Friday, July 14

Name that church...

Okay...seeing how reality television has overwhelmed our culture like a big zit on your face the night before your senior prom, I thought I would add to the madness...

I have jotted down idea after idea after idea for a name for this 'new thing', this new church that will launch in Knoxville in 2007...and I've not come up with anything I really like...So, would you help me? Please?

It will be just like voting on American Idol...

Give me all your ideas...serious ones, not-so-serious ones...comment on each other's ideas, etc...just click on the word 'comments' at the bottom of this post and then go to the bottom of the page that comes up and click on 'post a comment'...

At least give me some ideas about what kind of name makes sense to those 'who don't like church'...


Waiting expectantly,

mark

Mark Nelson at 4:43 PM 38comments

38 Comments

at 10:04 PM  The Adkins Family said...

Man, this is so hard... you want to get just the right thing and once you choose, you're pretty much stuck with it forever. How do you find a word or two that sum up everything you're aiming for... how do you find a word or two that won't sound dumb a year from now... how do you pick something that won't sound like everything else?

I'm just going to brainstorm as I type here... maybe something will click.

Midtown Gathering
Homburg Community Church
Peyton's Summitt
Common Ground
The Well (has a nice ring to it, don't you think?) :)
The Crossing
SoccerTacoChurch
The Crying Grounds (from the pierce pettis song)

Okay, about half of those are ridiculous... I'll keep thinking. I'm anxious to see everyone else's thoughts.

 

at 11:33 PM  Mark Nelson said...

Gee Reggie...why not 'Church of the Desperado' or 'Witchy Women'...

 

at 11:02 AM  Holly said...

I don't think you want the word "church" in the title if you are trying to make this a place for people to come who don't like church. Does that make sense?
Even though WTCC has a "Well", I think that is a great name! Also, people like food... we humans just like to eat... so what if the name had something to do in some way with food or something that makes you think of food. (Not soccertaco though Greg!) Our church here in Fayetteville is Manna. Of course people who are unfamiliar with Biblical history would probably have no idea what manna means. You don't wanna scare people off by naming a church some Hebrew or Greek word that they don't even understand. (I am thinking as I type, can you tell?!)
Christin Bradley sent me this link! I have my own blog on blogger (www.purposedrivenfamily.blogspot.com)
I know this is a restuarant in Knoxville, so you probably can't use it (without lawsuit!) but I like The Melting Pot! Makes you think of Food AND Diversity! Hmm.
If anything comes to me, I will let you know. Even though Tony and I are no longer in Knoxville, we keep up with major events at WTCC.
May God richly bless you Mark (and you Greg) as you go separate ways to serve Him.
Holly McDaneld

 

at 11:32 AM  Holly said...

The Round Table-

after King Arthur's knights' table!
The Table is where we gather in our home to eat, to be nourished, to play games, to discuss matters, to pray, to plan, to do school assignments... the table is a place where we gather around to be fed, get equipped and grow! Ours is also a round table (Oval when the leaf is in!) where we are all in equal rank as far as seating goes! (of course Daddy is the Head Knight at our house!)
Just an idea!
Praying for God's divine inspiration in choosing a name!
Holly McDaneld

 

at 5:32 PM  Nicole said...

Can't say I have any inspired ideas about a name for the church, but I did come across this article at the Metropulse on faith communities in Knoxville. I think it highlights the need for something new in Ktown, but one that points in the right direction to HPFTWBTG.

http://metropulse.com/articles/2006/16_28/cover_story.shtml

 

at 9:41 AM  Anonymous said...

I believe that you have stumbled over one of the most difficult tasks ever....to put a name to an identity. I believe that as people are seeking that they know the church has answers...thus even the un-churched know to find the answers in the church. I would point out that our church plant, Common Ground Christian Church, has grown in depth and breadth not because of name but because of our community. Thus, I would suggest the following names:

Key Christian Church (Matt.16:19
The Way Christian Church

I am stuck here...I'll see if I can come up with anything else.

Cameron Mayhill

 

at 2:32 PM  Anonymous said...

Well my first thought is

What Up Dog don't You Understand My Meaning Brother Man When I Flip You Back and Forth Christian Church (of course).

I know church names shouldn't be overly long but I think this one really speaks to people. Anywas I know with a little work it could fit on a sign. I am willing to help to make it happen. Maybe I'll come up with something else later.

