'Unexpected' opening at church
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'Unexpected'
What: Judgement House
Where: First Baptist Church, 309 Cottonwood St., Edna
When: 6-9 p.m.,Oct. 31-Nov. 3, Saturday-Tuesday
Tours leave every 10 minutes and each tour lasts about an hour. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are encouraged. Guests ...
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'Unexpected'
What: Judgement House
Where: First Baptist Church, 309 Cottonwood St., Edna
When: 6-9 p.m.,Oct. 31-Nov. 3, Saturday-Tuesday
Tours leave every 10 minutes and each tour lasts about an hour. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are encouraged. Guests are encouraged to arrive 30 minutes before their tour start time. For reservation information, contact 361-782-6588.
Prepare to have the hell scared out of you this weekend in an unexpected way.
First Baptist Church in Edna transforms this weekend into a Judgement House walking drama.
The drama, in its 10th year at the church, portrays a series of scenes depicting what happens when people die unexpectedly and confront the afterlife.
"Judgement House is a ministry encouraging people to ask the most important questions of life," said the Rev. Danny Reeves, church pastor. "Are you ready for that day when your life will end? Have you considered where you will spend eternity?"
The church was aflurry as actors and crew members hustled and bustled their way from heaven, hell and a car crash scene during dress rehearsal. The project and its 200 participants require six months of preparation, Reeves said. The house offers 18 tours per night. Tours leave every 10 minutes from 6 to 9 p.m. Each tour lasts about an hour.
"I just want to let others know it's not all about being a good person; it's about having a personal relationship with Jesus," said Christy Muschaleck, a member who plays Carol, the main character.
In the judgement room, a white-haired man playing God spoke with people who choose not to have a relationship with Jesus Christ while they lived. A cackling demon yanked them away from the room.
Because of scenes of death and hell, Reeves said children younger than 10 years old will not be allowed.
"You can really feel the heat, and it's eerie," said Thomas Muschaleck, who plays a demon in hell. The character for him is a stretch, because he was in heaven last year. This time he don a black cloak and laugh while torturing a soul in hell.
"It gets you thinking," he said. "If you don't have a problem in that room, then you have a problem."
Each cast member repeats a scene every 10 minutes for a new group. Muschaleck said the roles can become tiring but are worthwhile.
"We're trying to make hell as real as we can," he said. "We're trying to scare people out of hell."
In heaven, participants are welcomed with pearly gates and "streets" of gold.
"When they come into heaven, we're treating them as if they are in heaven," said Clay Whitley, a bearded church member who plays Jesus. He describes the experience as humbling and tiring.
"This might be the only chance that people see the love of Christ and see the whole church come together," he said. "They maybe never had it put to them this bluntly. Heaven and hell are real."
Organizers make one thing clear: This is not a haunted house or hell house. The church has one goal: To make people question their existence after death.
"We're either going to spend eternity with God, or we're going to spend eternity without him," Reeves said. "It's not about religion. It's about a relationship with Jesus Christ."
