On Capping Creeping
March 7, 2009
The band TLC had a hit song in the early 1990’s entitled “Creep.” It was about unfaithful romantic partners. The moral implications of that song notwithstanding (1 Cor. 6:18-20), there is another form of creeping that concerns us as Christians, today. It also speaks to the issue of unfaithfulness, and is called “mission creep.” Mission creep refers to the process of moving beyond an original purpose or goal. This creeping is seen as undesirable and is generally met with disapproval. There are several instances of mission creep to which we can refer. For example, Harvard University was established in 1636 for the purpose of training religious leaders to provide guidance in the New Land. The school motto was, “For Christ and the Church.” But that motto did not endure. Within sixty-five years, Harvard had moved away from its Puritan roots as it sought intellectual independence. In an effort to expand its mission, the university soon grew beyond its mission. West Broad, we must be careful to avoid mission creep in our service to Christ in downtown Richmond. God has given us our objectives (Matt. 22:34-40; 28:19-20). Nevertheless, our age of compromise, inclusion, tolerance, and religious innovation can tempt us to “grow” away from those divine objectives in a quest for numbers, acceptance, and enhanced influence. What can we say to this? Only that “creeping” was not good for TLC. It was not good for Harvard. It is not good for us. Think about it, friend, and do your best to put a cap on creeping today. —JLNJR (Resource: Gospel Advocate, 2/09, 3).
