LetsMoveToTheMoon

Have you ever been to a church which has a children’s area that is designed like a theme park? I came across a company recently that designs the children’s space in churches. Worlds of Wow primarily designs theme-based and play-focused areas for children inside of churches. I’m fascinated by this; the results are gorgeous, really. The organization intends that a church would be a child’s favorite place to visit, and its team of innovators who are experienced in both ministry and the amusement park industry assure that their clients receive a glorious playground of sorts for their children’s ministry. The concept is certainly interesting, and it’s something I’d like to consider further.

Here’s my issue with Wow’s idea (and by the way, they’re not alone–check out their Links page): I can see both the good and the bad. I can see that their concept makes a lot of sense, that having children love to go to church could begin lifestyle patterns which would influence their future relationships with the Lord. Furthermore, a finished product definitely has use in an outward-focused ministry. Aside from “Free Money Tuesdays,” I can’t think of any one thing that would better draw people to a church than a miniature children’s amusement park (in that where the children go, the parents go). Talk about a ministry opportunity.

Unfortunately, I also see some downsides. A church which constructs one of these things is going to be paying all kinds of cash. These little installations aren’t cheap, and understandably so. Arguably, that money could be directed in a more self-sacrificing direction. More importantly, I wonder about the entire philosophy of ministry. Do we really want to be getting people to come to us, or do we want to be going to them? I would argue that getting them on our turf is not the best way of going about it; instead, I believe that we should meet the needs of people in a manner specifically tailored to the individual.

So that leaves me without a conclusion. I do like the idea, but I’m not sure if it’s the best use of resources. What are your thoughts on this? If you’ve ever encountered a church that has something like this, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Even if you haven’t, I’d love your input.

Oh, and by the way, check out one of their new ideas: Church Waterparks.