OUR EMBLEM

Background

The unique character of the Believers Eastern Church is expressed in the design of its emblem: a cross inside a circle surrounded by four symbols that point to the significant aspects of our faith – the dove, heart, book and fish.

The early Church fathers chose the symbol of the cross as a reminder of all that Christ had done for them. Its two bars were already a cosmic symbol from remote antiquity representing the axis between heaven and earth. Their choice had a specific explanation. They wished to commemorate as central to their understanding of Jesus Christ, His crucifixion, His death and resurrection.

The Cross and the Circle

While the circle in the logo represents eternity, the cross is not enclosed or contained within the circle. It goes beyond the circle, implying that the cross is the centrality of our faith and that its significance transcends eternity. It represents the Lord Jesus Christ and His redemptive work on the cross.

So it is the supreme priority of our church to enable the faithful to know Jesus more fully and intimately, and hunger to become like Him. Thus they will manifest Christ’s life as they die to self through the cross and follow in His footsteps.

The Four Symbols

The four symbols within the circle stand for the emphases we have in our Church.

Dove

The dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit, who is the vivifying lifeforce of the Church. Without the grace of the Holy Spirit, no one can live a victorious Christian life and partake of the divine nature.

Heart

The heart represents ‘agape’ love. We believe that love is the most important trait of a follower of Christ, without which we have no right to call ourselves Christians. We give priority to teaching on the unity of the Body of Christ and in living out love in practical terms, thus expanding the kingdom of God.

Book

The book represents the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Tradition of the Church, which are the absolute authorities for our faith and conduct.

We give great emphasis and supreme priority to the teaching of the Holy Scriptures in the Divine Liturgy and other spiritual services for the faithful to know their faith more and grow into Christ’s likeness.

Fish

During the severe persecution of the early Church, Christians used the noncommittal painting of a fish to identify and greet one another. The ichthys (“fish”) was an acronym for the Greek words, ‘Iesus Christos Theou Huios Soter’ (Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior). But because the association between Christ and the fish was purely acronymic, this symbol was gradually replaced by the Cross to symbolize His crucifixion and resurrection.

The fish sign in the Believers Eastern Church logo is used with its direct connection to the mission of the Church as told by Christ Himself, “Follow Me and I will make you ‘fishers’ of men.” Therefore, we acknowledge our commitment and passion to fulfill the Great Commission—our call from Christ, who is the head of the Church.