Signs, Signs ...

www.churchsigngenerator.com - C'mon, you know you wanna' go see what it is.

A personal "rant" of mine is church marquees.  If there is a place where we tend to put our worst understanding of theology on display for the world around us, it has got to be the church marquee.  It's even lit so you can see it at night.  Pains are taken to come up with "clever" ditties that are displayed in hopes of engaging a driver passing by and stirring his/her heart to attend this church.  It seems that just about every spring and fall we can even predict a move of God and tell folks when the Holy Spirit is going to bring revival!

I'm sorry if your church has one out front (I'm not trying to be overly critical).  Actually they can be practical to tell about service times, special events, or perhaps your church may want to encourage the community with some scripture.  But the clever little phrases get to me.  Too many of them collide with a solid understanding of God's Word.

I think as Christians we tend to assume that God needs our help "marketing" His Church.  With good intentions, we look for devices to draw people's attention, and to entice them to spend time with us.  In my line of work (my day job, that is) we call it a "hook."  But that's not what God calls us to do.  Actually, He tells us in His Word that the Gospel is "an offense" and "foolishness" to those whom the Spirit has not quickened.  How are you going to market that?

What we are called to do is preach the Gospel.  To be ready with an answer for the Hope that lies within us.  We are called to spur each other on to good works, to care for the widows and the orphans.  We're called to teach our children, to break bread with other believers and to give Glory to our LORD.  Effectual worship is a daily thing.  It's distinct from the formal gathering where we worship corporately on Sunday morning, but only in that it's more practical.  That distinction is where the people around us encounter our faith.  And if we're fortunate, God works through us to impact that other person.  We get to be the marquee.  It's at that point of contact that I really pray we're not quite so trite as many of those signs seem to be.