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Baptist Church Names, pet peeve

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Joseph M. Smith, Aug 4, 2006.

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  1. Joseph M. Smith

    Joseph M. Smith New Member

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    It's not all that heavy duty a topic, but one of my pet peeves is the way we so often name our churches. Only a minority of the church names I have encountered exhibit any theological or spiritual stance. Most of them are geographical, suggesting that the church is located on a particular street or place, when we say that we believe the church is the people of God gathered rather than a building.

    Egregious examples of geographical naming: there is a church in Louisville, KY, which is named "Ninth and O Baptist Church", referring to the intersection of a numbered street and a lettered street. It always seemed very awkward to me, and became ludicrous when, at a youth rally, where vans from various churches were lining up, I heard a child say, "Look, Mom, Ninth and Nothing Baptist Church"! Also in Louisville there is a Walnut Street Baptist Church, but many years ago it moved from Walnut Street to St. Catherine Street, but did not change its name. I guess it would be a reach to call a Baptist church "St. Catherine". And maybe it's a good thing, too, since Walnut Street is no more and is now named Muhammad Ali Blvd. -- it really would not do to put that moniker on a Baptist church!

    But here in Washington, DC, where I now live, the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church is on Sixteenth St, the result of a relocation.

    Then there is the penchant for numbering. Many are First Baptist Churches. Some are Second, Third, etc. But in Baltimore, as a result of a merger, there is a Second and Fourth Baptist Church!

    Some churches have what seem to be arrogant names. In the Washington area you can go to True Way BC, True Gospel BC, True Temple Missionary BC, or True and Living God First BC. Others sound as though they are in the wrong denomination: St. Judah BC, St. Mary's BC, Sacred Heart International BC.

    Perhaps the most problematic are those which are "Somebody Memorial". I have been around long enough to know that eventually people ask, "So who was 'somebody' that he should get a church named for him ... and no one knows!". Spare me, when I pass on, a "Smith Memorial BC"

    Happily, there are plenty with Biblical/theological/spiritual names, many of them beginning with "Mt.", as in Zion, Ararat, Sinai, Calvary, etc., or "New" as in New Creation, New Bethany, New Birth, New Bible (Oh, oh, that won't fly with the KJVO crowd!). And we do have others ... I endorse those who named their Baptist churches Grace, Trinity, Holy Trinity, Jerusalem, Calvary, Holy Comforter, etc. May their tribe increase!​
     
    #1 Joseph M. Smith, Aug 4, 2006
  2. Joshua Rhodes

    Joshua Rhodes <img src=/jrhodes.jpg>

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    Our church started on a mountaintop/cliff overhang here in Branson, and was dubbed Skyline Baptist Church. We have since moved into another building, down in the valley and have built an educational facility. There are some in our congregation that are considering a name change to fit our current situation, and I'm all for it. The area we're in now is referred to locally as "Fall Creek" and there is no Fall Creek Baptist Church here. Don't know if it'll happen or not. For those antsy about the removal of "Baptist" from the sign, another one of the considerations is "The Church at the Falls." Not sure i like that...
     
    #2 Joshua Rhodes, Aug 4, 2006
  3. mozier

    mozier New Member

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    The one that has always made me laugh is a church that is named "Bible Believer's Baptist Church."

    Does this imply that there is a Bible Non-Believer's Baptist Church? :smilewinkgrin:
     
    #3 mozier, Aug 4, 2006
  4. TaterTot

    TaterTot Guest

    Mine is Corinth Baptist Church. Anyone who knew the life and practices of the folks of Corinth would most likely not want to be associated with that name.

    But we have one here named Gumpond Baptist, lol.
     
    #4 TaterTot, Aug 4, 2006
  5. tinytim

    tinytim <img src =/tim2.jpg>

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    my pet peeve is a church with "memorial" in it's name.
     
