Rebuilding
for Renewal

Our Story

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

Jeremiah 29:7

From the start, the vision of Reality LA has been to seek the renewal of Los Angeles through the good news of Jesus. Founded in 2006 with a simple conviction to proclaim the gospel in the heart of Los Angeles, we grew quickly, impacting thousands of lives, but never had a home in which to put down roots, a space for ministry throughout the week, or a tangible way to serve our city.



Then, in 2018, we were approached by Hope International Bible Fellowship, a ninety-year-old church in East Hollywood, about combining our church families. Their congregation joined ours, and we inherited their church building, office buildings, and a food ministry serving over 60,000 meals per year to poor and unhoused neighbors.



But nine decades of ministry with limited maintenance have left their mark on these inherited spaces—the roofs leak, the floors are sinking, and much basic functionality wanes. To be blunt, our buildings are not up to code and are barely usable.



In order to empower our church to seek more renewal throughout LA, the buildings themselves need to be renewed.

We truly believe the gospel can save the lost, bring the lonely into family, and transform the City of Angels.

1928

University Baptist Church begins in East Hollywood

1997

University Baptist Church (now Hope International Bible Fellowship, HIBF) begins receiving and distributing bread from Trader Joe’s

2006

Reality Church of Los Angeles (Reality LA) begins in Hollywood

2010

Reality LA helps HIBF construct a prep room for their growing food ministry

2019

Reality LA and HIBF unite as a single church

2028

100 years of gospel ministry at the corner of Fountain and Edgemont

Our Vision

Renovating these buildings could transform the future of our ministry. But it’s not about the buildings. It’s about people. It’s about mission. It’s about seeing more gospel renewal throughout our city. Getting our buildings up to code will help us become a more healthy, sustainable church that makes disciples from one generation to the next for the renewal of Los Angeles.

Our hope for these buildings is that they will function as a home for our church and a hub of renewal for our city for generations to come. Let’s break down each aspect of that vision:

Home for our church.

Although we will continue to hold Sunday morning gatherings at Helen Bernstein High School, our church family needs a space for ministry throughout the week—a place that feels like home. Imagine the church having space that feels like a family living room where ministry constantly takes place: bible studies, theology classes, discipleship cohorts, gospel care basics, and much more. Furthermore, the chapel could finally be used as space set apart for prayer and worship—a quiet place in the middle of a loud and busy city.

Hub of renewal for the city.

Los Angeles is a broken city, and two of its greatest problems are hunger and homelessness. We desire for our space to be a refuge for the hurting in our city that offers meals, showers, recovery, and holistic care. This impact, however, goes beyond East Hollywood. We see our buildings as a central hub empowering contextualized ministry throughout LA. Like a teaching hospital, the people that come into our spaces don’t simply serve, but are also being trained to carry that DNA with them into their own neighborhoods and spheres of influence.

For generations to come.

In 2028, we will celebrate 100 years of gospel ministry at the the corner of Fountain and Edgemont. We’re doing this renovation so we can have another 100 years doing the same! Just imagine if, in the twenty-second century, the gospel is still being preached and the hungry are being fed through this church in the heart of our city.

Ultimately, we believe God is positioning Reality LA to make a deep and lasting impact on the City of Angels. But in order to do so, our buildings need renewing. We want to be good stewards of what the Lord has entrusted to us, using every inch of these properties for the kingdom of God, but our ultimate goal isn’t improved physical spaces. We’re rebuilding for the renewal of our city.

The

Plan

Our aim is to renovate and utilize these spaces in a way that maximizes our mission of making disciples who follow Jesus, love one another, and serve Los Angeles. For that reason, we are going to change the way the space is currently being used. 

Serve LA (a separate non-profit started by Reality LA to oversee the food ministry) will use the entire office building, with the downstairs being dining, kitchen, and showers and the upstairs being space for staff and training—the Serve LA Hope Center.

Reality LA will use the church building for church activities and office space—the Reality LA Ministry Center.

Why this change from our current configuration (with Serve LA in the church building and Reality LA in the office building)? It’s better for Serve LA, better for Reality LA, and will make a greater impact for the kingdom.

Our aim is to renovate and utilize these spaces in a way that maximizes our mission of making disciples who follow Jesus, love one another, and serve Los Angeles.

Serve LA Hope Center

1. Commercial-grade kitchen and dishwasher

2. Floor plan for improved meal prep workflow

3. Direct delivery and shower access from parking lot

4. Increased dining room capacity

Reality LA Ministry Center

5. Counseling, meeting, and training rooms

6. Staff Offices

7. Multipurpose room

8. Cafe/hospitality area

9. Chapel for prayer and worship

Both Buildings will have ADA accessibility, upgraded bathrooms, and structural maintenance.

