Answers in Genesis Announces Ark Encounter "Tourist Destination"
“In addition to the full-size Ark, the complex will include a walled city much like those found in ancient times, live animal shows, a children’s interactive play area, a replica of the Tower of Babel with exhibits, a 500-seat 5-D special effects theater, an aviary, and a first-century Middle Eastern village.” Press Release- 2 views
1. I would agree with what you are saying, CAWatson, on writing and preaching theology. And I enjoy what regular writings I read from pastors in this internet hub. More the better. I would be interested in having access to read your research, brother. Because yes, there are a lot of ignored and unanswered questions … and it goes beyond the topic of biblical creationism to the very fundamental relationship of God and matter. American biblical scholarship does not favor creation ex nihilo. And great authority rests in ANE parallels. I honestly think we have long lost this battle in our country in the academic realm.
2. We have had a Creation Sunday in our church. But I don’t exclude scientists or educators. Our Creation Sunday can integrate creation lessons by us pastors, but also our doctors, nurses, math specialists, engineers, etc. It is delight. All of it. (In thinking of Creation Sundays, I think it would be cool where our church family in 2011 could listen to our members teach on our Creator God through various sessions, worship together our Triune Creator God on a Sunday morning, and then in the afternoon fellowship with a church family hike/excursion/activity in Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Park, etc.
3. And back to tourist theme parks, I still like ‘em, brothers. California is full of them. One among the many is Sea World. My wife and I will never forget taking our family to the closing Christmas program last December. The orchestration of the musical instruments, the singers, the visual images and Christmas hymn texts on the big screens, the color, the trainers, the killer whales leaping in unison. I was in awe - not by theme park frivolity. I was in awe because I got a small glimpse of Paradise Regained - creatures (people and animals) marching to the drum of the sovereign Creator King. My wife had tears of joy streaming down her cheeks (myself as well) as we sang to the accompaniment of trumpets and strings all the verses of Joy to the World in that outdoor amplitheatre. I will always cherish that moment with my family.
Robust journal articles and theme park pageantry and artistry create in me hunger and anticipation for the new heaven and new earth where we will reign as co-regents over all of God’s magnificent creation. All to His glory.
I am full of gratitude for what God would allow us yet to write, and preach, and do, and perform for His glory in this country called America.
2. We have had a Creation Sunday in our church. But I don’t exclude scientists or educators. Our Creation Sunday can integrate creation lessons by us pastors, but also our doctors, nurses, math specialists, engineers, etc. It is delight. All of it. (In thinking of Creation Sundays, I think it would be cool where our church family in 2011 could listen to our members teach on our Creator God through various sessions, worship together our Triune Creator God on a Sunday morning, and then in the afternoon fellowship with a church family hike/excursion/activity in Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Park, etc.
3. And back to tourist theme parks, I still like ‘em, brothers. California is full of them. One among the many is Sea World. My wife and I will never forget taking our family to the closing Christmas program last December. The orchestration of the musical instruments, the singers, the visual images and Christmas hymn texts on the big screens, the color, the trainers, the killer whales leaping in unison. I was in awe - not by theme park frivolity. I was in awe because I got a small glimpse of Paradise Regained - creatures (people and animals) marching to the drum of the sovereign Creator King. My wife had tears of joy streaming down her cheeks (myself as well) as we sang to the accompaniment of trumpets and strings all the verses of Joy to the World in that outdoor amplitheatre. I will always cherish that moment with my family.
Robust journal articles and theme park pageantry and artistry create in me hunger and anticipation for the new heaven and new earth where we will reign as co-regents over all of God’s magnificent creation. All to His glory.
I am full of gratitude for what God would allow us yet to write, and preach, and do, and perform for His glory in this country called America.
[CAWatson] Coming to Grips is a helpful start, but I’m not sure it is going to get a wide enough hearing due to their publisher (which is why AIG is importan)t.Now let me give you the flip side of that. MOST major evangelical publishers ;) ;) today will not touch anything that smacks of YEC.
Take a look at your bookshelf of creation books and you will see some publishers ;) ;) who used to publish these books, but no longer do so.
MOST theological journals ;) ;) will not review books from the YEC perspective.
Thus, what is a creationist author supposed to do to attract the attention of a “wide enough hearing”?? :O
THAT is why AiG is SOOOOO important…
BTW, where are you getting your PhD?
Church Ministries Representative, serving in the Midwest, for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry
Church Ministries Representative, serving in the Midwest, for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry
[Paul J. Scharf] So therefore, what…?I must be missing something. The argument is really “there’s already so many commercial excesses in evangelical Christianity, one more (minor and theologically accurate one) won’t hurt”?
