Church attendance is down. We think we can do everything from home now – from keeping up with worship to learning new ways to broaden our spiritual path.

In order to win people back – and bring young people on board to ensure the future of each church – staff has had to get pretty clever.

Fire and brimstone rarely fill the seats except in times of desperation. So Pastor Ron Garner of the Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church in New York has gone straight witty.

To remind people of the relevance of collective worship, he’s using signs to talk about the place of the church in 21st-century life.

“I want to convey to the public that Christianity doesn’t have to be staid. I also want to convey to passersby that I believe people who follow Jesus are not called to be apolitical but are called to take social justice issues seriously. We are a small congregation but we have new members who came because of our signs,” he told Bored Panda.

An excellent way to grow and give back to the community – but it’s the humor that gets us most.

Let ‘s just say these 20 signs will have you curious about hearing at least one sermon from Pastor Garner.

1. God is love

Being cruel and spiteful is not a good look.

Even if you don’t agree, it makes you think about what God really wants our lives to look like. Are we on Earth to judge others? Or is that his job?

2. The most hateful of them all

Westboro Baptist Church is not a church at all – it’s a hate group. And they picket the funerals of our fallen soldiers (though the Patriot Guard motorcycle group shields families from their nonsense), children caught up in gun violence, and basically anyone else that might get them attention for their cruelty towards other humans.

Their favorite hobby appears to be making signs telling other people that God hates them (“God Hates Americans,” for example).

One thing they really hate – being made fun of.

3. We take all kinds

While we might be fearful of other groups, church should be the place to get over that fear and prejudice. It should be a place full of love and community.

Once again, Pastor Garner is all about his church’s penchant for love and for making people think how often they may miss the mark.

Even if God made us flawed, he doesn’t make us stay that way.

4. Sunday Christians

Many of us are guilty (Christian or not) of not living our beliefs every day of the week.

Again, just something to think about.

5. New but not improved

You can’t improve on love anyway?

But you can get a nicer sign.

6. Morning service

Point taken. But it’s still hard to get up on Sunday.

And, hey, there is some research that suggests that religious people sleep better. Should we reap the rewards?

7. One for the Star Wars fans

How many parsecs away is Galilee?

8. Ripped from the headlines

Refugees are not a 21st-century problem.

In fact, in all this time we haven’t quite figured out how to adapt to refugees.

9. A proverb for modern times

Ouch, Pastor Garner! We’re still paying off that gym membership we never used!

10. Hate is hate

Wrap it in whatever you want – religion, good intentions, money, politics – intolerance is still a bad thing.

And not only does bigotry hurt others, but it also hurts the bigot too. Hate really is bad for your health.

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We have to admit that Pastor Garner made us stop and think a few times.

So we hope he keeps up the good work!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: Wantagh Memorial Church via Facebook (h/t Bored Panda)