Hurst Gardens Apartments - The Beginning

Let me tell you a story....

Back in October 2006, a number of signs brought me to the point where I felt Jesus wanted our church to follow him into the neighborhood, specifically into apartment complexes. Troubled places. Lonely places. Stress-filled places. So where would we start?

I vividly recall praying, "Jesus, I don't know where to begin. We want to go to the people you want to reach with your love. You show us the people. You show where. You open the doors. I believe you've been preparing in advance good works for us. Help me see what they are. We'll follow you."

Within a few days, I received a phone call from Al. He told me that he and his partner owned several aparment complexes in our area and that he wanted to know if our church would help or assist them in planting some seeds of the kingdom of God within their complexes.

I'm listening to this Christian business owner who thinks of his business in terms of it being a kingdom venture. He shared some frustration with me, because he wasn't having much success in finding a church to match the vision they had. He wasn't looking for a church that somehow might attract his residents to come over to their building. He had something else in mind. Something very Jesus-like.

Like go to them. Love them. Pray for them. Do it on their turf. And see where Jesus would take it.

Then Al told me about Jonathan and Mandy. This young Christian couple moved to the Hurst Gardens Apartment just over a year ago. They had recently married and were looking to live in a complex where they could love their neighbors in the way of Jesus.

The apartment manager noticed how Jonathan and Mandy were having a good influence on families, single parents, and children...their neighbors. The manager told Al and he found out they were Jesus-followers.

He asked me, "Rusty, would your church mentor this young Christian couple? Would you send people over to Hurst Gardens to come beside them and see what good can be done?"

Yes, we're joining Jonathan and Mandy...and Al...and Jesus at Hurst Gardens.

It's a 125 units. Primarily Hispanic. Many low income. Quite a few single parents. Approximately 330 people.

It's just the kind of place where Jesus would show up.