Understanding the Name Change Consideration Process

Over the last ten years, God has blessed the Brethren in Christ Church with increased diversity in numerous areas. We have experienced unprecedented ethnic and cultural diversification within our church family. Through the efforts of church planters in Miami, Philadelphia, and Toronto, we have moved from a primarily rural fellowship to an increasingly urban body. The Brethren in Christ today are a more diverse group than ever before.

This diversity has enriched our fellowship in countless ways. God is doing something we did not expect, yet we want to join with Him by adapting to new realities created by this growth and change. As a church family, we do not want to disengage from a longstanding solidarity into isolated constituencies. Rather, we want to embrace our differences, entrust them into the creative hands of God, and be shaped into a splendid mosaic of God-honoring community.

Inevitably, this soaring aspiration will meet the hard realities of living and serving together. This means that occasionally we will bump into issues that are problematic for some and not for others. Such an issue was raised by the Canadian Conference during General Conference 2010. At that time, the Canadian Conference petitioned the delegate body to initiate a process that considers a new denominational name.

The need for such a study, as explained by our Canadian sisters and brothers, is this: In urban centers, our name is confusing and distracting. The word “Brethren,” while readily understood and accepted in some areas of the church, does not have the same meaning in an urban, more secularized context. In some instances, the name has been so misunderstood that it has created a barrier for sharing the Gospel message—the ultimate goal of the Church. Thus, the Canadian Conference initiated a process for considering a new denominational name.

We anticipate that the initial phase of consideration will involve determining methods: How will we go about this process? Then, after we have determined our process, we will consider core issues that need to be addressed. If it is determined that a name change is an appropriate step at this time, we will move into a consideration of what the new name should be.

We realize there are daunting obstacles. The word “Brethren” in our name expresses our shared commitment to “brotherhood” or community, and there is no obvious alternative word that describes our longstanding commitment to belonging to a covenant community of faith. In the Spanish language, “Hermanos” is commonly understood as inclusive of both genders and, as such, is not problematic in the same way for our Hispanic brothers and sisters.

We need to consider the sensitivities of daughter churches around the world, most of whom have translated “Brethren in Christ” into equivalent wording in their languages. As some have pointed out, there may also be cost implications with potential changes in letterhead and signage. And since conversation about our name is so closely tied to our identity, the interchange may be vigorous and intense.

While we readily admit the process is fraught with difficulties, we have declared our desire to become a community of believers in which God fits all the pieces together to create one beautiful whole. As we dedicate ourselves to becoming a splendid mosaic of God-honoring community, we must realize that issues like this are an inevitable part of building and sustaining a diverse faith community.

Yes, it is challenging work. We will need to exhibit forbearance, patience and trust. We will need to keep praying and talking until we come to consensus. And as we do—even on issues such as this that “test” our solidarity—God can continue to fashion us into a beautiful, multi-colored, multi-textured mosaic that is increasingly enriched by the different ethnicities and cultures present in our church community.

Warren Hoffman,
Moderator

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