What's in a Name? Protestant Church Names

[Richard Johnson]

My all time favorite (not!) church name near us: Sierra College Avenue Baptist Chuch. Think of it : a church named after a street named after a school named after a mountain!

[Dave Benke]

A pastor trained at a Lutheran seminary?

I would assume so. I'm not sure someone trained at Hartford Seminary or Denver Seminary or Fuller would fully understand Lutheranism. If the pastor was trained at a non-Lutheran seminary, I would question how long the congregation would remain Lutheran.

Well, Yale Divinity School grad here. I think I kept my parish pretty Lutheran for 29 years.

One of those just nominated to serve as the new president of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis -- Dr. Travis Scholl -- has his MDiv from Yale and PhD (in English) from U of Missouri, with no Lutheran college or seminary training listed on the official LCMS Worker Locator page.  He is currently listed as "college or seminary faculty".

I know Dr. Scholl very well.  Not related to Dr. Scholl's on the foot powder side of the aisle, by the way - if so, he would be a very wealthy guy. 
He did work through the Synodical process, which I think was "Alternate Route" plus interview and possibly course work.  Vicarage conducted at one of the best urban congregations in our denomination, Redeemer Lutheran in the Bronx, which - now that I look at the list - has its pastor, Dr. Dien A. Taylor, on the list for President as well.

Dave Benke

[D. Engebretson]

A pastor trained at a Lutheran seminary?

I would assume so. I'm not sure someone trained at Hartford Seminary or Denver Seminary or Fuller would fully understand Lutheranism. If the pastor was trained at a non-Lutheran seminary, I would question how long the congregation would remain Lutheran.

Well, Yale Divinity School grad here. I think I kept my parish pretty Lutheran for 29 years.

One of those just nominated to serve as the new president of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis -- Dr. Travis Scholl -- has his MDiv from Yale and PhD (in English) from U of Missouri, with no Lutheran college or seminary training listed on the official LCMS Worker Locator page.  He is currently listed as "college or seminary faculty".

I know Dr. Scholl very well.  Not related to Dr. Scholl's on the foot powder side of the aisle, by the way - if so, he would be a very wealthy guy. 
He did work through the Synodical process, which I think was "Alternate Route" plus interview and possibly course work.  Vicarage conducted at one of the best urban congregations in our denomination, Redeemer Lutheran in the Bronx, which - now that I look at the list - has its pastor, Dr. Dien A. Taylor, on the list for President as well.

Dave Benke

Interesting is that he does not seem to be listed among the regular professors at the seminary. He seems to be the managing editor of the seminary's publications.  His Ph.D is in English with a dissertation entitled “Of the Burning,” which focused on the Harlem Renaissance writer James Weldon Johnson and his book of sermon-poems, God’s Trombones.

[peter_speckhard]

A retired guy once told me to think twice about taking a call to a church with "new" or "peace" or "living" in its name, because probably it was form as part of a bitter split and the name was chosen either in naive hope or else as a jab at the "old," "contentious," and "dead" church they split off from. 

[Steven W Bohler]

A pastor trained at a Lutheran seminary?

I would assume so. I'm not sure someone trained at Hartford Seminary or Denver Seminary or Fuller would fully understand Lutheranism. If the pastor was trained at a non-Lutheran seminary, I would question how long the congregation would remain Lutheran.

Well, Yale Divinity School grad here. I think I kept my parish pretty Lutheran for 29 years.

One of those just nominated to serve as the new president of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis -- Dr. Travis Scholl -- has his MDiv from Yale and PhD (in English) from U of Missouri, with no Lutheran college or seminary training listed on the official LCMS Worker Locator page.  He is currently listed as "college or seminary faculty".

I know Dr. Scholl very well.  Not related to Dr. Scholl's on the foot powder side of the aisle, by the way - if so, he would be a very wealthy guy. 
He did work through the Synodical process, which I think was "Alternate Route" plus interview and possibly course work.  Vicarage conducted at one of the best urban congregations in our denomination, Redeemer Lutheran in the Bronx, which - now that I look at the list - has its pastor, Dr. Dien A. Taylor, on the list for President as well.

Dave Benke

According to the LCMS Locator, Dr. Scholl is a member of your district.  And, according to a post on LutherQuest, has been ever since his colloquy into the LCMS — 17 days after receiving his Yale MDiv, which must be close to a record time.  And, I believe you were the DP at the time of his colloquy, Dr. Benke.  Do you know: has he ever served in the Atlantic District?  Or has he been at CSL the entire time after his colloquy?

[Rev Mathew Andersen]

For what its worth, I would tend to avoid a church with an edgy name.  Having listened to a lot of sermons, I find those with edgy names, far from actually being edgy, tend to be entertaining but agonizingly safe in what they talk about and how they address it.  It tends to be much like the time I went to see Twilight expecting a vampire movie and got a Halmark special with a vampire veneer instead.  Only movie i ever walked out of before the end.  Tullian's new church "The Sanctuary" is a prime example.  Listen to one sermon of his lately and you have heard them all.  Nothing exceptional and exciting and I think he is pretty much existing on his reputation more than his message.  I've gotten to the point I don't expect much that is either edgy or authentic from edgy churches.

So what would make a church edgy or authentic in your opinion?

My own read is similar to yours in that what is desired in many churches is to maximize marketing toward sales, which is of course the American Business Model.  By sales is meant attendance and offerings.  And the churches that are using names like "New Dawn" (as opposed to Twilight) are marketing "new" and "lovely", something everybody wants to see and be part of as they sit on the beach early in the morning.  The problem is that the other term, "Sunset" or "Twilight" doesn't market well for churches, even though they are lovely and people want to be part of them even more because they don't like to get up early and at sunset they can have an adult beverage in their hand.  I guess Sunset Church would be OK in a retirement community in Arizona, maybe Sun City.  But even there, eventually after Sunset the lights go out.  EndGame Church.  Or you could have a dual parish, Sunset Church and Rising Star Church, maybe one church where the title changes with the time of day = that to me would be something new in the church marketing/sales deal, wouldn't it?  I may have to trademark and sell that right. 

