Frequently Asked Questions

Jesus Loves Detroit Church is a Christian, Non-Denominational , Evangelistic, Outreach Church. It was founded by Kevin Pelto, and the Holy Spirit in 2008. Kevin had been helping people in Jesus’s name, and was lead to name this effort, so Jesus would receive the credit. Beginning members were a small group of Kevin, Luke, Bridget, Stanley, Andy, and Marion. They all contributed prayer, money, time, and effort. Bridget, Stanley, Andy, and Marion have all gone on to Heaven. Kevin started the process to incorporate the church at this time, but God had other plans. God told him, ( Sit down Boy, you are not ready yet. Just keep doing what you are doing, and I will let you know when its MY time!) Kevin was a entrepreneur and businessman who financed everything with his own money. God also told him, ( Dude, its never been about the money, its not about the money now, and its never going to be about the money.) In Kevin’s words, I went through a lot of life, and death. I had to learn its not about me. I needed to be humbled. I needed to sacrificially serve my brothers and sisters. I had to fix my eyes on the unseen, not the seen. I needed to grow up spiritually, and with God’s help, I did! Today, Kevin is an ordained, licensed, minister, and the Pastor of the church. Along with his wife Nancy, they are the spiritual leaders of the church. JLD Church is a 501-C3 charitable organization, licensed as a church, with all the benefits, and responsibility’s of a church. It does not have the traditional church building, instead it leases office, study, meeting, storage, and worship facilities. Although we have the space, we prefer that instead of folk’s coming to church, the church comes to them. We prefer to have church, outside, in the field’s of inner-city Detroit, where our people are. We put on the big Feast’s, that are Jesus Party’s, that we call church. Our volunteers, who are called ( Agents of Grace) are a wide mix of God’s children. Men, women, and children of all races, genders, ages, occupations, political affiliations, economic levels, education, and geography are represented. Our passion is to have the kind of church that God would approve of, the Holy Spirit would flow through everyone, and Jesus himself, would walk 50 miles to attend!

A Feast is a big Jesus party, with gourmet food catered, and cooked on site, in vacant fields in Detroit, by us. There are tents, tables, chairs, and a large outdoor mobile kitchen. We cook, eat, sing, pray, learn, laugh, cry, and have fun with our old friends, and make lots of new friends. We have special musical guests on stage. There are over 30 appetizers served by waiters and waitresses, to our guest’s. We have customized catering equipment, designed and built for us, to battle the elements, as we do this year round. We serve soup, and chili, three awesome entrees, and numerous sides. We have lots of drinks, and a 4 tiered bakery, buttercream, decorated cake to serve for dessert. We cook on charcoal and wood fires. We have a prayer tent and a message, and we take communion as Jesus instructed us to do when we gather together.

Our big Feast’s are held in Detroit. We have also fed homeless people, in Flint, and Farmington Hills, Michigan. Our next Feast will be in the fields south of the NSO building at 3rd street, and Martin Luther King Blvd.

Sunday’s from 9:00 to 2:00.

The simple answer is that the folks are hungry! This is a perfect way to help our brothers and sister’s in need, and to show the love of Jesus in action. They tell us it brings cheer into their lives, and proves that somebody loves them, and cares about them.  The Bible tells us several times to do this. Jesus talks boldly and plainly about this in Matthew 25.  Luke 14:2-14 says, ( When you prepare a Feast, don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, or rich people. For they will return the invitation. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the godly, God will reward you for inviting those who can’t repay you!)  We have the knowledge, skill, expertise to pull these off, with God’s big help. We are chef’s so we can cook great food. We act like Jesus himself is coming to eat, worship, and party. If you had Jesus coming to your house for dinner, how would you act? We clean everything, put out our best linens, tableware, and furniture. We source food from around the world, and right down the street. We select and purchase high quality, nutritious food, and prep it, cook it, and serve it to our esteemed neighborhood guests . I can’t understand churches and organizations that serve old food. Granted, its a use of food that otherwise would be thrown away, and fed to hungry people. I have eaten at dozens of shelters, churches, and organizations, that feed the homeless, across the USA. I’ve eaten my share of old bread and pastries from restaurants, old sandwiches from gas stations, and old vegetables, fruits, and salads from supermarkets. If you wouldn’t eat it, why would you serve it to a homeless person who could really use a hot, delicious, nutritious meal? There are dozens, no hundreds of organizations in Detroit, that feed the homeless, and do it consistently. Thank them! I just can’t understand a $60,000,000.00 church, serving old food, they get for free. It boggles my mind, at this disconnect.

No, for health reasons, we would prefer you come and lend a hand. That being said, homemade cookies are always appreciated.

Sometimes there are porta-pottys, but just be glad its an inconvenience for a couple of hours and not your everyday routine.

No, but we have a bonfire when its cold. Again, its a couple hours, and will give you great insight, on how other people live every day.

We have pop ups, and sometimes tents, but read above again, please.

Yes, our Feast’s are fantastic, but we help people in other ways also. We help folks with transportation, emergency food, emergency medical care, emergency housing, short-term housing, and long-term housing. We help with home maintenance and protection. Automobile purchase, and repairs, are a great need. Simple things like Medicaid, Medicare, Doctor visits, prescription medications, and helping folks navigate local, county, state, and federal governments. Clothing is another big issue, especially when you are homeless in Michigan, in the winter! Furniture and home furnishing’s is a biggie, when families are transitioning from the street, or a shelter, to their own place.

Yes, and we can accommodate your group in several different ways. If you are one, or two, we can integrate you in with our existing agents of grace. If you have a few folks, we can help you maintain a station, at a Feast. Twenty folks or more, we can schedule a Feast around your church or group. You could finance the whole Feast for 300 people, and we would work alongside you. I have been on several mission trips around the country. Lots of churches go overseas. Consider coming to Detroit, and experiencing the mission field here. Its a very effective and spiritual time, to make great use of your time, talents, and money. We can keep your group busy for a weekend, or a week, and still have time to explore, and enjoy the great city of Detroit.

As dangerous as most big cities. I have been in 49 states, and need to see Hawaii some day. Every city has an area that is down on its luck. I have been to many, many of your cities and it may be weird, but I like to go to the so-called, worst area in your city, and eat at the shelter, or out on the street. I like to mingle with the folks, and feel the vibe of your city. We work hard to keep it safe for all our agents of grace, and our neighborhood guest’s. Detroit is terrible in some areas, and fantastic in most areas. We have a great city government, business,  and spiritual leaders. Don’t ever forget this is Motown, Detroit Rock City, and the Motor City. Ask any entertainer or band,  and they will tell you Detroit has some of the best, and loyal fans in the world, and they love playing here. We have many cultural institutions, and an exploding restaurant scene, and a thriving downtown. Automobile everything, New tech companies, high end retailers, nightclubs, casinos, theatres,  museums, great schools, parks, neighborhoods, and world headquarters of international companies call Detroit home. Not many cities can boast 4 professional sports teams, and they are all within walking distance of each other downtown.  We give a big shout out to the DETROIT LIONS, DETROIT TIGERS, DETROIT PISTONS, and the DETROIT REDWINGS! Its been a little while, but there have been plenty of Championship Victory parades down Woodward Avenue.

Please pray for us. We really love, and need your prayers to God, on our behalf. You can donate your time, at a Feast, or other church activity. What are your gifts and talents? We can always use your professional services. You can support us financially through our money page. Donations of automobiles, boats, recreational vehicles, real estate, and collections are always appreciated.