Jimmy Dorrell’s journey into urban ministry spans over 47 years, demonstrating the life changing power of incarnational living among the poor. After seminary and working in Houston, Jimmy and his wife, Janet, took a round-the-world trip that profoundly impacted their understanding of global poverty. Instead of settling into a comfortable middle-class lifestyle upon their return, they made the radical decision to move into a blighted neighborhood in Waco, Texas.
Their home—a 4,000-square-foot fixer-upper purchased for just $12,000—was situated across from a bar in a neighborhood filled with drug dealers and prostitutes. While Jimmy’s father-in-law didn’t share their enthusiasm for this move, they remained committed to building authentic relationships rather than implementing programs to “fix” their neighbors. This approach, characterized by listening and walking alongside community members, has been the foundation of their ministry for nearly five decades.
The Christian Community Development model that Jimmy embraces is fundamentally bottom-up. It prioritizes listening to neighborhood voices, working with rather than for community members, and fostering empowerment through collaborative efforts. This stands in stark contrast to the parachute approach of starting nonprofits from outside and imposing solutions. By taking the time to understand the actual needs of their community—whether employment assistance or addiction recovery—Jimmy and Janet were able to address issues organically as they emerged.
Today, the neighborhood they moved into has transformed significantly. What was once characterized by blight now features a healthy mix of ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds. This transformation wasn’t the result of a master plan but of consistent relationship-building and community engagement over decades. Importantly, they’ve managed to stimulate positive change without complete gentrification, maintaining the neighborhood’s authentic character and accessibility for long-time residents.
One of Jimmy’s most notable initiatives is Church Under the Bridge, which began when homeless individuals invited Jimmy and Janet to conduct a Bible study under an interstate bridge. This has grown into a vibrant congregation of 225-250 people from all walks of life—homeless individuals, professionals, college professors, and people with mental illness gathering together in authentic worship. For 32 years, they’ve met outdoors under the bridge (with a brief four-year relocation to Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Silos during bridge repairs), embracing discomfort to create an inclusive spiritual community.
What makes this church unique is how it challenges traditional power dynamics. The marginalized aren’t just recipients of charity but active participants with valuable insights to share. Jimmy recalls an African-American woman he assumed would ask for money, who instead handed him $20 to help someone in greater need—a powerful example of the widow’s mite principle in action. These experiences have taught Jimmy that seminaries often fail to prepare ministers for the complex realities of urban ministry, and that profound theological insights frequently come from those society pushes to the margins.
Most recently, Jimmy has been developing Creekside Community Village, a tiny home community for the homeless inspired by Austin’s Community First Village. This initiative reflects his belief that homelessness isn’t primarily about housing but about community. The village will eventually include 346 small homes where homeless individuals can live in community for the rest of their lives, with Christian “missionals” living among them to provide support and fellowship. Despite the “not in my backyard” resistance that often confronts homeless initiatives, Jimmy’s long-standing credibility in Waco has helped overcome these challenges.
After nearly five decades of ministry, Jimmy and Janet remain deeply committed to their community, even planning to be buried among their friends in the Pauper Cemetery, where Jimmy has conducted numerous funerals for homeless individuals. This commitment to presence—to staying when others leave—exemplifies the incarnational approach that has defined their ministry and transformed countless lives in Waco and beyond.
