Why Steadfast Church?

Steadfast is one of the words English translators use to convey the Hebrew concept of hesed. This Hebrew word is notoriously hard to translate as no one English word can do it justice. One biblical translator in the 16th century had such difficulty translating the word that he created his own word to convey its depth and meaning: lovingkindness. So, what does hesed mean? In short, hesed describes God’s initiating, committed, sturdy, and faithful love for his people. 

Having steadfast as a church name serves as a reminder of God’s steadfast love for us. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” When we are prone to wander, when we are prone to serve lesser Gods—God’s steadfast love for us remains unfailing. This is why the Psalms so often declare, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

So, steadfast should always make us first think of God’s character and commitment. Yet, steadfastness is also a response. The word steadfast traces back to the Old English word stedefæst, a combination of stede, meaning “place,” and fæst, meaning “firmly fixed.” As a people sovereignly placed by God in a time and place, we are not only called to be steadfast to him but also to each other. Theologian Michael Card describes hesed this way: “In the Hebrew mind hesed is always something you do. It is a verb. It is loading wounded people on donkeys, running to greet runaway children, forgiving enormous debts, paying someone who worked an hour as much as the ones who worked all day, giving a party to those who can’t pay you back. It is a resonant response to the overwhelming kindness of the God of Exodus 34, who is full of hesed.” Our steadfast response to the Lord is but a shadow of God’s true steadfastness to us. Nonetheless, being steadfast is a call to be firmly rooted in Christ, to be covenantally committed to the church community around us, and to be a faithful presence in the city in which we live.