Cornerstone Church in Texas has constructed a 5 million dollar Noah’s Ark. It’s built into the walls and roof of the church and boasts 16 life sized passengers and a giraffe that actually moves. Other animals are included on “high resolution wallpaper.”
Called The Ark, it cost almost $5 million and will open to the public Saturday and for church programs the next day. It aims to spur wonderment but also to underscore the Bible’s authenticity, said Matthew Hagee, executive pastor.
“I want them to say it happened,” he said. “The Ark was real. Salvation is real. What God desires for Noah, God desires for me. For Noah, it was a boat. And for me, it was Jesus Christ.”
True. You wouldn’t want to be one of those poor schlubs, including women, children, and fetuses, who wound up dying a horrific death outside the ark.
In recent years, churches nationwide have ramped up resources for innovative children’s buildings, mindful of their appeal to young families, and Noah’s Ark has enjoyed longstanding popularity for such spaces. A Christian theme park in Kentucky is building a full-scale replica.
But the scale and sophistication of Cornerstone’s new facility — and particularly its collection of electronically controlled animal replicas — might be unmatched nationally, say experts in Christian children’s ministry.
“You’d be hard-pressed to find any church with animatronics,” said Michael Chanley, executive director of the International Network of Children’s Ministry, which maintains a social media network of 10,000-plus members worldwide.
Couple thoughts: First, I didn’t know there were “experts” in children’s ministry. Huh. They’re turning it into a “science,” I guess. Second, I agree you may not find many electronically controlled arks in other churches because most of them around here can barely make the bills much less spend 5 million on a huge toy.
“It communicates so much value to the family. ‘We don’t just want your kids to come here and learn. We want them to experience God,’” he said.
Uh, they’re not experiencing “god,” they experiencing your very expensive playground.
Construction began on the 28,400-square-foot structure in November 2011. It is designed to handle about 850 children.
The cost was covered by cash donations from the congregation. The church has adopted a debt-free policy since paying off its sanctuary mortgage in 2008.
Cornerstone was founded in 1975 by Matthew Hagee’s father, John Hagee, and the campus at Stone Oak Parkway and Loop 1604 has added new buildings since opening its 5,000-seat sanctuary in 1987. Eventually, the church wants to expand its sanctuary to hold at one sitting the 8,200 who attend its two Sunday services.
The Ark has vestibule entrances with outdoor scenes of the ship’s hull, crafted with alder wood panels. At one vestibule will be a talking macaw playing host.
It sounds great, but I can’t help but wonder what this ark will look like in ten years. Supposing the church doesn’t last forever (most don’t), this could make the building quite difficult to sell. It would be a shame if this expensive play thing winds up a sad shadow like “Heritage USA,” the PTL park that collapsed way back when.
Asked whether the animatronics was too extravagant, Hagee said no — not when today’s culture bombards children with competing venues for their attention on Sundays, from recreational sports to theme parks to kid-themed pizza restaurants.
“If casinos can build opulent buildings to incentivize gamblers to want to come and enjoy their weekend, how then can you justify not building something that would incentivize people to come and hear about the Word of God?” he said. “I don’t have any problem with somebody saying it’s over the top.”
Children’s ministry experts agreed.
“Churches are competing with things that capture kids’ attention,” said Christine Yount Jones, executive editor of Children’s Ministry Magazine. “Not every church can afford the animatronics…. But every church should do something that pulls in and loves children.”
Yup. Pull in and love the kids. Not creepy, given some recent news stories.
