A One-stop Shop for Flourishing: The Story of Revive Church

The Embedded Church Podcast

In this episode, we talk with Kyle Morris who is the Lead Pastor of Revive Church in Arvada, CO. We hear about his church's decision to stay where they were and seek the shalom of their neighborhood rather than move to a different (and wealthier) part of the city.

This decision forced the church to deal with a problem of too much space through the acquisition of a shopping center, and then radically re-thinking how they used all of the space. Rather than starting with needs within the church, they asked questions about needs within the neighborhood. And what they discovered was that their neighborhood needed 1) childcare, 2) workforce development, 3) affordable housing, and 4) new business incubation.

This process led the church to redevelop the shopping center into an exciting project called The Bridge where they partner with other local organizations to help meet some of the city's identified needs. Kyle talks about the challenges of leading a church while also leading a number of initiatives. He discusses finding a balance between investing in the neighborhood where you live and where your church is located. And, he talks about the challenge of adapting while staying mission focused with changing circumstances.

Episode Contributors

Kyle Morris, Lead Pastor of Revive Church

Access more Show Notes with pictures and resources related to this episode.

More information about this podcast and helpful church and urbanism resources can be found on The Embedded Church website.

Related Resources

Revive Church

The Bridge - The shopping center owned by Revive Church that has been revived physically and is home to thriving for-profit and non-profit organizations that are collaborating and working to serve vulnerable families.

Beyond Home - A nonprofit whose mission is to provide a comprehensive approach for families to become self-sufficient for life

Marsh Collective - A team of consultants that works with leaders, companies, patrons, and developers to help clarify vision for their city, business, or team

Lionheart Children's Academy - A nonprofit Christian organization committed to excellence in early childhood education

CrossPurpose - A non-profit organization abolishing relational, economic, and spiritual poverty through career and community development

Colorado Foundation for Conductive Education - A nonprofit organization that offers an intensive, holistic alternative approach to traditional therapy for individuals with motor disabilities

"Churches Don’t Have to Be Lousy Stewards. Here’s Proof" Story of Revive Church by Amy Sherman and Jacob Baldwin in Common Good Magazine: Issue 11, May 2023

Canoeing in the Mountains by Tod Bolsinger

Art of Neighboring by Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon

Church Unleashed by Frank R. Tillapaugh

Key Terms

- Proximity

- Placemaking

- Affordable Housing

- Shalom

Show Credits

Hosted and Produced by Eric O. Jacobsen and Sara Joy Proppe

Edited by Adam Higgins | Odd Dad Out Voice Productions

Theme Music by Jacob Shaffer

Artwork by Lance Kagey | Rotator Creative