“Looking for spiritual guidance?” Christ Faith Mission Church in Los Angeles offers it. It is a religious organization. It focuses on faith and community. The church provides a welcoming space. People can grow their religious beliefs here. They can connect with others.
But there is much more to the Christ Faith Mission Church than that. To truly understand this place, we need to travel back in time. We go back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Imagine Finis Ewing Yoakum. He was a physician. He specialized in neurological disorders. A life-altering accident changed his path. A speeding wagon struck him in 1894. This led him to Los Angeles seeking recovery.
Yoakum experienced a profound spiritual awakening. He dedicated his life to helping the poor. He named a hill Mt. Pisgah. This was after the biblical peak from which Moses saw the Promised Land. Yoakum then started charitable enterprises. He called them Pisgah too.
In 1896, Yoakum opened a medical practice. It was in the Bradbury Building downtown. He also established a home on Echo Street in Highland Park. This became a refuge. It offered a vegetarian diet and the Gospel. His barn became a church. It was lined with beds.
Christ Faith Mission Church has origins closely tied to the early Pentecostal movement. By 1907, Yoakum’s home became the Pisgah Home. It was a mecca for the downtrodden. He extended his work. Yoakum established Pisgah Gardens for tuberculosis patients. He founded Pisgah Ark. Here, he taught young women how to earn a living as midwives.
Yoakum even handed out nickels. He told converts to give them to the homeless. This would pay for a trolley ride to the Pisgah Home.
Even a gunslinger sought refuge here. Halstead “Billy” Stiles. He claimed to be part of Jesse James’ gang. Stiles found faith at the Pisgah Home. He transformed his life.
In 1914, Yoakum and his wife gave their property to the homeless. In return, they built them a Tudor-style mansion. The courts sent vagrants to Pisgah. It housed thousands each month.
Later, Yoakum purchased a large ranch in Simi Valley. There, his followers built Pisgah Grande. It was a utopian community. It included a schoolhouse and a prayer tower. Residents took turns praying. They prayed for those who mailed in requests.
After Yoakum’s death in 1920, the movement declined. Health officials closed Pisgah Grande. Yoakum’s sons sold it.
In the late 1930s, Yoakum’s sons deeded the Pisgah Home property. They gave it to Christ Faith Mission. This was directed by Arglee F. Green. She was known as Mother Green.
Today, Christ Faith Mission continues its work. It preserves its historic legacy. It offers spiritual guidance. It reflects a history of faith and service. This began with Finis Yoakum’s vision. His vision continues to inspire today. It is a testament to the power of faith. It is a beacon of hope in Los Angeles.