and said he would love to sit down and chat over a coffee. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to have that chat, as I was away at university for most of the year. But my point in this story is that Pastor Tchividjian was a very approachable, down-to-earth pastor. And I liked that, coming from a big church like CRPC, where chats with Dr. Kennedy were few and (very) far between.

When New City Church merged with Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and Pastor Tchividjian became CRPC’s new preaching elder, my parents were impressed with how personable he was. He remembered their names (which may not sound like much, but growing up in one of the first Presbyterian megachurches and under the care of Dr. Kennedy, we hadn’t known a lead minister that could remember our names). He preached with passion and conviction. He was what everyone at CRPC thought we needed.

But something changed. CRPC went from a church filled with joy and excitement and hope to a church filled with sadness and many question marks. This was all in a matter of only a few months. Staff members who had been at CRPC for years were fired without apology. The contemporary worship team was replaced with New City’s worship team. A half dozen members even called for a petition to dissolve the relationship of CRPC with Pastor Tchividjian. Just last Sunday a formal congregational meeting was called to vote on whether or not to keep Pastor Tchividjian as CRPC’s preaching elder. While the vote was in favor of Pastor Tchividjian, over 30% of the congregation voted against him. And you don’t have to be an expert on church politics to know that if 30% of your congregation is not with you after over 90% voted to hire you, then something has gone terribly wrong.

My post today is not to point fingers. It’s not spread rumors or gossip. I am across the Atlantic from CRPC, and I haven’t seen or heard what many others have. But I am sad for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I am sad for Pastor Tchividjian. I am sad for those who were fired from CRPC. I am sad for the music director and organist who felt they needed to resign. I am sad for the Christian church as a whole, because it is times like these where the world looks at the church, sees division and anger and bitterness, shakes its head, and wants nothing to do with her.

I believe the church is imperfect. And if our mission was to proclaim the church, it would be nearly impossible. But, fortunately, that is not our mission. Our mission is to proclaim Christ, and him crucified for our sins. Our mission is to point people to a holy, righteous, and sovereign King – one who bled, and died, and beat death to secure everlasting life for all those who believe. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not about how good we can be but about how good he is to us, displaying his infinite love and grace.

Imperfect churches are made of imperfect people – people who follow their convictions and may even think that what they are doing is right when, in fact, it is not. However, as Christians, we must not lift up the banner of imperfection and stand behind it every time we sin. We must not cling to the fact that we are still in the sinful flesh. As a friend of mine once wrote, “Like a pair of tight pants after the holidays, our holiness doesn’t suit us during the week if we’re used to leaving it behind on Sundays.” Holiness isn’t something that we can shrug off and say, “Ah, I’m not perfect.” It is something we must always be reaching for. The beauty of the gospel is in grace and forgiveness of sins, but it’s also in the fact that we are made new. We have been born again into a new life with the Spirit. And we must not let the flesh of old control us, but we must seek righteousness and sanctification in our Lord.

I pray for reconciliation at Coral Ridge. I know many have left already, not because they are divided over fellow worshipers, but because they feel they cannot sit under the current leadership. Much has been written about the dissenters at Coral Ridge – some of it true, but most of it incomplete. But regardless of what has taken place in the past, may all who were involved move on to find peace with each other and peace with our Lord.

To Fireproof a Marriage

Last night, my wife and I watched the movie Fireproof. It is a movie starring Kirk Cameron (Growing Pains, Left Behind) and Erin Bethea (Facing the Giants) which details the fall and redemption of marriage. I must say that the movie left me feeling awkward – but in a good way. I was already expecting poor acting, writing, directing, casting, and pretty much everything else that goes into a good film, so I was not disappointed when Fireproof fulfilled those expectations. However, I would like to point out what I think is the difference between a good film and a good movie.

To me, a good film has a combination of superb acting, directing, writing, etc. It is what wins Grammy awards. Shawshank Redemption and The Godfather are just two examples. But, on the other hand, a good movie entertains, teaches, and leaves the viewer more enlightened. Fireproof is the perfect example of a good movie. While the elements of a good film were absent, I was thoroughly entertained and edified by it. I think if a movie can encourage me in my marriage and, most importantly, my relationship with the Lord, then that movie deserves respect, regardless of the (lack of) quality or cheesiness.

