Same Initials. Same Church. Same Jesus. New Name.

August 6, 2024

We're pleased to announce that as of August 4th, 2024, after a nearly unanimous vote of the membership, Chadron Berean Church is now Chadron Bible Church! Thank you for your participation, input, and prayers in this process. Thank you for your patience as we navigate this adjustment together. Let's continue to be "people of the Book" who share the help and hope Jesus offers. If you would like more on the process and rationale for this significant change, please read the statement below, published July 21, 2024.
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July 21, 2024
 
 
Dear members and friends of Chadron Berean Church,
 
We, the leadership board of Chadron Berean Church, trust that this letter finds you well. As was announced last Sunday, we will be voting to change the name of our church to “Chadron Bible Church” on August 4, 2024, following the fellowship dinner. The intention of this letter is to help get you up to speed on the name change process and to present the rationale and conviction for changing the church name.
 
 
Process
In January, the church leadership announced their desire to change the name of the church to Grace Bible Church. After prolonged prayer and deliberation between leaders and members or regular attendees, the proposal was made to hold a members’ meeting on June 2, 2024, to discuss it further.
 
During this meeting, the members present expressed their concerns and recommendations. The church leadership would like to thank everyone for their input during this meeting and any personal follow-up meetings that took place thereafter. The conversation was genuinely helpful and cordial.
 
The members present at this meeting voted to approve or disapprove of the continuation of changing the church name. The majority approved and/or were neutral, while a few disapproved. Follow-up was done with any of the identified individuals who disapproved and most agreed to the changes after further discussion.
 
The members present at this meeting were also asked to give any name recommendations. The only recommendations were “Chadron Bible Church” and “Chadron Berean Bible Church.” The name Chadron Bible Church was the most popular recommendation.
 
After further prayer and deliberation, church leadership decided (6 to 1) to adopt the name “Chadron Bible Church” upon an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the church members taking place on August 4, 2024.
 
 
 
Rationale & Conviction
Now we turn our attention from the process to the rationale & convictions for changing the name to Chadron Bible Church.
 
The “Chadron” Label
One of the concerns shared at the June 2nd meeting was that if we chose a name like “Grace Bible Church” or “New Life Church,” we may be associated with other churches who have the same name. Considering this, the board elected to keep the Chadron label as part of the proposed name because it allows us to remain distinct from other churches. Keeping this geographical label will also make it easier to find our church online.
 
The “Bible” Label
There are two major concerns that dominated the conversation regarding replacing the “Berean” label with the “Bible” label. The biggest concern is that in departing with the “Berean” label, we run the risk of losing the noble vision of the Bereans to “examine the Scriptures” (Acts 17:11). While this is a legitimate concern, and the Berean vision is a noble vision to pursue, the leadership team in favor believes that we will still be known as “the people of the Book” because “Bible” is in our name. “Chadron Bible Church” still conveys the message that we are serious about understanding God’s written Word and keeping it as our authority for faith and practice. If you go to a “Bible church” of any kind, that is the expectation.
 
The second concern regarding the “Berean” label is that our historical identity in the local Berean movement across Nebraska (since 1932) will be lost. Again, while this is a genuine concern, we remind you that we are still members of the Berean Fellowship of Churches and can share our passion to “diligently examine the Scriptures” or “be Bereans” as we share that part of our affiliation. The Berean Fellowship has and still is a significant part of the national Bible church movement in our area in the last century. That being said, we do not believe we are losing that part of our identity. Rather, we are clarifying it since many are familiar with the “Bible church” movement, but not with the Berean movement, of which it was just a local facet of.
 
Here is the heart of the matter. It’s that in moving forward as Chadron Bible Church, the name will be less confusing for newcomers, new believers, or those outside the faith looking for a church for the first time. How we are perceived by the community is not everything, but it is significant to our witness, and we do not want to place any unnecessary hurdles for people trying to understand who we are and how to be saved. Too often, the name “Berean” has been a negative or confusing hurdle for non-churched individuals seeking a church and works against our current, ongoing visioneering efforts to increase outreach effectiveness.
 
There are a few other thoughts worth noting:   

• Our church has changed names in the past to increase its effectiveness (Conservative Baptist Church, 1955; Calvary Baptist Church, 1966; The Berean Fundamental Church of Chadron, 1975). The term “fundamental” started out as a helpful term, it has since lost its favor in our culture.
• The Berean Fellowship of Churches is comprised of 57 churches and 26 (nearly 50%) do not contain the word “Berean.”
• Our name is based on one verse in the New Testament, making it likely to be understood by only a small number of people.
• BFC president, S. Mathis, a well-respected leader and church planter in the fellowship, has at times advised churches to remove the Berean label to make churches more relatable to the general public. His most recent church plant in 2023 in Wickenburg, AZ (Church at Rancho Rio) does not contain the word “Berean.” When asked if he had any concern with Chadron Berean changing its name to Chadron Bible, his response was, “Not at all.”
• The term Berean on the internet can carry different, negative connotations. Upon “Googling” the term “Berean,” you will find cult activity tied to it.
• Board members and college students involved in ministry with our church have too often found the word “Berean” to be more of a hindrance than a help in reaching or inviting people.
• In changing the name to Chadron Bible Church, we still keep our initials: CBC

 
As the church leadership, we want to thank you for taking the time to read this and for considering the heart behind this potential change. We understand this is not our church, but Jesus’s church, and we aim to be the best stewards we can of this beloved Christian community. We would like to say thanks again for your participation, input, and prayers as we seek God’s will together for our church. Regardless of the outcome, may we continue to be Christ-centered followers and “people of the Book.” May the Lord continue to bring new people into our wonderful community who need the hope and help Jesus offers.

If you have any further questions or comments, please contact one of the board members.

If you cannot be present at the meeting on August 4, 2024, but would still like to participate in the voting process, please ask the church secretary for a ballot, fill it out, and place it in an offering box on or before August 4, 2024. Thank you for your participation.