A Jesus Church

By Charles Choe

H

ere in California, the COVID-19 state of emergency ended on February 28, 2023. After almost three years of navigating a global pandemic, life began to reopen.

As we emerged from that season, many of us were left wondering what came next. COVID-19 had not just interrupted our routines. It disrupted our sense of direction. It shook our rhythms, scattered our communities, and left us with deep questions about who we are and what the church is meant to be. And in the middle of all that, the tension and political division within the church only made things more confusing.

In that moment of uncertainty, we got surprising clarity: Jesus.

Not a program, not a personality. Not some political agenda. But just simply Jesus.

That became our anchor. When everything else was stripped away, what remained was one conviction: we want to be a church that loves and follows Jesus. A people formed by the life, death, resurrection, and living presence of Jesus. A church that listens for his voice, walks in his way, and carries his heart into the world.

Here’s what we have learned. You do not drift into becoming a Jesus-centered church. You have to build it. We began asking, “How do we form a church where Jesus is truly central?” We found the answer in two things: discipleship and prayer.

From the Lower Room to the Upper Room

Church strategist Will Mancini describes two spaces in the life of a church: the Lower Room and the Upper Room.

The Lower Room is where most people begin their journey. It is made up of the things we can see and touch: our place, our programs, the people, and the personality of the pastor. These are good things. They help people feel connected. But over time, we realized they are not enough.

Because deeper transformation happens in the Upper Room, that is where people begin to discover their purpose. Their identity and their unique calling in Jesus. This is where they develop a spiritual community. This is where they find belonging. This is where we learn to explore what it means to be an Asian American church that is welcoming to all. This is how you become a disciple. This is how faith moves from being something we consume at the church to something that shapes who we are.

Connecting these two spaces, prayer and discipleship have been integral. Prayer became more than just seeking help; it transformed us into vessels for his presence. Through focused discipleship efforts, we saw a transformation in our church culture. Our church's mission took on a new significance. We began to highlight our vision more prominently on stage. More members shifted from passive observers to actively engaged participants, and from mere attendance to true transformation.

A Second Look at Discipleship and Prayer

From the first days of this church plant, we have talked about discipleship and prayer. But over the past three years, they have become more intentional.

If Jesus was truly going to be at the center, it had to affect everything. Not just what we believe, but how we live, lead, grow, and walk together as a church. That is when discipleship became the main thing we decided to focus on.

We realized that helping people learn about Jesus was not enough. We needed to help people become like him. That led us to ask new questions. What does formation look like in a church made up mostly of young Asian Americans living in a busy city? How do we move from information to real transformation?

So we started building a discipleship pathway that fits our context and culture, rooted in Scripture, led by the Spirit, and shaped by the life of Jesus. To support this, we launched our Center for Training, where we offer various classes and resources to help people grow in their faith. From the Alpha Course to leadership development, every aspect is designed to form people into disciples who live, love, and lead like Jesus.

We also opened our “Prayer Room.” When we first opened the room, our heart was simply to create space to seek God together. It began quietly with early mornings, a few people coming to pray, sometimes together, sometimes alone. There was both loud worship and silent stillness. But something began to shift in that space. Our prayers changed. But in some ways, this was a return to our roots. As a church influenced by Korean heritage, we stand on the legacy of early morning prayer (saebyeok gido) and passionate intercession. That deep well of prayer has always been part of our story, and in this space, it began to resurface. But it also gave us direction, as the prayer room started to shape the atmosphere of our church. It became something we want to become. 

We are still learning. Still growing.

Prayer and discipleship are no longer just part of what we do. They are becoming for us what it means to follow Jesus. They are how we are learning to build a Jesus culture at Tapestry. Not just a Jesus message, but a Jesus way of life, a Jesus way of being in the world. 

A Work in Progress

How do we become a Jesus-centered church? Here is what we have come to discover: a Jesus-centered church is marked by a few key things.

1. Rooted in the Gospel of Jesus

The foundation of our church is not motivation or self-improvement. It is the good news of Jesus, his life, death, resurrection, and reign.

Each week, in our preaching, our relationships, our stewardship, and even our failures, we are learning to return to the gospel. We are trying to lead with grace, not guilt. To point people to real transformation, not behavior management.

We are not there yet. But we are being rooted again and again in Jesus.

2. Formation in the Way of Jesus

Believing in Jesus is one thing. Becoming like him is another.

We wanted to stop treating discipleship at Tapestry as a program. It is a journey. One that touches every part of life, our relationships, work, rest, and choices. We are learning through Scripture, community, service, and especially prayer.

Prayer is becoming a way of life. In early mornings, quiet nights, and still moments, we are learning to listen, to wait, and to make room for God to dwell. It is slow, but it is real.

3. Living on Mission with Jesus

As Jesus becomes the center of our lives, we are learning to follow him into the places he cares about and to love the people he loves.

This means choosing to love those who are different from us, whether they hold different political views or come from diverse spiritual backgrounds. It means serving the poor and the overlooked in our city, creating space for others in our lives, investing in the next generation, and walking alongside people as they grow in faith.

We are creating clear and simple ways for people to live on mission. Not by doing more or filling up their schedules, but by becoming more like Jesus. By living as he lived, doing what he did, and sharing the good news of his kingdom with people in Los Angeles and around the world.

We are not building around a trend or a personality. We are building around the person of Jesus Christ. We are also trying to stay authentic to our Asian American roots, honoring the story God has given us. The more we dedicate ourselves to prayer and discipleship, the more we become a church where Jesus is truly loved and followed. We are not finished. But we are being formed. And that is what it means to become a Jesus-centered church.

Photo by Gabriella Clare Marino on Unsplash

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Charles Choe is the Lead Pastor of Tapestry LA Church. After experiencing God’s transforming grace, he earned his Master of Divinity from Fuller Seminary and has spent 30 years preaching and shepherding with a passion to see lives changed by the Gospel.

Charles and his wife Grace, live in La Crescenta, California, with their three children - Chloe, Noah, and Camden. In his free time, he enjoys following the Lakers and Dodgers. His deepest desire is to proclaim the glory of God and lead others to live Spirit-driven lives.

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