Jude 2

Does the name really reflect current COGOP belief and teaching?
The name originally was coined to reflect an exclusivist position that COGOP no longer holds.
The meaning of the name was "we are The True Church of God mentioned in prophecy, the Church prophesied in the Bible"

What does it mean today? Outsiders think it's a church where the gift of prophecy is heavily practiced or where you can go so someone can prophesy over you.

So do you think it will ever be changed?

wow it let me post and login......

I am not cogop but I understand the point very well however I do not think it will ever change. I never thought about it since I grew up in COGOP but since I heard this debated here before I realized how it must sound to outsiders that do not know cogop.

Mine already has....we are Crossroads Chapel.

Shellie wrote:Mine already has....we are Crossroads Chapel.

See and that is where it really matters anyway so there really is no need to change the name of the organization. Most COGOP have changed on the local level. For instance "family worship center" or something to that effect.

ichthus wrote:The meaning of the name was "we are The True Church of God mentioned in prophecy, the Church prophesied in the Bible"

Response: I don't really see that being a problem. I mean shouldn't we all be that Church?

Changing the name would not cause our churches to grow any faster then allowing wedding rings or taking member's in who have been married before did.

free wrote:Changing the name would not cause our churches to grow any faster then allowing wedding rings or taking member's in who have been married before did.

Response: All three have sure helped here.

In a way you are correct. If the same mindset persists in spite of "changes", your local church won't change.

I vote "AYE!"

I think it could help to give a new face to the organization, but I honestly don't see it happening anytime soon. I would have said it was impossible with the old voting system, and while there are still kinks to work out, last IA went smoother, but we still would have to have support from so many around the world, that it would be hard to get it through.

With all deference to the pastors and the people who are really invested in growing COGOP, I ask what difference does it make? Locally, in some places, maybe it makes a real one, I dunno.

Doesn't the "dba" names (Crossroads Chapel, Reunion, etc.) usage take away most of the head-scratching that goes with the "of Prophecy" tag? Or, is it not enough?? I can see where someone coming to, say, Crossroads Chapel, loves it, enjoys everything and everyone there, wants to make roots and says, "A'ight, let's get down to it. What exactly would I be joining if I join you? You talk about these events, conferences, assemblies and all that are not around home, here. Who are all these other people and why does that matter to me?" Then, they get a little more info about the "of Prophecy", its history, the looong explanation about all of that and where it is today...... is that offputting? Sure seems like it would be, but then, I don't know if that's how it plays out in a more or less typical case or not. Do you just avoid altogether?
Do you gloss over it (not to be deceptive, just to not give unnecessary history lessons on things that really don't matter for the future)?

Then, if it is that big of a deal locally, how do you ever begin in the current environment to change it? The COGOP IA is still primarily American, southeastern at that. The "change" theme has always been a harder sell in COGOP. The word "change" now is about as bitter as ever with the current political situation, and don't think people don't take the filters from the civil/political arena and use that in the church. They certainly do. Seems to me like, on balance, a problem that calls for a lot of creativity and flexibility locally, but not, as PG has described other disputes, a hill you want to die on.

I think it's what you call a conundrum.

Rebranding. I can help.

Pastor Bill wrote: but we still would have to have support from so many around the world, that it would be hard to get it through.

Isn't it true that COGOP operates under different names in other parts of the world??? - Germany, for instance???

So, maybe the "name" wouldn't be such an issue outside the US.

?????????????

Personally, I don't think it matters either way. "formerly known as" is still "PRINCE"

dolfan wrote:The COGOP IA is still primarily American, southeastern at that.

That playing field is a bit more level now with a proxy voting system firmly in place; a few people from the rural south no longer control the direction by packing the gallery. There are Overseers from a few nations on the African continent who bring more proxy votes to the IA than all the US Overseers/Pastors combined. Those Overseers are not Americans sent to Africa to lead, but are indigenous nationals -- they do not have a North American/western world view. About 85% of COGOP Leadership are either indigenous to the nation they lead, or at least fluent in the language and inculturated.