King Solomon Baptist Church members put on a memorable performance

VICKSBURG, Miss. – This year to celebrate the harvest season, many churches and organizations in Vicksburg hosted trunk-or-treats and fall festivals. King Solomon Baptist Church, off of Oak Ridge Road, opted to do something more immersive. Alongside the usual fare of a blow up jump house, games, a small trunk or treat, food trucks, popcorn and face painting, they held a Christian themed “haunted house” that consisted of biblically driven scenarios in place of ghouls and ghosts called “The Final Judgement House.”

Around 6:30 p.m., as the sun began to set, some guests were dismayed to see the games being put up and the blow up house being taken down. The sounds of children jumping and tossing hula hoops were replaced with a live DJ playing gospel hits. A long line formed from the parking lot entrance of the church as groups of people waited for their turns to witness the “Judgement House.”

A journey into the life and death of Randy

The Final Judgement House included five separate immersive scenes that took guests on a journey through the life and death of Randy, a young man who worshiped at the “Money over Problems” church and lived life in sin. In the first scene, Randy’s room mate could be seen pleading with him to repent and turn from his wicked ways. Randy argues that his faith is being disrespected and proceeds to reject his roommate’s desperate attempts to save him.

The second scene took guests to the “Money over Problems” church which was the most engaging scene of the four. As a choir sang “Hallelujah” in the background, the congregation (dressed in bright, gaudy clothing) listened in as a money hungry pastor leapt around the room enthusiastically preaching the gospel of pleasure over the keyboardist’s dramatic chords. Another man danced around the room collecting money from the congregation and pocketing it.

Guests took a seat in the “church” and got to experience the thrill of being right in the middle of it all. It was colorful, exciting, and sometimes, even humorous. Many laughed and clapped along to the performance. Upon exiting to the next room with his girlfriend, Randy was struck by a vehicle off scene and died. His girlfriend rushed back in screaming and the actors wept and argued.

Guests were then shuffled into the next room where Randy could be seen standing before God, pleading for salvation. God ultimately told him that since he rejected God in his life, he would also be rejected in the afterlife.

Doors to the next room opened abruptly as smoke filled the air. Randy was dragged away by demons into Hell to live an eternity in torment. Guests briefly walked through this flashy and dark reenactment into the final scene where Randy’s girlfriend and roommate could be seen praying and discussing redemption.

Parts of the performance had people laughing, other parts left a few people in tears

The performance was engaging, entertaining and even emotional for some guests. The actors were loud, well articulated, energetic and in full character. Each scene led guests into the unknown and gave them a unique and moving experience.

One guest could be heard saying, “they were very sincere in executing their message,” and another said, “The acting was very impressive! That was just really well done!”

While the performance may have been too scary for small children, the performance left guests with something to remember.

Randy’s journey was a well thought out, collaborative effort

Alvin Coleman, multimedia director of King Solomon Baptist Church said there were 190 guests in attendance for the presentation and 400 guests for the first night of the church’s trunk or treat. “It really was a collaborative effort from so many,” he said crediting the hard work of everyone involved. The production was directed by Sister Jessica Williams aka “Sister Piano.”

To summarize Coleman’s description of the “Judgement House” message, he said, “Randy is a young teenager whose life centers around church attendance, yet misses the deeper call of faith. Rather than hearing messages on holy living, Randy and the congregation receive a superficial, pleasure-focused approach that implies wealth as the answer to life’s issues. [Following an untimely death,] in a gripping exchange, God reveals that Randy’s life, focused on appearances and personal standards, falls short of the true spiritual calling. ‘Money Over Problems’ is a challenging portrayal of faith and modern church culture, leaving audiences to reflect deeply on the authenticity of their own spiritual journeys.”

If the goal was to give audiences something to discuss and reflect on, this observer believes King Solomon Baptist Church certainly hit the mark.