Came across this letter the other day. I think most of us have some kind of an opinion on this. Let me know what you think. After reading it, ask yourself, "How did Jesus communicate his message to people? What method(s) did he use?" Would love to hear from both Christians and non-Christians on this.
An Open Letter to all Church Sign Maintainers... by Drew Moser
To all the maintainers of church signs--
Stop it...please. I'm pleading with you. Stop the silly, ridiculous 'bad theology in a nutshell' sayings on your church signs. I can't tell you how often I drive by your churches and cringe. As a pastor, I'm embarrassed that my colleagues would spew such trash on the one thing that you want everyone to see. "The messages make you think," you'll no doubt say in defense. My reply: "Yeah, they make you think...they make you think about why people don't go to church."
It's not that communicating via sign is wrong. Just do it the right way. Don't put cheesy sayings on them. Stop replacing phrases that including or talk about the 'sun' with 'son'. It's lame and played out. Stop replacing 'sold' with 'souled'. Our being is not a transaction. Stop condemning people to hell via sign message. It's cowardly and spiteful. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Stop telling me that "God is my copilot." I don't have a plane, and I don't know how to fly one. All you're doing is fueling the fire for antagonists to mock us, and you're building a wall instead of a bridge of thoughtful reflection and dialogue. Instead of the word junk, put something on there that truly makes people think. You could use a difficult passage of Scripture, a quote from great theologian, a thought from a member of your congregation. Mother Teresa alone has enough quotes worth posting to cover your sign for months. Or maybe you could use a quote from a recent movie, or a pithy sentence fro m a classic fiction novel, or a lyric from a song. Don't pander down to the same book that you all own that gives you second rate stuff. Seek excellence in all you do, including your signage.
Maybe if we spent more time exploring the deep mystery and wonder of humanity, created by God, in His image, we'd have a better idea of how to reach one another with love and truth. Maybe, just maybe we'd have a better idea of how to use our signs to probe deeper into the human soul.
Unfortunately, our signs are a reflection of the state of theological formulation in way too many church congregations: simplistic, watered-down, and oozing with cheese. If the church is truly a mission outpost to the world, let's stop reducing the mysteries and wonder of God to painful puns and poor plays on words. Let our signs communicate something deeper; something more. Let's allow our signs to represent Christ and His church as he has called it to be. Hold the cheese and people might not want to vomit all over your sign when they drive by it.
So, my challenge to you, Mr. or Mrs. Church Sign Maintenance Person...take more time and consideration into what you communicate. People read those signs and respond. They just might not respond in the way we hoped.
An Open Letter to all Church Sign Maintainers... by Drew Moser
To all the maintainers of church signs--
Stop it...please. I'm pleading with you. Stop the silly, ridiculous 'bad theology in a nutshell' sayings on your church signs. I can't tell you how often I drive by your churches and cringe. As a pastor, I'm embarrassed that my colleagues would spew such trash on the one thing that you want everyone to see. "The messages make you think," you'll no doubt say in defense. My reply: "Yeah, they make you think...they make you think about why people don't go to church."
It's not that communicating via sign is wrong. Just do it the right way. Don't put cheesy sayings on them. Stop replacing phrases that including or talk about the 'sun' with 'son'. It's lame and played out. Stop replacing 'sold' with 'souled'. Our being is not a transaction. Stop condemning people to hell via sign message. It's cowardly and spiteful. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Stop telling me that "God is my copilot." I don't have a plane, and I don't know how to fly one. All you're doing is fueling the fire for antagonists to mock us, and you're building a wall instead of a bridge of thoughtful reflection and dialogue. Instead of the word junk, put something on there that truly makes people think. You could use a difficult passage of Scripture, a quote from great theologian, a thought from a member of your congregation. Mother Teresa alone has enough quotes worth posting to cover your sign for months. Or maybe you could use a quote from a recent movie, or a pithy sentence fro m a classic fiction novel, or a lyric from a song. Don't pander down to the same book that you all own that gives you second rate stuff. Seek excellence in all you do, including your signage.
