BENTON, Ark. (KTHV) - All eyes are on a Benton church after a picture went viral of a sign that is posted outside the facility. It caught the eyes of Thomas Penn, who works across the street from the church in downtown Benton.
The message read, “Whoever stole our AC units, keep one, because it is hot where you’re going.”
Penn thought the sign was funny, so he posted a picture of it on Facebook. In 24-hours, his post went viral, and not everyone was laughing.
“It's always your usual I don't agree with that, It doesn't necessarily send you to hell comments,” said Penn.
But, the signage comes with a bizarre twist. Church members said an AC was never stolen. Instead, the signs are used to get people to think.
“We try to get people’s attention with it,” said Berry Beard, a church member. “I'm sure the member who put it there thought it was thought provoking, but was somewhat misleading."
Typically FPC keeps messages on the sign for about a week, but after receiving calls concerning this particular message, they took it down early.
“This does not represent the theology of our church,” said Beard. “We are a church of loving and caring and helping, not a church of a vengeful God.”
Beard said the church will be more careful about what they post on the sign.