Good News - April 2019

COVER STORY 26 APRIL 2019 Good News • South Florida Edition More than 10 years ago three men met to dream about a museum of the Bible. Coming from different walks of life, they all held a fascination for what is arguably the most influential book ever written. “Steve and David Green, of the Hobby Lobby family, and I share a passion for the Word of God. Steve began to collect some artifacts. As he shared them with me, I said this should be shared with the world,” explained Bob Hoskins, founder of OneHope, a global ministry with a mission to introduce God’s Word to every child. In November 2010, “Steve and I sat down in Charlotte, N.C., with Dr. Robert Cooley, one of the world’s renowned archeologists, and began to lay out the plans for what is now the Museum of the Bible.” The project grew from a desire to put the Bible back into culture, and what better way to do that than to place it in the center stage of the world in Wash- ington, D.C. “When we envisioned this, it was not a museum of Christianity, but a museum of the Bible, that [is nonsectarian] and includes Judaism as well. We wanted to present the Bible to the world and let people decided for them- selves,” Hoskins added. Today the Museum of the Bible stands just two blocks from the National Mall. Housed in a historic warehouse, it is the fourth largest museum in the city, spanning 430,000 square feet on eight floors with a biblical garden on the rooftop. It features three central exhibit floors focusing on the history, the nar- rative and the impact of the Bible. More than 500 biblical texts and artifacts are on display in the history floor alone; there is a “Treasures from the Vati- can Museum” exhibit; the 5th floor features "The People of the Land of Israel," a long-term exhibit from the Israel Antiquities Authority; and ex- hibits on loan have included memo- rabilia from the life of Evangelist Billy Graham and the biblical art collec- tion of Willy Wiedmann. Agrand ballroom hosts parties of up to 630 people, and a beautiful state-of-the-art World Stage Theater currently shows the acclaimed Broadway Musical “Amazing Grace.” Guests can munch on Middle East- ern and Mediterranean fare at the aptly named Manna Restaurant or Milk and Honey Café. And in contrast to the ancient text, representatives tout the museum as among the most technically advanced in the world. A breath- taking 140-foot long Grand Hall Ceiling lights up with images from illuminated manuscripts, nature, art and spectacular architecture such as the Sistine Chapel. Digital Guides, in the form of small computer tablets, lead guests through the museum on wireless access points, customizing the experience based on their age and interests, and interactive attractions take visitors on a virtual realty tour of Israel or soaring through the sky in “Washington Revela- tions,” which creates the sensation of being whisked through the city to view the Bible’s influence on historical buildings and monuments. Additionally, an area designed for the youngest guests, “Courageous Pages” engages children in fun interactive games and activities while teaching them biblical stories of people who dug deep and did what they believed was right in the face of fear, making small courageous choices that resulted in big victories. Opened in November 2017, it took no small feat to turn this dream into re- ality. The founders garnered the support of experts like Bobby Gruenwald, founder of YouVersion the Bible App; Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life and pastor of Saddleback Church; Anne Beiler, founder of Auntie Anne’s; and Harry Lee Crisp III, director and owner of Pepsi MidAmerica, among others. They’ve developed partners all over the world and many hail from here in South Florida. In fact, the museum’s current chief executive officer, Ken McKen- zie, is a board member at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale and maintains a residence in Wilton Manors. A former Airbus executive who began his 37-year aerospace career in the Royal Canadian Air Force, McKenzie said, “When I understood the mission of the Museum of the Bible as a global organization with aspirations to reach the entire world to engage with the Bible, we were thrilled when they called and asked if I’d be willing to take the helm. It really is an honor to be part of this team.” Following the move In November 2018, McKenzie said he has received encouragement from Pastor Doug Sauder, of Calvary Chapel, and National Christian Foundation President Stephan Tchividjian to continue his role at the church, saying, “You need to have a relationship with a local church and the local church needs to have a relationship with the Museum of the Bible.” Sev- eral National Christian Foundation South Florida team members also travelled to Washington for the museum’s grand opening and one year anniversary cel- ebrations. Inviting individuals and communities to partner with the museum has been the pattern since its inception. During its development, the Greens made a presentation to the Festus and Helen Stacy Foundation, who are among the first donors. Doug Stepelton, a trustee, said he hopes people will visit the mu- seum to see how much God’s Word is engrained in our global history. “We hope the factual knowledge learned in the museum will move from the visitors’ heads to their hearts,” he said. A community of women in Palm Beach, who meet frequently for Bible Study, have taken on the Museum of the Bible as one of their personal projects. Linda Koldenhoven, of Palm Beach, chairs the museum’s Women’s Advisory Board, a collection of powerful women from across the country, including nota- bles such as author and businesswoman Candy Carson, wife of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, and author Margaret Maxwell, wife of leadership expert John Maxwell, who hope to heighten awareness of the Museum, garnering ongoing support for its continuation. Museum of the Bible’s Roots Extend Into South Florida Shelly Pond Good News Editor The Grand Opening... Nov. 2018. Steve and Jackie Green, cofounders, Bob and Helen Hoskins , Rob and Kim Hoskins, Marwan and Sue Rifka Ken McKenzie