I can begin to think of all kinds of ways that God could work this out.  He can speak to the land owner’s hearts about the price or he could provide the funds in the range that they are asking.  When I try to figure out how God can do it I realize I’m stepping out of faith and into my own natural understanding. In fact, when I begin thinking this way I start to feel the burden of building the museum and the pressure weighs on my shoulders.

Since beginning this project I have learned how important it is to not take things on myself, but to do this with God --- and with God bearing the burden. Let’s face it, I can’t build this museum on my own or out of my “might.”  I don’t have the resources completely in and of myself.  I trust that God has told me to build A Light in the World Museum and he will bring together the people, funds, and resources as needed. That includes the land.  I know that we will acquire the perfect parcel of land at the perfect time. 

I ask you to say a prayer today for A Light in the World Museum and for me to follow only God’s directions.

We are often skeptical when something is free. We think that there has to be a catch. There’s got to be something hidden. That is the reason some find it difficult to understand God’s gift of salvation. God’s love isn’t based on us or what we do; in fact, he loves us in spite of ourselves.

Because God’s gift of salvation is free to all there will not be an admission charge to anyone to go through A Light in the World Museum.  This idea was a part of my Dad’s original thoughts about the museum and I feel it is important to keep the museum true to that vision.  My Dad never felt right about charging anyone to hear the gospel.  His conviction about this was strong. He never charged for copies of his teaching tapes.  Actually, he never passed a collection plate. He did provide a receptacle for tithes and donations, but believed God to provide the needs of his church.

The museum’s primary focus is to be a unique form of telling the gospel.  Charging an admission fee would conflict with the ministry of reaching out to a lost world. 

Many times when I explain that the museum will be free admission I get a very puzzled look from others. Of course organizations need money to survive. The museum will need funds to sustain itself, to maintain and/or upgrade exhibits, afford employees, and assure its continuing existence. We have tried to account for other ways to gain revenue without charging an admission price.

Donations from individuals, churches, and organizations are an important component to the funding of A Light in the World Museum now and in the future. The museum is nondenominational and I feel that it is important that the body of Christ unite together behind this project.  Donations are one way to show your support and faith that the Lord is behind this museum.

We plan to have a book store/gift shop within the museum, just as most other museums do.  Additionally, we plan to include a banquet hall and classroom space that can be rented out to organizations for their events and programs.  The museum will also hold its own ticketed events, such as concerts, speakers, performances, and conferences as well.

Through donations, the gift shop, rental space, and museum events we will generate enough funds to keep the museum free admission.

Last year we took a trip out to The Creation Museum because of our own interest and to do a little research for A Light in the World Museum. The Creation Museum is located in Petersburg, Kentucky just outside of Cincinnati Ohio.  Per their website it is a “state-of-the-art 70,000 square foot museum [that] brings the pages of the Bible to life, casting its characters and animals in dynamic form and placing them in familiar settings.”

During our concept development stage for A Light in the World Museum I did (and continue to do) research on current and planned biblical museums. I was surprised to find that few exist and even fewer that try to provide an experience or interactivity.  The Creation Museum is a recent addition to the mix having opened in June 2007. 

The Creation Museum supports the biblical account of creation and Noah’s flood with vast amount of scientific theory and evidence. One of the main purposes is to provide an alternative to the natural history museum found in many cities. Typical natural history museums purport ideas of evolution only giving no credence to the biblical account of creation.

I was very excited to see The Creation Museum and to see if their exhibits were anything like what we have planned for our A Light in the World Museum.  They have done an outstanding job of combining education and experience. The Creation Museum provides a variety of activities and dynamic displays. They use all of the various technologies and encompassing scenes to tantalize all of the senses. Recently, they have added camel rides as a part of their petting zoo.

The exhibits that I enjoyed the most were walking through the Garden of Eden and through a replica of Noah’s ark.  These were most like the ideas we have planned.

There were definitely a couple specific things that I came away thinking about concerning the building of A Light in the World Museum after seeing The Creation Museum. First was crowd management. The Creation Museum has done an awesome job with being able to handle the vast crowd that was there the day I visited. This is not something well planned for in our concept of A Light in the World Museum.  It will be something that we will have to makes some adjustments for. 

Secondly, I couldn’t help but think about the 25 years it took to get The Creation Museum built.  I don’t know how long it will take to build A Light in the World Museum, but I doubt we have the luxury of 25 years to take.

I hope that one day A Light in the World Museum and The Creation Museum will be sisters working together in some way. They are different in specific purposes, but both point to Jesus as savior.  If you are looking for an interesting destination to take your family this summer that will spark conversation about the bible and provide a unique experience, I suggest that you consider The Creation Museum.

It was a time of doubt and choice. Everyone who had sat under my Dad's teaching had to decide if they believed what he taught because he believed it or because they saw it to be true in the word of God. My Dad taught that God is a healer, a miracle worker, a comforter, and that he never used satan's tactics to teach his children.  He was bold in his faith in a good God.  Did my Dad’s death mean that faith did not work – that what he taught was not truth?

As I confronted my own questions about my father's death, I had to make a conscious choice to believe God's word was still true.  Not because my Dad taught it, but because it was God's word, and He is faithful and just and can be trusted.  I had to choose to not look at the circumstances and my questions and trust God anyway. During that time the scripture that became my motto was "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalms 46:10).

It was in the midst of this grief that I felt the Lord speak to my heart to move back to my home state of West Virginia and build the museum that my Dad had often spoke of.  I sat with this notion for a while, but the Lord's prodding never left.

One day I emptied my heart to my husband and told him that I felt we had to move back and that I had to build this museum, but I didn’t know how to do it, but that I had to do it. I’m sure my husband didn’t understand what I was telling him at that moment. I found myself wondering what would happen. Would we actually pack up the moving truck? Would my husband go with me? But, somehow all those details got worked out.

When we arrived in West Virginia I waited to see if the desire to build this museum would go away. I thought that if it wasn’t of the Lord it would fade. But, it didn’t. In fact, it remained on my mind all the time. Then I made the announcement that I was starting this project.

The concept of the museum has grown and it hasn’t been easy to get started. I don’t know how it’s going to happen. But, I have to continue in blind faith. I choose to be blind to limited resources … blind to the rising cost of land … blind to those who laugh. I am “fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He [is] able also to perform” (Romans 4:21).

I listened to his idea and knew exactly what he had in mind.  I was always proud that my father was a bit unconventional. He challenged things that had been taught out of tradition and studied the word of God with a fresh open heart.  He even coined the phrase "possibility thinking" which I see is used all over the place now.  So, this museum idea wasn't so odd coming from him.

The museum remained in his heart as a part of the ministry he wished to grow. He included it in a written out vision and often spoke of it to others. But, for whatever reason, it was not to be accomplished by him.  He passed away in 2003.