May 10, 2007

MOBERLY, Mo. — At one time the name Heralds successfully served as an appropriate mascot for Central Christian College of the Bible, exemplifying how the college's students were to spread the Gospel.

As decades passed, the name began losing its place in the everyday English language, and more recently it became apparent that the time was right for a change.

On Wednesday during chapel, CCCB President Dr. Ron Oakes unveiled a new athletics mascot and logo to a student body that received the news with great excitement. Taking effect immediately, the new name "Saints" will gradually begin to surface on the website, on team uniforms, and athletic apparel that is sold in the CCCB Bookstore.

"The term (Heralds) emphasizes the centrality of the Word of God and the urgency placed upon all Christians to proclaim that Word to people," Dr. Oakes said. "Unfortunately, the term has become less and less known today, and rarely used, by the majority of people."

"Central needed a mascot that would resonate with people today as well as promote the urgency that every believer and leader must live a life of Christian character. Extensive knowledge of the Word of God and exceptional skill in proclaiming it yields God's blessings only when coupled with the visual and verbal demonstration of Christian character."

During focus groups this year alumni suggested the term "Saints" as a more relevant, and marketable conceptual image. The Bible refers to Christians as "saints" or "holy ones," set apart and dedicated to God.

"Central exists to develop servant leaders for the church who are true believers, real leaders demonstrating authentic, genuine integrity," Dr. Oakes explained. "So rather than emphasizing what a person knows or what a person is able to do, "saints" communicates a crystal clear focus on who the person is on the inside.

"Students continue to gain an extensive knowledge of God's Word, and they develop an exceptional ability to share that message with others," Dr. Oakes continued. "In addition, they come face-to-face with their personal responsibility to be holy realizing that Christian character is never for us but for the sake of proclaiming the ministry of reconciliation to a lost and dying world. We are 'set apart' and 'holy' to 'declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light' (1 Peter 2:9)."

The new logo features the word "Saints" in its traditional crimson and white colors, while several key elements that represent the mission and relevance of CCCB inhabit the design.

The most obvious element in the new logo is the cross, which also serves as a "T" in the name. The other key ingredient is the torch, which doubles as the "I" and has a flame hovering over the top. The entire logo appears to be moving forward, from the leaning of the text to the flame, which trails to the left.

"So when the decision was made to capture these concepts in one design, several key elements needed to become intertwined: the cross, a torch, and movement forward," Dr. Oakes said. "First of all, the cross of Jesus needed to be evident for without the cross there is no hope whatsoever. Second, the torch with a flame (as in the college seal) indicates the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ and believers living as lights in this world. Third, the mascot needed to show progression, or movement forward as the message of Christ needs to move forward throughout the world."

Along with the new mascot, there was also an effort to re-establish crimson as CCCB's main color for athletics. Crimson and white have been the official school colors since CCCB was founded in 1957, but crimson has often times been substituted for more of a scarlet color.

In addition to updating the mascot, the College's seal was recently enhanced as well. The scalloped edges were replaced with double rings, graphically presenting it in a three-dimensional way. The result is a more contemporary seal that communicates relevance, strength, and confidence.

"Both the enhanced seal, and the enhanced mascot and logo will become a "brand" that proclaims the excellence and integrity of Central Christian College of the Bible," Dr. Oakes said.