religion of the South.

We have two places of worship in the South; a high school football stadium and church. I know... I know... With religion abounding off of billboards,prayer before kick-off, and a love of all things God and pig-skin, a Yankee could be sitting in a set of bleachers and not even know they're attending a Sunday sermon. Here's a few key characteristics to let a warm body know their chair has turned in to a Southern country pew. 

1. The doors are never locked.
2. The Call to Worship is "Ya'll come on in!"
3. People grumble about Noah letting coyotes on the Ark.
4. The Preacher says, "I'd like to ask Bubba to take up the offering", and five guys stand up.
5. The restrooms are outside.
6. Opening day of deer or moose hunting season is recognized as an official church holiday.
7. A member requests to be buried in his four-wheel drive truck because, "I ain't ever been in a hole it couldn't get me out of."
8. In the annual stewardship drive there is at least one pledge of "two calves."
9. Never in its entire 100-year history has one of its pastors had to buy any meat or vegetables.
10. When it rains, everybody's smiling.
11. Prayers regarding the weather are a standard part of every worship service.
12. A singing group is known as the "OK Chorale."
13. The church directory doesn't have last names.
14. The pastor wears boots.
15. Four generations of one family sits together in worship every Sunday.
16. The only time people lock their cars in the parking lot is during the summer, and then only so their neighbors can't leave them a bag of squash.
17. There is no such thing as a "secret" sin.
18. Baptism is referred to as "branding."
19. There is a special fund-raiser for a new septic tank.
20. Finding and returning lost sheep is not just a parable.
21. You miss worship one Sunday morning and by 2 o'clock that afternoon you have had a dozen calls inquiring about your health.
22. High notes on the organ sets dogs in the parking lot to howling.
23. People wonder when Jesus fed the 5000 whether the two fish were bass or cat fish.
24. People think "Rapture" is what happens when you lift something too heavy.
25. The cemetery is in such barren ground that people are buried with a sack of fertilizer to help them rise on Judgment Day.
26. It's not heaven, but you can see heaven from there.
27. The final words of the benediction are “Ya’ll come on back now, ya hear?