Signs and wonders....

No nothing apocalyptic just...well, signs. Church signs to be exact. Traditionally they were simply names: "St. Alban's Anglican Church" or "First Baptist Church" (and surprise...there are actually a few "Second Baptist Churches out there.) Perhaps the denominational affiliation is also there: "United Church of Canada" or "Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC)." Now some will go as far as adding the pastor and service times (if the pastors change too often they might leave it off or just have a secondary sign screwed on - maybe good to watch out for if you are a new potential pastor being interviewed by the church.)

Some church signs feature the "sentence sermons" as one writer called them; as simple as a Bible verse or maybe a provocative thought. Then there are the billboard types of signs that became popular in the sixties and seventies with evangelistic intent. You might remember driving down the highway and seeing those large signs with John 3:16 or Romans 6:23. They would have pictures of the cross, flames, or heavenly sunbeams to emphasize the scriptural point. In the nineties "Seeker sensitive" churches and then the Emerging Church movement began adopting more aggressive marketing tactics. It is not surprising that some billboards have generated considerable controvery.

I assume that the primary purpose of a sign was to communicate who we were and what you were doing to those outside. And provide an invitation. "Our Traditional worship service is at 10:30am. Our contemporary worship service is at 12:00pm." Good to know. The use of "sentence sermons' and Bible Verses seems to make an assumption that the majority of those reading them have enough of a Christian background to understand the context. That might have been the case in 1970; it is not the case in 2009. Here is one I saw: "Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark." This presupposes that you know who Noah is, what an ark is, and why he needed one. Think most people get it? Maybe not if recent surveys on Biblical Literacy are correct. It seems the most quoted justification for using Bible verses is the idea that God's Word is never read without being used by God for His purposes. I agree with the idea. But does this passage envision the flinging of verses randomly at passerbys (not unlike a drive-by shooting) in the hopes that God will use it on the un-expecting reader?

An article is Christianity Today offers some tips on effective Church signs. My own thought is that the best way to share your faith is in person. Use your sign to invite people in. Use it to tell them about your church. Who knows, they might just stop by.

I had lots to say about church signs, so here is your chance! Make your own church sign here with this church sign generator.