Eli House staff provide life skills training, community integration, and various free programs. Eli House also works closely with clinicians from its partial hospital program as well as local therapists.
Charlie Shotwell excels as Eli, but Lily Taylor’s overdone performance as Dr. Horn proves to be a significant source of distraction.
What is House of Eli?
House of Eli is a transitional home for young men aged 17-18 who are transitioning out of incarceration or foster care. It is run entirely by volunteers, with no state or federal funds supporting it, and financial support comes solely from private donations. House of Eli is located in Sherman, Texas. Tawni Hodge drives this ministry with her passion as both a foster parent and chaplain working with juvenile services; her expertise as both a foster parent and chaplain enabled her to recognize a need for such an organization. House of Eli is operated as a non-profit non-profit run entirely by volunteers; all financial support comes solely from private donations – no state nor federal funds support its existence!
In the Bible, there was a priest named Eli who served at the Shiloh Tabernacle during the days of Judges. Eli’s two wicked sons, Hophni and Phineas, violated God’s Law by keeping and eating meat that didn’t belong to them and engaging in sexual relations with women who served at its entrance (1 Samuel 2:12). After warning his sons but failing to change their ways, God sent a harsh judgment upon Eli and his family (1 Samuel 2:13).
As soon as the Philistines arrived and murdered Hophni and Phineas, God fulfilled His decree against Eli’s family. Over time, however, the priesthood passed to descendants of Ithamar, then through Zadok up until Jesus Christ, who fulfilled Melchizedek’s requirements as perfect High Priest after His order of Melchizedek.
Like Eli’s house, our actions may give the impression that God is just another individual who should be treated with contempt and treated as such. Leaders must portray Him as worthy of respect from their followers at all times. House of Eli is a home for young people at risk of imprisonment or leaving foster care systems, offering a supportive and nurturing environment that teaches them how to love and respect God, themselves, and their families. Hometown provides an individualized daily plan, including education, specific job skills training, and scripturally based recovery work. They also operate two businesses, which give residents job skills while helping cover the operating costs of the home.
What is the Mission of the House of Eli?
House of Eli is a transitional home designed to offer young men services for independent living and to help them grow into healthy adults in a Christ-centered environment. Established by Tawni Hodge and her husband Brad as a non-profit ministry in 2004, they felt God leading them to set the home as they fostered boys and young men for years in their home before feeling led by Him to start this transitional home for those exiting juvenile justice systems.
The story of Eli’s sons serves as a cautionary tale for leaders who serve in roles of authority. To remain influential leaders, it is vitally important that they not only preach God’s word but act upon it and glorify him before those they lead.
As parents and educators, we must also admonish, reprove, and discipline children to prepare them to serve God as priests, prophets, and kings in his service. Otherwise, we commit Eli’s same transgression by exalting children above God. When this occurs, children are not ready to fulfill these roles – which leads the Lord to take away his blessing and redirect his work through those more faithful to him.
One result of Eli’s sons’ sin was that Shiloh no longer had any priestly descendants to serve them under Moses’ Law of Priests; only those descended directly from Aaron could perform the role. Over time, Ithamar’s lineage became extinct, while Zadok took on this responsibility.
God warned Eli not to allow his sons to sleep with prostitutes because it would bring judgment upon himself and his family, yet He did nothing against them.
Church leaders must always be ready and willing to stand against any form of corruption in the Church. Otherwise, like Eli, we will be guilty of prioritizing children over God and will face judgment for our actions against ourselves and our families.
What is the Vision of the House of Eli?
The House of Eli is a transitional home for young men who find themselves in trouble early in life, are homeless, or are leaving foster care. It provides safe accommodation while helping these boys to develop job skills and spiritual guidance to lead a new direction in life. In addition, two businesses are operated within its walls: Eli Brothers real estate development, a home improvement company, and Made New resale antique store where items donated by donors can be repaired and resold; both businesses contribute income back into support of The House of Eli.
Hophni and Phinehas were priests in Israel who “did not recognize the Lord.” Their behavior was scandalous; they engaged in illicit sexual relationships with women who worked at the tent of the meeting entrance, which violated God’s Law and caused serious offense to him. Their sinful conduct also misled worshipers from the true worship of Him.
Eli held an authority position and was charged with upholding the Law, yet he failed to enforce discipline against his sons for their behavior – something which would ultimately bring down his family and destroy it all. This breach of trust would prove fatal.
Once the Philistines captured and brought back the Ark of the Covenant to Shiloh, Israel rebelled against its priests, and ultimately, God withdrew His presence from Shiloh.
Leaders play a crucial role in teaching their people the law of God and leading by example to set high standards within the congregation. But above all, leaders must sanctify God before His people by treating Him with reverence and not treating Him with disrespect – only then will He shower blessings upon and protect them – this was Eli’s lesson and an imperative reminder for leaders everywhere to uphold God’s word and uphold its standards.
What is the Goal of the House of Eli?
Too often in society today, many individuals are willing to compromise their faith for worldly approval. They don’t teach the Bible in its original context and do not take God’s words seriously enough. Instead of speaking up against evil themselves as Eli did, their voices go unheard by fellow believers, and this leads them down a path leading directly toward soul death.
Eli’s story serves as an essential reminder to all parents: when you pledge your vow at baptism to raise your children with fear of God in mind, God takes it very seriously – should you break that promise, He will punish you as He did Eli.
As a result of Eli’s inaction, the house of Ithamar suffered and was disenfranchised from priestly service. Hophni and Phinehas’ sons serving at Shiloh as priests at this time led their brothers and the entire nation astray, offering strange fire in front of God while profaning His name; such wicked priests did not possess enough wisdom to realize this behavior would bring punishment from Him; therefore they continued in positions of authority and power without risking being removed by Him.
At Shiloh during this period of backsliding, the Philistines attacked, and Hophni and Phinehas took the Ark with them into battle against the Philistines, hoping it would protect them from their foes; however, both sons of Eli were killed during this struggle with them for possession of the Ark being captured by them and taken prisoner by them.
Tawni Hodge founded House of Eli in 2015 with the goal of supporting young men as they transition from foster care or juvenile justice systems into adulthood. House of Eli works closely with kids aging out who may reenter cycles of abuse and neglect, providing a safe home where life skills training and spiritual guidance are available. House of Eli also operates two businesses to help teach work-related skills to support families and the ministry – such as a real estate development company and a resale antique store called Made New.
