We have some excellent church buildings, well suited to the needs of their congregations, and maintained in good condition with church sign or bulletin board on the front neatly advertising the name of the church. This is as it should be. Every church building or other property used for denominational purposes should be so maintained that it will be an honor to God's truth, and then should be plainly and neatly marked with an appropriate sign, thus causing it to witness for the "faith once delivered unto the saints."
But there are many of our church properties that are without a sign or any indication that the building belongs to Seventh-day Adventists. Some are marked, but very inadequately. Other church buildings serving two of our congregations with services at different times of the day and week, bear no indication of the fact, In many cases, strangers are unable to locate the property; and if they do see it, are sometimes unable to recognize it as our church meeting place. Residents of some communities are often at a loss to give information concerning the meeting place of Seventh-day Adventists, which may be in close proximity to their dwelling. When these conditions prevail, and are allowed to continue, we are losing much in influence and in witnessing power for God.
A sign is more to be desired on a church property than a street number on a resident's home.
An adequate church sign should consist of (1) The denominational name; (2) the day and time of the Sabbath and prayer meeting services; (3) the pastor's name and address. If the pastor does not live within reasonable distance of the church, his address could be left off, but his name should be on. In case of the pastor's address being omitted, then it might be thought well to inscribe the name and address of some church member living nearby, for instance, that of the local church elder or the janitor. (4) The word "Welcome" could well be added to the sign. Such a sign in modest size, painted black with letters in gold, is not expensive, and would serve well the purpose suggested.
The bulletin board is more suitable and more efficient than the ordinary church sign described above. It is usually placed in a conspicuous spot in the front yard. It has a front glass door that can be locked, is fitted with lines and white letters and figures, and is electrically lighted, so it may be read at night. It has space to contain not only the four features of the ordinary church sign, but also for the advertisement of sermon topics, special programs, important announcements, etc. When there are none of these to appear on the bulletin board, it can daily witness to the truth by displaying appropriate Christian mottoes or Scripture texts. Bulletin boards of this kind are usually seen in the front yard of other wide-awake churches in the communities, and either a church sign or a bulletin hoard should by all means mark the efficient, progressive Seventh-day Adventist church.
Not only should our churches be thus suitably marked, but if they are poorly located,—perhaps in an obscure section of the city or town, or on an obscure street,—then it would be well to have an additional church sign on a corner of a near-by well-traveled street, to indicate the presence of, and the direction to, the Seventh-day Adventist church.
However, many of our churches and companies do not own their church property, and may not have the privilege of erecting a permanent sign on the rented building they occupy. They may wonder how they can use the information contained in this article. In such cases the writer has made it a part of his program to have prepared a tin or galvanized iron sign with a wooden frame, appropriately painted and lettered, to place near the entrance of the building; or to_ have at least a neatly lettered sign on stiff white cardboard to be hung up in a conspicuous place in the front of the building, perhaps in a door or a window.
Such signs may be placed in charge of some responsible, caretaking church member, who will assume the responsibility of seeing that the sign is put in the proper position before the service begins and is suitably cared for at its close. In addition to the notice of the meeting, the following words may appear on these latter signs: "Service now in session. You are welcome." Then when visitors or strangers seek our meeting place on Sabbath day or prayer meeting night, they can locate it. When passers-by hear the singing and speaking, they learn of our existence and of our meeting place by reading the information on the witnessing sign.
As God's stewards and leaders of His flock, we should give more thought to the conditions under which His people worship God. It is our responsibility. God will require an account of our stewardship in these matters just as surely as in any other. Not only by precept but also by example must we bring about changes. And not only church signs, but also the unkempt church yards, the lack of cleaning or renewing the church with paint inside and out, are our responsibility.
Come, let us do a work for the places in which we worship that will be in harmony with the example of the Master, who said, "my zeal for Thy house consumes me." John 2:17, Emphatic Diaglott.
Trenton, N.J.
