On today’s walk, Miss P and I took some time to explore an enormous Christian ministry that is not a church.

Focus on the Family moved to town in 1993 from California (expensive and full of heathens), joining the numerous Christian organizations that are located here.  Focus has four buildings with 526,070 square feet of space that sit on 47 acres of landscaping and parking lots.   This organization was founded by a psychologist, James Dobson, and he started out with just a radio show.   He ran the organization until 2003, then he was a figurehead, and he has totally left the organization now.

Again, it’s hard to show in pictures just how enormous this campus is.

Not shown is the gigantic dish for broadcasting their daily message.   It’s sort of hidden in the back.

There is a visitor center for tourists, they even have a sign out on the motorway (this is very unusual for a private organization, much less one with a religious affiliation).   And they have a bookstore with lots of conservative Christian books, dvd’s, etc. etc.

There are a few bits of art on the grounds.

But overall, it’s impossible not to be impressed by the gorgeous setting, the amazing views of the mountain.

 

At the height of the organization’s influence they had about 1400 employees.   Now they are down to just over 600, which is still an impressive workforce.    And they still generate controversy, but not as much as they used to.