I am struggling to find a suitable name for a church that I am planning on growing in this area. When I asked on Twitter for advice it was suggested by a mate that it is dangerous to name things such as churches as it becomes too defining and people can get caught up in the name and not the church. I argued that a name helps identify what it is that people are getting involved with — within and without the church (I hate to use it but — branding).
What do you think?
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David – while I agree with your statements about first century Christianity – do you not think that churches, which as a collective, were named after the city they were in – The Church at Phillipi etc – would the smaller churches that met in homes not be known as the Church that met at Neal’s place etc? While I agree that all names for the Church are man made – in fact the Scriptures refer to the early Church as The Way etc, is there any reason not to name something?
For example – I am going to plant a group amongst the community that comes to community meals we run – The Dining Room and Vive Cafe – and calling it “Sanga’s” (slang for sandwich here in Oz) – as a way for the community to identify that it is a separate activity. May add Holy to the front – not sure yet.
Tim – where did the name of Loam come from?
David – while I agree with your statements about first century Christianity – do you not think that churches, which as a collective, were named after the city they were in – The Church at Phillipi etc – would the smaller churches that met in homes not be known as the Church that met at Neal’s place etc? While I agree that all names for the Church are man made – in fact the Scriptures refer to the early Church as The Way etc, is there any reason not to name something?
For example – I am going to plant a group amongst the community that comes to community meals we run – The Dining Room and Vive Cafe – and calling it “Sanga’s” (slang for sandwich here in Oz) – as a way for the community to identify that it is a separate activity. May add Holy to the front – not sure yet.
Tim – where did the name of Loam come from?
It would be quite a stretch to say that churches were named because they were referred to as a church in a city or the church that meets in someone’s house. This was nothing more than a way of speaking about the saints in a certain locality. It was an observation about them… not a creative think tank labeling of a group.
Again, the idea is foreign to the New Testament and we take for granted the simplistic nature of the church planting in the first century. I’m afraid we too often believe we can improve upon this model.
As I said before… the danger lies in something else or someone else replacing Christ as Head of the church. It is popular to rally around a “mission,” a purpose, a personality, or an agenda… claiming that Christ in community is our concern.
I believe you fill find that naming a gathering only identifies yourself with pop-culture Christianity and this eventually will prove itself a gathering short-lived and only a passing “ministry” instead of a local fellowship of believers who have committed their lives to Christ and each other.
Just my thoughts. Peace.
It would be quite a stretch to say that churches were named because they were referred to as a church in a city or the church that meets in someone’s house. This was nothing more than a way of speaking about the saints in a certain locality. It was an observation about them… not a creative think tank labeling of a group.
Again, the idea is foreign to the New Testament and we take for granted the simplistic nature of the church planting in the first century. I’m afraid we too often believe we can improve upon this model.
As I said before… the danger lies in something else or someone else replacing Christ as Head of the church. It is popular to rally around a “mission,” a purpose, a personality, or an agenda… claiming that Christ in community is our concern.
I believe you fill find that naming a gathering only identifies yourself with pop-culture Christianity and this eventually will prove itself a gathering short-lived and only a passing “ministry” instead of a local fellowship of believers who have committed their lives to Christ and each other.
Just my thoughts. Peace.
We just made Loam up. We needed a name as I explained earlier so we brainstormed a whole bunch and then voted on them.
I wouldn’t go as far as David and say that if you name your gathering it will only be short-lived, but I do agree that the main outcome will be a connection to pop-culture Christianity.
We just made Loam up. We needed a name as I explained earlier so we brainstormed a whole bunch and then voted on them.
I wouldn’t go as far as David and say that if you name your gathering it will only be short-lived, but I do agree that the main outcome will be a connection to pop-culture Christianity.
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