Puns are a favorite game for me. Many friends marvel at my ability to make a pun from anything. Their disdain is mixed with awe that I could make the pun while sorry they had to hear it. In a way, I get their conflict. One area where I, too, groan at puns is church signs.
For example, “God is better than the finest chocolate!” Sigh! Yes, a church posted this one on the week of Valentine’s Day. I get it, but it elicits within me the same response people give to my puns. Yet church sign puns aren’t my only groan.
Years ago, I pastored a church that posted, “Government making sin legal don’t make it right!” Their reference was in response to Federal same-sex marriage approvals. Granted, you might embrace the LBGTQ+ community, or you might not, but like a pun, a judgmental church sign is not helpful either.
Those who agreed with the judgmental sentiment attended the church or another like-minded congregation. For anyone who disagreed, the church sign only discouraged them further. Therefore, puns or judgment church signs have an impact. Here then, are some tips on how to strategically use them well.
- Service Times – Rarely will church sign quips persuade others to attend your church. At best, they’ll groan and move on. So post your service times.
- Scripture – Quote scripture if you feel the need to vary the message. Again, don’t be cute or judgmental. Post a verse that’s encouraging and welcoming. We live in divided times, and anything negative will be instantly dismissed.
- Encouraging Quotes – Scripture is supreme. Yet others say things in a way modern audiences hear. As a result, share other quotes, but again, make sure it’s encouraging.
Some will balk that my post discourages speaking the whole truth. No! There is a place to talk about the tougher parts of Christianity, but it’s not on your church sign. To a hurting world, condemning them with a church sign before they enter won’t win anyone. Like Twitter, where there are only 280 characters, keep those thoughts where a message can be heard in a richer context. Instead, keep your church signs positive. Otherwise, “you’re just preaching to the choir!”
Try posting the previous phrase and see how it works out! See my point?!
Trust me, I love a good pun. Yet again, the thing with puns is that it’s not about making people laugh but about getting a reaction. Puns are amusing to me, but for others, they’re eye-rolling. Fortunately, I’ve backed off on the number of puns I share. I aim to use them to better my relationships with people, no longer just for amusement. If I can roll them back, churches can do better with pun-filled signs.
Similarly to the community, church sign creativity rarely convinces others to attend. Sadly, I’m afraid they do the opposite. However, if they are interested, encouraging someone or letting them know when they can attend a service is your optimum use of your church sign.
