The Rock Church has responded to criticism that the Body Shop strip club it bought in the Midway District last year is languishing, and that drugs and trash in the neighborhood has worsened.
“The building is still currently vacant as there are a multitude of renovations that must be done prior to the building being operable,” said Monet Love, public relations director for Rock Church. “Over the past several months we have been reviewing our options for the use of the property.
“We understand this area in the Midway District has had homeless-encampment issues over the past several years, even before we took possession of the property,” continued Love. “Our facilities staff goes a couple times a week to check on the property and see how we can help those individuals camped outside. Rock Church continues to help the homeless thorough our various outreach ministries as we are made aware of each individual case.”
Added Love: “In addition to providing help to those in need, we are also enclosing the front-door entryway with fencing, where so much activity takes place. We have also requested the SDPD to increase their patrols of the area while decisions on usage are still being determined.”
Founded by former San Diego Chargers player Miles McPherson, Rock Church has grown to become one of the nation’s largest and most diverse congregations. The Rock Church currently has 101 outreach ministries and 38 community partners throughout San Diego.
Since the inception of Rock Church in 2000, the church leadership has targeted the sex industry as one of its highest priorities. The church offers separate male and female groups helping people overcome porn and sex addiction, while partnering with groups helping women leave the sex industry.
Of the repurposing of the former strip club, McPherson previously said: “We seek strategic ways to provide numerous positive resources to people who call San Diego home. We are not sure what we will do with the old Body Shop building, but you can rest assured it will never be a sex shop again. We invite anyone who is struggling with sex addiction in their life to take advantage of the resources offered through the Rock Church to find health and healing.”
Today, Rock Church draws 20,000 attendees to its weekly services, through five campuses, 18 microsites and multiple online services broadcasts.
