What's in a Name?

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So how did we come up with Connexus Community Church? True stories are always far more embarrassing than fiction.

Our core team worked all summer on a name.  As the lead pastor, I was told I had a lot of say in what the church would be named.  I prayed about it, a lot.  I read the Bible. I couldn’t think of anything good.  I feel sheepish about it. I just had no ideas.  Even the ideas I had I didn’t like.  Enter the power of team.

Our team came up some very innovative ideas.  Connexus was actually a spin off of Patrick Voo’s original idea for a church name: Kinexis.  Kinexis was a blend of kinetic, meaning motion, and nexus, meaning community.  We tested the name out with a whole bunch of unchurched people on a facebook survey and Kinexis came out on top.  But no one could remember how to spell it, so we came up with a more ‘natural’ spelling: Connexus. We got over the "Connexus isn’t even a word" deal pretty quickly as we
thought about other names that were "made up" but have now become
household names: iPod, eBay, Kleenex, Xerox and more. 

We tested Connexus again in with a final bunch of alternate names in an on-line survey with unchurched people, and Connexus won out over other possibilities like Momentum Community Church, Georgian Community Church, The Pulse Church, Frequency Church and others.  People who didn’t go to church loved Connexus more than any other name.  I should say that I am growing to really like it.  We added "community" to the name because unchurched people told us hands down it communicated accessibility to them and increased their likelihood of attending.  Hey, bottom line, all I want is a name that makes it easy for people to go to church.  A name that is a bridge, not a barrier.   Connexus more than any other name functioned that way.

Plus, the seed of the name — a gathering of people in motion (with a mission) — is compelling.  Isn’t that what we need?  A place where people can meet.  Connexus will be a relational church where grow in intimacy with God, community with insider and influence with outsiders.  A place where people can meet God and each other.

So that’s what’s in a name…what do you think?

Carey Nieuwhof
Lead Pastor
Connexus Community Church

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