Life church in Midwest City is another building that has impacted my life greatly. The funny thing about it is that before attending Life Church, I honestly kind of really disliked the building. Now, if you’re from Oklahoma, you’ve probably seen a Life Church somewhere around the state. There are eighteen campuses in Oklahoma alone! The reason I disliked my church though is because it is part of a rundown mall.  The building that my church is now used to be an old Dillard’s that was in the Heritage Park Mall.  It seemed so out of place to me and so much different than the beautiful catholic churches that I used to attend. After years of passing the church I finally walked through its doors and attended a service there. The people there were welcoming and kind and the message that the pastor preached was so powerful. Pastor Craig preached a message about finding new life in Christ. I found that in this building. It was in this building that I dedicated my life to Christ and was baptized in His name. So much of what my life is now is because of this building. Life Church in Midwest City is a home away from home to me. So many people walk into that building feeling broken and hurt and leave feeling loved and hopeful.

This building has influenced my view of architecture because it has shown me that something old and abandoned can be repurposed and recreated into something wonderful and filled with hope. The same thing that I hated about the church before attending is the same thing that love the most about it now. Almost every Life Church looks nearly identical and while some people might think this is a negative thing, I think it is a positive thing.  I love passing other Life Churches during drives because it almost feels as though I’m passing a relative or friend’s house. The building is familiar and welcoming. I know that even though I may not know a single person in the building, that I would be treated like family.

Corina Aguirre