Posted on 07/08/2004 11:21:45 PM PDT by A2J
We are in the process of planning a new church plant in the eastern Tennesse/western North Carolina area in the near future.
Our target group will be young families with children and youth (i.e., teens), as well as the 18 - 35 age group, known as the "emerging church."
If you are already familiar with the emerging church generation, then you know that they are basically resistant to the status quo of what has wrongly been called "church" (i.e., heirarchial structure organizations, non-relational, etc.) and instead are looking for real, authentic truth and relationships.
What I am asking of you are ideas for a name that will appeal to that younger crowd. We really don't want something with the word "church" in it but rather more of a description of what the Christian life is all about. For example, we are currently looking at descriptive names such as "The Quest" and "The Journey," both signifying that our life is a quest or journey of faith that will ultimately end in heaven. Our focus will be on encouraging an environment where life-long relationships can be created that will help each of us on our personal and corporate walk of faith.
Also, if you could include some ideas for a slogan as well, that would be a great help.
Thanks for all of your help. I have a great deal of respect for the FR crowd and look forward to seeing God's creativity at work.
"We really don't want something with the word "church" in it but rather more of a description of what the Christian life is all about."
Probably not what your fishing for, but this traditionalist Christian believes that "what the Christian life is all about" is....Jesus Christ. Call it "His Place" or "The Rock" or maybe even "The Way Home." Just hope you realize that unique names and catchy slogans may well get folks to walk in the door, and a nice band with contemporary praise music projected via Powerpoint may even get them to stay and drop money into the collection plate. But, think on this...Our Lord is watching. Unless the whole point of your "emerging church" is to lead people to redemption from sin and to salvation through Jesus Christ, you don't have to worry about being mistaken as a "church" no matter what you call yourselves.
In the advertising world, I believe it's referred to as "all sizzle and no steak." I don't mean to presume that that's what you folks are about. I've just witnessed entirely too much of this new age, universalist, "Church of What's Happenin' Now" nonsense passing for Christianity and tend to be suspicious of an organization that shys away from identifying itself as a church.
Your slogan can be "We just make it up as we go".
*****"How about "The Newfangled Chapel of Creative Theology".
Your slogan can be "We just make it up as we go".*****
That's good. I like that one!
I also like "A little music the right atmosphere and then slip them a little Jesus under the table when no one is watching."
I'm sure that A2J is sincere and wants to do God's will, in all seriousness; surely many people are turned off to "church", but then, they should aks themselves what voices they are listening to. There are many ministers who misinterpret what people are seeking and they tend to try to please them or appease them, thus, they patronize from the pulpit or in their message and the truth is sacrificed on the altar of church growth.
It was Billy Graham who once said "It is unnatural for Christianity to be popular"
There is a HUGH church outside of Louisville, KY that the locals refer to as "Six Flags over Jesus."
Are you series?
yep
Hi A2J
Well, too bad the only replies so far are mostly folks criticizing you.
I commend you for having a heart for these young folks. Some of them have never heard the Name of Jesus except used as a curse. Some of them have parents and grandparents that never darkened the door of a church, so they have no clue that this is something that should be an important part of their life.
And it's been 32 years ago now, but the way I first heard about Jesus in a way that meant something to me personally was by reading a copy of "The Cross and the Switchblade" by Nicky Cruz ... which allowed me, as an unchurched teenager, to hear the Gospel (I was from the suburbs, though, so the whole gang-to-saved story was not similar to my own life) ... at that time, I was 14 years old, and I didn't DO anything about it such as pray to invite Him into my heart or start attending church, but for the first time I was aware of Who He was and *what* I could/should do to find my way to Him.
Then, I found saving faith, at the age of 16, by coming across a gospel tract, and praying the prayer on the back page. The change in my heart was real. I had committed my life to Christ. That was July 1974, thirty years ago (Thank You Lord!) and He is still my savior, He is still my Lord.
If I have any ideas for your endeavor, I will let you know.
God bless you!
No disrespect intended, but being "traditional" (i.e., sold out to structures and heirarchial positions such as "pastor" or "bishop," etc.) is why the Church has been made irrelevant for the past 1,700 years. The Church stopped being an organism and became an institution the moment Constatine became a "christian."
Prior to that point in history, our tradition was one of "going and making disciples," although it changed to "us four and no more," as they hid inside walls that were put up between them and the world.
Call it "His Place" or "The Rock" or maybe even "The Way Home." Just hope you realize that unique names and catchy slogans may well get folks to walk in the door, and a nice band with contemporary praise music projected via Powerpoint may even get them to stay and drop money into the collection plate.
Thank you for the ideas, which are quite good. And I do share your frustration with the more modernistic view of "church," which appeared to focus more on aesthetics and the preaching of an "anointed speaker" where the congregants were herded in and told to sit down and keep their collective mouths shut (except to respond with "amens" when prompted by the speaker) like the dumb sheep they are (sarcasm mode on high) and be "fed" instead of being allowed to express their God-given gifts and ministries and thoughts and dreams and songs.
That's not a "church," that's a crutch.
By the way, I believe that the tithe is not a New Testament principle, as many believe today, but rather has become a funding source of the pastor's "vision," (codeword for "personal indulges").
But, think on this...Our Lord is watching.
Oh, I am all too aware that He is and that is why our heart is set the record straight as to what Church is really supposed to be: a community of believers sharing a common faith who, in the eyes of a dying world, openly express that faith through the love they have for one another, taking care of each other and deferring to the other; an environment where everyone is on level ground and where authority is based upon the adherence to truth and not position.
