It’s all too easy to get swept away in the hustle of the holidays. Take time to connect with Christmas at Salem Baptist Church’s Journey to Bethlehem, a walk-through drama of the Christmas story. “There are about 11 scenes encompassing the entire campus,” Lee Nourse said, one of the program’s directors. “It’s an indoor and outdoor walking live nativity drama.” The Apex-based church hosts more than 4,000 visitors over four days during Journey to Bethlehem, a 28-year tradition.

The walking nativity drama, Journey to Bethlehem, runs for four days with the help of 150 volunteers, like the three wise men, each night.

The entire journey takes 45 minutes to complete and requires 150 volunteer church members each night.

Favorite scenes include the marketplace full of tax collectors and vendors, mean King Herod and of course, the baby in the manger, Nourse says.

“We remain very true to the Bible, true to the life and times of Jesus’s birth,” Nourse said. “Our entire campus is transformed.”

The Heavenly host

Journey to Bethlehem runs December 12-15. It is free to the community. Ticketed times are available, but walk-ins are welcome as well.

“Christmas is the season when people are more receptive to the story of Jesus, who he is and what he came to do for us,” Nourse said. “Our mission is to share Jesus with the community.”

Salem Baptist Church
1821 North Salem Street, Apex
(919) 362-7327
salem-bc.org