The black and white ISIS flag has come to symbolise terror and inhumanity across the Middle East but churches in Australia are putting their own spin on it to use it for good.

That's thanks to a new poster by Outreach Media based on the challenging command from Jesus to love our enemies, even when that enemy is an outfit as brutal and merciless as ISIS.  

On first sight, the poster looks like the ISIS flag but look a little closer and you'll see it replaces the Arabic text of the original with the words of Jesus telling his followers to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" - Matthew 5.44. 

The original ISIS flag declares: "There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." 

Outreach Media has made this its November poster in the hopes that it will "contrast the love of Christ with the ... cruel behaviour of ISIS". 

The ministry said the poster had been created in response to requests from churches for a poster that would capture their solidarity with Christians suffering persecution at the hands of the Islamic State. 

According to Bible Society Australia, around a hundred churches will be displaying the poster this month. 

Only 12 churches have signed up to use an alternative design for the month that does not utilise the ISIS flag. 

Director of Outreach Media, Malcolm Williams admitted the ISIS-inspired poster was "provocative" but said it was designed to start conversations.  

"We're having a conversation with the community," he said. "So there's all kinds of posters that go up in a year. Some ask questions. Others are humorous or whimsical. This is a time to say something serious and challenging."

It's not the first time Outreach Media have resourced the church with a controversial poster. In 2007, they made one with the tagline "Jesus Loves Osama".

"The Jesus Loves Osama poster was the most provocative," said Williams.