Forbidden Fruit Creates Many Jams: 6

This book is very helpful for anyone interested in putting attention getting signs on their church marquee. Lots of choices.

I am a Christian school teacher and I use these sayings on a board outside of my classroom for students to read as they are entering class. I change the saying every week. The students (and staff) look forward to seeing the new message each week. Quick way to get interesting Godly messages to students.

The United States of America has all kinds of unique cultural phenomena. American football is pretty much a solely American sport. Wal-Marts and McDonalds are now spreading around the globe like spores, but those multi-billion dollar business would never have survived past an initial store in any other country in the world. Another uniquely piece of American culture are billboards and road signs. A sub-category of these would be church signs which though contain all the pertinent information about services and such, often include some sort of short message that changes on a weekly basis. Mary Katherine and David Compton enjoyed reading these signs as they traveled through the country and began collecting them in a notebook. This book is the "fruit" of their efforts. In 134 pages the authors include around 300 messages that they have seen on church signs over the years. Some are humorous, some are thought-provoking, and a few are both. Just a few samples include: "Creation bears God's autograph." "Turn or Burn" "Christians never meet for the last time." "Experts made the Titanic, amateurs made the ark." The book makes a nice little gift for a Christian friend or family member and is also a nice resource for churches to have incase the usual message writer goes on vacation for a week.

"Forbidden Fruit Creates Many Jams: Roadside Church Signs Across America" has been assembled by Mary Katherine Compton and David Compton. In the introduction the Comptons describe this compilation of church signs as "a soulful slice of roadside Americana."The messages include invitations, threats, puns, political comments, satire, and advice. There are musings on God, the devil, the Bible, prayer, and other topics. Along the way are a number of cultural references.A number of the signs have an unpleasant flavor of arrogance or intolerance. Examples: "God said it, I believe it, that settles it"; "April First: National Atheists Day"; "Turn or burn"; etc. Some of the messages hint at a larger cultural war between Christian fundamentalists and secular society; this aspect of the book is particularly intriguing.But culture wars aside, there are some delightful and thoughtful entries along the way. A couple of my favorites: "Road rage? How would Jesus drive?"; "Thank God for dirty dishes. At least you have food." Overall, a fascinating look at this cultural phenomenon.

The authors compiled a list of church signs they have seen while on the road. 134 pages of one, two or three clever eye-catching signs per page. It started with the title, on an empty church in North Carolina. Then they kept a notebook with them as they traveled and recorded these "snetence sermons" as they call them, adfter their epiphany in North Carolina. One of the catchiest, "When you meet tempation, turn to the light."This is an easy read and a very enjoyable one.