Whats in a name

A Chapel is a room or building. The church is the body of believers. So there is significant difference there. I would say yes it matters.

 

The place I go to now uses chapel because that's what it was 100 yrs ago....a chapel for NY residents visiting a lake community for vacation. They never changed it to church. Should they?

 

I know in some countries that have state religions you can't call other denomination meeting places churches.

I know this used to be true in England, not sure about today, perhaps a board member from England can weigh in. But used to be you had to call your baptist church a baptist "chapel" because the only legal churches were the Church of England.

I think Germany was this way at one time too. If was not a Lutheran church it could not be called a church.

I have seen Baptist churches named tabernacles, temples, chapels, assemblies, and communities. I don't see that it really makes a difference.

 

There ya go....as long as they serve lunch they are litigate in my book.:thumbsup: