Your Career May End. Your Calling Doesn’t.

At the start of this summer, Chris Stricker joined TDC’s staff as our Student Minister. Before joining our team, Chris spent 30 years as an educator in Coppell ISD. When the time came for him to retire, he didn’t look for an opportunity to kick back and take it easy. Instead, he looked for a place where he could continue using his gifts and investing in others. Specifically, he wanted to link arms with families at The Door Church and help shepherd students toward Christ.

We’ve been curious about how Chris arrived at the decision to take this ste into full-time ministry, and his journey reminds us of Hebrews 12:1-2:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

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I have been involved in ministry my whole life as a teacher and a coach. Over the past 6 years, I have especially enjoyed leading the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) ministry at Coppell High School. Knowing I was going to retire from Coppell after teaching and coaching for 30 years made me excited about the search for what is next.

I talked about it with my family, and they could see I wanted to keep doing ministry of some kind. My son Zach was the one who said, "Why don't you just meet with Scott and tell him, 'These are my gifts. Do you think the church could use me in any way?'"

So I did just that. I met with Scott and told him how much I love my church, and that serving in some way would be a dream job for me. The timing was definitely a God thing because, during that conversation, Scott shared that Mark would be transitioning out of his role. He told me the church needed my help with TDC Students, and that is a wheelhouse thing for me, so it was a perfect fit.

The transition has been fun. After doing the same job for 30 years, it has been really cool to start over with the church and find a new routine. I have a few retired friends that I play pickleball with, and I see how slow and simple their lives are. I respect that, but I also know that is not me. 

I know God has wired me with a high capacity, and I want to channel that energy into intentional ministry and sharing the gospel with our students in the community, and helping to grow our students spiritually at TDC. I learned a long time ago that to grow as a Christian, it's so important to be discipled yourself while also discipling someone else.

Working at TDC helps me mature in both of those areas of discipleship in my life, and I am already blessed because of it. The thought of spending retirement on a beach somewhere sounds great, but I'd still rather keep running the race.