All that being said, there's precious little knowledge out there any more about the Saints, and the Hypostasized Truths churches, Faith/Hope/Love have a lot to live up to, and the Distinctives churches, "Church of the Reformation," "Church of the Lutheran Confession," etc. are holding a very tight marketing line. 

So what makes a church edgy or authentic?  For titles, how about "Fearless Lutheran Church?"  Or "Two-Edged Sword Lutheran?"

Dave Benke

Well, "edgy" would be: if you are going to have church in a building that looks like an old warehouse or factory, put it in an actual abandoned warehouse or factory in an economically depressed part of town and have a ministry that serves the local area, a food bank, clothing bank, soup kitchen or homeless shelter.  Super edgy would be to build next to a gay bar or coffee shop and for the pastor to do his weekly sermon prep in said bar or coffee shop - on drag night.

[Dan Fienen]

I mentioned this in another thread. One of the speakers at the Fall, 2019 All Pastor's Conference, Michigan District was the Rev. William (Billy) A. Brath from Orlando, Florida, who is currently serving the Lutheran Church Extension Fund as Vice President for Ministry Support, but has been a pastor in Orlando with an emphasis on service the LGBTQ community and still does ministry in that community. His presentations offer good information about and perspective to ministering to the LGBTQ community. You Tube videos of his presentation are available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh3tLA6uxJo and www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgM_6ejcUW8&feature=emb_logo.

[Rev Mathew Andersen]

I mentioned this in another thread. One of the speakers at the Fall, 2019 All Pastor's Conference, Michigan District was the Rev. William (Billy) A. Brath from Orlando, Florida, who is currently serving the Lutheran Church Extension Fund as Vice President for Ministry Support, but has been a pastor in Orlando with an emphasis on service the LGBTQ community and still does ministry in that community. His presentations offer good information about and perspective to ministering to the LGBTQ community. You Tube videos of his presentation are available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh3tLA6uxJo and www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgM_6ejcUW8&feature=emb_logo.

Those are good videos but I wonder how many of the attendees actually went out and made friends in the LGBT community?

[peterm]

Near Hastings MN there are two Lutheran churches across the road from each other.  One is Christiana, the other Highview Christiana or something like that.  I'm told that this stems from the predestination controversy in the Old Norwegian synod at the beginning of the 20th century. 

I also find interesting how churches can pick up geographic names in spite of their actual names.  One church I serve is called Lost Island, which refers to the township.  It's original name was Our Savior's but no one uses that now, and they haven't for decades.  Nearby is St. Paul's Danish Lutheran, now closed, that everyone refers to as South Walnut Lutheran.  Again, township name stuck more than the actual name.

[Michael Slusser]

This made me look on Google Maps to see if I could find those two churches in Hastings. I came upon something better: a candidate for the "edgy" church name some are looking for.

Shepherd of the Valley ReDO Fitness Church (LCMS) https://www.redofitness.org/
"ReDO fitness is a mission of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod"

Peace,
Michael

[Charles Austin]

Read through that whole website, and tell me what you think.

[peter_speckhard]

Several years ago I would have been appalled by this website. The cheesy "cover of a motivational book in the airport" look, the leading with the entrepreneur's personal story, the assumption that regular old church isn't for everyone, the bland description of "spiritual fitness," etc. etc. Now I'm more inclined to say, "Sigh. Fine, whatever. If that's how we're spending our mission dollars, well, I hope it works." I admit to having a hard time taking it seriously and don't really want to support it, especially not a whole franchise of such things, but if it takes off, so be it.

[Eileen Smith]

I suppose it is good that "ReDO is led and operated by a Pastor" and "ReDO performs the Word and Sacraments."

[Dave Benke]

Near Hastings MN there are two Lutheran churches across the road from each other.  One is Christiana, the other Highview Christiana or something like that.  I'm told that this stems from the predestination controversy in the Old Norwegian synod at the beginning of the 20th century. 

I also find interesting how churches can pick up geographic names in spite of their actual names.  One church I serve is called Lost Island, which refers to the township.  It's original name was Our Savior's but no one uses that now, and they haven't for decades.  Nearby is St. Paul's Danish Lutheran, now closed, that everyone refers to as South Walnut Lutheran.  Again, township name stuck more than the actual name.

In times of rapid community shifts, realtors and developers get involved and change the names of the "township" or in the case of NYC, the neighborhood.  So when Williamsburg, Brooklyn got transformed as (at that time) a cheaper alternative to Manhattan rents and the young and restless found out it was only one or two train stops from the city, it became the hallmark neighborhood.  So the more downtrodden area next to it, which is Bushwick, was called East Williamsburg to attach to that name.  Then, as the new "East Williamsburg" took off and spread throughout the land of Bushwick, Bushwick got its name back as the new hot neighborhood, and its neighbor the east, Ridgewood, was called East Bushwick - until, that is, it took off.  Now Ridgewood is back in vogue.   Where's your church?  Uh, it's in East Something - TBD.

Speaking of that part of the world, I did have a conversation Sunday with someone who directly connected with St. Lydia's, a dinner club church plant which was under discussion here awhile ago.  Another seldom-heard church name.

Dave Benke

[Dave Likeness]

May we never forget that recent majestic cathedral built in the Bronx.
The new Yankee Stadium is a landmark destination for those who
enjoy the New York Yankees.  With their 27 World Series Championships
they will embark on the challenge of winning their 28th in 2020.