Chris Stull speaking to the Men’s Christian Fellowship
Larry Gleason
At their October 4 meeting the Fellowship heard Chris Stull share an inspiring testimony about his journey of life and faith in the Lord. Chris is lead pastor at Goodyear’s Wellspring Baptist Church which he helped start in 2014. Chris shared key events, people and thoughts that have impacted his life. As a highly recruited high school athlete he had the opportunity to meet with Lou Holtz. Coach Holtz told Chris three things would impact his life: 1) What he read 2) What he heard and 3) Whom he met. Chris referenced a Reader’s Digest that summarized interviews with a number of people over the age of 100. Most had no regrets but three common themes were 1) They wished they had taken more risks; 2) They should have “smelled the roses” more and 3) They should have invested their life in something that lived on after them. While in college Chris enjoyed athletic success in football and baseball at the University of Oklahoma. Due to an injury his football career under Coach Barry Switzer abruptly ended in 1983, preventing him from playing on Oklahoma’s national championship team the next season. This haunted him for the next 10 years but eventually the Lord informed him, “Don’t let the past or any regrets rob you of joy today.” After college he worked for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization for 10 years. Chris became a pastor and subsequently held leadership roles in a large church in Phoenix and then a large congregation in Texas. Marriage came after college and Chris and his wife Brenna were blessed with five children. In 2013 the Lord called Chris back to Arizona to help start the church in Goodyear. Over the years Chris has developed three points he tries to live by: 1) Don’t live to work but work to live; 2) Do for at least one what you wish you could do for all (Chris shared he, along with other volunteers, have gone to Sierra Leone several times to work on projects to help improve the impoverished lives of children. He and his wife have been very moved by these experiences and in 2014 they adopted two Sierra Leone children); and 3) Our journey of life and faith should always focus on Jesus rather than on one church, one denomination, or one cause. Live for Jesus and have a personal relationship with Him every day. Chris reminded the Fellowship that while our country is going through challenging times, the Lord is on the throne as noted in Psalm 46:10.
At the Fellowship’s November 1 meeting Jim Sykes, PebbleCreek resident and Fellowship member, will share his personal testimony, “Don’t let your past shape your future.” Jim will also present information about a new ministry he is chairing for the Fellowship’s members called the Welcome, Prayer and Visitation Ministry. The meeting will be held at 7:30 a.m. in the Tuscany Falls Chianti Room. All men residing in PebbleCreek are welcome to attend. Coffee and pastries will be available starting at 7:00 a.m. in the Tuscany Falls Coffee Bar adjacent to the Chianti Room.