We absolutely respect people that have a legitimate complaint with this name as one may think it infers that Christians are, or should, always have a great life and everything be perfect. This is not our position as Christ said "In this world you will have trouble". Hebrews 11 does not bode well for this type of theology either. So why the name?

We officially started out as Jackson Grace Brethren Church. However, being stricken to the core with seeing hungry children with little to wear and substandard living conditions, young adults living with a totally fatalistic outlook, and the established churches insulating themselves from this segment of society, we wanted a substantive name to link us into our community. Then, after visiting with a pastor in Louisa, KY who had a love for “smiley”, the name “Happy Church” emerged and is being recognized as a symbol of help and hope. Not to enable people to continue their destructive ways, but to empower them to live free in Christ - in spite of whatever conditions or circumstances they may find themselves. We serve and function as a local body with many "normal" people, but we have a great burden for the poverty that surrounds us. Connie Tabor (Pastor Mike's wife) once made the statement for a sister ministry brochure that we are "turning pieces of despair into a picture of hope". The name “Happy Church” probably wouldn’t work in most places, but it works here –and that’s great!