There's No "I" In Hollywood
“You are a pastor in Hollywood? …wow – you really have to be ‘called’ to be there.”
I’ve heard that 100 times.
I think – you have to be “called” to go anywhere. I’ve been to a few places that are so ‘religious’ or ‘rule focused’ that I think – “wow, you really have to be called to be here.” Overcoming useless traditions can be the greatest battle.
Someone said once, “There is no ‘i’ in team.” It’s been repeated a lot. That’s a great thought. It’s true. The strongest teams are not made up of ‘i’s’ but “we’s.”
LA and Hollywood have the reputation of being populated by people who are self-centered and materialistic. Those are 2 qualities that make it difficult to be a genuine follower of Jesus.
It seems like the younger a person is, the more a person tends to be stuck in those qualities.
People around the world are aware of the social justice gestures of someone like Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt or Bono. Sometimes people wonder if their actions are genuine or orchestrated by a publicist. I think any gestures like that are to be encouraged. The world has watched the personal struggles of someone like Lindsay Lohan, whom I have compassion for, do not judge and pray for her often. I have to say that in any person’s life – when you are living for a dream bigger than yourself – it solves many personal struggles that we face.
At Oasis Church, two important values are to serve and to give.
“There’s no ‘i’ in Hollywood!” Jesus taught us that serving is what following Him is all about. Christianity is about giving; being forgiving, generous with love, time and finances. Generosity is an attribute of God the Father. Serving is a dynamic quality of Jesus.
We have a church where many people serve with a generous attitude; people who “go the extra mile.” It is inspiring to see people who represent Jesus in this way. Sometimes the smallest gesture makes the biggest impact. A life style of serving changes who you are and leaves a mark on the soul of those you touch.
I see people feeding the hungry, helping the homeless, being a ‘big brother’ and giving sacrificially to AIDS victims. Through Generosity Water we have funded over 150 water projects.
In a tight economy, over the last 3 years - in which many have struggled financially in our world, Oasis has raised over $3 million for missions and social justice causes. That’s inspiring to me. That’s humbling.
Although we have many great people at Oasis who are in their 40’s and 50’s (the parents, the grandparents)- an amazing stat is that 70% of our church is in their 20’s and 30’s. Instead of pursuing a self focused dream, many are making the dreams of others come true.
Young, Hollywood, pursuing a dream – yet giving sacrificially and serving others. I see evidence of God’s touch in their life.
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