Here’s a new and innovative way of going about naming your church — ask your whole country to help. And give them a Wii if they’re right.
[Insert name here] church of Australia took that route. They held a competition, which has since closed, in which anyone from Australia could submit as many ideas as they would like to name their church. A simple site allowed anyone to submit a church name and tagline, and the church is now deciding among the submissions for a winner.
You can sign up to find out more about the church — details of the winners, info about the community and ongoing updates about the community. Seems like a genius way to draw a community to your new church. Keep your eyes peeled for the winning entry, and best of luck to the church to be named later!
Update: A winner has been named! CitySoul is the new name of the church. Read on for the full emailed press release.
Hi Joshua,
You’re receiving this email because you asked us to let you know who won our amazing NameaChurch competition… We had hundreds of entries from around the country, ranging from the interesting to the crazy, the hilarious to the insightful.
However, there can be only one winner, and we are pleased to officially announce that the name of our new church is (drumroll, please…)
CitySoul
This name was submitted by Fuzz Kitto, a man who knows a thing or two about crazy names himself!
Fuzz, however, has generously decided to donate the prize, a Wii, to a worthy youth program in the bush. So, in consultation with SMG (South Australia’s schools chaplaincy provider), we’ve decided the worthy winner of the Wii is therefore going to be Joy Marks, the CPS worker at Mannum Community College, to be used in their Youth Centre, the Convertible Cafe.
We’d like to thank the hundreds of people who entered and if you’re interested in finding out more about us and haven’t signed up for our regular updates, please reply email to this address.
Cheers
CitySoul community
michael buckingham : holy cow
August 18, 2008
I don’t know…great way to get free work I guess. It’s certainly not how I would recommend a church coming up with something as permanent as a church name.
Maybe for VBS, or something like that for the sake of the publicity…but I’m not a fan of the church trying to find the cheapest way to do marketing as it usually is not as effective.
This type of thing cheapens the power of a great copywriter, marketer, etc.
Great way of getting cheap work…but shouldn’t the church be known for being generous not cheap?
Russ
August 18, 2008
Oddly enough our church name is the result of a survey done over the course of a month at the local Walmart on Sunday mornings.
I wasn’t a part of that effort, but I do find it intriguing that the philosophy behind it was that if we were going to be doing something different in the community to reach people who weren’t already going to church we would ask people that were NOT at church at 10 am – 12 noon on Sunday mornings what they thought the best name on the list was.
Daniel
August 18, 2008
How about “Finger in the Wind Church.” The slogan can be “Leading where you tell us to go.”
A church’s name is someone’s very first impression of what that church is like and what it exists for.
Example: what images come to your mind when you hear “Little Rock First Baptist,” or “Fruits of the Vine” or “Saint Peter’s”? Those churches may or may not actually exist, but you probably have a picture in your head of what they would be like if they did.
A name, like a logo, is a snapshot of what a church is about, and a church’s leaders are the only ones who can decide that.
M.joshua
August 19, 2008
Call me a jerk, but how about “We Don’t Know How to Hear From God Church”
Mark Bennardo
August 19, 2008
I may be wrong, but I don’t see this approach as being about getting cheap work, or not knowing how to listen to God.
Rather, it seems to me like a strategic (and authentic) way to connect with your community. If you really want to make them feel like your church is part of them, then allowing your community to have a stake in something as important as your church name isn’t a bad idea. It’s quite organic and “grass roots”.
I’m sure you could have some caveats, such as having your own copyrighters massage and tweak some things, and retain ultimate say on whether you use the name submissions or not.
I think it’s kind of a cool idea. IMHO.
Lynn P
August 22, 2008
What ever happened to having God name a church, and having God give you the tagline? What happened to praying and fasting until God moves and speaks? Why is this church naming method being touted as innovative?
Never, in the book of Acts, which is the inception of the church and our church model, did the apostles/disciples seek the advice or counsel of the unsaved as to how to run the church. As a matter of fact we are repeatedly warned against it (Psalm 1).
Someone may think, “What’s the big deal. It’s only a name.” But it is a very big deal. The name of something tells alot about it. And,to God, names are very important. So important He would change someone’s name to reflect what He was doing in their lives.
It scares me that this church has begun this way. Often times how you begin something is how you continue it. I say this to you in love: If anyone from the church is reading this post, please, please, please, pray and fast for all future decisions.
Sheila Branscombe
September 6, 2008
An alternate perspective: Since when did a church need a name? We seem to forget that WE are the CHURCH. So in that vein, I say that it is likely that God is more concerned about us being His church then what we name a building or a congregation or group of believers. If this is true, then we are also incorrect in our use of denominational names….
KtD
September 16, 2008
Dear All..
God’s Blessings to each and every one of you..
I stumbled on this website trying to find the church-in-questions homepage.. I have to admit, it is disheartening to see ‘Christians’ being so petty in such a public place as the internet. It makes it all the more obvious why people who do not know God don’t really want to, if it is us who represent Him.
As a member of this said new church, I will admit that initially I was a bit hesitant about letting any old person name our church. However, Fuzz Kitto is no ordinary person.. He is an amazing man of God and renowned nationally and internationally for his work in mission, especially with youth. Google him.. Go ahead, i dare you! =P
Honestly, its just a name, a point of reference. First and foremost, we are a Church community, the body of Christ. We are quite capable of listening and being led by our great and amazing God, but where and when it truly matters. Already there are some extraordinary initiatives in action and our Church body continues to strengthen. Having said this, as it turns out, the name is a snapshot of who we are.. Our physical location is in the centre of a city, and our aim is to bring Christ to the people who need him most (aka whoever we come across) in our community, rekindling His soul in the world we live.
I leave now knowing that no matter what i say, there will be people who still disagree with our approach for a whole myriad of reasons.. But I pray that for most of you that this gives some clarity to the situation.
Your sister in Christ..
cesar
October 26, 2009
i need a name for a church in spanish and i can’t find someone that can help me please if you guys have someone that can help me let me know please ok