Without spoiling the movie, I just want to quickly share what I think was the highlight of the movie. Cameron plays a firefighter who’s marriage is failing. This is due to a number of different reasons, including his addiction to pornography. There are multiple occasions where his wife points out that he loves the images on the computer more than he loves her. But midway through the movie, Cameron’s character, Caleb, becomes a Christian. And there is a scene where he is sitting at his computer looking at boats on a website when a pornography pop-up appears. You can really see the struggle he is having in his heart and mind – the battle between the sinful nature and the nature of the Holy Spirit. So what is his solution? He rips his computer and monitor away, takes it out back, and beats it with a baseball bat. When his wife gets home, she notices that in place of the computer is a vase with a dozen roses and a card that says “I love you more”.

I love this scene for two reasons: it teaches me about my marriage, and it teaches me about my relationship with God. It reminds me that nothing, including pornography, TV, my iPhone, or whatever it is, should compete with love for my wife. And even more, nothing should compete with love for my Lord. It’s easy to forget that. It’s easy to get caught up in work or your favorite TV show or reading blogs. And there’s obviously nothing inherently wrong with those things. But when they take the place of your wife, they are just another form of infidelity. And when they take the place of your God, they are idolatry.

While it isn’t possible to completely fireproof a marriage – after all, there will always be “for better and for worse” – it is possible to hold yourself accountable to stay faithful to your marriage and faithful to your Lord.

God on Display

Tullian Tchividjian of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church recently wrote a book called Unfashionable about what it means to be an “unfashionable church” and is currently preaching through that each Sunday. I haven’t read the book, but (aside from hearing the word “unfashionable” way too often) I am really enjoying his sermon series. Below is a short excerpt from his August 23 sermon on unfashionable worship. I will include the transcript for those who are short on time.

An unfashionable worship service is a service that leads you to the point of realizing that everything minus God equals nothing. So a worship service is not first the place to showcase our human talent. It is the place for God to showcase his divine treasure. That’s what it’s about. Human talent cannot change a human heart. God on display can change us from the inside out.

A worship service that has the power to change you is a worship service that leaves you with grand impressions of divine gravitas – gravity – not grand impressions of human giftedness. There are plenty of great shows around this city and around the country. And while we are to honor God with the talents he has given us, it is through those talents that we ultimately honor God. We come to see God, to encounter God.

Notice Isaiah did not leave the temple thinking, What a great, angelic choir! What great music! What a great temple! He left thinking, What a great God! Now we have great music in both services. And we have a great facility. But I’m telling you, if people don’t leave this place thinking first, What a great God, then our great music and our great facility mean nothing.

:: Tullian Tchvidjian’s blog, “On Earth as it is in Heaven“
:: Tullian Tchividjian’s podcast

Losing My Religion

For the last few years it seems like the term “religion” has been used and abused so much that I don’t even know what the word means anymore. My understanding was that “religion” refers to our worship of God. After becoming a Christian, it should be evident that our lives reflect what Jesus commands of us, namely to love God and to love others. This is what I thought religion was.

Then along comes the saying “religion sucks”.

Or “it’s not about religion, it’s about a relationship”.

And I’m totally confused.

Now, look, I know what they mean by “religion sucks”. They are basically saying that works righteousness, i.e. trying to achieve salvation on our own merit, sucks. They are saying that it’s not about going through the motions, it’s about knowing Jesus Christ as our Saviour, Lord, and Friend. I would agree with that, but is that really what religion is? Are we getting the word confused because when we think of the word “religion” we think of the Pharisees or even Islamic extremists? Do we think of the Crusades or the Religious Right in America? Do we think of ceremonies and practices that are unnecessary? Maybe… but is that what the word means?

James 1:26-27 says, “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (ESV)

Just before this, we are encouraged to be “doers of the Word” instead of just “hearers of the Word”. In other words, we must not only sit back and listen to our favorite sermons or even spend hours each day reading the Scriptures if we aren’t doing what the Scriptures say! Isn’t religion just being a “doer of the Word”?

Religion is the practical living out of a new life, regenerated by the Holy Spirit. It’s the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5). To me, religion is just our worship of God. Yes we are not saved by it, but religion is our response to the Creator, who saved us by his grace through the blood of his one and only Son.

So maybe it’s time we brought religion back in the church – not the political or national kind but the worship kind.

I’ll make t-shirts.