Special Churches: Chatlos Memorial Chapel

Our tour of special churches continues with the Chatlos Memorial Chapel at the Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove near Asheville, North Carolina. I had passed the exit for the Cove on the interstate countless times but had never stopped. On a whim this week, I decided to visit.

I entered the Cove and approached the gatehouse. An officer in uniform asked the nature of my visit, took my drivers license and registered me as a guest. He gave the directions to the chapel and told me he would let the staff know I was coming. I drove through the sprawling 1,500 acres to the chapel, tucked deep in the forest. A tour guide was waiting for me.

The tour began on the lower level of the building with a video detailing facts about the Cove and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. We also learned a bit about the chapel -- it was built in the 1980s using local materials and has a soaring 87-foot steeple.

Next the tour guide lead us to the second level of the building, which houses a small museum with information about Billy Graham's ministry.

Our final stop was the chapel. The chapel is open and airy -- lots of white and natural light accented with 200-year old pews and handcrafted wrought iron chandeliers. But I found the space somehow lacking and hollow. It felt more like a showroom than a vital place of worship.

Our tour guide wrapped up the visit in the prayer room, located under the steeple. This room also was decorated with calligraphy -- like the Chapel of the Prodigal's prayer room.

Overall, the tour lasted for about an hour. Because I wasn't expecting a formal tour when I arrived, my experience felt very structured. I'm glad I went but I don't think its a chapel that I'll feel called to often.