Brief
If we live in an age of dividing lines, Church of the Open Door defies it at every turn. Denominations? You’ll find every kind of Christian there. Political polarization? The entire political spectrum finds a way to feel at home. Intergenerational relationships dying in the U.S.? Open Door thrives on them. A unified pursuit binds their community together: “Engaging in the struggle of becoming fully alive in God.”
But when Dave Johnson concluded his 38-year run as the church’s visionary leader and Senior Pastor, Open Door faced fundamental questions. Who are we going to be? What will always be true about us? And how do we need to reimagine ourselves going forward?
Shortly after installing Dave Brickey as the new Senior Pastor, Open Door sought our partnership to help answer these questions while putting visual and verbal language to their core vision as a spiritual community.
Outcome
Our Brand Platform process revealed four core attributes to Open Door’s brand:
- Compassionate
- Protective
- Knowledgeable
- Communal
Taken together, these are the ingredients that make up Open Door’s secret sauce. All our work needed to conspire together to show that Open Door really is that kind of community.
Enter, Beloved. Early in our work, that tagline emerged and immediately clicked into place. It’s simple, relationally-driven, and expands on what their name can mean. An invitation to move not just into a physical space, but a community engaged in the struggle of life and faith.
This tagline formed the crux of the visual direction as well. And while the passageway logo is simple enough, its asymmetry feels like it’s calling you forward. The Favorit type selection is similarly unpretentious, but never risks being boring. It makes the brand feel modern, with geometric shapes (looking at you, y) that feel cohesive with the logo.
