“However, after denying the Christian label, CCF then argued it was indeed a Christian group because of the “good works” it does for children”
so “good works” means your a Christian”? Hmmm . . . another case of a group thinking it knows more than God himself!
Ephesians 2:8-9:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Last month the Christian Children’s Fund announced it is adopting a new strategy to continue its work in aiding the world’s impoverished children. Along with the new strategy comes a name change — specifically, removal of the word “Christian” from its title.
The new name, ChildFund International, was approved at the Christian Children’s Fund (CCF) Board of Director’s meeting on April 21 and will take effect July 1. As AlertNet.org reports, CCF hopes to continue easing the “burden of poverty for children and their families” under the new, “globally unified” branding.
CEO Anne Lynam Goddard, who became president of CCF in 2006, says the board examined the traditions of the ministry over the past 70 years and wanted to revamp the image to continue serving others over the next 70 years, since an estimated 53 million additional people will be forced into poverty because of the current economic crisis.
CCF boasts helping more than 15.2 million children and families in 31 countries since its inception. It has provided nearly $3 billion in aid to poor families, mainly through monthly child sponsorships. Goddard notes the philanthropy’s goals of helping ensure a child’s health and growth from birth to young adulthood will continue so that the children will one day become world-changers themselves.
However, the adoption of the new name ChildFund International is not the first rebranding the ministry has undergone. CCF, founded in 1938, was first christened China Children’s Fund but changed to Christian Children’s Fund after its work expanded outside of China.
In recent years, CCF has received criticism as many ask whether the group has actually lived up to its “Christian” name. The name change likely comes as no surprise to the people at MinistryWatch, a group that “profile[s] public charities, church and parachurch ministries.” In 2004, MinistryWatch questioned whether having the title Christian Children’s Fund was misleading to Christian donors. and prompted an investigation of the philanthropy.
According to a May 2004 Donor Alert, their research concluded that CCF calls itself a “non-sectarian” group and does not have a statement of faith, nor is it a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. CCF admits they are “not an evangelical organization in that [they] do not teach religion as part of [their] program activity and [they] do not try to convert beneficiaries as part of [their] program efforts.”
However, after denying the Christian label, CCF then argued it was indeed a Christian group because of the “good works” it does for children. However, MinistryWatch believes CCF’s work is closer to “community development” than ministry because donated funds are spent on an entire community instead of going directly to help the child being sponsored.
MinistryWatch also concluded Christians may be bothered that CCF partners with “traditional healers” in Third World nations, which MinistryWatch believes can be construed as “occult practices.” Additionally, CCF employees are not required to be professing Christians.
MinistryWatch released the alert nearly five years ago, urging CCF supporters and donors to reconsider donating to other ministries that have clear Christian messages, claiming that a true Christian ministry hopes to “bring those that they serve into a relationship with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Goddard, however, asserts the most significant change comes from within a community. “As we change a childhood, we change the world,” she says.
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