Hollywood is being transformed! There is a movement going on in this city and people are starting to notice. There have been many movies throughout the years which Hollywood has produced and have changed the world. Hollywood originally had produced many biblical epics which revolutionized a culture. But throughout the years there has been a degeneration in the films which were produced. But now that is starting to change and people are beginning to notice.
A few months ago I went to Hollywood, California for an event which was called “Hallelujah Hollywood”. Trinity Broadcasting Network was sponsoring an event and invited Arthur Blessitt to come and share his story. There were thousands which showed up and I did a short documentary which you can watch on my website under the name “Hallelujah Hollywood”. I interviewed several people on Hollywood Blvd. and also starting following Arthur Blessitt as he carried the cross from Hollywood High School to the famous intersection of Hollywood and Vine. Arthur Blessitt had come back to the exact location where he had started carrying the cross around the world 45 years ago. Here is part of his story.
Arthur Blessit Carrying his Cross
In the late 1960’s Blessitt began evangelizing to the youth of Hollywood, California. There he became known as the “Minister of Sunset Strip.” Blessitt preached to hippies, Hells Angels, runaways, drug addicts, teen prostitutes, flower children, would-be actors, and rock stars. In March 1968, he opened a coffee house called “His Place” in a rented building next door to a topless go-go club. It was there that he first made a big cross to hang on the wall of the building on the inside. He started carrying the cross on Sunset Strip from time to time.
On Christmas morning in 1969, Blessitt began his journey with the cross, walking from Los Angeles (starting on Hollywood Blvd.) to Washington, DC. In August 1971, Blessitt made his first overseas crosswalk beginning in Northern Ireland. He has carried the cross to all parts of the world including war-torn countries such as Lebanon and parts of Africa to pray for peace. During the Cold War, Blessitt carried his cross into the Soviet Union, through Russia, the Baltic States, Ukraine and other countries. He has carried the cross through such places as Iraq, North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, China, South Africa, Lebanon, India, Antarctica, Palestine, Israel, Cuba, Libya, Yemen, Vietnam and Mongolia.
“The Pilgrim with the Cross”
“The Pilgrim with the Cross”In total, Blessitt has walked over 40,000 miles through 321 countries, of which 54 were in open war. He has crossed every ocean and walked on all seven continents. He is known internationally as the “Pilgrim with the Cross.”
In the Bible, Luke 9:23 states, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Arthur has literally done that and affected the entire world. There was a 2009 documentary feature called, “The Cross: The Arthur Blessitt Story” which was directed by Matthew Crouch and premiered at the famous Grauman’s Chinese Cinema on Hollywood Blvd. I was there for this premiere a few years ago and actually interviewed people on the red carpet.
There are many people who God has inspired to start making movies about God’s kingdom. I am in development on a major motion picture about the Jesus Movement and Lonnie Frisbee. Lonnie Frisbee was a young hippie who was used by God in the late sixties to be the catalyst for the Jesus Movement. It’s an inspirational story which I believe will change people’s lives.
This History Channel started showing the epic five part mini-series called “The Bible” produced by Mark Burnett and his wife, actress Roma Downey. The first night of showing “The Bible” mini-series there were over 12 million viewers. It actually beat out American Idol. This has taken Hollywood by surprise and there are many studios now coming out with Biblical epics. God is preparing the way for Hollywood to become Holywood. The transformation has begun…..Hallelujah Hollywood.