How low can evangelicals go?

Texas Church Plans to Give Away a House

LA MARQUE, Texas - In a game show-style giveaway, a church plans to award a $120,000 three-bedroom house to one of its worshippers on New Year's Eve.

Since 2003, Abundant Life Christian Center has given away a car, a motorcycle and furniture.

"It encourages people to come to the service, and it helps keep people off the street with all that revelry going on," said pastor Walter Hallam.

During Saturday's service, 20 names will be selected at random and placed with 100 others chosen from services throughout the year. Twelve finalists — symbolizing the 12 apostles — will be selected.

Each of the finalists will receive a key, which they will try in a door on stage. The person whose key unlocks the door wins the home. Lightning, music, indoor fireworks and balloon drops will also be part of the festivities.

More than 2,000 people typically attend the church's New Year's Eve service.

Church member Richard Murillo, who owns Trinity Builders, charged the church $53,000 to cover the cost of materials to construct the house.