The C Word: The Covert Christian

By Bobbie L. Smith

"What many believers don't realize is that works alone do not define Christianity, nor do they guarantee one's place in heaven. True change happens on the inside and is reflected on the outside." -Pastor Bobbie L. Smith 

The C Word uncovers ten personalities that can be encountered in today's church

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Jul 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798887382524

Bobbie L. Smith

Bobbie Smith is a pastor, counselor, mentor, motivational speaker, and now, an accomplished author. He has mentored and discipled thousands of young men, women, youths, and at-risk youths. Besides being a pastor, Pastor Bobbie's passion for ministry is to the incarcerated, with more than thirty-five years of spreading the gospel in prisons, correctional institutions, detention centers, and halfway houses. His programs have helped hundreds of incarcerated men transition back into society with low rates of recidivism. Pastor Bobbie is a military veteran of nineteen years, a husband of forty- four years, and a father to three adult children.

Book preview

Dedication

I dedicate this book to my children, who believed in my ability to write more than I did. For more than fifteen years, you prodded and pressed me to write something, anything. You saw the extra that God had poured in me when I didn’t. Thank you for the push.

To Wanda, my best friend. My wife of forty-four years. Forty years of salvation together. You stuck by my side through every hit-and-miss I had with God. Never wavering. To the woman with the strength of ten people. Fighting your own battles, but never not fighting mine. For forever loving and believing in me, I will forever love you.

To the only wise God, our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. For the revelation of The C Word. To God be the glory.

Preface

God has never deviated from His original plan of a holy people to serve and praise Him. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light (1 Peter 2:9). Through ten Christian categories, The C Word reveals truths in the personalities and characteristics of millions of Christians worldwide. These behaviors should not be ignored but embraced. While one’s love for God is never called into question, this book does call to believers everywhere, challenging them to make their calling and election sure through self-examination and self-reflection. The C Word is not a theory, a concept, or a myth but should be a result of our belief in Jesus Christ to follow Him and Him alone.

The Introduction

In this book, we use the letter C as a symbol for a Christian. Many believers may be covert in public and the C word in private or vice versa; they may be the C word in public and covert in private. Throughout this book, I have spotlighted and expounded upon many different Christian behaviors, personalities, and characteristics that we may recognize in ourselves or others. These are our brothers, sisters, parents, children, neighbors, friends, and coworkers. However, the purpose of this book is not to judge or point out the shortcomings of anyone but to provide reflection points and tools to reinforce your relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We may learn virtuous as well as unfavorable truths about ourselves as we relate with a specific type of Christian. Or we may discover our identity blends in part with several of the C-word personalities, which may be the result of different styles of doctrines, teachings, cultures, and denominations or the lack thereof. No personality discussed in this book of itself is wrong, evil, or bad—just some of the behaviors displayed. We pray the eyes of your understanding be enlightened, that through this book you may discern, comprehend, and apply every tool necessary to become and reflect God’s image on earth.

Prologue

There are only three biblical references for the word Christian in the King James Version of the Bible. The first, in the book of Acts, says, "And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch" (Acts 11:26). Notice throughout this book, with the exception of the Crimson Christian, that the salvation of any believer is not in question. I believe your call to Christ can be and is genuine.

Part I

Acts 26:28, Agrippa asked Paul, ‘In such a short time do you think you can talk me into being a Christian?’

Acts 26:29, Paul answered, ‘Whether it takes a short time or a long time, I wish you and everyone else who hears me today would become just like me!’

—Contemporary English Version

Chapter I

A man drives down a rural dirt road with his father. They laugh and take pleasure in lighthearted banter and share their opinions on all things Bible. While in conversation, the father begins complaining of chest pains and starts sweating profusely. The man panics and comes to an abrupt realization that his aging father may well be having a heart attack. He looks down the road, and in the distance, he can see a house. The man punches the gas and accelerates down the dirt road, kicking up gravel and leaving a cartoon-like dust cloud behind.

As the car gets closer to the house, the younger man can make out a sign that dangles below the roadside mailbox. The sign is a wooden panel held by two short chains; it has the family name on it and below the name, the initials MD. A moment of hope infuses the man and briefly subsides his panic. He stops in front of the house, jumps out, and sprints through the yard and to the front door. The house is quaint and quiet, the grass manicured, and a welcome mat adorns the front stoop. The man finds the doorbell and rings it relentlessly until he hears the sound of the door being unlocked from inside. The door opens to reveal a woman in her seventies. She’s very taken aback, as she rarely gets unannounced visitors.

Can I help you? the woman asks.

Yes! the younger man exclaims. It’s my father! He’s having a heart attack! He points to his car, where his father can be seen doubled over in the passenger seat.

