MESA, AZ — At a time when fewer people are regularly attending church, Impact Church in Scottsdale is bursting at the seams. The ministry is led by Pastor Travis Hearn.
"Church should be fun. Jesus is alive. He's not still in the grave. So, church, in my opinion, should not feel like a funeral service. It should feel like a party," said Pastor Hearn.
You'll typically find this self-proclaimed 'sneakerhead' preaching scripture and offering relevant messages of what he calls 'Biblical Hope.'
"If you're struggling with your marriage, I've got the answer. If you're struggling with addiction, I've got the answer. If you're struggling with depression, I've got the answer," said Hearn.
"You do find a way to make it very relatable to today. Is that part of the magic here?" asked ABC15.
"I mean, life's tough and so I like to have fun. Our music is bumping and banging, but it's just fun," Hearn replied.
Impact Church started as a small bible study for professional athletes in 2009.
"We had Cardinals and Suns, and you know, Diamondbacks and anybody who's a pro," said Hearn.
Now, fifteen years later the weekly membership numbers are nearly 7,000 people strong.
That's why Impact Church is holding its Sunday morning Easter Service at Sloan Park in Mesa, the spring training facility for the Chicago Cubs.
Registration is not required to attend the service, but those who register will get access to carnival wristbands and automatically be entered to win a brand new 2024 Toyota Corolla or a trip to Chicago to watch the Cubs play the Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field.
Hearn says the prizes were donated by members of the church.
"I preached nine times last Easter," said Hearn, "That's why we're doing it at the stadium."
The congregation at Impact Church is diverse and Pastor Travis says everyone is welcome on Easter Sunday and beyond.
"The Bible brings us together. We all know that's the goal. I'm not the goal. Impact Church is not the goal. Jesus set the goal and he loved. Period. End of story," added Hearn.
You can learn more about Pastor Travis and Impact Church on their website.
