Some time ago I went to The Bible Walk in Mansfield, Ohio to see what their museum was like and how it compared to the vision for A Light in the World Museum. This “Living Bible Museum” was the vision of Pastor Richard Diamond and his wife, Alwilda. Throughout the 1980’s the museum grew by adding more scenes and now consists of 70 scenes, and over 300 wax figures. It is Ohio’s only life-size wax museum. The Bible Walk is built on the grounds of the Diamond Hill Cathedral and offers 4 tours: Heart of the Reformation, Museum of Christian Martyrs, Miracles of the Old Testament, and The Life of Christ. We went through “The Life of Christ” tour. I enjoyed this museum very much and recommend it to you as a destination to add into your vacation planning. The admission fees are affordable for families.

The Bible Walk is probably exactly the museum that my father had envisioned back in the early 1980’s. As you walk through the path of the Bible Walk there are scenes to look at, hear the audio voice-overs, and background music. They do a great job of combining all the elements of visual presentation.

The main difference in The Bible Walk and the concept for A Light in the World Museum is that we hope to have the scenes envelop you as you walk through so that you feel like you are in the scene rather than looking at the scene as an observer.

There’s plenty of room for many biblical museums in the world – each with their own unique presentation. God can use them all. I hope to return to The Bible Walk some day and go through the other tours.  I, also, hope to have a close alliance with The Bible Walk in the future as we progress with our vision.

I realize that I have been quiet on this blog for quite sometime now, but I want to assure you that my commitment to building the museum has not waned. Yes, it is a daunting task and it has been difficult to gather supporters, funds, and interest in the museum.  But, I continue to lift the museum up to God and look for open doors and resources to flow.  I remain confident that God is in control and in the right timing everything will come together.

The concept of the museum is different and many people haven't know what to make of it.  It's not another church and it's not aimed solely for amusement.  Yet, it will have a role in building the kingdom and hopefully it will be done through an entertaining experience.  I personally enjoy the idea of the museum being a unique way to reach people,... a unique way to share the gospel of Christ.  God has never been in a box for me -- His love endless, His grace boundless, His mercy limitless.   A Light in the World Museum is just one more way that God will meet people where they are.  I know that God wants the museum built.  That belief has never wavered.


Take a look at what is planned for inside the museum.

We’re actively looking for land to build A Light in the World Museum. Recently, I looked at a 24 acre parcel of land with interstate 81 frontage that would be almost perfect for the museum. There were a couple drawbacks with this property, but for the most part the pluses outweighed the negatives. Unfortunately, after I looked at it the price was raised significantly making it out of the museum’s ability at this time.  I know that if this is the land that God has for the Museum he will work out the details.

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.

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.”

When my father passed away I was shocked. To me he was a spiritual giant, a great man of faith. I didn't think he could be touched by an early death. For weeks I felt as though I was in a fog or living a nightmare. It seemed unreal. The best description would be to say that I felt like the rapture had taken place and I was left behind. I couldn't make sense of it and felt completely out of sorts.

A Light In The World Museum was my father's vision many years ago. I remember him telling me about his idea one day after we had visited a historical wax figure museum. Back then it was exciting when the mannequin's chest moved as if they breathed. My Dad told me he thought that a biblical museum could tell about Jesus in a fresh new experience for unbelievers as well as believers.  He thought it would be an instrument that God would use to draw people to him.