“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” –Matthew 5:14–16 

A Church That Never Sleeps

When Matthew Barnett was 16 years old, he was sitting on the hood of his car, and God gave him a vision of one day going to inner-city Los Angeles and starting a church that would be open 24/7/365—a church that never sleeps. He figured it probably wouldn’t happen until he was at least 40 years old. Little did he know just how quickly God would move.

A Dream Becomes Reality

Four years later, his father, a pastor, came to him and asked if he’d be interested in going to Los Angeles for a year to pastor a small church in the inner city. His dad had tried asking 10 other pastors, but they had all turned down the opportunity. It wasn’t an ideal situation—the church only had 18 people and was meeting in a tiny building far off the beaten path—but Matthew eagerly accepted the position.

Having grown up in Phoenix, Matthew’s first encounter with inner-city L.A. was a complete culture shock. But as he began to really look around, the people immediately captured his heart. He saw kids who didn’t have anything or anyone—no fathers, no mentors, no hope. He felt God speak to him at that moment, telling him, “If you reach the people that nobody wants, then I’ll send you the people that everybody wants.”

Changing Los Angeles

With all the gangs, violence, and brokenness surrounding them, Matthew and his dad decided to get busy helping the people rebuild their lives. They began by simply providing food and clothing. Then they bought 16 old houses in the neighborhood and turned them into recovery homes. Within one year, they were reaching almost 500 people each week. And within four years, the impact was so profound that prostitution and gang violence in inner-city L.A. dropped 73 percent, homicides dropped 28 percent, and instances of rape dropped 53 percent. And the impact didn’t stop there.

What began as a God-given dream in a young 16-year-old boy’s heart has grown into a truly miraculous reality: the Dream Center. And by the time Matthew turned 40, the Dream Center had become a nation-wide network reaching thousands of hurting people and offering them hope 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It’s a church that never sleeps. 

Be the Church

As the Church, we are called to be Christ’s hands and feet in the world. He lives in us and longs to act through us—regardless of how old we are or equipped we feel. And the best way to demonstrate His presence in a broken world is through our deeds rather than our words. Jesus said that the world would know us by our love for one another. We must make the decision to partner with Jesus in drawing people to His heart by going outside our church buildings, living out His love, and being a Church that shines light in the night—a Church that never sleeps.

What does this mean for me?

Where is God inviting you to show His love in action? Maybe it’s in places beyond what feels familiar—spaces you’ve never considered before. His love often calls us to step beyond comfort and meet the needs of those who are hurting. Take a moment and ask the Holy Spirit, “How can I be Your hands and feet this week?” Then, commit to following where He leads, because your obedience can make an eternal impact! 

This article is part of the Let’s Go devotional, which is focused on fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission. Follow along with the devotional here.