What reason could there possibly be for using banners in churches? Many people wonder why flags are used in a place of worship. Yes having them around during fests and festivities to mark stalls and give directions is a different thing altogether, and perfectly understandable.
Flags and banners have been used for centuries to identify tribes, to mark boundaries, to signal battle field movements and messages between ships and even to judge wind direction and velocity.
However using them at a place of worship like a church raises a lot of speculation. It makes one wonder if it does more good than harm to the ministry. It’s because there is a segment of people who consider using flags and perhaps dancing with them at a ministry only ends up an attraction. However there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Helps change the atmosphere
If you wonder why and how banners have a place in a ministry, well it’s mainly because the right flags and colors give specific meanings that can even change the atmosphere.
They can help change a person’s mindset to make them feel more secure or perhaps feel like they have achieved something in life. The right banners can even help create a sense of victory in life over something evil or the dreadful.
Baptism banners
Banners are also popularly used in churches during baptisms. It’s perfect to inform everyone in the ministry about a baptism, and with feather flags coming with stands; they can be prominently placed in the ministry so that it’s visible to everyone.
Attract the attention of people passing by
This is the most common reason to buy and have feather flags at churches. A bright and informative flag will attract the attention of everyone who passes by. It’s also useful for informing them about any activities, your mass timings and of course, any special events scheduled at church.
Make kids’ ministry more attractive
Teardrop flags are perfecto make the kids ministry look all the more attractive and beckoning to kids. It’ll make kids in fact look forward to coming to church on Sundays. You can choose between indoor and outdoor flags to position them wherever you think they will create the best impact with children.
Most banner vendors like vancke.com let you choose between spike base options for outdoor use, and water or sand bags to help keep the cross base weighted down with indoor use.
Additional uses during worship and intercession
However in addition to this, banners are also extensively used in worship and during intercession to symbolically convey God’s messages to His people. In short, intercessors use the help of specific anointed flags to speak out whatever He proclaims in Spirit to His followers.
In fact, flags create a distinct atmosphere in churches when used for the following reasons:
· To indicate magnificence amidst the audience
It is waved to give honor and credence to the King and to help claim His magnificence.
· Proof of loyalty to the Lord’s army
It is waved in worship as proof for loyalty of the Lord’s army members. It’s usually done in the presence of some other men on earth, and before heaven’s powers and principalities.
· A means of communication
The prayers, colors and symbols or words on the flags are integral in communication. It is used to speak to the Lord through the character that is depicted on the flag. Followers tend to ask Him to reveal Himself to them, and to also reveal what’s in His heart with the help of flags.
A flag idolizing Him as Jehovah Roi (Shepherd Lord) means his followers want to turn, and speak to Him as a leader, protector and comforter. It’s perhaps because these very followers are crying out and expecting Him to bring them to the place of restoration.
They may even expect Him to at least use the banners to show a direction for a situation. Some are even ready to wait for His response through a banner.
· Used as a light and for identifying His children
There’s also a reason for ministers to use flags at church. It’s mainly used for identifying followers as His children, messengers and servants. It’s used as His light, beacons and salt. In short, flag and banner worship go a long way at proving the followers to be Children of the High Mighty God and a testimony of Christ.
· Indicates God’s presence
Lifting flags in church during worship also symbolizes Moses’ action while he lifts his rod. This rod of his is actually a shepherd’s staff that is symbolically a flag used to indicate God’s presence, authority and power over the enemy.
It sort of reveals what is going on spiritually so that intercessors can pray or engage in spiritual warfare to find out what is going on spiritually. Intercessors proclaim that the best way to put up a fight against the enemy is by waving a flag.
· To rally church troops
Flags are metamorphically used to rally troops in churches. The troop fights not against flesh and blood, but instead against the spiritual wicked forces in heavenly abodes. The act of raising a flag triggers unity and loyalty in the King’s army while gathering warriors to strategize and strengthen the chances of victory.
· Declare His territory
Flags help claim or declare territory in His name, and asks the Holy Spirit to purify, bind and eliminate all demons and evil spirits. It is believed that not establishing Spiritual boundaries only leaves lives open to the enemy’s realms and thoughts. Flags help claim one’s territory, and seek His Holy Spirit’s spiritual protection and assistance.
· For ‘directing warfare’
Banners are also used in church to ‘direct warfare’ not in the actual sense, but more in a spiritual manner. Ancient soldiers used to depend on ribbons or flags to determine the wind direction so that they knew how and where to shoot arrows.
