By Jason Allison

This is part 5 of my Casino & Churches series. We are looking at some of the parallels between my first-time experience at a Casino and the experience first-time guests at your church have.  

Parallel #1: I felt like I was walking on eggshells.

Parallel #2: Stranger Danger!

Parallel #3: The Regulars

Parallel #4: Here’s Your Sign

The signage in the casino was not very helpful to the uninitiated.

This is the easiest thing in the world to fix. I am still surprised at how non-user-friendly the signage was at the casino. If you didn’t know the casino’s vernacular, the signs were of no help to you. 

Every table had a sign explaining the game, but the print was small, and if you had never played the game before, the explanation was meaningless. It wasn’t the number of signs that failed me – it was their clarity and usefulness.

I have found this to be true at many churches. Recently I visited a large church with a huge lobby (they called it a concourse!). The bathrooms were located at the far end of the concourse with the women’s on one side and the men’s on the opposite. The signage for these bathrooms were the common man/woman figure. The figure was at least 4 feet tall, but it was a vinyl image stuck on the wall…and it was only half the image. I was given directions to the bathroom and still had trouble finding it!

Pastors, enter your church building through the main doors (not your secret office door in the back!). Better yet, start at the street and see how clear the entry to the parking lot is. Do you have a parking lot? Is it clear where people are supposed to park? Is it clear where the main entry is? 

Once you are in the building, how simple and straightforward is your signage? What questions could you anticipate from a guest? Are your signs up to date and accurate? Do the names you use make sense to someone who has never been in your church before?

Up next…Parallel #5 between your church & a casino: Risky Business