Rooftop Revelations: Faced with doubters, Pastor Brooks forges ahead, saving one life at a time

CHICAGO – When Pastor Corey Brooks set up his church in the Woodlawn neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago more than 20 years ago, one of his adversaries was the doubters. They groused that the area was a lost cause and that he could not save everyone. He didn’t listen and opened the church. The doubters continued to nip at his heels, reminding him that he was a fool and that he could not save everyone. He didn’t listen as he reduced violence in the neighborhood and helped countless individuals transform their lives for the better. No matter how much he achieved, it was never enough to quiet the doubters.

When the pastor recently began his 100-day rooftop vigil in the biting cold weather with the goal of raising millions for a much-needed community center, the doubters renewed their grousing.

The pastor said he received an email that said, "Who do you think you are? Don’t you think $35 million is too much for a center? And don’t you know you can’t save everybody?"