By Bill Southern
Church’s move to two multi-sites reflects diverse and widespread membership.
With a 2020 Vision to expand its influence beyond city, county and international lines, the Richland Hills Church of Christ announced in August of last year that it would change its name to The Hills Church of Christ. The leadership says the name change more accurately reflects a growing body of believers across an area that actually represents 50 zip codes and five counties.
In telling members, Minister of the Word Rick Atchley acknowledged that the church’s longstanding name has been geographically incorrect for the past 40 years. After all, the Richland Hills Church of Christ is not even in Richland Hills, but instead physically sits in North Richland Hills, TX.
Breaking old habits
The church’s senior minister for the past 21 years, Atchley agreed old habits are hard to break, and he might very well be the one who has the most difficulty remembering to use the new name. Transitioning to the new name makes perfect sense, Atchley says, as The Hills Church of Christ prepares to plant the first of several additional campuses.
Already more than 200 people have been meeting together on Sunday mornings to worship and serve 
together and to build community in preparation for the opening of a new campus on Fort Worth’s west side in the spring of 2011.
Growth is expected
“The new name will more closely align with the church’s mission to grow followers of Jesus through worship, community and service — especially since those followers come from many locations outside of the church’s 76180 zip code,” says Executive Minister Mike Washburn. “Our church has not met in Richland Hills for four decades.
“We felt it was time that our name more accuractely reflected just how diverse and widespread our membership has become. We want to have a greater impact on the city and its surrounding communities,” Washburn says.
The church’s 2020 Vision challenges members to double the number of fully devoted followers of Christ associated with this body of believers, plant a large number of new churches – some that are geographically dispersed throughout North America and others that minister to people in multicultural communities – to support as many as 300 more missionaries and short-term missionary specialists at home and abroad, and to establish a thriving Christian university in East Africa.
“Matthew 5:14 specifically addresses Christian believers when it says, ‘You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.’ Members of The Hills Church of Christ are hoping to be that light for families who live in the greater Fort Worth area and beyond,” Washburn says.
Bill Southern is technical coordinator for The Hills Church of Christ, North Richland, TX. www.thehills.org
