New Church Name
Posted on March 24th, 2005 by catalyst into the Uncategorized categoryThere was an interesting article in the Oregonian today. West Linn Baptist Church is changing its name to New Life Church. Also, the church is going to purchase a new churchsite in another neighborhood, so they can become a “multisite” church.
The article is here: New Name to Reflect its Faith
This seems to be a trend in churches. They are choosing generic sounding names and then placing these churches in neighborhoods all over Portland. The “neighborhood” church is making a come-back.
To me this sounds like the death knell for City Bible’s huge campus. People are losing interest in the huge “campus-church” and are choosing the smaller local church instead. I imagine the only way CBC can stay afloat is by selling or eliminating PBC and CCHS, which are financial drains. And then taking the cash and investing it into several smaller City Bible churches throughout the Portland Metro area. City Bible – Vancouver. City Bible – Pearl. City Bible – Lake Oswego. (Somehow I don’t think there will ever be a City Bible – Killingsworth)
I guess, I don’t think there is anything wrong with this. I just think it is another sign of how churches are changing to fit people’s needs.
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March 24th, 2005 at 8:17 am
There are a couple of notable moments of history relative to this post. One, there have been several former CBC/BT elders that I knew personally that started new churches in the Portland area and elsewhere(I even helped on one of the plants). I can only think of one that didn’t get alot of grief from CBC leadership about his decision, and none got the kind of support that would have made them a true satellite or branch of CBC. It was always a clean break and they became their own entities. The only way for CBC to create a true branch was to keep PF in charge of both churches. I don’t think in the long term he can micromanage two churches, let alone multiple sites across the city. And I don’t see any logical reason for planting little CBC’s all over the city, when it’s perfectly normal and healthy to plant churches and keep some affiliation. What PF wants is control and a homogenous culture of churches, and I’ll even go as far as to suggest that it might even have something to do with money. Believe what you want. Second, the whole name “City Bible” came after the new breakoff churches chose new names like “The City Church” and “City Harvest”. PF saw how successful those churches were (still are) and figured the name must be the magic bullet to improving their image. He was partially right, I mean, only Jewish people would go to a Temple normally. And Bible Temple just sounded like a mixed message. But I digress. PF’s belief that a name alone can improve attendance is sad. I have more fond memories of BT(in spite of the dorky name) than CBC. The Apostle Paul trained pastors to take over churches after he started them - that’s what an apostle does. PF wants to have more churches to control or something. I don’t know. I still hear stories about the “Forward Together” and the west side expansion that make me glad I don’t have to listen to any of that any more. — former inner circle member
March 24th, 2005 at 8:47 am
I agree 100% with your ascertion of why PF changed the name of BT… he jumped on the “City” bandwagon. And to be honest, I think the “City” name will sound pretty lame in about 10 years. It’s too generic and cliche.
Second, almost every single elder under Dick Iverson left, after Damazio took over BT, and went and started their own church, This could not have been what Iverson envisioned when he asked Frank to take over.
He should have chosen someone in house. An elder already in the church. It was a bad move on Iverson’s part.
-catalyst
March 24th, 2005 at 4:09 pm
10 years what are talking about it’s lame now. In 10 yrs it might be cool again. Like the BT bunny hop.
March 25th, 2005 at 8:33 am
City Bible- Pearl! I love it!!!
March 30th, 2005 at 11:14 pm
“What Dick Iverson Envisioned…”
Rather than speculate what he envisioned, why don’t we listen to someone who has actually spoken with him on the subject.
Anyone, anyone…oh I know, how ’bout ME!!!!
I was at Dick Iverson’s house last year and asked him how he feels about PF’s direction. He said he agrees with about 90% of everything he’s doing.
After talking to him in a later conversation I figured out that the main thing he doesn’t like is the music–which is typical of an old pentecostal pastor. He described the “ideal” worship service…and it certainly wasn’t CBC’s worship service.
But to say that this isn’t the direction he invisioned is completely obsurd. You act as if he relied on casting lots or drawing straws. The man prayed on this decision for a few years.
Man, bitter people are morons!
March 30th, 2005 at 11:14 pm
“What Dick Iverson Envisioned…”
Rather than speculate what he envisioned, why don’t we listen to someone who has actually spoken with him on the subject.
Anyone, anyone…oh I know, how ’bout ME!!!!
I was at Dick Iverson’s house last year and asked him how he feels about PF’s direction. He said he agrees with about 90% of everything he’s doing.
After talking to him in a later conversation I figured out that the main thing he doesn’t like is the music–which is typical of an old pentecostal pastor. He described the “ideal” worship service…and it certainly wasn’t CBC’s worship service.
But to say that this isn’t the direction he invisioned is completely obsurd. You act as if he relied on casting lots or drawing straws. The man prayed on this decision for a few years.
Man, bitter people are morons!
March 31st, 2005 at 4:16 am
You’re pretty gullible.
There is no way Dick is ever going to criticize PF publicly. And certainly not to you.
April 1st, 2005 at 4:26 pm
“Man, bitter people are morons!”
I believe you misspelled Mortons, instead you wrote “morons”. Simple mistake, we’ll let it slide this time. Thanks for you comments about your intimate knowledge of Pastor Dick’s vision. However, I know that over the years since the baton passing Iverson has frowned upon such things as Renewal, a decline in emphasis on missions, a lack of interest in God’s Word as the foundation of CBC and so forth. His hands, however, are tied. He can’t be seen as critical towards the young pups who are ruining what he and his father took 40 years to build. Grow a backbone CBC, you had a winning formula there at one time, a Spirit filled church that was firmly rooted in God’s Word. When you started chasing after “newer” winds of the spirit, things started going sideways.