'Transform Los Angeles' Holds Inaugural Meeting

by Neil Earle

(On September 15 my wife Susan and I were invited to attend the first consultation of a group known simply as “Transform Los Angeles” or T-LA. We attended as representatives of our church’s Office of Reconciliation Ministries, an outreach to minorities and immigrants across denominational lines. Here is what we saw and heard.)

“We see our role as helping networks network, to connect, cooperate collaborate across many spheres of influence and so promote transformation in this city,” Biola’s Associate Dean of Intercultural Studies Alan McMahan stated to some seventy delegates at the first get-together of “Transform Los Angeles.” Pastors, ministry leaders, church planters, Campus Crusade workers, political candidates, reconciliation workers – all shared victories and concerns with each other at the Biola Banquet Dining Room on September 15 from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m.

The audience make-up was notable for the number of Asian-Americans in attendance. Pastors and support staff of Chinese, Indonesian and Vietnamese extraction were prominent. This lent credence to speaker Carol Davis’ forceful contention that “methods and models from the West often hinder progress.” The Church in the West, she contended, “has an identity crisis.” Fresh reserves of energy and enthusiasm from Christian workers in the rest of the world, who are seeing their mission fields exploding, are always welcome.

Beginning With Prayer

According to facilitator Willie Tjen, originally an electrical engineer from Indonesia, “Transform Los Angeles” grew out of Saturday morning prayer meetings held for over 18 months by church leaders and lay members feeling a burden to reach the 100 nations and 300 cities that make up Greater Los Angeles. Executive team member Kathy Narramore’s keynote message stressed the parallels between rebuilding God’s Temple in the City of the Angels and the restoration work documented in such biblical books as Ezra-Nehemiah and Zechariah. “It all begins with confessing personal sin,” offered Narramore, “then identifying the right kind of spiritual leaders to carry out a team effort.” Citing Zechariah 6:15, she mentioned that true revival in Israel always involved the far flung nations making up “a house of prayer for all people,” a passage which Jesus Himself cited (Mark 11:17).

Pastor Ken Korver from nearby Paramount fleshed out the practicality of “a church working in all spheres of life.” He showed how such simple projects as house-painting, mowing lawns and fixing up residences has transformed his own church, positively affected his city and is now spilling over into neighboring Compton. Compton is known world-wide as the home of rap music. “Compton is a big challenge,” admitted Pastor Korver, “but at least Peck Street is changing.” Korver’s “just do it” spirit animated the inaugural meeting and the call to equip church workers to be at work in their world five days a week.

“A Kingdom Presence”

The plenary speeches were followed by workshop discussions at each of eight tables featuring 31-year-old Asian-American Steve’s update on planting thousands of churches here and worldwide. His group of team members is making a significant dent in rescuing young people from prostitution and gangs in the Gardena area. Many have been healed of spiritual and physical ailments as direct result of the work of a merciful God. A Chinese-American leader from Hacienda Heights reported on how evangelistic efforts are blending into outreach events to raise funds for area schools as well as providing social get-togethers to build community in this ethnically diverse region: “We go to the schools and ask, What do you need? Then we start fund-raising. We’re getting good coverage from the Chinese-American press which helps our efforts.” Representatives from the Provost Office and International Students spoke on the need to “keep Biola plugged in” to the need to work with the wider community and to avoid the ivory tower syndrome.

Biola’s Dean of Intercultural Studies, Doug Pennoyer, a key convener of the event, sees the vast challenges involved in T-LA’s mission statement and pleads for flexibility going forward. “If you can’t deal with ambiguity this is no place for you.” Yet as the son of Dutch missionary parents who took him at age 6 on a freighter bound for the Philippines, he has no doubt that this journey is well worth making.

The history of revival in Los Angeles is of necessity a story of waves of untiring Christian outreach and endeavor from the Azusa Street awakening of 1900 to Billy Graham’s pivotal Los Angeles Crusade of 1948 down to ministries such as TBN today. The presence of 14,000 churches in the Greater Los Angeles area is testimony to that. It seems that the Holy Spirit will not give up breathing life into this strategically-placed American city, often called “the capital of the Third World.” Reference was made to the 1990 “Love LA” movement begun by pastors Lloyd Ogilvie and Jack Hayford. In the wake of the 1992 disturbances secular leaders coordinated “Rebuild LA.” With its mature and seasoned leadership, T-LA reflects that sense of shared continuity. Yet no one would deny that much work remains to be done. “The church must be present in all spheres,” adds Carol Davis, “a Kingdom presence at work doing discipleship God’s way.”

Neil Earle is a church pastor, author and journalist with a web presence at Glendorachurch.com.