graeme
This is serious - really.....
Posted on: 12/12/2012 20:47
A church near me has a lighted sign that every week has some cutesy saying. This week, it's "The Magi saw Jesus. Will You?'
I presume the intention is to attract new congregants. It won't. Anyone who's dumb enough to take such a sign seriously must already be a member of that congregation. Worse, that won't attract new members, such a sign announces the church to every passerby as trivial, perhaps even silly And the disease appears to be spreading.
Yesterday, I saw another gem. "All we want for Christmas is your presence". That might be a giggle for the senile. But no serious advertiser would expect that to draw anybody.
The signs are bad news. First,they almost certainly don't work in attracting anybody. Secondly, they suggest to the public the church is trivial, not to be taken seriously. Third, maybe the public is right.
I don't suggest a fire and brimstone approach. Anyway, that wouldn't work, either.
But this cutesy approach suggests the church doesn't have much to say. And that means, maybe, it should think more about what it has to say - and try to draw people with that.
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Witch
Posted on: 12/12/2012 20:57
We have a Baptist church near us that has a sign. It lists service times, office hours, and sermon topics. In addition it says.
"Everyone welcome. Come join us for coffee whether you attend the service or not."
To me that is a welcoming and sincere, without being trivial.
graeme
Posted on: 12/13/2012 12:47
Yes, that's not bad. No attempt to be just cutesy - and I can see it producing some results.
Rev. Steven Davis
Posted on: 12/13/2012 14:23
On this point, I agree with you, graeme. I can't stand those "cute" church signs. And I agree that they trivialize the church while attracting no one.
Matt81
Posted on: 12/13/2012 16:49
Yup, 'cutsie' signs do nothing to further the kingdom. Most likely they are an attempt to be cheeky mostly, but usually just invoke a joke against them, not a solid good thought.. Our digital message centre (read LED sign) scrolls through service times, events of the community, counts down the days to an event (i.e. Christmas or New Years or school out- that one to the minute) welcomes special guests to the community or church, and, oh yes, sinners that we are, puts up a ' funny' saying sometimes. e.g. "Ever stop to think and forget to start again?" But thats up for 5 seconds out of every 30, so should not upset too many people. We've never had a complaint, but close calls as a couple of times some of our senior people stopped on the side of the road to watch the sign scroll. oh dear. Well, I sure hope no one gets offended, or killed. Sorry, but I can't ask drivers not to look and be offended because I don't want them to close their eyes approaching the busy intersection. peace to you all.
graeme
Posted on: 12/13/2012 21:28
Actually, one could build something on that "ever stop to think..." line. Just a few more words, and it would be a good sermon title.
Mendalla
Posted on: 12/14/2012 17:11
Cutesy church signs have given me some entertainment over the years. There used to be a Gospel Temple on Wonderland here in London that posted some doozies (they moved and there's now a rather boring storage facility on the lot). However, I have never found that any of them inspired me in any way to actually go to that church. They are great attention grabbers but lousy marketing, at least IME.
Mendalla