Plenty, as it turns out.
Names are how we recognize and differentiate each other. Yes, we could use numbers, but what’s the fun in that?
Besides, people have enough trouble remembering names. How much more difficult would it be to have to remember 399,406.23?
Some of you reading this may have ended up here thinking that you’d end up somewhere else. Some of you came looking for a particular name of a church, and are surprised to find yourself looking at a different name.
Why?
Names matter. For businesses, organizations, and churches. Think about the resources invested by marketing and advertising people on names. They have a job because we need to be able to tell one company from another.
Reputation and expectations also are associated with names. Any of these ring a bell?
His name is Mudd.
The life of Riley.
Richer than Croesus.
Church names often have the same association. Our name can evoke the same reactionary thoughts in people’s minds as the list above.
Churches should consider their names in the same manner. I think that churches should think more about how we are identified.
A name for a church can arise from the area that it’s in, or from an affiliation with a larger group, a particular doctrine, or a place or person in scripture. Though there is nothing wrong with those, I think churches miss an opportunity to tell a little about themselves in their name. To fulfill what the church is called by Christ to do, we can’t be identified by whatever we prefer. We have to be fulfilling Christ’s preferences. We have to
identify with Him.
Names matter to God.
Several times in the Old Testament, and at least once in the New Testament, people had their names changed. Abram to Abraham. Sarai to Sarah. Jacob to Israel. Naomi to Mara. Saul to Paul.
Each of these name changes were a result of a change in the person given the name. Each time, their life took on a different path; a different focus; a different purpose.
We here at Ozona Community Church desire for our name to tell more about who we are, where we are, and what we’re about.
Why Ozona Community Church?
Because we’re
in Ozona
for the Community
as the Church
If you’re looking for a place to connect; if you’re looking for a community of people living life together; if you’re looking for concerned friends; if you’re looking for teaching that is Bible centered and openly discussed-well, you’re at the right web site.
Why not come on out to the building site and meet us IRL? We’ll do our best to remember your name!
Serving you gladly,
Jerry
