After a lot of prayer and tossing names around, Paige and I settled on “Sanctuary Church” for the church that we are in the midst of planting. As we have begun to tell people about the church, some have asked how we came up with the name, which is a good question. So, here it is:
The word “sanctuary” has multiple meanings. For instance, in medieval times, Christian churches were built on land that was considered a ‘holy spot’. This could have been a place where a saint was buried or a miracle occurred or a martyrdom happened. The place, and therefore the church built there, was considered to have been sanctified (made holy) by what happened there. But there was also a special place set aside in European Christian churches that was extraordinarily holy and sanctified…a place where God’s presence was physically tangible and heavy. The place around the altar was known as the “sanctuary”. This was also present in the Old Testament and the Jewish Temple. In the very center of the temple, there was a room called the “holy of holies” which housed the Ark of the Covenant and the very presence of God dwelt. This was known as the “sanctuary” to the Jews because it was holy and set apart.
Another meaning for sanctuary (and the one that I like) is a “place of asylum or safety”. In ancient times, a criminal could flee to a church or temple and declare “sanctuary” which would protect them from arrest and prosecution. Unlike modern times, people saw the church as a place of safety, forgiveness and grace and in times of trouble, they would flee to her to find that mercy that they so desperately needed.
I so desperately want Sanctuary Church to be a combination of both of these meanings. God is raising up a group of people in this country that are set apart for Him, devoted wholly to His name and willing to die if that’s what it takes to see His kingdom come and His will be done. But we are not concerned about having a special building or structure to house God’s presence…NO, when Jesus died, He split the veil in the temple which allowed His people to be His temple, His church, His SANCTUARY! We will embody the physical, manifest presence of God in our daily lives as we feed the hungry, give hope to the hopeless and BE Jesus to those who don’t know Him.
But Sanctuary Church will also be a place of safety and refuge for those who need grace, forgiveness and mercy. They will find a place where people will love them and accept them no matter what they’ve done, what they look like or what sexual orientation they are. Jesus hung out with the rankest of sinners and loved them and we plan on doing the same. But this ‘sanctuary’ will not be a place of safety from risks but a safe place to take risks and a place to deepen a risk all faith! We’re not going to hunker down and wait for Jesus to come back…we will risk everything we have to show everything that He is to this world that desperately needs a reason for their existence.
So, in a nutshell, that’s why we chose the name SANCTUARY.
