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Church Replant vs. Church Rebrand: What Are We and What’s the Difference?
One of the questions I get most from both church members and newcomers alike is: “Pastor, is The Crossings just FBC Brunswick rebranded, or are we a true replant?” That’s more than just a technical or marketing question. It gets right to the heart of who we are, where God has brought us, and why our mission matters for the future of the gospel in Brunswick.
Let’s start by defining the terms. A church rebrand is basically a cosmetic announcement: a new name, maybe a new logo, or a fresh coat of paint on familiar systems. The “why” behind a rebrand can be innocent enough, maybe a congregation wants to shake off an old reputation, or they want to signal a new season of ministry.
But here’s the truth: if you peel back the layers, in a rebrand, almost everything underneath stays the same. The culture, the leadership, the structure, and usually the spiritual DNA don’t change. Think of a rebrand like switching jerseys without changing the team or the playbook.
A church replant, on the other hand, is something more radical, and more biblical. When a church is replanted, it’s rescued from spiritual or organizational decline not by simply updating its image, but by essentially starting over. That means a new vision, new leadership, new bylaws, constitution and structures, and usually a new level of sacrifice from everyone involved. In a replant, you acknowledge, out loud, that things haven’t been working, and you don’t just decorate the old shell, you allow God to do the deep work of revival, repentance, and starting again.
Replanting is often messy and tough; there’s a dying to pride, comfort, and even old traditions so that real gospel growth can happen. If you’re a gardener, think of it like pulling up the withered roots, tilling the soil, and replanting new seeds so that what comes up is healthy, faithful, and fruitful for the next generation. This is not just adjusting what the world sees but addressing what God sees.
Here’s why this matters so much: In our context, at The Crossings, we are a true church replant, not a quick rebrand. We have inherited, by the grace of God, the profound responsibility of starting clean in so many ways: building a new spiritual culture, developing new leadership (with an elder-led structure firmly rooted in the New Testament model), and focusing all our energy on the mission of reaching new people for Christ in Brunswick and beyond. We have taken the hard road of letting go of some old systems, names, and perhaps even expectations from The First Baptist Church of Brunswick because Jesus is worth it, and our community needs a vibrant, biblical, gospel-preaching church.
Why not just do a rebrand? Because, frankly, spiritual decline isn’t fixed by slogans or signage. Replanting takes humility, it means admitting, “We need genuine change, not a facelift.” By God’s grace, a replant is about putting the gospel at the center, calling everyone into the same room, and saying, “Let’s follow Christ together, even if it’s tough and even if it costs us.”
Southern Baptists have recognized the urgency of replanting dying churches, especially in places where gospel witness is thin and spiritual apathy has set in. The North American Mission Board (NAMB) and state conventions like ours are investing heavily to see real, lasting fruit, not surface-level marketing but soul-deep renewal. The North American Mission board and the SEND network are pouring into our church replant through training and funding.
So, as you get involved at The Crossings, know this: you’re part of a miracle replant, not a quick rebrand. We are rooting our identity not in the past, not in personalities, but in long obedience to Jesus, in real repentance, and in Christ-centered, Spirit-powered mission. Yes, the journey is harder, but the reward is a church that is truly new, alive, and ready to make an impact for generations to come.
Pastor Justin |
