I have been a producer working in Hollywood for the past 35 years and I have run a ministry called The Hollywood Prayer Network for the past 18 years. In all those years I have rarely had a problem with non-believers in Hollywood who learn about my faith. The greatest pushback I’ve gotten is from the Church.  I capitalize the C to represent the overall Church of Christianity, not for any particular church.  And I have come to realize that there is a tremendous and long living spiritual battle between the Church and Hollywood. 

I believe it is not a battle against flesh and blood, but against the powers and principalities of the heavenly realms.  I think Satan doesn’t want Christians to understand the power of Media, Arts & Entertainment and he doesn’t want Christians working in those industries!  And why?  Because there is power in the word, there is power in visuals and music, and there is God’s beauty, truth and love in creative projects.  Jesus was the greatest storyteller of all time and this scares Satan!

I am finally old enough to stand firm on the mountaintops and proclaim to any Christians who are weary or afraid of Hollywood, who talk against the people here and who think it’s holier to throw out their TV than to watch it for His glory.  I don’t take the negative and judgmental comments personally , but I do know that the giants are not too big in Hollywood and Christians need to be free of the fear they carry toward people who are created in God’s image and who are shaping culture through telling stories.  We just have to understand that we don’t agree with their choices because they are based on their own personal world view – not ours.  What I want to empower Christians to do is to pray for these people and to train young talented Christians in their faith and then send them out here to join the growing ranks of believers working, living and ministering in the world’s most influential mission field.  God is moving in Hollywood and believers need to be where God is working.  Shed your fear, start praying for God’s presence to be more visible here and encourage young Christians who have a passion to work in film, television, music, news or video games, to come here.  The Hollywood Prayer Network will embrace them, plug them into our wonderful community, pray for them and offer them opportunities to make an eternal difference!