Tabloid theology

Spotted this van on my way into work the other day. Another fine example of the British habit of naming local businesses with a memorable pun that would make a worthy headline in a tabloid newspaper. It's right up there with "Curl up and Dye" (a local hairdresser), the Cod Father (a favourite fish and chip shop) and the hard to beat Florist Gump - no need to tell you what they sell!

The intriguing thing about this play on John Newton's famous hymn is what it tells us about our culture. For a name like this to be effective, it needs to resonate with people. For them to see it, smile, get the reference and feel warm about the cheeky friendly chappies who will then come and replace your windows for you. And it's the recognition factor that makes this interesting.

We often feel that we have become a thoroughly secularised nation, where there is no thought of God, no knowledge of the gospel, no grasp of the elements of Christian theology. This van sign tells us to think again. Although the list of business names we culled from the net shows a marked move towards film references as the cultural communication language of the western world, there are still many that provide an flavour of Christian ideas or ethics.

There is, deep down in our culture - and therefore deep down in the vast majority of people - a whole set of references, words, phrases and ideas that can be used as stepping stones to explain the gospel. Amazing grace is one that is filled with possibiities, because there is a wonderful story behind it, and a complete outline of the gospel to be shared, told, explained and referred to in everyday conversation. A fruitful and friendly explanation of the good news might start with a simple question: "Have you heard the story behind that song?

I'd be grateful for any other signs or cultural signposts that blog readers have spotted that may give us an open door for the gospel...