Improvements
for Serve LA

This plan will increase meal capacity (20% more guests), efficiency (commercial-grade kitchen), and security. It will also create more space for Serve LA to expand their ministry through trainings and partnerships with other organizations.

Improvements
for Reality LA

The upstairs of the church building will become office space for the staff and the downstairs will serve as ministry spaces for the church, including counseling and meeting rooms. The multipurpose room will act as our church’s living room, hosting a variety of ministry activities and church events, while the chapel will be set apart for prayer and worship. 

Overall, this usage of our buildings will create a more lasting impact for the kingdom. We’ll be able to make more disciples, serve more meals, raise up more leaders, do more ministry—and do all of it in a healthier, more sustainable way.

Why Now?

One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

Psalm 145:4

God is moving in our church and we find ourselves at a critical junction—our ministry is growing but our buildings are deteriorating. 

When we were given these two buildings in 2019, we immediately prepared for a 2020 renovation. The pandemic paused everything, however, as we focused on leading the church through that difficult season. Since then, we’ve used the buildings as best we can, but their condition is at a breaking point. With the limitations created by the current building conditions and constant breakdowns, our situation is no longer sustainable. 

However, we see God’s timing in all of this. Right now, our staff is healthier than ever, our church is growing consistently, and the needs of our city are pressing. We believe this is God’s time for us to put our roots deeper into Los Angeles so we can then branch out further with his renewing grace.

We believe this is God’s time for us to put our roots deeper into Los Angeles so we can then branch out further with his renewing grace.

How Much
Will It Cost?

$5 Million

A basic renovation to get the buildings up to code and enable them to function within our vision will cost approximately $5 Million. 

Reality LA Ministry Center Renovations

Reality LA Ministry Center Renovations

$280,000

Counseling and Meeting Rooms

$240,000

Office Space

$125,000

Discipleship and Event Space

$105,000

Café/Hospitality Space

$95,000

General Repairs/Maintenance

$1,510,000

Serve LA Hope Center Renovations

New Kitchen and Dining Room

$835,000

Offices and Meeting Rooms

$172,000

ADA Accessibility and Bathrooms

$116,000

Hospitality and Ministry Space

$107,000

General Repairs/Maintenance

$1,415,000

Your

Part

Pray

At Reality LA, we pray about everything. So from beginning to end, we want to cover this capital campaign and renovation project in prayer. Pray that God will provide, teach us to be a generous people, and use the entire endeavor for his kingdom purposes.

Groups

We’ll have some intentional discussions about the campaign and renovations in our community groups and other home gatherings. If you’re not part of a community group and would like to participate in a home discussion, please email  rebuilding@realityla.com.

Capital Campaign Series

On March 2, we’ll begin a “Rebuilding for Renewal” sermon series on Sundays, where Pastor Jeremy will preach through the book of Nehemiah and cast vision for where God is leading us as a church. 

Give

Pledge over two years, from March 2025 to March 2027. Target: 5M.

How to Give

We’re asking our Reality LA church community to prayerfully consider making their pledges on March 30 and April 6, 2025. 

Here’s how to think about pledging: 

It’s over and above
your normal giving 

Our church operates on the generous donations of our members. We don’t want fundraising for these projects to affect our ability to conduct day-to-day ministry activities. So we ask that you consider what you could give beyond your typical giving or tithing.

It’s between you
and God

Some people in our church will have the capacity to pledge an additional amount, and some will not—and that’s okay! Giving to support these projects is your decision to consider with God. You should never feel pressured to give. You’re a beloved part of this community, no matter what.

It’s over a two-year period 

Instead of giving once, think about what you might be able to give over the next 24 months in light of the pay from your job, raises, bonuses, investments, or even unexpected surprises. 

Will you prayerfully consider what you will give over the two-year “Rebuilding for Renewal” period and be ready to respond by March 30, 2025?

FAQ

  • If we do not reach our target, we will scale back some of the projects, prioritize the most urgent improvements, and wait for a future opportunity to re-engage the others. If we exceed our target, it will enable us to accomplish stretch goals.

  • March 2, 2025 - Capital campaign launch

    March 30 & April 6 - Pledge days

    April 13 - Celebration Sunday

    Fall/Winter 2025 - Renovations begin

    January 2026 - Midpoint review

  • Based on current projections, we anticipate construction starting in Q4 of 2025 and lasting 1-2 years.

