Giggle for God: America’s witty church signs aim to inspire, attract drivers and passersby

WOODBURY, Minn. (AP) — “Forecast: God reigns and the Son shines.” In mid-September, the large electronic sign of a Lutheran church flashed this message by a throughfare between growing subdivisions and cornfields in a Twin Cities suburb.

The messages on Resurrection Lutheran Church’s sign range from witty to practical to profound. It’s an effort to inspire and attract drivers and passersby that’s uniquely popular in churches across America, the quintessential land of open roads and advertisements.

“This is about people saying, ‘this makes a difference to me,’ and … sensing they’re loved by God,” says Heather Hultgren, who’s in charge of Resurrection’s daily sign changes.

There’s nothing unusual about posting writings to church doors — that’s how tradition says the Protestant Reformation got started in 16th-century Germany. But for the last few decades, U.S. pastors have gotten creative, aiming to brighten a commuter’s day, spur a reflection while chauffeuring to football practice, and maybe persuade a lapsed Christian or two that it’s not all fire and brimstone inside.

“It’s a way to bring something lighter in the world,” says the Rev. Karna Moskalik of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, in the historic river town of Stillwater, Minnesota.

Moskalik likes “invitational” signs, like the classic — “CH – – CH What’s missing? U R!”

Some humorous messages that get social-media shoutouts across the U.S. originated with “the sign guy,” Our Savior’s pastor in the early 2000s. He published a collection entitled, “If there were no Lutherans, would there still be green Jell-O?”

At Madison Avenue Baptist Church in New York City, a weather pun during the latest brutal heatwave caught many eyes — “Lord, whatever you’re baking, it’s done.”

Elizabeth Pustinger says people stop to ask about the historic church’s sign as she’s manually changing it weekly, and sometimes later attend services.

“It’s a very powerful ministry,” adds the Rev. Susan Sparks, whose favorite sign is the dark warning to drivers, “Honk if you love Jesus, text if you want to meet him.”

Laughter can help process tragedy or serve as a wedge to probe big questions — that’s why Jewish and Christian scriptures have humorous passages, says Rolf Jacobson, professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.

“God’s business is turning mourning into gladness, Good Friday into Easter Sunday,” he says.

So chuckle away next time you speed past a church sign. But spare a thought for the sweaty person of God who invented this perennial favorite: “Too hot to keep changing sign. Sin bad. Jesus good. Details inside.”

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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Part of a recurring series, “American Objects,” marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. For more American objects, click here. For more stories on the anniversary, click here.