What are you arguing for?
What do you want us to do?
My point in post #11 was simply that with all the varieties of commercial excesses in evangelical Christianity, this is not something I am personally uncomfortable with.
I guess the wisdom of pop culture wins and the foolishness of preaching loses.
[DavidO] I must be missing something. The argument is really “there’s already so many commercial excesses in evangelical Christianity, one more (minor and theologically accurate one) won’t hurt”?Thou dost twist the words of my post…
I guess the wisdom of pop culture wins and the foolishness of preaching loses.
Church Ministries Representative, serving in the Midwest, for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry
Maybe, but not intentionally. I just really don’t get it.
A Christian amusement park seems like some pretty stout Finneyism, if not in underlying philosophy, in actual practical result.
A Christian amusement park seems like some pretty stout Finneyism, if not in underlying philosophy, in actual practical result.
The Holy Land Experience is about an hour drive from me. It had a scholarly, educational approach. In fact Dr. Nestle’s library was donated to them.
But they had a differing view on escatology and their musical dramatizations were not exacly conservative. They got little to no support from conservative or scholarly pastors or educators. As a result they ran out of money. As a result the charismatics took it over. Now instead of having books from McArthur, R.C. Sproul and even “From the Mind of God to the Mind of Man” prominent in their bookstore Benny Hinn’s have taken over.
Do you want that to happen to AIG’s new experiment? It can be a huge asset to Biblical Christianity. Some enterprising charismatic will be waiting in the wings to take it over while we argue about minor points.
“Profit” is not a curse word. Part of the expansion of Mormonism is because they do not just have tithes but also business income. If our churches developed investment income maybe our missionaries wouldn’t have to struggle so long to raise support.
But they had a differing view on escatology and their musical dramatizations were not exacly conservative. They got little to no support from conservative or scholarly pastors or educators. As a result they ran out of money. As a result the charismatics took it over. Now instead of having books from McArthur, R.C. Sproul and even “From the Mind of God to the Mind of Man” prominent in their bookstore Benny Hinn’s have taken over.
Do you want that to happen to AIG’s new experiment? It can be a huge asset to Biblical Christianity. Some enterprising charismatic will be waiting in the wings to take it over while we argue about minor points.
“Profit” is not a curse word. Part of the expansion of Mormonism is because they do not just have tithes but also business income. If our churches developed investment income maybe our missionaries wouldn’t have to struggle so long to raise support.
Are they building an ‘amusement park’ or constructing a Really Big Object Lesson? Because I don’t get the feeling they are building a ‘Christian’ King’s Island. Just because a learning experience is enjoyable doesn’t mean it’s fluff.
DavidO, the project seems to be encouraging muse rather than amuse. Critics cry that AiG is bereft of scientific and/or theological musing.
But I think they are into musing. And I think that they even like to integrate a little fun with their musing.
(Ken, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the best, made-and-home-grown in America, religious business. And the Prophet, his counselors, the Twelve, the Seventy, the Area Authorities, and on down to the bishops - they are for the most part, top notch business men. The past dean of the school of business at Harvard is the President of BYU-Idaho in Rexburg. Unfortunately, the LDS Church takes one of the leading roles in our country in trying to break up the historical, foundational interpretation of the book of Genesis. Genesis is where the whole battle begins. My consolation is this. The power of God does not rest in good business skills; the power of God is the Gospel. It is our only hope. And I do appreciate how the founding chairman of AiG’s board just over the Teton Pass in Jackson Hole is committed to that fundamental proposition.)
But I think they are into musing. And I think that they even like to integrate a little fun with their musing.
(Ken, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the best, made-and-home-grown in America, religious business. And the Prophet, his counselors, the Twelve, the Seventy, the Area Authorities, and on down to the bishops - they are for the most part, top notch business men. The past dean of the school of business at Harvard is the President of BYU-Idaho in Rexburg. Unfortunately, the LDS Church takes one of the leading roles in our country in trying to break up the historical, foundational interpretation of the book of Genesis. Genesis is where the whole battle begins. My consolation is this. The power of God does not rest in good business skills; the power of God is the Gospel. It is our only hope. And I do appreciate how the founding chairman of AiG’s board just over the Teton Pass in Jackson Hole is committed to that fundamental proposition.)
[Paul J. Scharf]I think if you go to their web site they state that the Creation Museum attendance is 700,000 annually and their projection for the park is 1.6 million.[Jonathan Charles] This park will have to more that double the museum’s attendance and sustain that year after year.Pray tell, how do you know? Have you run all the numbers based on all the facts? Otherwise, this statement is simply nonsense.[Jonathan Charles] Whoever wrote that there is nearly no chance it will fail doesn’t know what he is talking about.Pray tell, why not refer to my post and name specifically? This is rather a rude way of speaking, is it not?