    #5 tinytim, Aug 4, 2006
  6. Pete

    Pete New Member

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    Yet another day I'm glad I'm an Aussie :D

    Generally here it's (Suburb) Baptist Church. Anything else and it's more than likely an AOG franchise ;)
     
    #6 Pete, Aug 4, 2006
  7. Gib

    Gib Active Member

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    The church (building) I attend holds a significant place in history; First Baptist Church.
     
    #7 Gib, Aug 4, 2006
  8. mcdirector

    mcdirector Active Member

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    ~~~~hehe~~~~
     
    #8 mcdirector, Aug 4, 2006
  9. mcdirector

    mcdirector Active Member

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    I go to good old Calvary, but in the past about every church I attended was named for its street or locale in some form or fashion.
     
    #9 mcdirector, Aug 4, 2006
  10. SBCPreacher

    SBCPreacher Active Member
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    I like location names. We are Newport Baptist Church, beause we're in, of all places, Newport! I know of a church named "Big Lick Baptist Church." Guess where they're located? You're right, Big Lick!

    I don't like the idea of naming churches after people, especialy whaen it's "Someone Memorial B.C." It's Christ's church, not theirs.

    Just my opinion.
     
    #10 SBCPreacher, Aug 4, 2006
  11. pasdave

    pasdave New Member

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    We don't see any indication in scripture that we should "name" a church by any other name except where it is located.

    (Act 11:22) Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.


    (Act 13:1) Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.


    (1Co 1:2) Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

    But, let's say in Dallas, how many churches are there in Dallas? Who knows. We couldn't call them all the churches in Dallas because nobody would know which one you meant. Also, if you meant your particular Baptist church and we called all "assemblies" churches, then that would also lump your particular Baptist church along with the false "churches".
     
    #11 pasdave, Aug 4, 2006
  12. Joshua Rhodes

    Joshua Rhodes <img src=/jrhodes.jpg>

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    I used to travel in a worship band, and we led worship for a youth event one night in Cut-N-Shoot Baptist Church, Cut-N-Shoot, Texas. I think now they're FBC, Cut-N-Shoot.
     
    #12 Joshua Rhodes, Aug 4, 2006
  13. canadyjd

    canadyjd Well-Known Member

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    Iona Baptist church. It is pronounced "I own a".

    peace to you:praying:
     
    #13 canadyjd, Aug 4, 2006
  14. SaggyWoman

    SaggyWoman Active Member

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    I am with you on this one. I feel your pain.
     
    #14 SaggyWoman, Aug 4, 2006
  15. SaggyWoman

    SaggyWoman Active Member

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    The ones that also slay me is when the names seem to have more thought put into it than the work of the church.
     
    #15 SaggyWoman, Aug 4, 2006
  16. Pete

    Pete New Member

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    Slaying? As Siegfried might put it "Schtarker dis ist ze Baptist Church, ve don't slay here....." :laugh: :D
     
    #16 Pete, Aug 4, 2006
  17. Tom Bryant

    Tom Bryant Well-Known Member

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    I like location names also. The theological names mean little to people we are trying to reach.

    :smilewinkgrin: One possible name I would like is "The pastor is Always Right Baptist Church."
     
    #17 Tom Bryant, Aug 4, 2006
  18. Psalm 100

    Psalm 100 New Member

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    Our church is named for our neighborhood. There's also a Methodist church called the same thing.

    The funniest one I've seen is Rock Star MB Church. I don't know what the history of the church is, but there is a little town named Star not to far.

    And as far as names, I've noticed the larger, more contemporary churches usually have a location or slogan name, while the small fundie churches will have the theological names.
     
    #18 Psalm 100, Aug 4, 2006
  19. drfuss

    drfuss New Member

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    Could the Pastor invoke the chruch name at business meetings?

    Ho! Ho! Ho!
     
    #19 drfuss, Aug 4, 2006
  20. DeeJay

    DeeJay New Member

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    Ok. I have a dumb question that I have always wondered about.

    Somebody explain to me about the First BC, Second BC. I would think that the first Baptist church in town gets to name their church First. But it seems there are several First Baptist chruchs in a town.
     
    #20 DeeJay, Aug 4, 2006
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