As far as humble beginnings go, we’ve held the title in Spades. In 2009, I received the call to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by witnessing to sinners and saints alike, while actively witnessing this faith through Christian apparel. With just one phone call and a set of car keys, I started designing t-shirts and distributing them from the trunk of my mother's 1997 Nissan Maxima. It all started with the No Weapon/God's Got My Back t-shirt.

As time and brand awareness grew, the first physical store I was blessed to open was a 12 X 12 temporary kiosk-like store, which was located in the walkway in the South Plains Mall. At the time, I had 38 cents in my bank account. I invested nothing but my faith. That small store, which had a big message, became a hub for believers and non-believers alike to gather and witness the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At 19 years old, I stepped into my calling as a Marketplace Minister, not knowing how much impact this ministry would birth through my burning desire to share the Gospel in a modern way. We’ve literally changed hundreds of thousands of lives.

In three short months, Religious Expressions went from being a temporary pop-up shop, to a permanent storefront within the mall. We expanded into a space that was 10 times that of the kiosk, now working in 1400 square footage! Additionally, the original contract for the space was only for two months; however, we remained positioned for four years! A remarkable testament to incredible faith! A testament filled with many great successes and challenges, but most importantly, thousands of people giving their lives to Christ throughout the Lubbock and Amarillo Malls where Religious Expressions operated two stores.

In January of 2016, Religious Expressions became 3:16. With the new name came a new direction, a new mandate—but the mission remains the same. Currently, we are refining the brand, and growing rapidly throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Jaylen LaGrande

Chief Steward/Visionary

3:16 Collection

http://316collection.com