It is alot of $$ (24.5m) and I’m missing the point of it. How will seeing the life size replica of the ark change anyone’s mind about the flood. It is given to us in Scripture, let them read the words of God. If you already believe in creationism and the flood, you will see it, say “Wow, that’s a big boat and a lot of animals could fit into it.” So God’s people need to raise nearly $25m for this (their website is soliciting donations. $1,000 per plank)? Maybe it is a teaching tool, but so is a flannel graph or a poster, and both of these cost alot less.
Just scanned this thread. I’m kind of amazed.
When did it become a sin to make a profit doing something decent? But I’m pretty sure AiG is a nonprofit anyway… but it wouldn’t bother me if it was an actual business.
And a scale model of an ark you can walk in? I don’t get why anybody wouldn’t think that would be cool.
(Not to malign anyone in particular, but isn’t it a little bit hypocritical to think a football pass is really cool, a movie scene with amazing special effects is really cool, a motorcycle or snowmobile or hot rod is really cool, or maybe a smart phone or an ipad… but we can’t enjoy the spectacle of a life size ark? Just have to read about it and use our imaginations? Heaven forbid that we might enjoy ourselves with something that is not entirely secular. … but I’m probably injecting more emotion into a discussion that doesn’t need it—which I’ve encouraged others not to do, so end of rant.)
When did it become a sin to make a profit doing something decent? But I’m pretty sure AiG is a nonprofit anyway… but it wouldn’t bother me if it was an actual business.
And a scale model of an ark you can walk in? I don’t get why anybody wouldn’t think that would be cool.
(Not to malign anyone in particular, but isn’t it a little bit hypocritical to think a football pass is really cool, a movie scene with amazing special effects is really cool, a motorcycle or snowmobile or hot rod is really cool, or maybe a smart phone or an ipad… but we can’t enjoy the spectacle of a life size ark? Just have to read about it and use our imaginations? Heaven forbid that we might enjoy ourselves with something that is not entirely secular. … but I’m probably injecting more emotion into a discussion that doesn’t need it—which I’ve encouraged others not to do, so end of rant.)
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
You said it well!
Also, how about the fact that God deserves our best?! (Mark 14:1-4)
Jonathan — Flannelgraph???? Really???? Are you serious???? Are you joking???? :bigsmile:
Also, how about the fact that God deserves our best?! (Mark 14:1-4)
Jonathan — Flannelgraph???? Really???? Are you serious???? Are you joking???? :bigsmile:
Church Ministries Representative, serving in the Midwest, for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry
[Paul J. Scharf] Jonathan — Flannelgraph???? Really???? Are you serious???? Are you joking???? :bigsmile:I’m not joking. A visual can show an artist rendition of the ark. Then one can get a grasp on its length, width, height by looking at things today that equal the ark. For example, it was 1 1/2 times as long as a football field and over 3 stories high. That saves $25m for other things. What’s next, an actual sized Solomon’s temple or Herod’s temple with all the gold-plating?? Yea, I guess someone might do it for the glory of God and a believe might be moved by it, so I guess that justifies the expense.
[Aaron Blumer] Just scanned this thread. I’m kind of amazed.
When did it become a sin to make a profit doing something decent? But I’m pretty sure AiG is a nonprofit anyway… but it wouldn’t bother me if it was an actual business.
Aaron,
They are a teaching ministry. Hey, there’s nothing wrong, on one level, with one of our church deacons running a profitable business. There is a problem, in my mind, of relying on the platform of the local church to attract customers, or soliciting donations to subsidize the “ministry” he provides.
[press release] The for-profit Ark Encounter project will be privately funded at an estimated cost of $150 million.
In my mind, though, a for-profit endeavor is being built on the foundation of a reputation built on service provided to the church. I find that troubling.
Greg Linscott
Marshall, MN
[Jonathan Charles]A little late on the Herod’s temple thing. Holy LAnd Expierience already built a replica that is one third of the size of Herod’s. It is impressive, educational and even “cool”.[Paul J. Scharf] Jonathan — Flannelgraph???? Really???? Are you serious???? Are you joking???? :bigsmile:I’m not joking. A visual can show an artist rendition of the ark. Then one can get a grasp on its length, width, height by looking at things today that equal the ark. For example, it was 1 1/2 times as long as a football field and over 3 stories high. That saves $25m for other things. What’s next, an actual sized Solomon’s temple or Herod’s temple with all the gold-plating?? Yea, I guess someone might do it for the glory of God and a believe might be moved by it, so I guess that justifies the expense.
Discussion