COGOP name change

[Susie Hamilton]

How about Bible Commuity Church?

[EagerBeaver]

The Organization Formerly Known As The Church of God of Prophecy

and in publications be referred to as simply a Symbol, a la Prince in the 90s.

[Joey]

... . they felt the name of (the) church would scare off people from attending the conference. They were going to be doing some advertising in several church related magazines and wanted to appeal to a broader audience.

That's a very good example of the real issue here, Billy - thanks for your comment.
And thanks every one for taking the time to vote and even further, making helpful comments that could send up an appeal for a discussion on change.

I'd actually like to see it brought up in a questions committee at the GA with some legitimate research placed behind it.

[Gerald Creasy]

That's a very good example of the real issue here, Billy - thanks for your comment.
And thanks every one for taking the time to vote and even further, making helpful comments that could send up an appeal for a discussion on change.

I'd actually like to see it brought up in a questions committee at the GA with some legitimate research placed behind it.

You know. If this ever makes it to the assembly floor -what crazies who are left in the organization will come out of the woodwork.

[one love]

how many people actively attend the general assembly on average in the cogop now days?

[PastorDaniel]

Since we CAN change it at the local level....I don't know if changing the denomination name would help or not. So I put other..

We are already New Life Worship Center in Lafayette and that is what we focus on locally. I believe that as the denomination changes to a local focus that the denominational name dosen't matter at all.

Look at all of these associations and their names. Other denominations such as the "International Pentecostal Holiness Church" has not changed their name either....just the local churches.

So if it's a local problem....then change the local name....I think the expense of an international name change would probably be a waste of resources. Most of us are already tapped out financially anyway.

[EagerBeaver]

Since we CAN change it at the local level....I don't know if changing the denomination name would help or not. So I put other..

We are already New Life Worship Center in Lafayette and that is what we focus on locally. I believe that as the denomination changes to a local focus that the denominational name dosen't matter at all.

Look at all of these associations and their names. Other denominations such as the "International Pentecostal Holiness Church" has not changed their name either....just the local churches.

So if it's a local problem....then change the local name....I think the expense of an international name change would probably be a waste of resources. Most of us are already tapped out financially anyway.

Good point but in my opinion it's more an issue of collective identity than anything else. Any churchgoer wanting to get deeply involved in their church will sooner or later want to know with whom their church is affiliated, and of course the answer in this case is COGOP.

I think it's about marketing as well. Not that we're trying to market the Kingdom of God or sell religion or anything like that, but I believe half the battle of outreach is the church's identity -- really being able to project an image of what the church locally and collectively is all about will really reach a lot of people.

On a more local level the identity is, as you said Pastor Daniel, pretty much the name the local body decides on. That's a good thing. As far as international, it's gotta change. If I were a member I would be happy my money is going to something that represents progression and moving forward.

[mom of two]

Joey, if we change it...we will have to come up with a whole new acronym...most of the old timers are just catching on to this one

My husband thinks it should be changed to COGOC...then we could be called the palindrome church!

[Mat]

The COGOP has been a "Top down leadership" sturcture for a very long time. Yes, things have changed, but many of the members who oppose changing names on the local level do so because they don't want to "feel" disconnected from the church body as a whole. We need leadership that will face this problem. Now that the International Offices are at their smallest they have been in years, and with the need to make a meaningful change (not just changing the names of ministries), why not move out of Cleveland and go back to being "Churches of God"? We could be "Churches of God, Nashville, TN", or "Atlanta, GA", or "High Point, NC", some place where there is a major airport. I like the Knoxville, TN area myself. Good and growing airport, both state Universities and private colleges, serveral good hospitals, major crossroads, and the Vols on Saturday afternoons in the fall. Of course a marketable name for our churches. If not "Churches of God, Knoxville, TN", how about "Churches of Christ (that's a Bible name), Knoxville, TN"?

Mat

[dawgs10]

that was my answer pastor daniel. we are central community church a ministry of cogop. there would be no reason to change the name if the local church would change their mindset. we should focus on our local ministry. and let cogop international support it. if you are a church to your community and make relationships with others and make your vision your name then there would be no reason to change the denom. name. and believe it or not there are many, many people that would not want that. and their opinon is important.

[Kenya]

I like the Knoxville, TN area myself. Good and growing airport, both state Universities and private colleges, serveral good hospitals, major crossroads, and the Vols on Saturday afternoons in the fall. Of course a marketable name for our churches. If not "Churches of God, Knoxville, TN", how about "Churches of Christ (that's a Bible name), Knoxville, TN"?

Mat

That would NEVER work. Mr. Danger and Mom of Two would have it be the "Church of God of UT". At that point, we might as well just press "H" and go straight down......

[Gerald Creasy]

how many people actively attend the general assembly on average in the cogop now days?

All the TCOG and TCOG splinters, ZACOG and whatever other offshoots combined membership probably couldnt come close to Assembly attendance.

[Gerald Creasy]

Wouldn't it be great if the name change could reflect the attitude change??

Church of God of the Humble Heart.

Or somesuch.

(Of course, we'd still have to disfellowship a few closet TCOGgers)

[one love]

how many people actively attend the general assembly on average in the cogop now days?

All the TCOG and TCOG splinters, ZACOG and whatever other offshoots combined membership probably couldnt come close to Assembly attendance.

that means nothing to me I have no idea how many other groups besides TCOG have. What has been the average attendance?

[Pastor Bill]

A change would be good, for many reasons:

1. The exclusiveness implied by the name is no longer our focus.
2. Those who don't catch the exclusiveness issue think we're focused on prophecy
3. It emphasizes the fact that we are one of many splinters of the CoG "tree" which doesn't show much unity
4. It's just plain too long, which is confusing, awkward and requires too much explanation
5. I agree somewhat with the history of problems a new identity could help in some areas, but honestly we're probably not as well known as we think.

I did not grow up in the CoGoP, but drove past one on a daily basis (Wilmington, IL), and always wondered why the focus on Prophecy? later in life they built a new building and went to a local name, and the church really grew.

I know we'd have some kickback in the US, but I have also heard that outside the US, it would REALLY be pushed against.

What to change to is difficult, in many ways we'd want to keep the CoG part to tie to our heritage some, but then we're still at the same problem, we can't use CoG, because it's already in use, and if we add anything, we still have most of the problems above. Changing to something completely different is possible, but would take more effort/expense and most common names are probably taken already by someone else.