How Thinking Smaller Can Have a Greater Impact on Your Church w/ Travis Norvell

Modern Church Leader

In the New Testament, Paul tells us about the constant challenges of the early church.

At the time, many Christians were oppressed and did not know the luxury of preference like we do now. Choosing a church based on music preference or preaching style did not exist.

Simply put, Christians of the first church went to the local gathering in their neighborhood.

Through the years, we have watched as church culture has evolved. From the early church in church homes to mid-evil, grand cathedrals to modern-day converted warehouses to church online - the topic of “what church should be” can quickly become a touchy subject.

But if we look back at the first church - the original church template - its mission is simple: Preach the Gospel. Make Disciples.

With flashy fads and trends as they are, do you find it challenging to stick to the mission of the original church as a modern church leader?

If your answer is ‘yes,’ you have come to the right place.

To better understand the call of the church, we sometimes have to take a step back and reevaluate. And most times, we will see that we need to think smaller to impact our community significantly.

Rev. Travis Norvell is the Senior Pastor of Judson Memorial Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN, author of “Church on the Move,” and biking enthusiast.

Through a church-wide challenge, he has learned the value of thinking smaller for the greater impact of the church by selling his car and bicycling to work.

How does riding a bike impact the church?

Rev. Norvell’s philosophy is simple - by riding a bike or taking the city bus, you are allowed to take things slower and get to know the people around you.

By riding his bicycle every day, Rev. Norvell has gotten to know almost everyone living in a 5-mile radius of his church. He knows the local dog owners, the other cyclists in the neighborhood, and the regulars on the public transit. He has even begun providing his local radio station with a biker commute report each morning.

By changing a simple part of his daily routine, Rev. Norvell has started having conversations with people who had never heard of his church. And with some who had never been to church at all.

Through practical steps, Judson Memorial Baptist Church members are challenging themselves to stop thinking about trends and metrics and instead focus on loving thy neighbor.

By the end of this you will learn:

• Practical ways to love your neighborhood
• How thinking outside of the box is exactly what your church needs
• When asking the right questions, you can unlock the heart of your community
• How the church can start to think smaller

Resources Mentioned:

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“Church on the Move” by Travis Norvell