The Art of Evangelism in Los Angeles

Picture above: Missionary Will Rosenberg creating one of the paintings recently exhibited at Upside Down, the coffee shop/gallery that we run in Westwood, the Los Angeles neighborhood that is home to UCLA

We are delighted that our Los Angeles team are among the first to welcome people back to public events, now that COVID restrictions have eased up! The city of Los Angeles has the third largest Jewish community in the world and God faithfully blessed Jews for Jesus with a building in Westwood Village across the street from the campus of UCLA in the early 90s, which we recently renovated. Today, our building is the hub of a thriving gospel ministry. We have a recording studio, café and art gallery space, as well as some office space. Opening in 2019, the donation-based café had an average of 125–150 visitors per day during business hours. In addition, our other events in the gallery space had an average attendance of at least 75 people, most of whom are seekers.

We call the space “Upside Down,” taken from Acts 17. We showcase local, emerging artists and the exhibitions hosted at Upside Down are built on relationships made through the community. The arts – visual art, poetry, music, and film – are an incredible vehicle for gospel conversations. We are currently exploring the theme of Exodus in our gallery space.  One young woman visiting the exhibition told our missionary, Will Rosenberg, that she has a Jewish boyfriend who is in rehab, and that they have been reading the Bible together. She was drawn to one of the journals Will had painted with the Hebrew letters spelling out “hope.” Will inscribed the journal for her boyfriend and when he offered to pray right there for the two of them, she enthusiastically accepted.

Thank you so much for all you do to help us reach Jewish people in conventional and unconventional ways, in Los Angeles and around the world!

The Exodus exhibit was a great way to welcome people back to our Upside Down gallery and café.