A former technical college now houses the church's administrative offices and educational classrooms. A former warehouse has been converted into a repository to stock food distributed in a Convoy of Hope-type ministry. Feeding Fresno distributed food to more than 400,000 people this year. May. Down the line, there will be a children's center, bookstore and more parking lots. Yet Cornerstone is saving money because of its location.
Property costs a third of what it does in the suburbs.
Although some church members have been attracted from outlying areas because of Cornerstone's television ministry, most attendees live downtown. The church has thrived during his tenure, even though he came with no understanding of gangs, poverty, violence or other problems that often plague urban areas. One reason, he believes, is that skin color is not an issue at Cornerstone. People want to be accepted for who they are. Churchgoers hail from a wide range of racial, educational and economic backgrounds.