Skip to main content

Tag: name change

Episode #20 – How NOT to Change the Name of a Replant

Written on .

Replant Bootcamp
Replant Bootcamp
Episode #20 - How NOT to Change the Name of a Replant
Loading
/

(JimBo) As a Campus of Hibernia Baptist Church at Hyde Park, we were going autonomous and needed to change our name.

The process that was suggested to JimBo

-Announce a name change (you have 6 weeks)

-If you (JimBo) have an idea-share it with the church

-Gather suggested names from the entire congregation

-Hold a two votes: one to arrive at the top name and then to select the name from the top vote getters

 

Funny names that were submitted: MoTown Church, Good Friends Church

 

Mistakes I made along the way:

-Accepting names from everyone multiple times for six weeks (unlimited suggestions accepted)

-Failing to check to see if the suggested names were already being used by churches in our city

(After googling EACH of the SUGGESTED NAMES every single suggested name was being used by a church in our city, except one, Redemption Church)

-Giving too many options created conflict.

-We ended up having to do re-vote

 

Things I learned along the way

-Always google any suggested names to see if they are eligible.

-Never “wing” a business meeting always have a plan

-Limit the options to diminish conflict.

-It may be a good idea to have a detailed minded person to moderate your business meetings-especially potentially contentious ones.

-Visiting in the community helped me to see how people in our community responded to “Baptist” in our name.

-Be transparent and own your mistakes:I had to confess that I messed up the whole process in public and in private.

-When conflict is serious, pause: we chose not to vote after the two weeks of deliberation because the conflict was so serious.

 

Suggested Process from Kevin Handy in Replant Roadmap

  1. Celebrate the old name 
  2. Look for sacred cows
  3. Pick a name that honors the legacy of the name of the church (Bob threw a flag on this)
  4. Spell out clearly the reasons for the name change

 

Redemption Church in Jacksonville FL

Replant Road Map by Mark Hallock

Name Change Documents mentioned by Bob

Need a great website? Check out our sponsor: oneeightydigital.com

Episode #12 – Redeeming a Church’s Bad Reputation with BOOTS ON THE GROUND GUEST Carey Long

Written on .

Replant Bootcamp
Replant Bootcamp
Episode #12 - Redeeming a Church's Bad Reputation with BOOTS ON THE GROUND GUEST Carey Long
Loading
/

Carey Long, Pastor, Northside Baptist Church, Slidell LA

Q:  What are some practical ways we can help change our church’s reputation/image in the community?

This is a complicated and layered question.

A bad reputation is not built, nor is it fixed overnight.

Discover/Ask: what has our church done that has created a bad reputation in the community?

A way to learn what the community thinks of your church: FourFold Panoramic Assessment by Keelan Cook

Ask the community: “If our church was to be an asset to this community what could we do?”

Consider your church’s history: repent and make reconciliation where possible.

Own and repent of past sins.

Process with your people the findings of your community assessments about your church’s reputation.

A name change is not a strategy to jettison your church’s bad reputation.

Keeping the name is at times, a more powerful picture of the Gospel and the power of forgiveness and redemption Jesus brings to us and the church.

Salvation doesn’t erase our past, it changes it.

Changing a church’s reputation involves changing the church’s culture.

The Pastor’s leadership is key in helping to change the church’s reputation.  

Pastoral involvement in the community along with some church members is key.  As your people engage in the community people get a new image and experience with your church.

Utilize your church’s facilities to bless the community.

Changing the image or reputation of your church takes a long time.

At times, you may need to help correct mis-information about your church in the community proactively.

Let God be your defender, it’s His church.

You will rarely win over the critics who will not engage with you.  You can win over the folks who will interact with you as you patiently help them see what God is doing in your church.

Seek the welfare of the community: Jeremiah 29:7

Engage your community with no-strings attached.