On a little brick building in an English village where Christians met, a sign proclaimed: “We Preach Christ Crucified.” For years, the gospel, presenting a crucified Saviour as the only means of salvation, was faithfully preached there.
But that generation passed on and the next, who considered the cross of Christ not as socially acceptable to the community, began preaching salvation by the Lord’s example rather than through His shed blood. Meanwhile ivy had begun to grow, creeping up the wall and covering the word crucified. The sign now read, “We Preach Christ.”
More time passed and eventually those who met there felt it was no longer religiously correct to confine the gospel strictly to the Person and work of Christ. Thus the sermons included politics, social issues, philosophy and morals—but not much of Christ.
All this time the ivy quietly continued to grow over the sign until, having covered the next word, it now proclaimed but two words: “We Preach.”
May we be ever found, as a dear brother often exhorted us, making much of Christ!
Ed.