One For Truth

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

A few years back, our friends at TBN (otherwise known as the charismatic branch of Americhurch) built themselves an ornate headquarters building in Costa Mesa right on the 405 freeway across from South Coast Plaza (home of Orange County's swankiest full-size mall--a short walk away for Jan's personal shoppers!). This time of year, they deck the place out with white Christmas lights, including a string across the top of the facility that reads--and I kid you not--"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!"

Now, this place is just a few short miles from my house but I've never been there before. So I went to the TBN website to see what the attractions were, and check this out:

Visit us at your new Trinity Christian City International center in the heart of Southern California. Conveniently located near many world famous attractions and shopping centers, you can spend the whole day, or make your visit part of a complete vacation.

I can spend the whole day? Be still, my beating heart...

Experience the Virtual Reality Theater, home of "The Revolutionary", an original motion picture, filmed entirely on location in Israel. This state-of-the-art high definition virtual reality theater features a 48 channel sound system that virtually puts you in the picture.

So I called their 24-hour message line, and it turns out that there are five hour-long films being shown (two of which are Omega Code and Megiddo, sort of TBN takes on Left Behind). But that's not all:

Take an intriguing walk through an actual recreation of the Via Dolorosa, the street in the old walled city of Jerusalem where Jesus carried His cross to Calvary. View "The Revolutionary" or "The Revolutionary II," portraying dramatic events in the life of Christ, or "The Emissary," depicting exciting events from the book of Acts. Each of these virtual reality features is an hour long experience you will cherish for a long time.

And for those who have always wondered what it's like to walk the halls of this media giant for Jesus, check this out:

Tour the Demos Shakarian Memorial Building. The breathtaking interiors and magnificent studios are seen regularly on international television broadcasts. Never before has it been possible to walk right into the studios and look into the heart of a working production center.

Now, for the first time, you are invited to take a peek behind the scenes and see how this mighty work is accomplished. Stroll the beautiful gardens with their lush plantings and sparkling fountains. Although they are fully equipped for television production, the gardens offer a restful setting for meditation and contemplation, right in the heart of busy Orange County.

All right! I mean, check out that picture! Gold and marble... just like Jesus would have wanted. And now, for the cherry on the sundae: the Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Gift Shop!

The Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Gift and Book Shop offers a tempting array of items for every budget, including music, tapes, Bibles, gifts and a complete selection of TBN souvenirs.

Tempting? Aw, Paul, you card.

So here's the plan: I'm going. Who's coming with me? We can get together some Friday night or Saturday and make an evening of it. Talk about a Holy Crap experience. Can you imagine the fun?

posted by Zeke @ 4:46 PM