N.C. Christians Sponsor Bible-Based Billboards

There are now 30 billboards in the Greater Charlotte Area that display Bible verses, announced the Christian group behind the campaign on Thursday.

Matthew 5:14, the organization leading the effort, said the billboards are meant to encourage Greater Charlotte families facing tough times. Each billboard features a one-word question – such as "Tired?" "Directionless?" and "Overwhelmed?" – and then displays a scripture verse to address the question.

"These are difficult times for many Americans," explained Scott Saunders, founder of Matthew 5:14. "Many families are having financial challenges, health problems, [even] relationship struggles.

"In today's uncertain times, Americans desperately need something they can trust and have faith in," he added. "God's Word has been the source of hope, comfort, inspiration, and strength for hundreds of millions of Americans since the establishment of our country."

The Matthew 5:14 signs are the latest in a series of God-related billboard campaigns in recent months.

In June, the North Carolina Secular Association launched a $15,000 campaign to put up six billboards with the message "One Nation Indivisible" throughout the state. The atheist group referenced the Pledge of Allegiance but deliberately removed the words "under God" from the phrase.

One of the association's ads that appeared in Charlotte on the Billy Graham Parkway drew national attention when it was defaced by someone who painted the words "under God" with an arrow between the words "One Nation" and "Indivisible."

In response to the atheist billboards, a local church group put up a dozen billboards in the state with the phrase "One Nation, Under God."

For Matthew 5:14, Saunders said the group's goal for the billboards is to "reawaken families to the relevance of God's word in our everyday lives."

The Matthew 5:14 billboards are funded through donations from local businesses, churches and individuals, and are scheduled to stay up for one year.