Growing up as the son of a pastor in the 1970s, Tim Mitchell didn’t plan to follow in his father’s footsteps but he said God had a plan all His own.
Today, Mitchell is the senior pastor at the 120-member Chancey Road Christian Church, 34921 Chancey Road, in Zephyrhills. He is also active in the Zephyrhills community, serving on the board of directors for East Pasco Meals on Wheels, Pregnancy Care Center of Zephyrhills, Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce and Samaritan Project of Zephyrhills.
Q: What lead you to become a pastor?
A: I grew up in church my whole life. I have great parents who raised my two brothers, one sister and myself in a Christian home. I felt called into the ministry at about 16 years old but did not want anything to do with being a preacher.
By age 33, I was a successful businessman, happily married with a beautiful 5-year-old daughter and a son on the way. Life seemed really good but something was missing. There was still this call to be in ministry. God was simply waiting for me to come on His terms not mine.
Q: What brought you to Chancey Road?
A: My wife and I began attending Chancey Road Christian Church in 2001. Then we began working with the youth. In 2003, the senior minister at Chancey Road retired and in January 2004, I began as the interim Preaching Minister at the church. I was ordained into the preaching ministry in October of 2004 and have been here at the church ever since.
Q: What are your goals for the church?
A: I don’t know that my goals really matter but fulfilling God’s plans and purposes does. The church should be a place where people like myself can come and feel loved, accepted, involved, completed, forgiven, and cared for.
Q: Why is faith important to you?
A: I guess for me the simplest answer is the best answer. The book of Hebrews chapter 11, verse 6 says, “No one can please God without faith. Whoever goes to God must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” As one who seeks God with his whole heart I want God to be pleased with me.
Q: Describe your pastoral style?
A: My pastoral style is servant based. Jesus came and humbled Himself and served the needs of others. Whether it was healing the sick and the lame, sharing compassion with the broken, or dying on a cross in my place for my sin, Jesus was serving the needs of those whom He loved most, us. I strive, as we all should, to follow the example of Jesus.
Q: Why do you think community involvement is important?
A: In Matthew 5: 13-16 Jesus says, “You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste, how will it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. You are light for the world. A city cannot be hidden when it is located on a hill. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand. Then its light shines on everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine in front of people. Then they will see the good that you do and praise your Father in heaven.”
In order for salt to be of any use you have to let it out of the shaker every once in a while. I see Chancey Road as that kind of church, we are out of our shaker for Jesus on a regular basis around here. I kinda like the sound of that.
Q: How are you involved in the community?
A: I believe in leading by example, so I am involved in many community and faith based organizations. I am a member of the Zephyrhills/Wesley Chapel Ministerial Association, the Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, the Salvation Army Advisory counsel of Dade City and the Conservative Club of East Pasco. I also serve as a volunteer Chaplain for the East Pasco YMCA in Zephyrhills. I believe in being an active participant in each of the organizations that I mentioned. It’s not about building a resume as some critics will claim.
Q: What do you do when you aren’t working?
A: When not working or serving I spend time with the love of my life and wife of 18 years, Missy and our three children Hannah (13), Jacob (8), and Ben (22 mo.) We like to fish, ride bikes, go on picnics, bowl, camp and go to movies. Missy and I enjoy playing on the church softball team every week.
Yard work is my retreat away from the rat race. I do a lot of talking to God or better yet listening to God while working in the yard. Other than that a good book or an old western or sci-fi movie usually fills just about any spare time I have left.
Q: As a Christian, what are your greatest challenges and blessings?
A: As a Christian my greatest challenge is living every day as I have described, as Jesus would. I struggle everyday with wanting to do it my way or under my own strength and that never works. I think the apostle Paul had the best response and that was to die daily to self in order to live for Christ.
My greatest blessing as a Christian is to see others come to know the love of Jesus Christ in such a way that it transforms their life. To see others serve Him with passion. To see others experience the great joy of living life God’s way. To know that you have made a difference not just in the world but in a life, even just one.
For information on Chancey Road Christian Church, call (813) 788-4881.
