In 2013, Westside Church moved from Kitsilano, the “west side,” to downtown Vancouver. While there was some talk about changing its name at the time, the decision was made to keep it. Since then the desire to change the name has continued to grow in us as elders. After years of discussion, months of prayer, and seeking the wisdom of trusted and godly ministry partners, we are excited to share this vision of changing the name of this church from “Westside Church” to “Centre Church.” 

A Biblical Perspective on the Changing of Names 

“What’s in a name?” is a commonly used Shakespearean phrase to suggest names aren’t important. But that’s not how the Bible views them. In scripture, names carry significant meaning. In fact, even in the very first chapters of the Bible, God names His creation and then gives Adam the authority and the responsibility to name the animals. In doing so, He places weight on names, and throughout the rest of scripture, we see how the names of people or places mattered to God. In Genesis 17, God changes Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning “father of many nations,” to affirm His promises to him. Similarly, in the New Testament, we see Saul using the name Paul when he began his missionary work reaching the Gentiles. Likewise, as our church has shifted geographically from Kitsilano to downtown Vancouver, we hope to more accurately contextualize our ministry to the community around us. We believe that renaming to “Centre Church” will help with that process of contextualization.

Like Paul, whose name means “small” or “humble” and who grew in humility as he followed Jesus, we aim to embody the values represented by our new name, centering ourselves more deeply on the pursuit of His heart and His glory. We want to glorify God by keeping primary things front and centre - namely, the lifting up of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The renaming of Westside Church to Centre Church is not to dishonour or forget what God has done through Westside Church in the past. We’re thankful for the many saints that have gone before us and laid such a strong foundation. Yet God wants to continually make all things new and our ultimate desire for Centre Church is to celebrate what God is doing at the present and embrace what we want Him to do with and through us.

Read more about a biblical perspective on the changing of names here.

Reasons for Choosing the Name: Centre Church

Now that we’ve discussed the biblical basis for renaming the church, let’s dive into why we chose “Centre Church.” What does this name mean, and why is this change happening now?

Here are the three main reasons behind this choice:

Confluence

The term “confluence” means a coming or flowing together, meeting or gathering at one point, which perfectly describes what we want Centre Church to be—a place where people from various backgrounds unite under the message of Jesus. We hope to be a central hub that not only strengthens our own community but also connects with other churches in the city.

We believe that God places people exactly where they need to be, as shown in Acts 17:26-27. With our church located in a downtown performing arts building, we recognize the importance of our spot and the presence of God here. Despite the challenges of repairs and mortgage rate hikes, God has consistently provided for us, confirming that we are meant to be in this location.

Our downtown setting allows us to reach people from all walks of life—from the upscale neighbourhoods to those in need. We want everyone to experience the love of Jesus in this space. Interestingly, we occupy a building that was once known as “The Centre for the Performing Arts,” and we aim to bridge the arts community with the message of Christ. We hope for the unbelievers searching for beauty in the arts to find and enter a space where they will meet the original Artist and Creator of everything.

While a church can exist without a building, we feel it honors God to be in such a visible, central location. The name “Centre Church” reflects our mission to bring people together—both believers and the lost —creating a welcoming space for everyone to encounter Jesus. Ultimately, we aspire to unify Christians across denominations to worship and witness together in this community.

Convergence

The term “convergence” describes the coming together of two important aspects of our faith: the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures. Both are essential for living an abundant Christian life. Jesus taught that true worship is done in both Spirit and truth (John 4:24).

The “Word” refers to the Bible, which we believe is God’s truth that guides us in teaching, correction, and growth (2 Timothy 3:16). Jesus emphasized that His words should abide in us (John 15), helping us resist temptation and discern intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). To be a church that relies upon and submits to the Word is to derive our strength and instruction for victorious Christian living from the unchanging truths of God.

The “Spirit” is given to us when we believe in the truth of the gospel, acting as a guarantee of our faith (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Word and Spirit are inseparable and indispensable for the authentic Christian life. Any spiritual growth in our relationship with God must be empowered by the Spirit and based on the Word. Any overcoming of the fleshly sin nature in our lives to become holy like Jesus must be done by the power of the Holy Spirit and the flesh is of no use at all (Romans 8:1-11). We believe that the Holy Spirit’s presence should be evident through spiritual fruit and the exercise of gifts, embracing a continuationist approach where all gifts are welcomed.

Over the years, we’ve aimed for a balance between relying on the Word and being open to the Spirit. Relying too heavily on the Word alone can lead to legalism, while focusing solely on spiritual experiences can lead to sensationalism. We strive for a healthy blend of both, as seen in the early church in Acts, which helps us grow and deepen our relationship with God. With the name “Centre Church,” an emphasis is placed on the importance of centering the spiritual dynamics of the church around the Word and the Spirit.

Christ the Centre

The name “Centre Church” is all about making Jesus the heart of everything we do. Jesus is the centrepoint of our faith. This name perfectly captures the essence of what our mission statement says: “to know Jesus and to make Jesus known.” If we make anything else more central to the church than the glorification of Jesus, we will cease to be a church altogether.

We desire to centralize the church on three main pursuits, all related to Jesus, who is the Head of the Church.

Firstly, we want to centre in on our pursuit of relationship with Jesus, for out of relationship with Him comes spiritual vitality and vibrancy. Our gatherings are about knowing Him, not just ticking boxes or earning blessings. As we believe that prayer is critical to the development of an intimate relationship with Jesus, we desire for prayer to become increasingly central to our ethos as a church. Our church is moving from being a “church that prays” toward becoming a “praying church.” This church is regularly witnessing the Lord's work in response to prayer with stories involving the confession of sins and the receiving of freedom, of salvation, healing, deliverance and much more.

Secondly, we want to centre in on our pursuit of holiness as a church. We aim to stay true to the path Jesus lays out for us. The very picture of holiness in the Bible is remaining central on the straight and narrow path that Jesus lays out for us. But rather than just following strict boundaries, we want to be “centre set” on the person of Jesus because when we abide in Him, we naturally bear good fruit. The name “Centre Church” is a recognition that at the centre of Jesus’ heart is a loving relationship with a holy and unblemished people that He calls His own who proclaim the “excellencies” of Jesus (1 Peter 2:9).

Lastly, we want to centre in on our pursuit of unifying the churches in Vancouver under the person of Jesus Christ. We believe our church should serve as a meeting place for the churches of Vancouver. Yet, having a common space is not enough to unify churches of different denominations and practices. Only submission to Jesus alone, who has the central authority and power in the Church, will bring us together in worship and mission. In the past, this church was known for drawing hard lines on who we partner with in ministry, but it is not so now. By renaming this church to “Centre Church,” the goal is to communicate our aim to keep primary things as primary and to unify with other churches under the headship of Jesus for the good and salvation of the lost in our city.

If there is anything to take away from this article, it is that the name "Centre Church" is all about making Jesus the centre of our very existence.

We have seen His faithfulness over twenty years of drawing us deeper into the centre of His heart. May it be that “Centre Church” and all that it attempts to capture in its meaning becomes an abiding reality. And in that reality then, when Jesus comes again, we desire that He finds this church to be a holy bride with zealous love for Him.

We close with an “Amen” to the words of Revelation 1:5-6: “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

This article has been edited for length. Read the full article here.