WHEN GOD CHANGES YOUR NAME

WHEN GOD CHANGES YOUR NAME- The Story Behind Graceway Baptist Church in Bryant

Throughout Scripture, there are moments when God changes a person’s name to mark a new season of calling. Abram becomes Abraham. Jacob becomes Israel. Simon becomes Peter. In each case, the new name reflects a renewed mission and a future shaped by God’s purpose.

That biblical theme became a meaningful picture for one church in Bryant. After decades of ministry as First Southern Baptist Church, the congregation has embraced a new name: Graceway Baptist Church.

For Lead Pastor Peter Cunningham, the decision was not about distancing the church from its history. Instead, it was about clarifying the church’s mission for the future. “We asked ourselves a simple question,” Cunningham explained. “What are we more concerned about people knowing? Who we are affiliated with or what we are about and what we want to do in people’s lives?”

A Vision That Took Time

The idea of a name change had surfaced for years within the church’s leadership. Cunningham notes that the conversation was not new. “Every pastor since Jim Lagrone has expressed a desire to change the name of the church,” he said.

When Cunningham became pastor, he began thinking carefully about how the church could better connect with the community around it. The possibility of a name change eventually became part of a broader vision for the church’s future.

Still, the process was slow and thoughtful. “I did not want people to do something just because I was saying we needed to do it,” Cunningham said. Instead of rushing toward a decision, the church began a season of listening and conversation.

Listening to the Church Family

To help guide the process, Cunningham formed a group he called a Perception Development Team. More than forty people participated, representing every generation of the church from high school students to senior adults.

The purpose of the team was to explore how the church was viewed in the community and what might help the church reach people more effectively. During those discussions, members reflected on both the strengths of the church’s history and the opportunities ahead.

Cunningham emphasized an important principle that shaped the conversation. “Perception is reality,” he told the group. The church celebrated the many ways it had served Bryant through the years, including involvement in local schools, athletics, and community outreach. At the same time, members began asking how the church could communicate its mission more clearly moving forward.

A Name That Points to the Gospel

As the process continued, Cunningham began sharing the biblical theme that had been on his heart. He preached a sermon series titled When God Changes Your Name, exploring how God sometimes gives new names to mark new seasons of purpose.

In the same way, the church sensed that God was leading them into a new chapter of ministry. For Cunningham, the heart of the decision was missional. “It really boiled down to an evangelistic strategy,” he said. “We want people to know what we are about, not who we are associated with.”

The name Graceway reflects that desire. Graceway points directly to the message of the gospel. It reminds people that the Christian life begins with the grace of God and that Jesus is the way that leads to that grace.

Honoring the Past While Moving Forward

Throughout the process, church leaders made it clear that the congregation was not abandoning its history. Instead, they wanted to honor the past while preparing for the future. “We celebrated the good things about our name,” Cunningham said. Those good things include decades of faithful ministry, relationships built in the community, and lives changed through the gospel.

Now, as Graceway Baptist Church, the congregation believes the new name will help people clearly understand the message at the center of their mission. Grace is the gift God offers to every person. The way to that grace is Jesus Christ. And the church desires to help people find both.

A Name That Reflects a Calling

The heart of Graceway Baptist Church remains the same as it has always been: sharing the gospel, serving the community, and helping people follow Christ. The name simply puts that mission into words.

Just as God gave new names in Scripture to reflect a renewed calling, the church believes this new name marks the beginning of a fresh season of ministry. And in Bryant, the people of Graceway Baptist Church hope that anyone who hears the name will immediately know what it means.

The way of grace is open to everyone.