Mandy says she really loves my name but she also likes Greg's idea of Midtown Gathering.

 

at 2:43 PM  Anonymous said...

Well I have another thought...

Mosaic...I know it's not orignal but I think it has a lot of depth and would mean something even more from those with an appreciation for art and more creative things.

what about something involving clay or dirt or potter or pottery

still thinking...

 

at 3:06 PM  bill said...

i've been thinking and here are my two best ideas:

Knoxville Postmodern Emerging Christian Church (its very informative)

or

Mclaren Christian Church

i like both.

 

at 4:20 PM  bill said...

Oooo...I just thought of another one:

A New Kind of Christian Church

 

at 4:55 PM  Mark Nelson said...

Bill...how 'bout 'A church we find ourselves in'...maybe the "Last church and the church after that"...

THANKS TO ALL WHO ARE JOINING IN THIS DISCUSSION...

Daniel- I think there's already a Mosaic Knoxville...it started sometime in the past year...

Cameron- Welcome... Yeah, I love so much about Common Ground represents... (not only your name)

Holly- It's good to hear from you...hope you guys are well...I love the thinking behind 'The Melting Pot' (we'd probably have to end up charging a fortune to enter the door)

How 'bout a 'Generous Orthodox Church'...? (Okay, sorry, enough McLaren jokes)

 

at 10:43 PM  Anonymous said...

Yeah, I totally forgot about the Mosiac church in Ktown. I know the lead planter on that. He is the previous senior minister from Bridgewater Church.

The Bridge
LifeBridge
The Connection
Connecting Point
ConXection (x represents a crossroad)
A Jesus Community
New Frames
Temptation Island
Mars Hill
Bearden Hill
The Cult of Mary Magdalene

Just brainstorming...some more may come later...hopefully the ones meant as jokes are obvious

 

at 11:09 PM  Nicole said...

How about the Big Orange Box?

lol, I crack myself up.

 

at 11:21 PM  Mark Nelson said...

Oooh...you gotta love the Big Orange Box

 

at 1:02 PM  Jess said...

Mark, I was listing to a sermon of yours from CMC I have on CD, "Live the Mystery" this morning, and you told the story of Tony Campolo in Hawaii. In the diner he was asked what kind of church he belonged to, and Tony replied "the kind of church that throws birthday parties for [prostitutes] at 3:00 in the morning" (after he had done just that). Maybe that's too long and strange for a church name, but I love the thought. :)

By the way, if you need any graphics / web work done for the church yet-to-be-named, I’d be happy to help! Just shoot me an email if you’re ever in need. :)

- Jessie (Vance) Murphy mrsjessicamurphy@gmail.com

 

at 1:23 PM  The Adkins Family said...

Well Carol, you must not have read "Peyton's Summitt" or "SoccerTacoChurch" clearly enough, because those are the final two and either one would be enough to bring sinners to the Lord just by reading the name on the sign.

Although...

"The church that throws parties for prostitutes" is pretty cool too. I'd visit a church with that name for sure.

 

at 8:15 PM  Zach Below said...

You've already named one church...The Church at Panera...maybe you just make this a sister campus!
Zach

 

at 9:27 PM  Mark Nelson said...

That's a good point Zach...we already have our multisite church with the church of Panera at Cedar Bluff, Bearden, Oak Ridge, UT Campus, and our newest house of worship the church of Panera at Turkey Creek...

My the honey wheat bagel be praised!

 

at 3:32 PM  Anonymous said...

New Horizon Community Church

In TN you can't see the horizon.

Many times as Church People, we have the blinders on & can't see the Horizon.

Non believers may not know where to look.

The Logo: a flat line with a mountain peak and a rainbow on the other side touching the ground at both ends.

 

at 4:45 PM  Anonymous said...

oooh mama mia, you say you want koinonia?
well bless me. bless me. and teach me about john wesley.

 

at 6:29 PM  Anonymous said...

Driscoll feels your pain:

http://theresurgence.com/church_names

 

at 12:26 AM  Dustin said...

what about: solace?

or you could spell it soulace.

you could make it solace knoxville or solace community.

just thinking...

 

at 11:28 AM  Anonymous said...

Considering the target audience--or as much of it as we are perceiving at this point--I think we should avoid the word Church, avoid arcane biblical, or even directly biblical, references, anything that may be a disconnect. If a guiding principal is that we are aiming for a place where there are no outsiders, the name will be crucial to convey that. The simpler, the more open to interpretation, the better. I like Crossings, which Mark has thrown around. Few words, straight forward words.

