“True power…life changing, explosive power, comes from God,” Travis Hearn says. After all, putting trust in God was what saved Travis Hearn from his own destructive path early in his life. Today, he helps others do the same.
Travis Hearn is the senior pastor at Impact Church. It’s located in Scottsdale, Arizona, but they also offer a live stream of the sermon so people at home can watch too. Impact Church is a Christian church: “We believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God. The Bible is God’s Word and our manual for everyday living. We believe in and practice daily Bible reading, Bible study, and Bible memorization,” as is described on their website.
Impact Church started out as a Bible Study for the Arizona Cardinals, as Travis Hearn had connections to professional athletic teams from his early athletic career. When Travis was young, he was involved in many different sports. As he grew into his early adult years, he got involved with drinking and ended up arrested and jailed. “The unique thing about my story is that I was the least likely [to become a pastor]. I was trouble. Since that day, I did a literal 180.” Hearn says. He quickly turned his life around by giving himself fully to God, but he stayed connected to the pro-athletes he knew and loved.
What truly changed Hearn’s life was committing himself to Jesus Christ. He shared his love and trust in God with others which spurred the development of Impact Church. It went from a bible study to a modest 200 person congregation and today its members are in the thousands. It’s no surprise, as Impact Church is relatable to the everyday person. While scripture is taken seriously, Pastor Travis Hearn can be found preaching in jeans and a hoodie. The church offers worship groups for youth, adults, people in recovery, couples, and more. There’s a ministry group for everyone at Impact Church.
What’s unique about the church is that many pro-athletes are members. In fact, local celebrities, athletes, and other influencers are commonplace at Impact Church. Travis Hearn feels it’s a great opportunity to have people of great influence joining their church. “God has allowed me the ability to influence the influencers. If I can help somebody that has influence, I can maximize my impact. People with great influence are still human. They go through trials and tribulations just like anybody else. They have hearts and hurts just like all of us. My heart is to be a difference maker.” As the church’s name implies–the goal is to make an impact on as many people as possible.
That’s why Pastor Travis Hearn is in the church business to begin with; he wants to change people’s lives for the better by bringing hope to thousands of people. After all, life is difficult. It’s dark and tumultuous, but Travis Hearn is bringing the light into people’s lives. Impact Church has grown exponentially since its establishment–they now serve over 15,000 people monthly both locally and abroad. Hearn sums up his church’s mission and goal by referencing Paul: “Pour out your life like a drink offering. Everything God has given, we’re just trying to give it away, so that hopefully it helps people.” Pastor Travis Hearn is not just helping people at Impact Church–he’s changing lives for the better. People can be their authentic selves with the help of Hearn, and they can live happier, more fulfilling lives. They can “shine like stars,” as the Philipians 2:15 describes.
