Around 1980, I first noticed the 'Trust Jesus' graffiti painted on support pillars of overpasses on highways around Baltimore, Maryland. I didn't pay it much mind until I noticed that the message is always painted in light blue and it is in the exact same handwriting. Clearly, this was the work of a highly organized network or, more likely, that of an individual whose objective is to wander the American highways with his unorthodox roadside ministry. Roadside religion is hardly new, however the Trust Jesus graffiti is especially noteworthy for its longevity and breadth of coverage. I've noted newer and freshly painted Trust Jesus graffiti in recent years, an indication that the ministry is going strong. The messages have been on just about every major highway I've travelled, from Main to California, from Washington to Florida. It's everywhere. And, if this is indeed the work of a single person, the work is even more amazing.
Many people think the graffiti is created using a template, however, a close examination indicates this is not the case at all. There are no template edges or smears and the writing, while identical from location to location, varies slightly from place to place. Moreover, it has the appearance of simple spray-can lettering.
Recently, I heard from Joel Amant from Lafayette, Colorado. He theorizes that 'Trust Jesus' may have been a handle (nickname) of an itinerant individual who saw used the graffiti to serve the dual mission of spreading his/her ministry as well as to leave a record indicating 'I was here.'
Several years ago I began researching the graffiti to see if anyone had any knowledge of it and who was responsible. There was a report that the graffiti artist had been arrested in Portland, Oregon, however this has not been corroborated. Many others have commented on the ubiquity of this roadside ministry. Perhaps one day we'll discover who has been behind it. Or, perhaps, it will forever remain a mystery.
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Photo courtesy Joel Amant.
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Photo courtesy Joel Amant.
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