A South Memphis Congregation Since the 1930s
In the 1930s, a small group of believers began meeting on Monsarrat Street in South Memphis, planting what is now the Norris Road Church of Christ. The congregation grew quickly, soon relocating to Iowa and Lauderdale Streets, and in the early 1950s moved again to 585 Vance Avenue. By July 1988 the body had outgrown that home as well, and the members settled on the twenty-two-acre site at 1055 Norris Road near I-240 where they remain today. From that campus the Norris Road Church of Christ continues to seek, save, and serve across the Memphis Metropolitan area, with the minister, elders, deacons, and membership working together to evangelize, edify the saints, and do works of benevolence.
Four Decades of Pulpit Ministry and His Protégé
Few congregations can claim the kind of pulpit stability that defined the Norris Road Church of Christ in the second half of the last century. Dr. Nokomis Yeldell served as the church's minister for forty-one years before retiring in October 2000. Bro. J. Michael Crusoe followed, shepherding the flock from 2001 through 2012.
In March 2013, Bro. DonBurnell Holly returned to the church where he had first grown up. Holly had departed in 1984 for ministerial service elsewhere, but he remained under the tutelage of Yeldell for twenty-seven years, from 1980 to 2007. The mentorship, training, and wise counsel Holly received during that period prepared him to lead the Norris Road congregation, where he now serves as minister and evangelist.
Sundays on Norris Road
Sunday is the busiest day of the week at the Norris Road campus. Bible study begins at 9:45 AM, followed by morning worship at 10:45 AM. A second worship service gathers at 4:00 PM, an afternoon gathering the church has offered since September 2023. Worship is grounded in the Churches of Christ tradition, with sermons rooted in Scripture and an emphasis on the simple plan of salvation. Recordings of recent sermons are posted to the church's YouTube channel so members who cannot attend in person can catch up online.
For those who prefer to gather remotely, the Sunday PM Zoom Class meets weekly at 4:00 PM, with login opening at 3:45 PM. On the first Sunday of every month, an additional Zoom Bible study convenes at 6:00 PM.
The Salvation Plan
The Norris Road Church of Christ teaches a five-step plan of salvation drawn from passages including Mark 12:29, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Acts 15:7, Romans 10:10, Luke 13:3, Mark 6:12, Matthew 10:32, Acts 8:37, Acts 2:38, and Acts 22:16. Hearers are called to hear the gospel of Christ, believe the gospel, repent of past sins, confess Jesus Christ, and be baptized to wash away sins. New disciples are then encouraged to add the seven Christian graces from 2 Peter 1:5-11 and to live faithful unto death, a reference to Revelation 2:10.
The church also offers a free eight-week Bible Correspondence Course for those who want to study these themes on their own, with a certificate given upon completion. A Salvation Series of training materials, outlines, and a downloadable bookcase supports the church's teaching of the gospel plan for anyone interested in deeper study.
Youth Ministry
The Norris Road Youth Group aims to enhance the spiritual growth, development, and maturation of the church's young people. Ongoing activities include participation in Bible Bowl and conferences at the local, state, regional, and national levels. The group also regularly visits the sick and shut-in, carrying on the church's tradition of caring for members who cannot easily leave home.
The youth ministry is led by Lallon Boyce, Demetria Farewell, and Delton Farewell Sr. Drawing on 1 Timothy 4:12 - "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity" - the program seeks to assist parents in the spiritual, social, intellectual, and physical development of every young person. The church teaches that Christian teens are the church of today and will ensure the church of the future.
Midweek Zoom and the Sunny Sixties
For those who want a midweek dive into Scripture, the Norris Road Church of Christ hosts a Wednesday evening Bible study on Zoom. Participants can log in beginning at 6:30 PM for fellowship, with the lesson starting at 6:45 PM. Past topics have explored God's eternal plan to save man, predestination and foreordination, the gospel as a baseline for evangelism, the three creations and one salvation framework, Jeremiah 31:38-40, an interactive study of Romans 11, things written aforetime, a structural study of Ephesus, the mystery of God and the gospel, Gentile salvation in Old Testament revelation, and Romans 7 and 8 in their context.
Thursday mornings bring the Sunny Sixties encouragement and prayer session, a Zoom gathering designed for the church's senior adults. The login window opens at 9:45 AM and the time runs from 10:00 AM. The Sunny Sixties ministry reflects the Norris Road commitment to keeping every generation connected to the body, no matter their stage of life.
Missionary Support and the Wider Fellowship
The Norris Road Church of Christ is currently engaged in missionary support, both nationally and internationally. Members are reflecting on a glorious past, positively embracing the present, and faithfully anticipating a radiant ministerial future. The goals: seek and save the lost, build each other up in the most holy faith, and compassionately meet the needs of others.
Locally, the church participates in the National Lectureship of the Churches of Christ, and members travel to events such as the citywide worship service and the annual Ministers Theological Institute. Visitors are warmly welcomed at 1055 Norris Road, and the church office can be reached at (901) 775-2511 or old_path@bellsouth.net.