I’ve been overwhelmed recently with the Lord’s goodness as people and financial support have flooded into The Coming King Sculpture and Prayer Garden, located at the main entrance of Kerrville, Texas. The garden is situated approximately half way between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans on I-10, at the same latitude as Israel.
Thousands of out-of-town visitors make multiple trips to the Kerrville garden, some over 40 times. Bus tours are now common. One visitor from Hawaii indicated that he has traveled to Texas four times just to experience the power of God at the Kerrville cross. Many Kerrville residents come to the garden daily, including law enforcement, fire fighters, hospital and EMS workers.
This week, TCKF learned that a medical doctor in San Antonio is now recommending that all of his patience visit the healing garden. At least 26 people have canceled their plans for suicide after visiting the Kerrville garden. Drug, alcohol and abuse recovery facilities across Texas are now bringing their patients to the peaceful garden for healing.
I remember when it wasn’t always this way.
More than 10 years ago, the Kerrville Daily Times published my dream. The Lord gave me a vision to build a multimillion-dollar, free sculpture prayer garden at the entrance of my city on I-10.
This first article ignited a firestorm of opposition because I wanted to erect a massive 77-foot-7-inch tall contemporary sculpture called the Empty Cross on private property owned by The Coming King Foundation.
Local and national atheists raged against my Christian art project, but the power of prayer was stronger. Faith leaders, including Franklin Graham, Pat Robertson, Oral Roberts, James Dobson, Paul Crouch, Rick Warren, Luis Palau, Bill and Vonette Bright, Bill McCartney, Max Lucado, June Hunt, Charles Stanley, Chuck Swindoll, Joni Erikson Tada, Steve Strang, Josh McDowell, Richard Land, John Hagee, Tony Perkins, Mahesh Chavda, Randy Clark, John Arnott, Rodney Howard Browne, Michael Brown, Mike and Cindy Jacobs, Sid Roth, Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz all rallied behind what the Lord would do with this Sculpture Prayer Garden.
The Lord has continued to bless this project financially as well. Just this week, The Coming King Foundation received a donation of $50,000 from The Chicago Community Foundation of Illinois. This gift joins other major donations from Hershel and Shannon Reed with the New Horizons Foundation in Oklahoma, the Seven Cities Foundation of McAllen, the Fish Foundation of Houston, Mike and Marcie Nye of Michigan, Bill and Freddie Morrill and Larry and Gwen Burns of Port Aransas, Eagle Bronze of Lander, Wyoming, and many other anonymous donors.
Major local donations came from the Peterson Foundation, ServKerrville, Carol Coates, Patsy and Lyle Jordan and Jenschke Inc.
By the grace of God, my wife and I have personally sown into this project financially. We have also donated my monumental Christian sculptures and my professional skills as an artist-architect. We do not take a salary or receive any compensation; we are donors to this God-project.
The garden is now home to 77 Bible verses on 16-inch scripture tiles in three languages. Four prayers are posted inside the seven-story hollow cross.
I’m also donating my recent sculpture, the “Lion of Judah,” which will remain at the garden unless I take it on an evangelism tour.
This garden vision came to me after receiving a public prophetic word from a stranger at Austin Cathedral Church, Dr. Mahesh Chavda, in Austin, Texas, on Dec. 9, 2001.
God has led multitudes of believers to serve at the garden in a variety of ways. Dozens of local contractors and hundreds of volunteers have donated their time and services to the non-denominational Christian garden, since “The Empty Cross” was raised on July 27, 2010.
Donated professional services have come from artists, architects, landscape architects, surveyors, engineers, electricians, contractors, water well companies, lawyers, real estate agents, electricians, lighting, security camera companies, landscapers and nurseries.
More than 50 volunteer tour guide chaplains from a variety of Christian denominations greet thousands of visitors who come to the 24.5 acre art garden every week. Some of these trained tour guide chaplains drive over a hundred miles one way, from Houston, Austin and San Antonio, to serve guests at the Kerrville garden.
Despite five years of opposition, criticism, ridicule, slander, theft, sabotage, public attacks in newspapers, TV news and at City Council meetings, the Lord’s work continues to prevail. It did not succumb to atheist illegal and immoral tactics, an IRS audit or a lawsuit.
Instead, The Coming King Sculpture Prayer Garden represents the unwavering faithfulness of the Lord.
Here’s what tourists have told us:
“Such a beautiful site off I-10; a gold mine right in front of our eyes. As a father of three boys, I will plan a trip to bring them. God was my refuge and was in this place. Right here on the road I was walking. I just needed to open my eyes and look for Him. Amen.” —Anonymous
“The Garden is powerful, our second visit. I was so emotionally and spiritually moved I could not stop shaking, and my hands were covered in the golden dust!” —Terry Lopez, San Antonio, Texas
“A Must-See in Kerrville! I had heard about this place on Trip Advisor and finally decided to go see it, after numerous trips to Kerrville. It is absolutely amazing! There are numerous Scriptures leading up to the cross. This is a great place to view the town and the scenery from above, or just be quiet with the Lord and enjoy it’s beauty and peace!” — – Jeffery from Katy, TX, a contributor to the top travel website in the world.
Please pray for The Coming King Foundation, that we might lift up the name of Jesus on the highways of the world, and the reach the people not reached by standard evangelistic methods. This first, prototype garden is a type of last days Tabernacle (Amos 9:11 & Isa. 2:2). This is the “Garden Revival!” For more information on this unique evangelistic outreach, write our website: thecomingkingfoundation.
Max Greiner Jr. is the founder and president of The Coming King Foundation.
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