A new sign indicates the name change at Harbor Light.
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Don't count on Googling "church" to find all the Christian places of worship near your home. The word is being abandoned as many congregations choose catchier names to attract new members.
The HighWay Community, Harbor Light and Great Exchange are just a few of the unconventional names being chosen by congregations in California and across the country.
"They're very creative with these names. They raise curiosity, break stereotypes," said Eddie Gibbs, professor of church growth at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif. "They appeal not just to the younger generation, but those impacted by popular culture."
It's all part of a larger effort to draw in younger generations looking for something other than their parents' church, as well as people who have never attended church or found the right fit....
There are some 'churches' here that are so openly apostate I wish they would remove the 'church' part from their name as they are only a liberal social club really.
Probably same kind of places that have "Flocks that Rock" ! Let them do what they want to do. At some point, everyone shows their true colors STRAIGHT and NARROW is the path, and few are those who find it! God calls out the saved, born again believers and joins them to other saved born again believers. God has a way of directing HIS OWN. That's why you must walk in the Spirit, and teach your children the way they should go; it's the only protection we & they will ever have from any such nonsense or cults!
Too much emphasis is being placed upon the local organizations and not enough on the individuals who make up the real Church. The prize for Christ is the (priest) Christian whose body is the temple within the priesthood of believers, not the logistics of "organization" of the assembly of believers.
Robert, after seeing the picture of what the church was, a Holy Roller outfit, I could see why they would want to keep their identity secret. :-(
A person comes in and finds out that most of the congregation has their brains them largely switched off, they get switched off from Christianity. I know the Elect will eventually get saved, but I wonder if they wouldn't become effective members of Christ's church sooner if they didn't run into one of these organizations first?
Let's not be too hard on them. The Greek word for "Church," "ecclesia," simply means "the called out ones," and typical words in reference to the church simply mean "community." I would argue that using other terms might actually make matters clearer.
Don't the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons already do that? Do these outfits want the break with tradition of preaching the Gospel. I would think I would avoid one of these outfits.
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