 

at 11:34 AM  Anonymous said...

Clearing House

 

at 12:26 PM  Anonymous said...

Why not come up with a short list of names and ask people who aren't going to church which name of a church they would most likely go to? It really doesn't matter which one we like best, does it?

 

at 2:10 PM  Anonymous said...

Mark,
I am the Lead Pastor of a new work here in Knoxville called NorthBrook Church. We are meeting in the Fountain City area at Whittle Springs Middle. E-mail me sometime so we can connect about the new work He is doing in you.

jbradford@northbrook.cc

I think Common Ground has potential.

 

at 3:32 PM  Nicole said...

It sounds kinda cultish..but what just simply, "The Community"

Thinking of the Derek Webb song, and my own journey with the concept, waht about Beloved? too hokey?

 

at 12:46 AM  Anonymous said...

Working off a sketch you've done why not, "Level Ground". The idea being that the ground is level at the foot of the cross. It doesn't matter if you are the lead pastor of a new church work or if you are a homosexual male that has decided to seek God in a new way or if you are college student is wonder about this need they have in their lives for 'more'.

 

at 3:48 AM  Anonymous said...

Sinners welcome here...

 

at 8:17 AM  The Adkins Family said...

I like Level Ground too. That's probably my favorite one so far. Although I still maintain someone will start a church in Knoxville called Peyton's Summitt someday and it will be very, very big. Except on Sundays after UT loses... then they will cancel services.

 

at 11:40 AM  Anonymous said...

i like level ground, very egalitarian.

 

at 1:11 PM  Ben Pahlow said...

Hi Mark!

This is fun. Well, being partial to The Yellow Box, my personal favorite was THE ORANGE BOX.

If you pick LEVEL GROUND, your sign will have to be very large to fit the entire description from Daniel...and that would make a very messy web address!

 

at 9:50 AM  Holly said...

OKay, so Level Ground may have potential, but being military minded of late, I think you should go with BASIC TRAINING.
Hey BASIC is an acronym for Brothers and Sisters in Christ! And this life we live is training for eternity, right?
So the military got something right after all! They don't just send their soldiers into war, they go into BASIC TRAINING first and then, they send them to AIT- Advanced Individual Training and then after that they go to a GROUP training and THEN they go to war!
Well, we are a people who are at war with the enemy and will be until Christ's return. We need to be going through this training together. We need the basics, lose the fluff stuff.
I say name the church BASIC Training. Of course you could ward off those long haired guys who might have otherwise come but fear having their head shaved in church or having to pass inspection before they are allowed in. Hmmmmm. Well, maybe it isn't perfect, but I like it. ;+)
Hooah!
Holly

 

at 5:08 PM  Unknown said...

That is too weird. I was just rereading a note I made during the Well one night about "the ground being level at the foot of the cross". I like Level Ground a lot. Of coarse that is if you are not going to go with Greg's Soccer Taco Church.

 

at 7:14 PM  Anonymous said...

What about a water reference. I don't like 'well' or 'river' or 'oasis' because, well, i just don't i guess.

The Ocean, Oceanic, The Tide, Waves of Grace, The Flood, The Stream, Living Water, Water of Life, etc.

Considering your message you want to convey is a total acceptance by God for all who want it, the thought of having all your baggage buried some place, I think of water. But there's a hundred good applications to water references you can use to convey The message.

 

at 1:38 AM  Anonymous said...

New Start Community

 

at 1:11 AM  Anonymous said...

After my wife and I talking we thought Level Ground Community or even Level Ground Community Church would work as well. We know there is not a lot of sentiment for including the word church in the name but it could work as well. Just some thoughts.

 

at 10:32 AM  Liz Pinckert said...

Ok, I'm looking in the phone book at church names, and they are mostly descriptive, "X Christian Church, etc." You want to make your point, not be too preachy in your name, not say too much or too little, you need one word followed by "Community Church" and that one word needs to speak (or not speak)volumes. Mmmmmmm?Pathways Community Church? Everyone is on a path, regardless of whatever. I did a yellow pages search, and "Pathways" are mostly associated with mental health. There are no churches named pathways. Doesn't it seem appropriate, seeing all the mental health issues arising through modern life, and the pursuit of happiness and wealth? Mmmmm...

 

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