Most of American knows George Floyd only by the last few minutes of his life, recorded by cell phone camera. The city of Houston, though, is remembering Floyd for the incredible life he lived. For decades, Floyd was an active member of the Christian church, ushering ministries into the area.

“George Floyd was a person of peace sent from the Lord that helped the gospel go forward in a place that I never lived in,” said Patrick PT Ngwolo, pastor of Resurrection Houston, which held services in the Cuney Homes housing project.

“The platform for us to reach that neighborhood and the hundreds of people we reached through that time and up to now was built on the backs of people like Floyd,” he told Christianity Today.

Floyd worked frequently in the Cuney area and spoke about breaking the cycle of violence. He mentored young men in the area as well. He used his influence to bring ministries to the community for discipleship and outreach.

Ngwolo, along with other Christian leaders, met Floyd in 2010 at a benefit concert. Corey Paul Davis, a Christian hip-hop artist who attended Resurrection Houston, was one of them.

“He said, ‘I love what you’re doing. The neighborhood need it, the community need it, and if y’all about God’s business, then that’s my business…Whatever y’all need, wherever y’all need to go, tell ’em Floyd said y’all good. I got y’all.’”

Floyd offered protection as the church came into the area, and lent a helping hand as they put on services, held Bible studies, and community baptisms.

“He helped push the baptism tub over, understanding that people were going to make a decision of faith and get baptized right there in the middle of the projects. He thought that was amazing,” said Ronnie Lillard, who performs under the name Reconcile. “The things that he would say to young men always referenced that God trumps street culture. I think he wanted to see young men put guns down and have Jesus instead of the streets.”

Ministry leaders have heard from community members in the Third Ward who called Floyd their brother, uncle, or even their dad because they lacked older male figures to serve as a positive influence.

“His faith was a heart for the Third Ward that was radically changed by the gospel, and his mission was empowering other believers to be able to come in and push that gospel forth,” said Nijalon Dunn, who was baptized at Cuney. “There are things that Floyd did for us that we’ll never know until the other side of eternity. There were times where we’d have Church at the Bricks until 3 p.m., and by 4:30, they’re firing shots right at the basketball courts.”

The community is remembering everything that Floyd did for them, and honoring his memory in any way they can.

He’ll be “immortalized in the Third Ward community forever,” Lillard said. “His mural will be on the walls. Every youth and young man growing up will know George Floyd. The people who knew him personally will remember him as a positive light. Guys from the streets look to him like, ‘Man, if he can change his life, I can change mine.’”