What's In A Name?

In the faith community I am a part of, VERITAS in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania, we were notified several months ago that we were going to lose our meeting space by the end of August 2013. We try to not see ourselves as a space or a building but a people. So, perhaps we were better equipped for the news and handled the announcement better than some would have. Yet, creating a space--not just for ourselves but for our local community--is part of the mission of the church. We host artists and musicians and other events in the space when we don't have a church service, which is such a small percentage of the week anyway.

We don't want the space to be wasted by non-use. So, offering the location to others, has been part of the plan from the start. Thus, the news that we were being asked to leave was not great news, but it wasn't bad news either because it caused us to think through what would be the best location to resettle in. A fresh start. And, I think our pastor Ryan, has found a great spot. It is on King Street, the main drag through town, and on street level--rather than the third floor where are now on. Lancaster is a colonial city at heart and its names of King, Queen, Prince, and Duke, are not just quaint titles of a town that wants to appear historic. Like those developments with names like Devon Estates creating images of bucolic English countryside for the landed gentry. No, Lancaster goes back to before the founding of our country. I do think it interesting that such royal names were not changed at the end of the Revolutionary War. "Er, need to rename and repaint those street signs, Jacob."

We have signed a two-year lease for the King Street property and soon we will be moving on down and I think ultimately street level is where we need to be. One of the big core values of VERITAS is that we are not out to feather our own nest with blessings only for our own use. Heck, country clubs inside ivied walls do that. Can I say, without appearing to be negative, that many churches use the word ministry as a code word to help oneself? That ain't ministry, people. That is doing what humans do all of the time and it is the way of the world. Help yourself. To seconds. And thirds. How do I know this? Me. That is how I operate. But just don't call it ministry. Call it what is. Self-serving. No, I think the word ministry connotes a giving away, a crossing of convenient to inconvenient. The ministry into the second mile beyond self. The ministry of me is all too common.

So, the juncture where we now stand is attempting to come up with a name for the new space. We don't want to call it VERITAS Church because that actually works against our mission of being a blessing to others. And maybe it is more of a perception, but one of the unspoken rules of church is non-believers are not really welcome. We may have a hard time admitting that fact but if you think about what unbelievers do and the inconvenience they create, many evangelicals would rather folks get saved elsewhere and then come to their churches cleaned up a bit. Like a Boy Scout. And, people on the outside, for good reasons or not, have animus to the "church" label.

The name of the space needs to reflect a desire to show and to serve others. I think there is a massive deficit in the evangelical church of knowing how to connect to the community at-large in a meaningful manner. Our culture wars are just another way of expressing anger and frustration rather than rethinking our strategy. So, perhaps the space will allow the corporate church in Lancaster County figure out how to utilize her people and resources in a more godly and effective ways and then replicate the model with adjustments to their own locale. Or, VERITAS might not succeed in our mission despite our intentions.

We have kicked around a whole host of names for a few weeks via email and it has been an interesting discussion. I am not sure we are any closer to closing on a name than we were at the start of the process. VERITAS tends to be democratic in its polity so everyone has a voice and a perspective that needs to be heard. Yet, a decision needs to be made.

I was in favor of the name Icon which is used in the Bible to describe the image of God in man, but Icon is also employed to describe the Mark of The Beast in Revelation. So, it has some serious theological baggage. The arts and entertainment can become a culture of Idols so it is probably best to steer away from the Icon name. There has also been real practical suggestions like Space 106 or VERITAS _____________ (name the definer). We don't want to be overly clever and lose people, or corny, or redundant--like steal a name from another ministry either near or far. But, we don't want to be boring either.

I felt compelled this morning to get up early and think about what we want this space to be and a word kept coming back. It needs to be "good" in all of its facets. Administratively, artistically, culturally, morally. Good Incorporated. The Greek word for good is Agathos. Below is the Bible study that I did to think some of this through:

Galatians 6:10

So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith

Agathos, ag-ath-os' - a primary word; "good" (in any sense, often as noun):--benefit, good(-s, things), well. Used 90 times in the New Testament. Always good. Icon is either good (as in Col.) or bad (Rev). There is risk with the name.

1 John 1:11 Beloved, imitate not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

Barnes

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men. This is the true rule about doing good. "The opportunity to do good," says Cotton Mather, "imposes the obligation to do it." The simple rule is, that we are favored with the opportunity, and that we have the power. It is not that we are to do it when it is convenient; or when it will advance the interest of a party; or when it may contribute to our fame; the rule is, that we are to do it when we have the opportunity. No matter how often that occurs; no matter how many objects of benevolence are presented--the more the better; no matter how much self-denial it may cost us; no matter how little fame we may get by it; still, if we have the opportunity to do good, we are to do it, and should be thankful for the  privilege. And it is to be done to all men. Not to our family only; not to our party; not to our neighbors; not to those of our own color; not to those who live in the same land with us, but to all mankind. If we can reach and benefit a man who lives on the other side of the globe, whom we have never seen, and shall never see in this world or in the world to come, still we are to do him good. Such is Christianity. And in this, as in all other respects, it differs from the narrow and selfish spirit of clanship which prevails all over the world.

Wesley

Unto all men-Neighbours or strangers, good or evil, friends or enemies.

Agathos is not necessarily going to be what I offer up as a suggestion to be a name. But, it is what the space needs to be. We are meeting this Tuesday night to decide.