  • Construction will disrupt the church in several ways. 5PM gatherings, staff offices, ministry spaces, and youth will need to be relocated for a season.

  • Yes! We love our relationship with the high school. Renovations will not disrupt our regular Sunday morning gathering rhythms.

  • We plan to continue our 5PM gathering during construction, but at another location (TBD).

  • It has been our priority from the beginning to make sure construction does not disrupt or stop community meals. First renovating the office building, then moving the meals into that space before renovating the current meal spaces will ensure community meals will not be disrupted at all.

  • Reality LA Youth is a priority for our church. During construction, Tuesday night youth meetings will continue at a different location (TBD). The renovation will create several larger, more flexible spaces within the Ministry Center that the youth will be able to use once completed.

  • Great question! Firstly, this does affect you directly. Central operations (staff and ministry training) support everything we do as a church, including Sunday gatherings, community groups, and all our other ministry initiatives. Just as a heart pumps blood throughout the various regions of a body, our central operations exist to bring health and vibrancy to contextualized ministry throughout our city. 

    Secondly, as a church, we do so much more beyond Sundays and community groups and we’d love for you to be more involved. Using these buildings, we currently offer discipleship cohorts, gospel care basics, multicultural conversations, marriage classes, trainings for Royal Family KIDS Camp, and so much more. 

    Thirdly, we’re not doing this campaign to simply enhance our individual experiences at church. We’re giving to a common mission to make disciples who follow Jesus, love one another, and serve Los Angeles. Renovating these buildings will set us up to do so in a healthier, deeper, and more lasting way.

  • Typically, cash and savings are the first sources that come to mind, but you’re welcome to fulfill your commitment using stocks. There are often tax advantages to the donor when giving non-cash assets. For example, it is possible to reduce or eliminate tax liability on the appreciation of stocks by donating via a stock transfer. Please check with your tax advisor on these matters, and if you have any questions about using non-cash assets to fund your commitment, please email give@realityla.com.

  • As a church, we are intentional about being good stewards of everything with which the Lord entrusts us. We have a Board of Trustees for financial accountability, we do a voluntary audit every year, and have systems and structures to create and protect financial health. We can ensure you that all your donations will go directly to the renovation and we are always available for questions regarding how the church handles finances.

  • Yes! Given that this is our first time conducting a capital campaign, we’re collaborating with several experts with extensive experience to help guide us through the process.  

    Greg Gibbs is our official capital campaign consultant. Greg is an author, pastor, and consultant with over 30 years experience in faith-based leadership. He is the author of Capital Campaign Playbook (2019) and Creating a Culture of Generosity (2021). As a consultant, he’s led over 100 capital campaigns, and he counsels churches, nonprofits, and organizations on generosity, capital fundraising, and vision clarity. 

    Visioneering Studios is our architecture and construction firm partner. Visioneering is a nationally-licensed family of companies that provide comprehensive architecture, design, and construction services, and they’ve helped thousands of churches, non-profits, schools, and businesses maximize and reimagine current building spaces. Founded by former senior leaders at Disney Imagineering, Universal Creative, and Gensler, Visioneering Studios has repeatedly been named the Solomon Awards’ “Best Church Architect” and “Best Contractor.” 

  • No. We are in a position to start immediately. Statistically, capital campaigns at churches have a high rate of fulfillment—meaning that people fulfill their pledges. We don’t plan on the money coming in immediately, but instead over the full 24-month period. Our finance team will create a cash-spending timetable that will allow us to stay on track with construction.

  • We anticipate some may not be in a position to give beyond what they currently give to the mission of Reality LA. Of course, we’ll never make anyone feel anything other than love from us—which is not earned nor lost by a financial donation. We encourage you to pray and be supportive of the Rebuilding for Renewal campaign in other ways.

  • The finance department of Reality LA keeps accurate records of all things related to donations and will distinguish between your giving to the operating fund and the over-and-above giving you do to the Rebuilding for Renewal Fund. All who pledge will receive an automated quarterly report and an update for your review showing what you’ve given versus your original pledge. We will simply report and never chase or pester. 

  • Yes! We will happily accept donations from sources not affiliated with Reality LA. Feel free to direct people to this website to share the opportunity with others. If you know a donor who would like to connect with a leader in our church, please email rebuilding@realityla.com.

  • A “Make a Pledge” page is currently available through Pushpay, our online giving platform. There, you'll enter the total amount you wish to pledge to the campaign at the top, then below which you can choose to either create a scheduled or recurring gift with your pledge or to pledge without a scheduled gift.