The Identity of The Hollywood Church, Part 3
“Gospel-Centered People”

July, 2008

by: Chriss Barksdale

• Hollywood Church

The Identity of the Hollywood Church: Gospel-Centered People The Gospel is absolutely essential to ministry in the city (and anywhere for that matter)! If we get this wrong we might as well be selling binoculars to blind people. As a matter of fact, Paul saved his most stern and provocative language for those who got it wrong (Galatians 1:6-12).

So what is the Gospel? It is the Good News, an announcement that something has been accomplished. It changes everything. In the Greek world the word was used for a runner who came into a city to tell the people to stop despairing. They thought they were going to lose the battle and thus die by the hands of the attacking army. But the news came back from a messenger that they had won. Therefore they rejoiced in the Good News that victory had been accomplished for them. They didn’t lift a finger in battle but the victory was credited to them like David defeating Goliath. When we use “Gospel” we mean by it that Jesus lived the life we couldn’t live and died the death we should have died to save us.

Now, there are two sworn enemies of the Gospel. They are seen in the story of the prodigal son. The younger son who runs away is the symbol of “idolatry” while the older son who stays is the symbol of “religion.”

Idolatry

This is easy to see all over the Bible but it is not just reserved for those who worship wood and stone in the OT—it is also very prominent today in Hollywood! Let me show you how this works. We all have our own functional saviors and little gods! We are all seeking to be delivered from some perceived need we have and find joy! For some loneliness is the perceived problem that they need a Savior so they turn to sex for companionship to save them from that loneliness. For others it is pain and heartache, which is the perceived problem that they need a Savior so they turn to alcohol abuse, drug abuse, or even suicide to find peace to save them from the pain and heartache. For others it is more subtle. Disapproval is the perceived problem they need a Savior for so they turn to excelling in academics or sports or in their jobs for applause and approval to save them from disapproval.

Idolatry is at its core the act of substituting Jesus, the true and living God whom we have been created to find life in, and instead have sought life in little gods we have forged with our own hands and minds (Jeremiah 2:12-13, Isaiah 44:9-20). And idolatry is all over the city, especially Hollywood. Suicide, death, murder, robbery, gang violence are everywhere. But it is also found in fame, fortune, money, success, health, and even strands of environmentalism! But there is an even greater enemy to the Gospel in the cities:

Religion

Now, I know there can be a biblical sense that “religion” can be a good word but the etymology I will be using is in the negative sense. Martin Luther said “religion is the deep default of the human heart.” This is what the Pharisees were guilty of and what we are in danger of all the time. You say, “ what is the difference between the Gospel and religion?”

• Religion says if you obey God then he loves you and accepts you. The Gospel says God loves you because of Jesus therefore you obey.
• Religion says life and the Bible is all about what I do for God. The Gospel says it is about what Jesus did for God on my behalf.
• Religion leads to pride, despair, uncertainty, and no assurance. The Gospel leads to humility, confidence, and joy.
• Religion sees the world as divided up into good and bad people. The Gospel sees the world as divided up into unrepentant and repentant bad people.

The cities are full of “religious people.” And they are interested in hearing the Gospel for the most part. “Religion”, in Hollywood, is growing just as rapidly if not more so than agnosticism and atheism. The challenge is telling people that you are talking about Jesus and grace not church and works. No matter what you say, they hear you say “clean up your life, go to church, be moral, be a Republican.” Only when they see us as firm on the truth but without an ounce of self-righteousness will they see the Gospel. They only know “conservatives” who have truth and are not gracious or “liberals” who are accepting and gracious but truth is relative. The Gospel is the only thing that will give us humble boldness. This is why the church must be centered on Jesus. Anyone who visits Hollywood Church will walk away with a heavy dose of Jesus and the Gospel … no apologies!