Signs are a plus if you use them correctly, but they are a waste of money if you use them incorrectly. Let’s look at the difference.

A church down the street from me purchased a beautiful digital sign a couple of years ago. I have to drive by that church almost every day. Of course, being a consultant, since then, I have been observing what they put on it as I drive past. In two years of driving by that church, probably 4 to 5 times a week, I have seen the times for worship only once, and to this date I have not seen a sermon topic. Never. Not once. What I see almost every time I drive by is the time or date or temperature. And I think to my self “What a shame. They spend thousands of dollars for a really nice sign and then misuse the heck out of it. Go figure.

So what should they put on that sign? Nothing but the times for worship and the sermon topic. The only exception would be if they were having an event that was so big it included everyone in the area.

Folks, everyone has the time, date, and weather either in their pocket or on their wrists. They don’t need another sign telling them that.

People don’t need another sign telling them the time, date, and temperature.

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I saw an electronic bank sign the other day. All it had on it was the time and weather. Instead of that, why not put the amount of interest the bank is paying or how inexpensive it would be to open an account?

The worst kind of sign is one parallel to the street with letters so small that only someone walking by can read them. Signs need to be perpendicular to the street. The letters need to be large enough for a car passing by to read them.

The church I just referenced had the right idea. They purchased a digital sign and put it perpendicular to the street but from there on they made a mess out of a potentially great sign.

Question: How have you seen churches use signs well? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below.