HOLLYWIERD

A Building Redeemed

Recently, my family and I moved to Downtown Hollywood, FL to learn what it means to truly love a neighborhood and a city. By recently, I mean about a year and a half ago or so. My wife and I with our two boys set out to obey a calling from God to start a church in East Hollywood along with some friends and other pastors.

I will never forget the first night lying in bed with my wife being scared to death of what we just did. I remember hearing every noise and wanted to get under the bed. This is a bit unusual for a 6 foot, 200 pound man. However, the unknown is always a bit fearful and we moved into a rather rough neighborhood. We are about 18 blocks from the beach and 10 blocks from downtown. It is a beautiful location, but some of the people are bit shady to say the least. This is the city that God has called us to love.

Our church was able to purchase a building as seen in the picture. This building was an Elk's club, then a sex club and then our church gathering space. It is an awesome thing to "redeem" a building. It is a perpetual reminder of the redeeming we all need.

Inside of the building meets a living, breathing body of Christ whose sole mission is to be the church in the city for the sake of the city! Outside of the building lives a living, breathing body of Christ whose sole mission is be the church in the city for the sake of the city!

Life has been an amazing journey so far in Hollywood. In fact, I was walking downtown with a friend of mine and we discoverd that someone had written on a park bench. The writing said, "Hollyweird - where the freaks come out to play". I really wanted to meet this person. I wanted to know if they were observing something or stating something about themselves. I would never know. What I would know is that they were totally correct. Our city is an eclectic place and I am so excited about living somewhere as culturally, educationally, spiritually, and socio-economically diverse as East Hollywood.

God is good. My family is doing great. The church is amazing. My neighbors are cool. I can only look forward to what God is going to do to make Himself famous here in Hollyweird!