Rebuilders of walls, restorers of streets

CORPUS CHRISTI - Impact City Church in Corpus Christi was planted by Felix Trevino, a worker at Valero Refinery, and his wife, Sara, as a response to a need for a missional church in the community of South Texas. They are a part of the Corpus Christi Baptist Association and a member of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

"This was a fairly new concept to the culture of South Texas," said Felix. "There weren't too many churches at the time who were focused on building a body of believers on small groups and disciple making versus mass evangelism and the seeker friendly attractive model."

Along with working countless hours a week at Valero Refinery, Felix and his wife knew that God was calling them to change their community. They started with reaching out to their neighbors, first by taking BBQ chicken to them, cutting their yards, watching their kids so they could have date nights and inviting them over for dinner and movie nights with their kids.

After many play dates, lawn trimmings, dinner nights, and discussions, Felix began to have opportunities to share the gospel with the people he had grown to know so well, and Impact City Church began to multiply.

"We definitely have our work cut out for us," said Sara Trevino. "But there is no place we'd rather be. We feel so blessed and thankful for the ministry that God has entrusted us with. We know through Him we will impact our city."

Impact City Church focuses on community. Their first big outreach was an Easter block party in 2012. They have recently followed up with outdoor movie nights at the local park, taking stocking stuffers with toys to children at the local women's shelter, giving roses and singing songs for the women's shelter on Valentine's Day, distributing backpacks fully-supplied for students through local associations, and adopting a low-income apartment complex near their church where the members volunteer with the community center.

"The community of Impact City realizes there is no barrier stopping them from sharing the gospel and showing the love of Jesus to anyone," said Felix.

It is not uncommon for anyone at Impact City to take in a family and help see them through a counseling process whether it is one-on-one discipleship with the Trevinos or a case where others have gotten involved. Impact City Church is a church on a mission.

"We always seem to attract those who have little to no church background," Felix stated. "I think the reason is because we are not afraid of it! If we are going to produce a plentiful harvest for God's kingdom then we have to be willing to dig in and get dirty."

By living in community, Impact City Church has seen God move and grow in the people of their neighborhoods and surrounding areas. They have a "slow but sure" disciple making process.

They have grown in the way they all see the need for a Savior, in their relationships with the people around them, in their marriages and learning to love selflessly, in their parenting and making disciples of their children, and in calling the men and women of the church to become better and stronger leaders.

"Number wise, I like to joke and say we've started with two and now average 40, so we've grown about 20,000%," said Felix.

Impact City Church has a vision to impact Corpus Christi with the love of Jesus Christ in that the city as a whole sees positive change. Prayerfully, by living in community they will meet the physical and spiritual needs of their city.

"Felix and Sara sacrifice 'normal' to pursue a life and ministry of significance for the Kingdom," said Joe Loughlin, director of Connections Team at Baptist General Convention of Texas. "Such sacrifice is the demand for reaching Texas for Jesus. We need the passion and commitment of such young and future leaders to multiply and take over."

Having a church that is centrally located in the heart of Corpus Christi with the resources and volunteers who understand their calling for mission is the passion needed to make the church flourish. The church hopes to someday have a building that would house local non-profits, counseling, job training, and affordable child care for single parents and weekly worship.

"I'd like to say that we are not a 'normal' church by any means," said Felix. "We think outside the box because God can't be contained in a box. There are still a lot of needs in this church plant that need to be filled but I know God is faithful to provide. I ask that anyone who reads this will simply pray and ask what is it that God is leading them to do for Impact City."