The reason that I'm too afraid to continue the misrepresentation of Him and His word is why I am compelled to do something "new" (although it's 2,000 years old) and receive the condemnation of many.
If Jesus would walk into your church today, would He be pleased at what He saw and heard? Or would He chase you all out of His presence with a whip?
Unless the whole point of your "emerging church" is to lead people to redemption from sin and to salvation through Jesus Christ, you don't have to worry about being mistaken as a "church" no matter what you call yourselves.
The ENTIRE point is to create an environment where God's people can become who they are called and gifted to become without the hindrances that we see in the manmade organizations we call "church," and where the world can actually see real love among God's people expressed through authentic relationships.
The bible says that Jesus was the exact representation of the Father's grace and truth (John 1:14, et al), a living testimony of the Father. What better "sermon" can one receive than to see it honestly and truthfully "fleshed out" among believers travelling on this road call "faith?"
In the advertising world, I believe it's referred to as "all sizzle and no steak." I don't mean to presume that that's what you folks are about. I've just witnessed entirely too much of this new age, universalist, "Church of What's Happenin' Now" nonsense passing for Christianity and tend to be suspicious of an organization that shys away from identifying itself as a church.
It is impossible for an organization to be truthfully realized as a church because an organization depends upon the structures of control, where people, the most precious things to God, are viewed as the means to an end. The biblical definition of church is when "two or three gather together" in the name of Jesus, where it is not a place one goes to but rather an opportunity for church to just "happen" the way it's supposed to.
Thanks again for your ideas and concerns. Please pray for us as we continue to seek His will and His way.
Nothing could be farther from the truth. On the flip side, the word "church" has done more to scare people away as a result of the factions and power plays that is all too often seen in the ORGANIZATIONs masquerading as church.
Our heart is to let people know from the beginning as to what we are: a safe place where they can come and be encouraged to become the person whom God has created them to be and not become some cog in a decaying machine called "church."
A little music the right atmosphere and then slip them a little Jesus under the table when no one is watching. My advice would be to pray and see how the Lord would have you do this. Test the spirit too it sounds like the spirit of this present age that you are hearing from.
Not a "little Jesus" but a LOT of Jesus as seen in His people expressing their love for Him and each other. Remember that Jesus said the proof that we are His is that the world will see our love for one another. The Early Church never once had to create some evangelistic program to reach out because the world watched them together and the care they showed for one another, which showed that they were different from the world. That's why there were people joining their ranks DAILY.
Your slogan can be "We just make it up as we go".
LOL! That's really funny, especially the slogan.
Just a thought, though. What makes you think that the Early Church didn't "just make it up" as they went along? Because they didn't have leatherbound bibles on their pews or the thick book of hymns to sing together like robots, means that they LIVED the life instead of LEGISLATING the life through the edicts of people who placed themselves into positions of power.
The "creative theology" came along about 300 years after our Lord ascended to heaven when power became the god of their desire and walls began being raised.
We need to return to the old ways, the ancient ways of our faith to see what they had, which was simply life, and try to live accordingly.
Thank you. I can assure you that I am quite serious as this passion consumes virtually every waking thought of mine as to seeing the Church return to its roots and thus becoming a fantastic witness to the world again.
surely many people are turned off to "church", but then, they should aks themselves what voices they are listening to. There are many ministers who misinterpret what people are seeking and they tend to try to please them or appease them, thus, they patronize from the pulpit or in their message and the truth is sacrificed on the altar of church growth.
I believe the reason why church has become what it has is exactly the result of trying to appease people. However, the apostle Paul said that in order to reach people, we must find a common denominator, a reference point for a person to identify with, from which a relationship can be created that will, hopefully, result in that person coming to the Lord.
There is no doubt that, while the message of Christianity is eternal, the methods to introduce it to coming generations is not and that unless we understand that, we will continue to become more marginalized and impotent as we sit in our "houses of worship" and watch the world walk by.
With all due respect to Mr. Graham, that is exactly what happened when Constatine became a "christian" and "christians" began meeting in buildings, safe from the persecution that caused it to explode in growth the previous 300 years.
It is fashionable now to be a "christian," especially seeing how everyone born in America is a "christian" by birth (/sarcasm).
The bible says that the early believers were held in very high esteem prior to their becoming comfortable and not obeying the command to "go."
I believe that I know of the one you speak. That is NOT what we're talking about doing.
In order to be effective, the church must become small, small enough to be invited into the homes of people who would probably never attend a "Wal-Mart Church" service.
Just because something's big doesn't mean that God is in it.
Thanks and please do pray for us.
LOL, you'd probably hate my church. We sing a couple ancient hymns and listen respectfully while our pastor preaches (no "amens", even, we're too Presbyterian). No exciting programs or events or even Children's Church, though we've got Sunday School classes. Would not be a bit attractive to some unchurched type, I'd think. (And according to most demographics I, a college-age person, shouldn't like it either)
But for me, it's been what I need. Good solid preaching from the word of God. A refresher course in humility and reverence. I'm about to move and I'm afraid I'll cry, my first few Sundays away.
Maybe your outreach-church is a good idea. Maybe it'll reach the unchurched and unsaved. But once they are saved, is there going to be real meat, or just baby food, for them?
Anyway, I hope God blesses your endevours. May I pray for you?
I know. Didn't mean to offend. It was really just a side comment.
My church has about 3,000 members.
Heavenly Father, I lift before You the efforts of A2J and family to go into the world and preach the gospel. Please guide them, anoint them, protect them, and provide for them. By Your grace, may they bear good fruit for Your glory. In the Name above all Names, the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN.
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