as published in ChurchGrowthToolbox
November 2006 e-Letter published by TriMedia

Crummy Church Signs

Robert Klinger, President, Signs Plus

I read an article recently titled “It’s Not Church As Usual.” That challenged me to dig deeper as I prepared this writing. In doing some research, I came across the website CrummyChurchSigns.com. It’s a fun site in which the webmaster, Joel Bezaire, and other contributors submit church sign photos with sayings that are either so “church speak” or sublime that the average passerby often doesn’t understand the message. I must admit that after many years of studying church signage, being responsible for the sign’s message at our church, and even reading books about church signs and marketing outreach, I’d not considered how silly some messages might seem to the unchurched passerby.

Many discussions and writings within the Christian community today seem to revolve around how the church can change its outreach to the unchurched “explorers.” Of course, a major concern is how to connect without watering down the gospel. So…What’s that have to do with the church’s lawn sign and its message?

Well, I’d like to submit to you that the local church’s lawn sign can be a very effective tool to encourage, challenge and even minister to the daily “explorer” passing by on their way to and fro.

The basics of a well thought out sign include identifying the church, possibly the numerical address, an area dedicated to messages/ announcements and the proper lighting for easy nighttime visibility.  Another very important aspect would be size. Appropriate size for any signage is determined by the speed of traffic passing by, the distance that the sign is located from the roadway, the contrast of colors, typestyle, and the type of lighting. All of these considerations are best handled by the professionals who provide the signs. Generally, the larger the sign, the more impact it will have.

It’s a fact of life…familiarity breads something. In the case of signage, most of the people driving by are locals. They soon “zone out” and are immune to seeing what they drive by day after day. That is an important reason to be sure a sign is aesthetically pleasing, large enough to be seen and incorporates a message area that can be changed regularly.  Whether you choose a message area like the older changeable letter type or the newer moving message LED type sign is simply a function of your desire, affordability, and local zoning codes.

Without question, the newer moving message LED signs will attract more readers. Studies being conducted across America continue to validate how well the movement attracts the eye. These new LED signs are really nothing more than a computer driven light system. They are easy to program from inside your facility and a lot more fun to operate that the older changeable letter signs. Another obvious advantage of the moving message LED sign is that huge numbers of messages can be programmed to display by the minute, hour, day or week at just one sitting.

What the message says is the most important aspect of such a sign.  You don’t have to have a “crummy” church sign ... you can be part of a revolution taking place outside the church walls of America, starting with your lawn sign! By using your sign for the greater good of the community as well as announcing your services and evens, you’ll catch the passerby’s interest. How?

• Never leave the message area blank. That will communicate that you (the church) has nothing to say.

• Don’t leave a dated message up beyond its time.

• Be sure your message are positive ones.

• Speak the language of the populace, not “churcheeze.”

• Encourage as well as challenge your readers. Use scripture occasionally.

• Announce community wide events and activities.

• Have fun!  Use the sign creatively.

The results of taking the sign ministry to a new level can be amazing.  One such pastor/friend of mine, Rev. Steve Molin, (a.k.a. “The Sign Guy”) of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Stillwater, MN, is so well known for his sign creativity that Tundra Films has released a DVD titled “If there were no more Lutherans, would there still be Green Jell-O?”  You can learn more about his success at www.churchsignguy.com

So, if like me, you don’t want a crummy church sign on your lawn, and believe it’s not church as usual, you may want to rethink your current sign and its usage. Perhaps you, or a church member who has a passion for the unchurched and a way with words, might want to step-up the “Signkeepers Ministry.”  A well designed sign is worthy of a major investment. A well utilized sign will make a major impact on your community!

Robert Klinger and wife Sally founded Signs Plus in 1989.  Eighteen years later, their catchphrase “Helping You Reach Them” isn’t just a catchy slogan.  Community outreach is apparent in their personal and professional lives.  Bob serves as an elder and is part of the “Signkeeper’s Ministry” while Sally leads the Hospitality Committee at their church.  All members of the Signs Plus Team voluntarily participate in fundraising events, with the proceeds and a portion of the company’s profits helping those in need.  Learn more about this unique company at www.signsplussigns.com or call 800-848-4262.