Similarly, worship flags are flown in the physical realm to show what happens in the spiritual world. In short, it actually relates to the Holy Spirit’s ‘wind direction’ on a given day.
· Mark of victory
It goes without saying that banners are also used to display and mark one’s victory. In the case of the church, the victory here is symbolized by the boasting of the name of the Lord.
· Helps restore faith
Banners also play an important part in restoring and reminding people about the faith they have in Him. Moses was in the bible instructed by God to place a bronze serpent on a pole.
This was done so that it would act as a focal point so that whoever saw it would be healed of the deadly wild serpents’ bites. Similarly the Cross in faith in banners pose as a visual reminder of His faithfulness and the wonderful qualities of the God Almighty.
· To declare specific events
Like always, banners are also used to declare specific events or seasons at the church like to announce the spirit of Elijah. You can also use church banners to announce and show to your community what God has been doing over the years. These flags are perfect for celebrating and honoring those who had gone before, but have also in the process laid a foundation for today.
· In the dance of worship to God
Then there are people who have the gift of dance who artistically use a flag or banner in their praise and worship to the Lord. In fact, dancing with banners is considered to be an act of worship, as long as the banner bearer is dancing with pure devotion, and pictures of Him reveling in their minds.
It should be known that dancing with banners are not generally considered to be a form of worship if it’s done just to gain the attention of others or as a form of competition or comparison amongst the worshippers.
In short, it all depends on the worshiper’s heart. And as it’s only God who can see and knows what goes on in the worshiper’s heart, it is not right, or even possible for anyone to rightly judge a person’s worship.
It’s mainly people who find the dancing with flags distracting in a place of worship who do the judging. However unfortunately they are the ones who are at fault because they are not in the right mindset and attitude of praise to judge the flag bearer’s dance of worship.
Significance of banner in churches colors
Just because you plan to use banners at church to worship Him doesn’t mean that you can use any colors while printing. The different colors have different, significant meanings in Christ which is why you should know about them before ordering your praise and worship flags and banners.
Green is the color to use if you want to use a flag to symbolize prosperity, healing, praise, victory, rest, new life and growth and hope. It’s best used in flags meant to herald the New Year or victory over spirits or even for declaring specific events or seasons.
You should use orange in flags meant to be used as a warning or to show signs of endurance, ambition, strength, harvest or a prophetic ministry. It can perhaps be used in flags used to spiritually direct warfare.
Yellow is ideal to symbolize sunshine, happiness, friendship, caution, resurrection, healing, life, hope, peace and rest. They can be used in flags used during resurrection events or to depict the start of a new season or event.
It’s needless to say that black is used to symbolize death, mourning, evil, sins, fear of God and for judgments. It can perhaps be used on a day of mourning.
Amber is commonly used to depict the presence of God, thanks to its fiery passion and wisdom it propels. It’s considered to be the epitome of God’s anointing and used to harbor good and positive vibes to the ministry.
White as always depicts purity, Christ, Joy and angels which is why it’s used with blue and black to depict liberty and freedom in a movement. It may also be used to mark the church’s spiritual achievements.
Red is commonly used in flags to show fire, courage, war, sacrifice, redemption and fervent love. It’s used in flags with blue and white to depict freedom while a combination with gold and green to depict hope and love.
It is however important to remember that it is not enough to just print banners in specific colors for specific reasons. It’s only if He decides to anoint and put God into the flags will they convey these messages.
Without an anointment they remain to be just pretty pieces of fabric. It’s only if and when God gives the flags power will He honor whatever worship and intercession practiced with the flags.
Choose the right banners for your church
However you can decide what type of flag to get for your church. Feather or teardrop flags prove to be a useful investment. They are made of polyester, which not only make them a long lasting investment, but also means they can be safely used indoors or outdoors as you please.
Most flag vendors send you banners with a choice of bases to choose and use as need be. The spikes are meant for outdoor use where the ground is soft enough to poke the spikes in while the cross base is meant to use on cement or concrete floors indoors or outdoors.
The flags also reach you in a compact bag to conveniently store the banners after use. This helps prolong its life. There’s no need to fret about designing the flags, and choosing and using ht right colors. It’s fine if you have your own ideas for your church banners.
However if you don’t, the flag vendor usually has their own in-house team to help you out with the designing. You just have to mention why and when you plan to use the flags, and they will design the best church flags for you.