This is the over-the-top world headquarters for a very wealthy and widespread evangelical Christian organization.
Preamble:
I went to these headquarters on business in the summer of 2013. Imagine my surprise when, beyond the guard house (someone has to guard it... someone real, on earth, who actually does things, who actually affects outcomes of events), I found a complex of sprawling, immaculate white buildings.
The experience:
I was treated with respect while here. The apparently low-level employees who showed me the grounds had that deer-in-headlights look, combined with sell-you-herbalife moderate charisma. I cannot say that I had a problem with any of them personally. The grounds were immaculate and sprawling. If you have the opportunity to go here, I recommend it most highly. It is, in a word, surreal. If this were a financial institution, I would be speaking about how the pomp and circumstance should make investors think twice about where their profits are going. But for a religious compound, it just screams "cult." I imagine the Moonies and Branch Davidians had similar, if more modest, headquarters.
I was never told not to take photos, and I regret not doing so. If you go, please post some. There are a few on Google images, but they don't do justice.
So then, to give you a TLDR, go here if you can. It's a bizarre experience and the staff will show you around for free (especially if you represent a monied interest)
The takeaway:
I have a definite problem with the mission of this organization, which is to push beliefs in a specific Magical Man in the Sky on university students (good luck with that) as well as inner city youth, high school kids, athletes, and anyone else who will listen.
But, more pertinent to the purposes of Yelp, I am here to complain that a massive, immaculate, guarded compound with numerous sprawling white castles gleaming in the sunlight is ridiculous for an organization like this. I know the effect they're going for: like the heaven of our dreams. It's probably supposed to shock investors into shelling out. But really, it just made me uncomfortable. It should.
I seem to remember, though, that that Jesus fellow said a lot about renouncing all earthly possessions, that a rich man can't enter heaven (Zing!). Obviously they're doing something right, even if it's not following instructions or spending their obscene profits responsibly. read more
