The voyage has begun! Noah's Ark, built to Biblical dimensions and packed with three decks worth of teaching opportunities is now open to the public! The opening of this historic park is important for Christians and Non-Christians alike to take notice of. This recreation of the historical vessel is a lasting reminder in our modern generation of the message of the Gospel!
I have been following this project almost since day one. As a Christian, I stand behind the message and historical accuracy of the Bible. As someone who enjoys everything ancient-man related, this project has me super excited! I just have to share that excitement with you! So here's what you should know!
The Ark
- The largest timber-frame structure in the world!
- 3 decks full of family oriented and educational exhibits!
- Built to be historically accurate and environmentally friendly!
- Did you know? The ark was so long that 3 Nasa Space Shuttles could lay in a line on its roof?
The Other Stuff!
Guess what? There's more to the Ark Encounter than just the huge wooden ship! They're got a whole park planned out and I am so, so, so excited to see the rest of it come about!They currently have...
- The Ararat Petting Zoo
- Extreme Zip Lines
- A 2-story restaurant
- Plus countless other exhibits within the Ark itself!
These next phases will be built over the coming years! They're planning on a..
- Tower of Babel (seriously, I freaked out when I heard about that!)
- 1st Century Village
- A Journey through Biblical History
- An aviary!
This spectacular attraction opened to the public this past Thursday after an incredible Ribbon Cutting Ceremony that really set the stage for the premise of the entire project: to share the Biblical account of Noah and the Gospel with the world. This hasn't gone ignored by the general public. Countless news channels and newspapers all over the world have been covering this exciting story!
Not everyone is happy...
Of course, not everyone is thrilled about this. Several groups of atheists, free-thinkers, and scientists have spent a lot of time protesting the Ark Encounter as it was being built.
When the Ark Encounter opened to the public on July 7th, one group stood outside to protest. They waved signs claiming the Ark taught genocide and incest among other things.
Faced with protests, what did Christians do in response?
We should not chase away those who are skeptical about the historical accuracy of the Bible! Instead, we should invite them in to see for themselves. If you follow Eric Hovind on his Facebook Page, you'll see that he did just that. He brought twenty curious protestors in to see the Ark Encounter and decide for themselves. And they were not the only skeptic to come and visit the Ark that day.
Bill Nye, known to me as the "Science Guy" when I was little, came and visited the Ark! He was personally invited by Ken Ham to come and receive a personal tour. Ken Ham and Bill Nye have had a back and forth relationship ever since their 2014 Debate to answer the question "Is Creation a viable model of origins in today's modern, scientific era?" To to surprise of everyone, Nye did come with his own film crew to tour the Ark. While touring, he and Ken Ham ended up having their second live debate in front of all the visitors. Hopefully, a video of their conversation will be released soon!
In Closing...
Now you know! These are some of the quick facts for what the Ark Encounter is and what the world's reaction to it has been. So, what are you going to do about it now?
As for me, I am eagerly awaiting my opportunity to go and see the Ark Encounter for myself! To accommodate the crowds, the Ark Encounter is having 40 Days and 40 Nights (ha) of extended visiting hours. Purchasing tickets has been made very simple. You can even bundle tickets to the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter!
And I challenge you to keep this conversation going! If you're a Christian, then be prepared for questions about what the Ark is and what is means! If you're skeptical or just curious, then dig into it and see for yourselves! The Ark Encounter's Youtube Channel has tons of resources available.
Plus, there are several good documentaries out there that cover the Ark. Always be aware that each documentary comes with its own worldview and bias. Below you'll find one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy and continue the conversation about the Ark Encounter with your friends and family!
I really want to go to this exhibit! I've been wanting to visit since I heard the arc was being built back in 2014. I watched that Ken Ham/Bill Nye debate live at my church.
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I know, isn't it amazing? I watched the debate on live stream too! I'd love to hear your thoughts on it! I hope they release the video of the second debate on the ark soon! Thanks for commenting!
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