WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - From poles to pews. A Florida church is transforming an unlikely location into their new house of worship.
A church in West Palm Beach said it’s buying a former strip club and soon it will be transformed into their new home.
For Pastor Josh Mauney, Lead Pastor of the NewSound Church, his prayers and the prayers of the people in his church have just been answered.
“I believe that God is opening up some doors that a 20-month-old church can’t open by themselves,” said Mauney.
NewSound Church holds services every Sunday at Wellington High School in West Palm Beach and has about a thousand members.
They’re buying Double Dee’s Ranch and turning the former bar and strip club into a church with seating for 600 to 700 people.
“I don’t mind being in a building that was a strip club anymore than I mind somebody walking in our doors that had at one time in their life been a stripper,” said Mauney.
The church plans to replace the stripper poles with pews and replace lap dances and lingerie with love for the Lord.
“We believe we can bring hope and healing to any location; that’s what we’re trying to do,” said Mauney.
The pastor — an Air Force veteran, husband and father of four — calls it a miracle that they could get a building like this.
He said they really need it because each week they have to take trailers full of lights and sound equipment to their current location, set it all up for church and then remove it.
He’s glad the building that housed the former strip club will soon be their permanent home.
“The people that call NewSound Church home are overwhelmingly excited about the idea of being able to take a space like this and see God do something amazing in it,” said Mauney.
Pastor Mauney said a deal was reached, and all that’s left is to sign the paperwork.
A listing on a real estate website showed the asking price was $9 million.
The pastor said that after some renovations, they hope to begin holding services by early next year.
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