Maybe if we spent more time exploring the deep mystery and wonder of humanity, created by God, in His image, we'd have a better idea of how to reach one another with love and truth. Maybe, just maybe we'd have a better idea of how to use our signs to probe deeper into the human soul.
Unfortunately, our signs are a reflection of the state of theological formulation in way too many church congregations: simplistic, watered-down, and oozing with cheese. If the church is truly a mission outpost to the world, let's stop reducing the mysteries and wonder of God to painful puns and poor plays on words. Let our signs communicate something deeper; something more. Let's allow our signs to represent Christ and His church as he has called it to be. Hold the cheese and people might not want to vomit all over your sign when they drive by it.
So, my challenge to you, Mr. or Mrs. Church Sign Maintenance Person...take more time and consideration into what you communicate. People read those signs and respond. They just might not respond in the way we hoped.
7 comments:
Although I do find them quite entertaining sometimes and they give me a chuckle. I have personally seen "Jesus: The Get out of Jail Free Card" and "Same management for 2,000 years" but my favorite was just this last holiday I saw driving in W. Michigan
"Santa never died for anyone!"
priceless
I don't know that all of the signs I see are too simple minded, or too safe, but I have to agree that most of them are. It's sad when we make Jesus out to be such a simple minded, safe, on the shelf until we need him, kind of guy. Don't you read the gospels and sit back and think, "Wow, I didn't expect that out of him!" or "Can you believe he just said that?" That is what I love about Jesus and when I am in a place of conflict I try to remember just that about him! I also think that the more I look, the more complex he becomes, but also the more interesting, exciting and passionate he is. I just don't know that you could compile just a phrase or a couple words or even a play on words to truly describe the real Jesus, the Jesus that I choose to follow...Oh, and I hope God will NEVER be my co-pilot, I would actually like to sit in that seat(the co-pilot) while he is piloting and go wherever he leads and enjoy the view and the ride!
The dude's got a point. Those signs are the immediate face of that Church. Think about Twitter, a site where you have 140 characters to tell us "what you're doing." This has become a society of sound bytes, of small bits of communication. As not only Christians, but as Humans we should learn to take full advantage of this style of communication. The Bible is filled with meaningful, heart-felt, poignant "bits" of info. There really ought to be more thought given to what's put on these signs. Jokes and puns might be cute and funny among followers, but to the seekers, and even to some of us more cynical followers, it ain't funny.
This made me laugh - Geoff and I have a church that is about one block from our house, so we drive by it everyday and the have these exact signs. We have an ongoing joke about them, every month when they change them we cringe about how bad and corny they are. It is embarrassing to me as a Christian, to have our faith presented, like your article stated: in a simplistic, watered-down, cheesy way. I agree, there are much better ways to go about getting people to think. BTW - Good to see you blogging again - Keep it up!
Great responses! Keep 'em coming.
There's a church near our house that Denise and I pass by on a daily basis. The sign in front doesn't usually use bad puns or cheezy sayings, but it will say things that have absolutely no relevance to anyone passing by. Many of the phrases (I'm assuming) are "inside" jokes that only those who had been there for the sermon that Sunday could understand. Sometimes they'll have phrases like "Go get 'em Barb!" Obviously, Barb has to go get something (or someone), but what does she have to get? and why does she have to get 'em? and most importantly - who cares? Many times these sayings only propagate the perceived notion that the Christian community is a spiritual "click" that's only interested in the welfare of their own. Or maybe I'm just being over sensitive.
This morning I passed a church sign that read, "SPIRITUAL STIMULOUS PACKAGE HERE". I'll at least give them props for being culturally relevant.
Last weeks sermon you kept me engaged all the way until you said that the sins mentioned in 1Corinthians 6:9-10 were a choice. As I re-read that passage I will agree most are choices, except sexual orientation. I am lesbian and believe me I would have never have chosen this for my life. If anything I would have chosen a life more like yours, with a "normal" relationship with the 2.5 children and the white picket fence. Good Luck with your new church in Ann Arbor. Maybe you should call it "Inclusion."
It hurts me that my my friends will not come because of the very prejudices that surround the topic of churches being "gay friendly"
And as far as spending time with people that are not like me I do it every day.
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