The story behind the church logo

By Rajmund Dabrowski

The year 1996 was historic as the unified church’s public identity was adopted for a worldwide church. This included a church logo symbol and a branding approach based on the global church communication strategy referred to as the Hope Strategy.

As a global church body, we had no logo before 1996. A variety of symbols were used in different administrative areas of the church with varied identification logos.

Creativity in entity identifiers, which you could see on the church office stationery, the signage of local churches and administrative offices, as well names of church institutions, was confusing and did not reflect a unified organization—not to mention adding to confusion about how the church’s name was expressed.

There is a history for how the Seventh-day Adventist Corporate Identity (CI) was developed and voted by the General Conference Executive Committee. I recall a conversation with Pastor R. S. Folkenberg, then the world church president, where I passionately expressed the view that it was high time we supported our interests in the unity of the global church and protected our church from abuses of the independent use of the church’s name. “The logos used by the various church entities are all over the place,” I argued. “Do we care enough about our own brand and ethos as a faith community to make our identity visible in a consistent manner?”

The issue of a corporate identity and its graphic expression was not new to either of us. “Others have tried to get this done and they failed,” Folkenberg responded. “But if you want to have a go at it, go ahead.”

“If I were to get a crack at it, would you have my back?” I asked. His affirmative response meant that we would achieve change in the church’s public presence.

After establishing a committee to oversee design parameters of the church’s logo, its applications and graphics standards, a proposal was ready for a policy route through appropriate channels. Placed with the Communication Department, the group was composed of public relations professionals, a designer, and representatives of the administration. Known in church circles as a designer and graphic artist, Bryan Gray was invited to present a proposal for a design and work also on branding applications and a graphic standards manual.

In consultation with the Office of the General Conference President, one critical approach was undertaken—a recommendation to include the full name of our church–the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It aimed at establishing a trademark and legal right for the use of the church’s full name, thus preventing unauthorized use of the church’s identity and protecting the proprietary interests of the church’s name.

Also, in order to expedite the process to have the corporate identity established, it was recommended that, after the General Conference’s top three officers approved the design proposal and application, it would be directly presented to the Executive Committee of the world church.

It was in October of 1996 that the Annual Council met in San Juan, Costa Rica, and a two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee voted to establish a unified, global church logo–a graphic and the church’s full name–the denomination’s first. Prior to 1996, the church never had a global church logo used by church entities in all World Divisions, unions, conferences, local churches and institutions owned or licensed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

It is important to note that when we established a graphic standards manual, “the ultimate goal [was] to ensure that the Church is identified consistently and clearly in a positive manner that will communicate our mission and spirit for many years to come,” wrote Bryan Gray. Naturally, communicators and most of the church leaders in nearly all unions welcomed establishing a unified CI. As one church leader from Central America put it, we “feel that we are one, no matter where you see our logo.” Now, over twenty years later, wherever you see the logo, you know you can feel at home as part of a global family of Seventh-day Adventists.

My early months and years as a “logo cop,” after rolling out the usage and signage of the logo, saw a change of heart by those who initially were not so sure about dropping their attachment to logos developed by their Unions and became the CI’s biggest supporters. Such was the case with South America in particular. Rolling out the logo throughout the region, the CI was merged with the Communication Strategy, known as the Communication of Hope.

Logo—What Is Its Meaning?

The logo reflects the core values of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Its foundation is the Bible, the Word of God, shown open because its message should be read and put into practice. Central to that biblical message is the cross, which is also a central feature of the logo. Above the cross and the open Bible is a burning flame that represents the Holy Spirit, the messenger of truth.

The Second Coming. The lines at the top of the design suggest upward momentum symbolizing the resurrection and ascension to heaven at Christ’s Second Coming, the ultimate focus of our faith.

The Flame. This is the shape formed by three lines encircling an implied sphere. The lines represent the three angels of Rev. 14 circling the globe and our commission to take the Gospel to the entire world. The overall shape forms a flame symbolic of the Holy Spirit.

The Cross. The symbol of the cross, representing the Gospel of salvation, is positioned in the center of the design to emphasize Christ’s sacrifice, which is the central theme of the Adventist faith.

The Open Bible. The Bible forms the base of the design and represents the biblical foundation of our beliefs. It is portrayed in a fully open position suggesting a full acceptance of God’s word.

Some people have complained that the abandonment of the “old” logo represents a departure from what we believe in, among other accusations. Nothing could be further from the truth. We don’t reflect our logo; our logo reflects us, and if we are true to what we believe, that is what the logo will come to stand for.

As a matter of fact, the new logo more fully symbolizes the breadth of what we believe, as stated above, but is worth repeating. It starts with the foundation of the Word, centered on the Cross, the path to our salvation; it shows three flames encircling an implied globe, representing both the Godhead (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and also the Three Angels’ Message to all the world. And all of this is shown in a simple, yet elegant and contemporary style, all the things you ask for in a great logo.

What’s in the Name?

There is only one correct usage of the name “Seventh- day Adventist.” The correct spelling of the church name includes a hyphen between “Seventh” and “day” with the “d” for “day” being lower case. There are two identifying beliefs in our name. We are believers in the second advent of Jesus Christ and keep the seventh-day (Saturday) as Sabbath, the biblical day of worship.

Alongside the CI meaning and application, it was also established that the official abbreviation for the full name of the church is “Adventist.” This establishes the use the full name or the abbreviation “Adventist” when referring to the church. Many local churches, leaders and members got accustomed to the abbreviation “SDA.”* In practice, this actually hides the meaning of who we, as Seventh-day Adventist members, are. It is also important to note that besides the legal application of our corporate identity, there is a public relations aspect of the way we identify ourselves. Though there will be those who would wish to debate it, in my public relations view, the use of the initials “SDA” is incorrect, as those letters can stand for a variety of organizations.

Besides, the names “Seventh-day Adventist” and “Adventist” are the registered trademarks of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists), which is recognized as the legal entity controlling the use of that name. The term “Adventist” is a generic term, which can be used and applied by any group professing belief in the second advent of Christ. When used in the context of the full name of the church, the term “Adventist” is generally understood to mean Seventh-day Adventist.

Twenty years after the church took a step to establish a unified church logo, the General Conference reviewed the more contemporary needs of how we apply the logo in the era of changing technology and media. The logo received a graphic refresher without changing its graphic, but making the logotype easier to use across the globe and in different languages. A new web page application is being given a new look. Making it more in line with local cultures and design needs, each world division is working on their versions.

It is our intent to release a new “web face” in the Rocky Mountain Conference in sync with the North American Division.

–Rajmund Dabrowski is RMC communication director and editor of Mountain Views. Email him at: [email protected].