A deep, sympathetic concern causes the old woman’s face to become pale. She immediately calls over her shoulder for someone. My husband is a doctor, the old woman assures the young man. He’ll know what to do. In moments, an older man joins the old woman in the doorway. He’s in his seventies, in good shape, wearing a cardigan and glasses on the tip of his nose.

What can we do for you, young man? the old man asks.

It’s my father! the young man repeats with more intensity.

He’s in the car. The young man thinks his father is having a heart attack, the old woman explains.

Oh, well, let me call someone for you. Better yet, I know they can help you right down the road, the old man says.

The young man is confused. He asks, Aren’t you a doctor? It says MD on your mailbox.

I am, but I’m retired. I haven’t practiced in some years, the old man replies as if he’s had this question before. But I know they can help you at the next house down the road.

The young man looks at the doctor with confusion and tears in his eyes. He turns and steps off the porch and onto the front yard. He looks at his hurting father, reeling with pain, and just beyond the car at the mailbox. The man can still make out MD behind the name. He abruptly turns back toward the porch, where the couple is still standing with the door wide open. If you’re a doctor that will no longer help people, you can at least take down your sign, says the young man.

I don’t quite remember the origin of this story, as I’ve been to many conferences, encountered many great speakers, and participated in countless substantive conversations. However, I hold this story closely, as it often serves as a tool for personal accountability. As a Christian, is what’s being displayed on the outside also being displayed on the inside? In the case of the retired doctor, he displayed a sign on the outside of his house indicating he was an MD. However, when asked to serve in the capacity in which his sign displayed, the young man learned that he was not a practicing doctor at all, nor was he willing to recall or utilize any of his medical experience.

The young man plops back into the car, clearly vexed by the lack of assistance the doctor was willing to provide. He looks over at his father. His sweating has gotten worse, and he’s still reeling from the pain in his chest. The young man puts the car in gear and speeds off, kicking up gravel and dust again. He can immediately see another house in the distance. Upon approaching the house, he notices that it’s equally quaint and just as manicured as the previous house. There is no driveway, so he’s left to pull over on the side of the road, just next to the mailbox. He turns to his father and says, I’ll be right back. He quickly jumps out of the vehicle and sprints across the yard.

He gets to the front door to find a nicely put-together porch with a potted plant, a doormat, and a wreath hanging on the door, obviously still there from the holidays. The young man bangs on the door profusely. In moments, the door is answered by a woman who seems pretty annoyed to have been disturbed.

Yes? she says.

I need your help! My father is in the car, and he’s having a heart attack! says the young man.

The woman doesn’t flinch at the news. She appears to be in her early fifties and has a hand on her hip while leaning in the doorway. She’s very put together for seemingly relaxing at home, almost as if she’s always expecting visitors. She looks past the young man and toward the car, then back at him.

She dryly asks, What would you like me to do? I ain’t no doctor.

The young man is a bit taken aback, as he wasn’t expecting a question in return. He freezes for a second, hoping it is rhetorical. A couple of moments of silence pass before he realizes that the woman is definitely expecting a response.

I don’t know. I just need help, replies the young man.

The woman looks past the young man one more time and back at him. Her facial expression has not changed. The emotional outburst of the young man has not moved her to even soften her posture in the doorway.

I have found that it’s best for me not to get into other people’s business, says the woman. Been there, done that. There’s a house just up the road. They may be able to help.

The woman steps back and abruptly shuts the door, leaving the man standing on the porch.

The Calloused Christian

We’ve all encountered this house, be it in church, work, or maybe even within our families or personal social circles. It is a cold and calloused personality that lacks empathy and may be downright mean. Some of these personalities exist in the church as firm, loyal believers. I would define the Calloused Christian as a hard-hearted believer. Usually, they have been in church for a long time. There’s a good chance in recent years they’ve done some church hopping, not spending more than a year or two in any one place. Some may have been a member of the same church for most of their Christian walk. If so, they may hold the same position and may be territorial. The anointing upon their life is not quite dormant but quenched; the fire of God has gone out. Paul uses the same word, quenched, in Ephesians 6:16 to describe how our faith can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, he talks about quenching the Spirit. Quench is defined as to extinguish, to put out, to go out. The Calloused Christian’s fire has gone out. Thayer’s Greek Definitions Dictionary expounds on the word quench further, metaphorically, to quench, to suppress, to stifle a divine influence. On the surface, the Calloused Christian may be working, singing, even smiling at you every day. But their zeal, that divine influence, is gone…the fire has gone out.

Calloused Christians can be stubborn and stuck in their ways. Their vast church and life experience can be seen through their been there, done that mentality. Their love for God is intact and strong, even though they may blame Him for their past, present, and/or negative circumstances.

Relationships and Interactions with Others

Hard-hearted may sound a bit harsh for this believer but let me explain. First, there is a stigma placed on the term hard heart, which most assume means to be unforgiving and stubborn. But