OUR 16 FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS

The History of The Answer Church

The Hollywood First Assembly of God church had its beginning in the year 1925 in a tent located at 19th Avenue and Tyler Street. Following the tent meetings, services were held in a storefront building on Dixie Highway and Filmore Street.

The small group of believers outgrew the building and bought the property off Grant Street and 24th Avenue and built a wooden Tabernacle. The building had no windows, only screens and sawdust floors. During the year 1926 there was a hurricane which blew down the Hippodrome theatre. This became a blessing of sorts because the church was able to purchase 26 wooden benches for $40.00 from the theatre.

In August of 1927, even though the wooden Tabernacle had not been completed, services were still held in it. Between the years 1925 and 1933 there were no Pastors. Services were held by visiting Evangelists.

The First meeting as an organized church was held on December 22, 1929. At that time the existing temporary board decided to call their group of believers together and adopt a Declaration of Faith and present it to the people. The vote was unanimous. The church was called “Hollywood Gospel Tabernacle”. Twelve members and six associate members were received into the church.

In February 1932, Hollywood Gospel Tabernacle became a member of the Assemblies of God and was registered with the General Council, and also became “First Pentecostal Church”.

On May 2nd, 1933, Reverend Mary E. Johnson from Oklahoma was called to Pastor the church. Throughout the 51 years Rev. Johnson was Pastor there were many changes. In 1936 wooden shutters were placed over the screened windows and the sawdust floor was replaced with a concrete floor.

In 1937 the members had a vision for a new building. The Bible says: “Where there is no vision, the people perish”. (Proverbs 29:18) This was the time of the Great Depression years. Sister Miriam Hopkins suggested, “Bring a dime, buy a block!” Even the very thought of building a church during those years of struggle was proof of the existence of great faith.

The ground breaking point for the new church was in 1947. In 1948, the First Pentecostal Church was incorporated with the South Florida General Council of the Assemblies of God and received its new name “Hollywood First Assembly of God”.

Even though the interior of the new church building had not been completed, the old pews and handmade pulpit were moved in and were used for the next 5 years. In April 1956, they held their first service in the unfinished church building.

On Easter Sunday April 6th,1958, we dedicated our new church building to the Lord. Our District Superintendent, Reverend Howard S. Bush, delivered the Dedicatory Sermon.

The congregation was small and it took a few years to complete the interior but slowly it was done. In 1963, they put in the asphalt tile floor, bought their new pews, and the Christ Ambassadors bought the Pulpit. In 1965, carpeting was installed in the sanctuar,y and in 198,2 they were greatly blessed with central air conditioning and heating.

On Sunday May1st, 1983 Rev. Johnson celebrated her 50th Pastoral Anniversary in Hollywood First Assembly of God. Due to her failing health, on February 13th,1983 she requested that Rev. Norman Mc Cutchen minister in the church as Co-Pastor.

On August 25th,1984 Reverend Mary E. Johnson read her resignation also effective September 2, 1984. On September 9th,1984 Rev. Johnson was presented a plaque naming her “Pastor Emeritus”. Finally, on March 17th, 1985 Reverend Johnson went home to Heaven to be with the Lord. She had served as Pastor from May 1933 to September 2, 1984. She put her Bible down at the age of 82 years old.

On September 16th, 1984 the first candidate was sent: Reverend Richard Impellizzeri, from Copiaque New York. He was elected unanimously by the membership. He returned to New York to move his family here. Rev. Impellizzeri became the new Pastor of First Assembly of God on Sunday, October 14th, 1984.

When Rev. Impellizzeri arrived, the members decided to call this era in the church, “The New beginning”. After 12 years of excellent service Rev. Richard Impellizzeri gave his resignation, and his last month was February 1996.

The church board formed a Pulpit Committee, and after much work recommended Dr. Ernest Henson as Pastor, The Church voted unanimously for Dr. Henson and on May 16th, 1996 he became the new Pastor of First Assembly of God. However, Dr. Henson resigned after one year and ten months.

The church board formed a Pulpit Committee, and asked Reverend Antonio Zotti and Reverend Carlos Torres to be Interim Pastors until a new Pastor was elected. Two months later after much prayer and seeking God, the Pulpit Committee recommended Reverend Antonio Zotti as Pastor, but certain conditions had to happen for this to go forward. These conditions were brought forth by the District Council of the Assemblies of God. The conditions were as follows: to let Pastor Zotti be the new Pastor; First Assembly would have to:

– Become a Dependent Church for six months
– The official Board would have to resign, and at the end of six months have a new election
– Not only First Assembly would have to vote for Pastor Zotti but also for a merger with Italian Assembly of God, of which Pastor Zotti was the current Pastor
– There would have to be a vote also from Italian Assembly of God for the merger of both churches.

Finally after all these recommendations from the District, both churches were ready for the voting night. On Tuesday June 9th, 1998, Reverend Maria Khaleel Presbyter of Section 16 came at First Assembly of God for a general meeting with First Assembly, and afterward with Italian Assembly. The final result was a unanimous vote from both churches, and on that day Reverend Antonio Zotti became Senior Pastor. Italian Assembly of God became First Assembly of God, because the merger was a success, Praise God!

On December 19, 2007, Senior Pastor Zotti resigned his position and Reverend Lawrence Lacy (through unanimous vote and the Peninsular Florida District approval) became the Senior Pastor of First Assembly of God. Pastor Zotti had served from 1997 to 2007. God continued to bless the church and with the leadership of Pastor Lacy, the church moved in new directions which birthed a new name change. On January 13, 2011, the new name for First Assembly of God church in Hollywood became and to this day remains, The Answer Church.

The new name reflected the church’s new vision which is “For the Answer Church to be a SPIRITUAL light house in the city of Hollywood and to be the answer to those who are questioning life’s truth”.

May God continue to use The Answer Church as it reaches out to the community in Hollywood, in Broward County, in Florida, in the U.S.A. and around the world.

Pastors Larry and Sandra Lacy

Pastor Larry and Pastor Sandra have been at The Answer Church together for 20 years, 12 of which they have been Senior Pastors. They have a love for God and a heart for His people. They believe in the power of redemption, having experienced it personally. It is their prayer that your life will be transformed through a relationship with Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.