@araignee19
Maybe they are not trying to hide their association with GC churches. Maybe they really do want to change.
I can believe this. And I also agree its time for a name change for a number of reasons...So, even if they are NOT trying to hide and this is a "sincere" name change. Ok, so what?
I think its important for people to understand that though the name might be changing the beliefs and practices may not be. The bigger issue is who they are in their polity and practice. Has that changed? One of the churches in the Collegiate Church Network (of which Reliant is a direct affiliate with) had many of the same issues listed in the Apology Letter up until at least 2005. I left around then, so I don't know 100% if it is continuing. Probably why the Apology Letter was awkwardly passed around at at least one small group as late as 2004/2005. That is the bigger concern and its why we need to make sure every name is recorded and updated so people are not confused.
And on another note (which may or may not be relevant to this thread), I argue that this separation from the administrative portion of the ministry and the actual ministry is misleading, arbitrary and odd. The reality is that Reliant/GCM is just the administrative team WITHIN the Collegiate Church Network/GCM and I'm guessing it makes up 97% of their work.
Perhaps a fair analogy would be to that of a large church. Large churches (i.e. 5000 plus) have administrative teams (i.e. people who do books, take care of the facilities, handle events, etc. etc.), but you wouldn't call their admin teams a different name TO IMPLY its actual an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT organization NOT actually a direct part of the church, that just sorts of floats around helping Christians too and fro. That would be weird. I'm NOT saying its always this way with every organization (sometimes this kind of distinction can make sense), but with GCM I argue it is.
In the least it has the potential to be confusing and muddles things. Which will only make it more difficult to pinpoint where an issue comes from.
Even if the motives are sincere, it will naturally create distance between the organization and its past. Which is fine -- for lack of a better way to put it -- AS LONG as that past has been dealt with well and, in that, the issues are not repeating themselves.I guess I don't fully understand why they need to create a different name for the admin side of the ministry. Why not just stick with Collegiate Church Network and just refer to it as the admin side of the organization like other organizations do? I only think you need to do that if Reliant has ALREADY become that kind of organization where it serves 10% GCM, 20% Campus Crusade, 45% other ministries, etc. etc. Hmmmm, maybe I'm wrong on this but I'm having difficulty seeing it. Does, for example, Campus Crusade for Christ have a name for its ministry and a different name for the administrative side of the ministry?
Again, I say, even if the motives are sincere, it will naturally/organically create distance between the organization and its past...and makes it difficult for people to fully understand what they might be sending their children too.
Ok I'm rambling here =)
