A Christmas billboard ad for a church in Adelaide’s CBD has caused a bit of controversy in the South Australian capital, leaving locals offended, impressed, and even confused.

According to The Advertiser, Trinity City church has erected two pop-up ads of a pregnant woman and an exited-looking man with the caption “You’re engaged, your fiancée is pregnant and you’re not the father”.

Chris Jolliffe, acting senior pastor at Trinity City, said the new advertising was intended to make people stop and think about the birth of Jesus Christ, which was considered a “scandal” in its time.

“Christ’s coming was not tame or polite, but scandalous,” he told The Advertiser.

Jolliffe said the  locals’ reactions to the ads ranged from shock to amusement, with one member of the public even ringing him to express their concern concerned that the church was endorsing a man getting his girlfriend pregnant and not taking responsibility.

“By far the most common response has been confusion,” he said.

“Is Trinity City providing counselling to couples who fall pregnant out of wedlock?”

Note: photo courtesy of Matt Loxton (The Advertiser).