For all of you who gather to worship each week at 4800 W. Main Street in League City, Texas you know that we have been in a season of moving forward. For the past two years as our Forward Initiative has given birth to new construction we, the leadership of the church, have been praying about our vision beyond the buildings. We don’t pretend to know everything yet but we have a clear sense that God is calling us to join Him in saturating the 4B area with the gospel in the years ahead by multiplying disciples, church plants, and potentially campuses throughout the geography. We want to broker hope with people far from God that they might enjoy the same life change we do for all eternity. As a church posturing for such a day there are two very important issues we must address:
How we operate.
How we introduce ourselves.
This week I spent some time communicating with our church about these important decisions. If you are not yet in the loop you can…
and,
Read a three page written explanation here.
My God give you ears to hear and eyes to see how He is working for the glory of Christ and the salvation of those currently far from Him.
Brian Haynes 
Pastor Brian, first let me thank you for all you have ever done for the church in the several years you have been here. I know this decision to take “First Baptist” out of the church name has been a hard decision that you and our church staff did not take lightly. As a person raised in the Baptist Church for years it seems hard to let go, but I totally agree with the rational. Many years ago someone told me that they did not want their children coming to our church for that very reason. They were Catholic and said that it was better for their kids not to go to church than go to a Baptist Church. So there are definitely people that won’t come for that reason.
As you so eloquently state…Christ is our focus, not the name. My one question is will the Web address change? Since we are now living in Bryan, I will have to get your sermons by the Web.
May God continue to lead you, our church staff, and the church members to lead others to Christ as He instructed in His word.
Paula Rankin Wise
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I agree 100% that the word “First Baptist”, for whatever reason, is off-putting to many…I am in total agreement with changing our name to Bay Area Church & Christian School…I was raised, from 4 weeks old, in the First Baptist Church…I am almost 70 y.o. & I completely understand why this change is needed…We definitely need to reach the de-churched in this 4B area, we are commanded by our LORD to go, & we MUST. I believe this change will help, along with raising up disciple-makers to flood this area… Believing, through prayer, in God’s will and by His living Word, we, His children, need to get to work. In Christ’s Love, Diana Cooper
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