As a general rule I hate Church signs. Not because I have some strange phobia regarding signs but rather because Church signs suffer the inevitable consequences of people reducing truths that are extraordinarily profound to something that is catchy and cute. More often than not Church signs trivialize truth. It’s like the Elementary orchestra trying to do justice to Beethoven’s fifth symphony. It’s like Barney Frank being cast as Gen. George Patton in a Movie production. It’s like attending a Detroit Tigers Baseball game and finding me starting at short-stop. No sane person can take any of it seriously. The fact that people can’t take serious anything that is on a Church sign is reason enough to not try and use Church signs for anything but announcements of things like the Lady’s Easter Tea.
However, I noticed that in Charlotte, my home, there is currently a Church sign battle going on which makes church signs even more interesting than usual.
Over at the Plymouth Brethren Church we read,
Sometimes in order to make us
God must break us
Apparently this beautiful poetry was to much for the Episcopal Church, which is just a few blocks down from the Plymouth Brethren Church for they had to offer, on their Church sign, a rebuttal in poetry that was just as arresting,
God does not break us down
Or make us frown
Now, I suppose this makes for high Theological debate in Charlotte. I’ve even thought about entering into the fray with a sign of my own that says,
Do not drink the swill
Offered up by Church Episcopal
However, I do not think the citizens of Charlotte can take three doses of such heavy poetic culture and be able to survive. As such, I am not going to compete in this theological sign derby.
I would note however that the Episcopal Church here in town is led by a woman (at least I assume she is a woman — I’ve not the courage to assume that it is a man who is cross dressing — though given that we are speaking of an Episcopalian Church here I grant you that one must be careful with their assumptions.)
On the other hand, attendance at the Plymouth Brethren church will have you hearing about Red Heifer’s in Israel and the coming re-building of the temple and projected dates for Christ return.
You picks your poison … you takes your chances.
However, touching the point on which sign warfare is closer to accuracy, I offer these scriptures. I hope the truth of these things will not make our Episcopal friends frown to much.
See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.”(Deut. 32:39)
“The LORD brings death and makes alive;
he brings down to the grave and raises up.” (I Samuel 2:6)
“For he wounds, but he also binds up;
he injures, but his hands also heal.” (Job 5:18)
“Come, let us return to the LORD.
He has torn us to pieces
but he will heal us;
he has injured us
but he will bind up our wounds.” (Hosea 6:1)
“The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the LORD binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted.” (Isaiah 30:26)
