Religion: Presbyterian in Hollywood

The Presbyterian General Assembly announced this week that its biggest U.S. congregation is the 4,677-member First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, Calif. But straight-laced descendants of the Kirk need have no fear that Presbyterianism has been luring in churchgoers with California-style hoopla. The secret of the Hollywood success lies in the solidly Presbyterian sermons and able administration of Pastor Louis Hadley Evans.

Burr Under His Saddle. When Hollywood called Louis Evans in 1941, he was pastor of the steel-rich, conservative Third Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh. At first, the un-Presbyterian prospect of sports jackets and starlets did not attract him. “I said no at first when their call came,” he said. “But later I realized it would be a burr under my saddle and that Hollywood would be one of the finest recruiting grounds in America. Also, I wanted to get my teeth into something.”

What Dr. Evans got his teeth into was a church with a membership of 2,378, a conventional “high-school-Gothic,” red brick building and a debt of $250,000. He wiped out the debt within the first year. Each year since then, on all his calls for money, his flock has answered by topping the figure. All told, his church members* gave $328,000 last year, more than was given by any other Presbyterian congregation in the U.S. Hollywood First Presbyterian claims two other records: more new members during the past five years, the largest Sunday School enrollment (3,783 children).

When Louis Evans graduated from Chicago’s McCormick Theological Seminary in 1922, his minister-father had a nice pastorate all picked out for him. But earnest young Evans had other ideas. He decided instead to go to a tiny church of 29 members in the prairie town of Westhope, N.D. (pop. then, 439).

Strapping (6 ft., 4½ in.) Presbyterian Evans needed only a few days to find out where to start. Then he looked. up the leader of the town’s young hooligans. The boy told him, “Yes, we’re going to the devil all right. There’s no place else to go.” Evans promptly commandeered a hotel, rallied the town’s boys with saws and hammers to convert it into “Evans’ Gym.” By the time he left, three years later, order was restored and his congregation had swelled from 29 to 125.

Questions & Cross Reference. In Hollywood, 50-year-old Pastor Evans uses the same earnest, blunt sincerity that took him through successful pastorates at Wilmington, Calif., Pomona, Calif, and Pittsburgh. A forceful, straight-from-the-shoulder pulpit speaker, he still likes to pose direct questions to his congregations. Sample sermon title: “Honestly Now, Shall I Drink?” On an average Sunday, some 4,000 Hollywoodians turn out to hear what he will answer to such questions. After preaching three services each Sunday, Dr. Evans usually makes at least three other full-fledged addresses during the week. Explains one Evans admirer: “He doesn’t pound you down. He lifts his audience.”

In addition to his gifts at pulpit oratory, he has a talent for organization. His 4,677-member flock is broken down into 85 sub-flocks of 20 to 30 families, each under the spiritual supervision of a “shepherd” who is an elder of the church. An elaborate system of 12,000 cross-reference cards lists church members by “talents,” age groups and professions. He assigns one of his three assistant pastors to devote full time to attracting and converting new members, another to keeping church members jumping with activity seven days a week.* A major source of pride to the congregation is Dr. Evans’ team of five vested choirs, totaling 309 voices. Dr. Evans says that this is probably the only way in which his church services deviate from the Presbyterian norm.

Dr. Evans is too good a Presbyterian to be overly impressed by his church’s new pre-eminence and the block-long queues that often form outside it on Sundays. Says he. “Mere size doesn’t matter.” He would like the world to realize “that Hollywood isn’t just a glitter spot; it is also a remarkably Godly spot. The press has given a distorted picture of our community. There is an enormous spiritual hunger here, and one of the finest groups of people in the world. Do you know that more divinity students are coming from Hollywood than any other community in America?”

*Among them: Virginia Mayo, Dennis Morgan, Porter Hall. With projects including 15 basketball teams, four youth choirs, dramatic clubs, “creative” clubs, after-supper “sings,” summer camps and retreats.

*Whit the projects including 15 basketball teams, for youth choirs, dramatic clubs, “creative” clubs after-supper “sings”, summer camps and retreants.