In my neighborhood, a handful of churches faithfully announce their pastors’ weekly sermon titles on outdoor signs.

These are mainline Protestant churches (names obscured to protect the innocent, lol), and their sermon titles are generally fine — occasionally intriguing. Certainly it’s well within the norm of church life to post weekly sermon titles on an outdoor sign.

Except…

…except that sermon titles on church signs are almost exclusively relevant to a church’s own members and most definitely biased toward churchgoers. To understand the meaning of a sermon title — especially in a split second’s glance when driving past the church building — one needs to be biblically literate and liturgically conversant.

Even when a passerby is competent in “church speak” (i.e. liturgical seasons, Scripture, and general faith lingo), without any knowledge of a particular faith community and of the preacher inside the church building, a passerby cannot fully discern a sermon title’s intent. For example, “He Lives!” could be the Easter sermon title posted outside of an inclusive and progressive congregation … or outside of a fire-and-brimstone preaching church. A sermon title such as “Because I’m Happy” (below), aspires to be culturally relevant but still offers nothing informative or invitational about the congregation.

In other words, a sermon title on a church’s sign is an “insider” message on an “outsider” sign.

Some churches may be satisfied with relaying insider information through their outdoor signs. Their signs may serve as a coded reminder to congregants: “Don’t forget to attend worship to hear the next installment of Pastor’s sermon series,” or “Remember to wear red because Pentecost is coming this Sunday,” or something similar.

Some churches may have success stories of the impact of sermon titles on their outdoor signs: persons who have been intrigued or impressed by the sermon titles and subsequently chose to visit the church.

Still I would suggest that churches’ outside signs should be geared toward those outside of their faith communities. Posting worship times is important outsider information. The pastor’s name — believe it or not — is not essential outsider information; a web address is a better use of letters and space.

Beyond the informational basics, consider your church sign’s message…and its possibilities for impact. What good news does your church want to relay to passersby, even if they never attend your worship service? What encouragement or question do you hope passersby hold onto after they see your church sign?

Consider, for example, the difference in impact between a sermon title posted on a church sign saying, “Follow Jesus to Jerusalem,” and a message on a church sign asking, “How are you following Jesus today?” The sermon title assumes a biblical knowledge of the significance of Jesus’ path toward Jerusalem, while the message invites instant & personal reflection on one’s daily faith.

(As a bonus to the volunteer who changes your church sign’s letters or programming: outsider messages can remain on a church sign for weeks or even a full liturgical season, while sermon titles require weekly maintenance for the sign to be up-to-date.)

Coordinating an outsider-friendly message on a church sign is a simple way to hint to passersby that your church is outsider-friendly inside the building as well! Use email, church newsletters, Sunday bulletins, even the church website to announce sermon titles to congregants, and use an outdoor sign for what it is best situated to do (deep breath before the scary word): evangelize!