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BY THE WAY

STEVE GILBERTSON

Name Games

When your first child was born, did you find it difficult to come up with the perfect name? We did. But then, we’re not like most people. We have a hard time picking an item off the menu, much less picking a name for someone’s whole life.

Nowadays, couples often go public with both the sex and the name of their as yet unborn child. Not us. Why take all the adventure out if it? “It’s a boy,” the doctor says, and you say, “Yeah, we know. You told us six months ago. We’ve already picked out his name and furnished his bedroom and bought his toys and signed him up for Pop Warner.”

My goodness. Where’s the fun in that? We specifically told our doctor: Do not tell us our child’s gender. My wife suspected a girl, but other than that we were clueless. So we had to search for boy and girl names. It was hard. For some reason, we decided we wanted a name that started with “K.” I don’t know why–maybe because my wife’s maiden name was “Kavois,” which we considered for a first name but thought might be too weird. Or maybe it was because I thought “K” boys names sounded more “manly.”

So Kyle and Kurt were first on our list for boy’s names. But what if we had a girl? There was a name I’d heard as a teenager and always kind of liked: “Kyan.” But that was almost as weird as naming our child my wife’s maiden name. We tried on other names, but kept coming back to Kyan.

“Sanctuary. Call it ‘Sanctuary.’” The name occurred to me clear as a bell in the middle of the night. I got up quickly, rubbed my eyes, and began to write feverishly.

For quite some time I had been wondering about starting a new church. It had been a venture close to my heart for many years, but the time had never seemed right. Now, however, in response to some clear leadings from God, I was seriously exploring leaving my current ministry to begin a brand new work.

I was scared to death about it and still hadn’t committed to the proposition. Living in between decisions is an awkward place to be, isn’t it? Anyway, that’s where I found myself late that fall evening.

“Sanctuary,” I thought. “What an unusual name for a church! Wouldn’t people think it too strange, or too churchy, or too ‘new age’” (whatever that means)? I knew of a nightclub named Sanctuary, and it’s reputation wasn’t too great. I knew of a golf club with the same name, and a world‑class spa, too. But never had I heard of a church with that name. Strange, isn’t it, how Sanctuary seems an appropriate name for girls, golf, and glamour, but not for God.

Nevertheless, the impression was powerful, and that evening I wrote many things down about this new church called “Sanctuary.” I’m now convinced that the name was a direct impression from the Holy Spirit. Even the words of a song flowed from my pen that evening:

“Welcome to his sanctuary/you are safe inside this place/we, your sisters and your brothers/offer you God’s mercy and grace.

Steve Gilbertson is the pastor of Sanctuary, a church in the heart of Cave Creek.

To contact him or to read more of his writing, visit www.sanctuarytoday.com.

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