Creative Genius
On Wednesday nights in Coral Springs, the sounds of music, laughter, and conversation spill across the grounds of Church by the Glades. What might be a quiet midweek evening elsewhere is anything but here. Students gather in groups, worship fills the air, and the campus feels alive with possibility. As Pastor David Hughes puts it, “The students take over the campus every Wednesday night.” What began as a youth program has grown into the vibrant heartbeat of the church, drawing children and teens from across the community.
For Hughes, who has lived in Broward County since age three, the church’s growth is both personal and spiritual. He began ministering at Church by the Glades in 1997, and what was once a modest congregation has grown into a thriving community known for its creativity and inclusion. Along the way, CBG has also expanded into the historic First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale, a place Hughes remembers from childhood. “When I was early in ministry, that was a very robust church, and they had a very dynamic pastor!” he recalls. For him, continuing ministry there is both nostalgic and inspiring.
Over the years, Church by the Glades has become known for boldness and renewal. “I’ve been blessed to be part of some church resurrections,” Hughes says. “We were able to reach out to the younger generation in a more creative way without compromising who we are spiritually or biblically.” For him, church cannot be stagnant. “It’s life or death… Heaven or hell. We feel that it’s right for the church to take chances, and reach people who are spiritual, but not religious. We do church for people who love the Lord, but we also do church for people who don’t do church.”
That mission comes alive in the church’s youth and family ministries. Programs like United Nights, a recent four-night camp for 1,000 kids, keep the focus on fun and faith in equal measure. “We just had a great time on the church grounds playing games every night, having small groups, worship services, and more. We have a really great student ministry!”
The church’s annual “trunk or treat” is another community favorite. “We start the celebration on the weekend before Halloween,” Hughes explains. “The kids get a chance to dress up, get candy, and give families a fun, safe alternative to trick or treating in random neighborhoods.” Themes like Monsters Inc. and Disney’s Haunted Mansion have turned the event into a spectacle of imagination, always pointing back to “God’s creativity and His love for everyone, regardless of their current religious affiliation.”
That same spirit guides their weekend services. “We have kids who DRAG their parents to church on the weekends!” David laughs. “The first thing we learn about God is that he is creative. We like to reflect that creativity. We want church to be interesting, surprising, and predictably unpredictable,” Hughes says. “Jesus talked in parables about things that were relevant to his time. Kings and kingdoms, farmers and their fields, fisherman and their fish. At Church by the Glades, we traffic in parables. My job is to lead people straight to the gospel, but we do it in a way that reflects God’s creativity.”
That creativity shows up in unexpected ways. Recent services featured a stage transformed into a giant Monopoly board for a teaching series called Family Game Night. “People may not know where the book of Ephesians is, but they’ve played Monopoly before, so we make it relatable,” Hughes explains.
For Hughes, ministry in South Florida is both a challenge and a joy. “I love doing ministry in this area! I love the other pastors that are leading churches! This is the best place to do ministry in the world!”
At Church by the Glades, the mission is clear: be bold, be creative, and welcome everyone into a community where faith feels alive.
To find out more about Church by the Glades please visit www.churchbytheglades.com.
