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In the year since we installed our back-lit message board, we've become known as "the church with the sign." The first few messages were of the white-bread variety—"Join us for Lenten services" and such. But when I was gone for a week, I posted this message: "Pastor on vacation. Now is a good time to visit." When I returned, the sign read: "Shhhh! He's back!"

The response was incredible. People began to drive by our church just to see what the sign said. Members began describing their church as "You know, the one with the sign."

Three factors make for a noticeable message: humor, timing, and cultural relevance.

When we set a record for consecutive rainy days, the sign said: "Hey Noah, still got those blueprints?"

During our local Lumberjack Days festival, we posted: "Seek, knock, and axe."

When the star of our professional football team announced that he didn't play hard every play, but rather "played when he wanted to play," we responded: "I do a sign when I want to do a sign. The Sign Guy." And when we announced: "Sign Guy fired! Job opening," we actually had two people come in to apply.

And when Green Bay lost the NFC championship, we announced: "Packer fans—Counseling available here." It was all done in fun.

But there are times when only a serious message is appropriate. "Hope is born" was our Christmas message. For Easter: "Grass. The river. Jesus. All have risen!" And by noon on September 11, we implored people: "Stop everything and pray."

As I was changing the sign one morning, a man appeared from nowhere. "Are you the Sign Guy?" he asked.

"Who wants to know?" I responded, wondering if he liked or hated our sign.

"I love your signs!" he said. "I don't go to church; I'll probably never go to church. But I drive out of my way to read your church sign every week." He told me his name was Sam.

The following week, I posted: "A guy named Sam loves our sign!" Just before the Sunday evening service, there was a knock at my office door, and a member said, "Pastor Steve, there's a guy named Sam here to see you."

"Does he have a gun?" I asked. No, he had a camera! When he saw me, he gave me a hug.

"I love the sign; I took a picture of it to show my family and friends!"

"You know, Sam," I said, "You really need to worship with us some Sunday."

"I think I might just do that," he replied. No Sam sighting so far, but I remain hopeful.

We continue to post a new sign every week. Almost 9,000 cars pass our church every day, and we hope to catch their attention long enough to share the grace of God, in 15 words or less. The most important thing we can say is "Welcome! God loves you, and so do we!"

Open Invitation: On the same day Gov. Jesse Ventura closed the governor's mansion because of a budget shortfall, "Good Morning America" took its roadtrip to Stillwater, Minnesota. Charlie and Diane got the word and met Jesse for breakfast. And the sign was featured in the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Steve Molin is senior pastor of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Stillwater, Minnesota.

Copyright © 2002 by the author or Christianity Today International/Leadership Journal.
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