Church Name Change InformationFirst Baptist Church started 108 years ago. We have been influencing our city and region with the Good News about Jesus that entire time. We have a rich and precious heritage for which we are grateful. We are indebted to those who preceded us, and intend to extend that heritage to all who follow.
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhy change the name of a church that is known and respected in our community?There are those who have lived in Modesto for many years who are familiar with First Baptist Church. However, as Modesto has grown and other large churches have flourished, we are not as well known as we once were, especially to those new to the community. “First Baptist Church” does not accurately reflect who we are since we are not part of a Baptist denomination. Having "Baptist" in our name has proven to be misleading to those not familiar with us. What denomination are we now?We are not part of a denominational organization. FBC is an unaffiliated, evangelical, non-denominational church. Is it true that our former senior pastor, William Yaeger, wanted to change the church name as far back as 1980?Yes. In fact, it was considered at the same time that we left the denomination and at subsequent times, but he didn’t feel the timing was right. How will the church change if we change our name?Our beliefs and ministries will remain as they are. Here's our Statement of Faith. Will there be a cost to rename the church?Yes, there will be a cost associated with renaming the church. The primary expenditures will include updating the church signage and various print media, which, ideally, would be updated immediately upon adoption of a new name. However, due to costs, our approach will be to incrementally make the changes as dollars are available. This approach will allow us to use up existing supplies (i.e. letterhead, envelopes, brochures, etc.) and then simply update each piece as we re-print. We anticipate updating the signage over a period of 12 months as funds are available in our operating budget. One of the primary areas we will be able to update right away is in our electronic communication media such as our website, weekly e-newsletter and e-mails. The cost to do this is minimal and will have an almost immediate implementation. What do we want to communicate with a new church name?We want a name that has spiritual significance to the church family and doesn’t create the perception of being limited to only certain kinds of people. A familiar theme among people who are invited to FBC is that they believe a Baptist church is for Baptists only. Can you outline the process we have been going through?
Did the pastors and deacons have any special help in the name change process?Yes. Two church members who have professional expertise in areas of research, surveying people and analyzing responses worked with Pastor Paul Zeek in helping to form and guide our research and meetings with the congregation. They have been of invaluable assistance! The letter to the church mentions small and mid-sized groups have been involved in discussions about the name change. How many people did this involve?Approximately 250 to 300 people have contributed their opinions to this process. Who were these people?They ranged from college age to senior adults; members and regular attenders. Will we vote on the most popular suggested names? The pastors and deacons will prayerfully select one name from those names already in process and those newly submitted by the congregation. Then, the congregation will be asked to affirm the selection in the form of a vote. How can I suggest a name for the church?Thank you for all your suggestions. We have our new name! When will the official vote be?Sunday, July 4 in both morning worship services
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