In the coming weeks, we’ll be identifying a new name for our church and introducing refreshed language to communicate our mission and values. 

Our Directional Team has arrived at this decision over the past several months of prayer, discernment, and conversation. There are two reasons to make these changes now.

First, these changes are a reflection of the journey Reality Boston has been on over the past 12 years. We believe this refresh will allow us to more clearly articulate who we are today and where we’re going. We hope the new language will capture what's already true about our community and point toward who we hope to become.

Second, we have reached the decision to leave the Reality Family of Churches that planted Reality Boston 12 years ago. This was a mutual decision between us and Reality Family leaders. It isn’t a result of conflict or division. There is a shared blessing, honor, and appreciation for all that our communities have meant to one another.

The most significant aspect of this transition will be a change to the name of the church. There will also be changes to our visual branding and a clearer articulation of our mission and values. Beyond this, we expect continuity. For those who consider our community their church home, the teaching, worship, group experiences, and way we love our city will all continue.

The staff and Directional Team will share a revised mission statement and set of values in early February. We are currently discerning a new name for the church, which we will announce on Feb 16. A refreshed brand and website will be launched before Easter (April 20th).

About a year ago, the leaders of the Reality Family of Churches initiated a conversation about whether Reality Boston remained a good fit for the family and highlighted that there was a gap between the ethos and approach to ministry of Reality Boston and the Reality Family of Churches. They encouraged us to discern starting a new chapter with a new name might best reflect who we had become as a church and our current trajectory. 

After careful and prayerful consideration, Reality’s Directional Team determined that an exit from Reality Family would best allow our community to foster a fresh expression of church in Boston that reflects our history, resonates with our city, and responds to the future we sense God is calling us toward. 

We remain deeply indebted to and appreciative of the Reality Family of Churches for their faith and investment in our city and church community. Our church would not exist without their love and commitment to the gospel. We continue to treasure and reflect so many elements of this heritage that have become core to our community’s DNA.

No. Both our church and the Reality Family of Churches remain committed to the Scripture and historic Christian faith as articulated in the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds.

Stay tuned!

Our Directional Team is working together to prayerfully discern a new church name. We are excited to announce a new name and language in the coming weeks. We invite your prayers as we listen to God and make this important decision. 

Once announced, we’ll begin the process of transitioning all of our communications to reflect this. This process will take a couple months, but should be complete by Easter.

No. We do not anticipate any changes to our Staff. Our Pastors and staff team are invested in our church community and excited to continue serving.

According to our church’s governance policy, elders are the final decision makers on most matters with a Board of Trustees offering legal and financial oversight. 

Since the merger, our Board has consisted of Josh Wilson, Rashad Clemons, Larry Kim, Tarik El-Ansary, and Adrian Heneveld.

Since the pandemic, Reality Boston has not had a functioning plurality of elders as desired and assumed by the bylaws. At the time of the merger, Pastor Rashad was the sole elder. With the merger, Pastor Josh became a second elder. With Pastor Rashad’s transition in 2024, Pastor Josh has remained as the sole elder.

Our intention is to re-institute eldership and install mature, Godly, invested individuals from within the community to guide our church. Over the next two years, we will establish parameters and develop, vet and install elders who can help us cultivate a thriving congregation. 

In the interim, the Board will take on additional decision-making authority and offer wisdom to ensure that our staff and Directional Team are effectively, responsibly, and courageously leading through this significant moment. In addition to Pastors Josh, Rashad, and Larry Kim, Jeff Bass and Stacy Gaskins are joining the Board.

While the Reality Family of Churches has been an important relationship, aside from a Staff Pastor from Reality SF serving on the Board of Trustees, this relationship has offered no direct oversight or accountability.

Our church finances and budget are not affected by the departure. The Reality Family of Churches invest in new church planting typically offer support only as new churches are being established (we have not received such support since 2015). 

In 2022, Reality Boston was in a significant budget crunch and received one-time emergency support from other Reality Family Churches. With this transition, our church would no longer be a candidate for such gifts and will be dependent on internal tithes and offerings.

At present, Reality Boston is financially self-sustaining. We do not anticipate this transition will impact our finances.

You can continue to make gifts to Reality Church Boston. All financial contributions will continue to be tax-deductible. Once we’ve identified a new name, we’ll share any changes to the giving process with ample time to transition. All financial donations given to Reality Boston up to this point and as part of the Advancing Joy Campaign will automatically transfer over to the new entity. Your financial investment remains so important through this transitional season. All giving will continue to be invested based on the current 2024-25 fiscal year budget and subject to oversight by the Finance Committee and Wisdom Board.

This will not impact our Sunday Gatherings or any other special gatherings and liturgies throughout the year. Our worship, teaching, liturgy, kids ministry, and serve teams will all stay the same.

No, we will continue to meet on Sundays at the Mel King School.

There will be no change to our current groups and microchurches as a result of this departure. There will be refreshed language, agreements, and expectations for our groups and group leaders in the coming months, but this is the continuation of work that began with the RCB/Table merger in 2023 and is unrelated to the transition away from RFC.

First, we invite you to pray for our community and our leaders as we navigate this important transition together! Please pray that God would hold us together, keep us united in trust and honor of one another, and keep us connected in the depth of our relationships and the foundation we have together in Christ. Times of transition are ripe for the enemy to sow dissonance and disunity among the body of Christ. Join us in praying for protection and wisdom—that this transition will be a catalyst for God to clarify and propel us forward into our unique role in bringing God’s Kingdom to earth here in Boston.

Second, we invite your patience, understanding, and support. Our leaders are juggling a lot of things in this season. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out directly.

Third, we invite you to continue to invest in and champion our community in this significant time.  

Our church is committed to our missional partners. We do not expect any changes as a result of this transition.