Creative ministry names are all the rage. Have you ever visited a church for the first time and wondered what on earth the Ignite Ministry could possibly be? Is it a group of pyromaniacs who light things on fire? And should you be worried about sending your kids to Aftershock? Will this be registering on the Richter scale?
Many churches get caught up in trying to find unique names for their ministries. A cool name and trendy logo will set them apart and get people interested, right?
The Downside of Creative Ministry Names
But typically these distinct brands end up having a negative impact for a few reasons:
1. They confuse and alienate people.
Using obscure ministry names and acronyms is a great way to keep visitors from returning to your church. Sure, the insiders might understand your reference to a lesser known verse or Bible story, but everyone else is left wondering. Your guests shouldn’t have to decode acronyms or analyze names to find out where they fit in.
2. Creative ministry names can compete with the overall church branding.
If your church has separate branding for the kids, teens, young adults, young parents, empty nesters, senior citizens and 27 other groups, all these logos and names will begin to compete for attention. Your goal is to get people into the church community and help them through the discipleship process, not identify with a single age-based group only.
