It should be obvious now that the name, RELOVUTIONARY, has had quite the journey.
The Lead Pastor will confess he is obviously predisposed. But, even there, he has taken this name to the next step with a stronger rationale than simple personal preference.
We shall deconstruct like Derrida; actually, probably not; the various parts of the Header, as follows: [1] RELOVUTIONARY; [2] Meaning for Life + Flourishing into Life = In Christ; and [3] the Shield, which is the anchoring emblem for this church organism.
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This is the style and term that intersects the various parts: philosophy of written words and living church organism.
Yet, there is more reason than simple rhyme as to why this has been included.
I. This fits well into a post-Christian cultural context. We could have picked something more generically Christian, but there is no at-face-value advantage, nor any additional concept connection with what Josephine Kiwi will likely know and distinguish. And by nature of its distinctiveness, this name should positively stand out.
II. This can be used as a means and catalyst toward both sharing the Gospel, while also conceptually challenging, because of what the various parts of this visual pronouncement are claiming about ultimate reality. At a time, when biblical and theological sophistication is not at an all-time high, this can positively lead through engaging imitation, in somewhat normative human plain-speak.
Most everyone should have a general grasp on what “Revolutionary” means. They should get the conceptual life-giving crossover with the obvious adjustments distinctively communicating. For example, a simple google search will indicate this “Revolutionary” term means: “involving or causing a complete or dramatic change.” This is the action and consequence of the Gospel, which Scripture underscores (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 5:17; Revelation 21:5), and a Christian’s life should practically implore.
This image also communicates other realities out of a Biblical and Christian worldview. {i} The Black background affirms our “in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5) beginning, which is confirmed in places like Genesis 3; Romans 3; 5:12. This world is a broken place; everyone with their eyes open understands this, with all creation longing for redemption (Romans 8:18-23). The real debate is the genuine problem and solution (1 Corinthians 1:18). {ii} The white writing reflects the purity and change because of what Christ has done, but also the Gospel-defining-demand for Christians to be set apart from the darkness and distortion of sin, and be who they are, because of Christ (See Isaiah 1:18 and Revelation 3:5 for some conceptual connection). {iii} The Cross. Jesus Christ is the central figure in human history (Hebrews 1:1-2), and of course, in the Gospel Story. The Gospel is not only central to change, meaning, and flourishing, but must daily prove so, in functionality. This is the means for the Christian’s completed identity. {iv} LOV. God is Love (1 John 4:7-21, but especially verse 8). There should be no surprise, then, that this is also the Scriptural encapsulation of the Old Testament witness, according to Jesus.
Consider this last line in the context of the church planting man:
In Matthew 22: 37–40 Jesus taught that the entire Old Testament hangs on two short commandments: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbo[u]r as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” A rescued man not only believes this truth at the heart and core of Christianity, but actually does love God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength, and as a result he seeks to love his neighbo[u]r as himself. A rescued man is a man whose love for God is growing holistically—in his affections, in his thoughts, in his motives, in his passions, in his duties, and in every area of his life. He is also a man who demonstrates a growing love for other people by sacrificing himself for others and laying down his life for their good. In short, a rescued man is growing in genuine love for God and neighbo[u]r. [*]
May our mercy-filled lifestyle (Luke 10:37) evidence True Love from Above.
III. RELOVUTIONARY has a good look. We believe this is both aesthetically pleasing, but also sets the right purposeful tone. This has good style, which adds to the substance, and should be reflected in usage. You know the Founder and Lead Pastor thinks he has style. Ah, bless him. Of course, this combination reflects one of the Cultural Values.
IV. Fits the Substance of this Journey with the Philosophy. While also conceptually providing the bridge for maximisation into application. This will be made progressively clearer as we walk the road into 2019.
When resident inside a dominant Christian culture, you can too easily become fluent with an insider’s vernacular, without much consideration of whether this is understood by those not so conversant. As we are not at such times and in such seasons, in the West, it just so happens, we must do a better job of translation.
While the Gospel truth separates, the full Gospel story is the answer to the singularly most important collection of questions all humanity is entreating inside their head; those questions surrounding meaning and flourishing. Therefore, in this way of framing, the Christian is not on a distinctive search, as every single person is on this hunt for ultimate purpose. What marks the Christian, and therefore separates, is the God-given answer: Jesus.
When shared with such effect, you and your neighbours becomes both closely connected at the same starting point, and then, only become separated at the appropriate future places. This means you can journey. This should be both communicatively liberating and communally exciting. Historically, the church hasn’t done a very good job, at all, in this equation. Mostly, this separation has taken place, even before the point of questioning. Then what is the point? Maybe to fire rockets, but to become friends, this is strange. This actually suits the New Atheists, who are happy making Christians the weak-to-be-conceptually-whipped freaks of society’s now-understood-singular-search.
As opposed to exclamating the point as to why we Christians are different, this approach is informed by the biblical truth that all humans are made Imago Dei; that there is Common Grace through God’s long-suffering patience and we should imitate; that everybody is some locating source for worship, because everybody is being served by a something providing meaning.
This should not only encourage relational interaction and connection, but empowers Christians to share the truth, with real existential capital. It is becoming increasingly more important for Christians to integrate this perspective if they are to be effective inside the West.
Describe this equation (Meaning for Life + Flourishing into Life = In Christ) as a catch-phrase; the church sub-title; the church motto; or, all of the above; this reflects the existential “why” reasons of this life in Christ.
While the Shield appears last on this page, it will, in all likelihood, lead this local church in the visual places. Again, there is much substance to the intended style. The use of such a moniker is intended to communicate, and set the stage.
Many of the details should hopefully be self-evident, but we shall still alert the reader.
The four-point middle axis was first inspired from, For King and Country, but we have put our own spin. This has a missional point about the Gospel-truth-lifestyle always getting out. The Cross is simple enough, because this is about Jesus, and the central work of the Son of Man in salvation. The Gospel is centre. We can leave the explanation of the Acts 4:13 affirmation for its very own page. You should know the Bible would also be central. The cracked, but filled-with-red heart, is intended to reflect the full spectrum of reality because of what Christ has done; He has made us whole, but also this present living world context, where all experience the remaining “in Adam” mark. The map of New Zealand, because this is the starting place nation, with the star intended to highlight the specific location of Palmerston North. The crown because Jesus is King, and the Church is the present substance of the eternal Kingdom, which connects with the bottom banner. And, of course, the word, RELOVUTIONARY, because this is the name, which is now back to the beginning point, as we close.
That is enough.
We hope that effectively encapsulates the purposeful reasoning.
For the Fame of His Name
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[*] Darrin Patrick, Church Planter: The Man, The Message, The Mission, page 25 [Crossway. August 12, 2010].