LOS ANGELES — My first hint that this might be a radically different place to go to church was the fact that I had to make a reservation to attend.
And radically different it was — full of life, music, great greetings, welcomed earplugs and the challenge to live without fear fearlessly given.
On the recommendation of a Denton-area friend who follows the church’s music, I drove to Los Angeles for one final Sunday to attend worship at Fearless LA, a one-year-old church plant. It meets in a nightclub in deep downtown Los Angeles near Spring and 6th streets.
The church began in September 2013. Jeremy and Christy Johnson, a young couple from Modesto, California, who spring from a Calvary Chapel background, founded the church.
Jeremy Johnson, a former youth pastor, and Christy Johnson, a gifted vocalist and worship leader, brought their two young children and a host of powerfully talented musicians with them on this experiment in faith. They followed the call of God to bring gospel freedom to Los Angeles.
Friendly greeters, not concerned that we were 30 to 40 years older than most other worshipers, explained the layout, offered refreshments, including freshly made pancakes, and provided earplugs. Babies in worship wear noise-canceling headphones.
Just before 11 a.m., I walked into the nightclub-dance-floor-turned-worship space. An extensive stage with six giant screens loomed in front of the 100 folding chairs. And at 11 a.m., the music began. With the earplugs in place, I was able to enjoy an excellent 30-minute Christian rock concert, with an 11-piece band of musicians and vocalists.
Nearly everyone was dancing. A synthesizer linked the music to a light show on the massive screens, and words of praise to God, deep thankfulness for God’s love and pleas for God to break barriers filled the screen. Seats quickly filled and extras were set up.
The name of Jesus was lifted up. Joy, expressed by dancing and singing people, transformed the nightclub into a center of worship.
At 11:30 a.m., Jeremy Johnson came onto the platform and offered welcome and spoke briefly of the church history. He moved to prayer and asked God to touch and heal all those there on this day.
He then asked everyone in need of physical healing or a miracle to lift their hands. Then he asked everyone else in the congregation to lay hands on those with lifted hands as he prayed for those things. I made no move to participate, nor felt any pressure to do so, and just observed with interest.
At 11:37 a.m., we sat down and first-time visitors were all given a candy bar and an invitation to stay afterward for further information. People were asked to take out their smartphones and register their attendance and many did.
Co-pastor Christy Johnson offered an eight-minute appeal for people to step out in faith and give generously. She shared testimonies received last week of answered prayers for miracles and healings.
Jeremy Johnson then came back to the platform for a 40-minute message centering on the Matthew 14 story about Jesus walking on the water in the storm. He emphasized Peter’s willingness to get out of the boat and walk to Jesus. He also demonstrated it by having an inflatable boat on the platform populated by others on the worship team.
He spoke passionately, using a call and response style, of a paradigm shift where people leave behind their fears (thus the name of the church, Fearless LA) and step out in faith to follow Jesus no matter where it might lead.
He spoke of his own journey from fear to confidence, how he learned as a youth pastor to become totally dependent upon God for his leading and his ministry.
His invitation to come to Jesus took nearly 20 minutes of powerful, emotional stories of lives changed. He called everyone who needed this new movement in their lives to take one step away from their chairs and then walk forward. Most of the congregation responded.
After more handraising and prayer, we were finally dismissed at about 12:55 p.m. It is my understanding that this service ended earlier than many do — there are days when the spirit falls and they stay in worship quite a bit longer.
We did not linger for the informational session, as I had learned much ahead of time. No one, not the pastors, the musicians, the superb tech people or anyone else has a paid position here. This is a labor of love, faith and passion for God.
Although I certainly prefer liturgy and the celebration of the Sacraments, I also saw hope on the faces of the hurting and healing for those who needed it. The music was superb, even if damaging to unprotected eardrums.
I loved it — and recommend it, especially for young adults in Los Angeles.
THE REV. CHRISTY THOMAS can be reached at dr.christy.thomas@gmail.com. Her blog is at www.christythomas.com.
