Pastor Brad Pellish
Pastor of Outreach Ministries

Spouse Name:
Jennifer

Married since:
December 17, 1988

Children Names and Year Born:
Olivia (1994), Emma (1997), Daniel (2000)

Where were you born:
Alexandria, Virginia

Saved Since:
July 9, 1986

On Staff Since:
September, 2007

Favorite sport:
Football, followed very closely by baseball. I also like hockey, which I know is a big deal here in the desert.

Favorite Sport team and/or player:
Ohio State Buckeyes!!!

Favorite Food:
Pizza. After that, it's pizza.

Favorite Flavor of Ice Cream:
Baskin Robbins' Jamoca Almond Fudge (Not bad for a guy that doesn't like coffee!)

Hobbies:
Just enough auto maintenance to be dangerous, fantasy football and baseball, reading, sporting events, travel

Favorite artist(s) or musician(s):
I'm more into certain songs than groups or artists. I have really enjoyed the Newsboys because they blend theologically-sound lyrics with the style of music I like. I also like a lot of the classic R & R from the 60's & 70's. I'm not afraid to start moving around when they play that stuff at D-backs games!

Favorite Actor/Actress of all time:
Denzel Washington

Favorite Movie:
It's hard to call this a "favorite," but the movie that has had the most profound impact on my life is Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." I remember weeping uncontrollably the first time I saw it. I like mysteries and action flicks, and appreciate the fact that we have a DVD player that filters out most of the objectionable language.

Favorite Book:
I don't know if I can single out one favorite book. One of the best I've read recently is JUST WALK ACROSS THE ROOM, by Bill Hybels. A few years ago, I really enjoyed GOD IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK, by John Ortberg.

Favorite Author:
I love reading anything by Bill Hybels or Chuck Swindoll. I also appreciate Ravi Zacharias' writings, because he forces me to think on deep levels. John Ortberg makes me laugh while I think.

Favorite Restaurant:
It has to be P.F. Chang's, though that is a place Jennifer and I may go to only once-a-year for our anniversary, or for another special occasion. I really like Qdoba and go there more often.

Favorite Animal:
The kind that live at someone else's house.

Favorite Hymn or Praise Song:
Rock of Ages (1997 version, Rita Baloche) was one of my favorites that our praise band performed in my previous church. I really appreciate songs that highlight the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. Jennifer and I are already loving the music here at BBC!

Funniest and/or fondest childhood memory:
My fondest memories as a child revolve around sports. Playing them, and–even more particularly–attending professional sporting events. I still remember the anticipation and thrill of attending a Los Angeles Kings vs. Washington Capitals hockey game with my dad, which did not happen very often because he wasn't really into sports.

Funniest and/or fondest adult memory:
I abolutely love being married to Jennifer, so I treasure our wedding day. We like to travel together when we can, so our getaways also rank high on my list. Each of my children are also an incredible joy to me, so their births are among the pinnacle moments of my life. We had a unique opportunity afforded us to spend the better part of a week at Disney World in Florida in 2006, and I will never regret doing that while each of the kids were still at home.

If you were mayor and could change one thing about Phoenix:
I would make every gas station a "QT." Those places are awesome! (I was fairly sheltered in my previous locale)

Favorite scripture verse, passage, or book of the Bible:
I love the Psalms, especially as they read in the New Living Translation. Psalm 55:22 and 73:28 are my two favorites.

Main Ministries:
I'm responsible for anything that relates to helping people along in the process that I hope results in them embracing Jesus Christ as Leader and Forgiver. Because God often uses Christ followers to help others find their way to Him, one of the most important things I do is provide training opportunities in personal evangelism for the BBC family. Here at Bethany, we're concerned about unchurched people on both local and global levels. Therefore, I also provide leadership for a very ambitious global outreach program that includes many wonderful partners around the world.

Testimony:
While I made a decision as a child to "accept Christ," my life as a young adult was anything but indicative of what a true follower of Christ should look like. One morning in the summer of 1986, God brought me to a place of great discomfort concerning the state of spiritual disrepair I was in. I wanted to be absolutely sure of my eternal salvation, and I desired to live in a way that pleased Him. That morning, I cried out to God in prayer. I confessed my sin and need of salvation, told Him Him that I believed what the Bible said about Jesus' Person and work, and asked for His leadership and forgiveness in my life from that point on. Since that day, I have seen God morphing me into the person He wants me to be. While I may have been saved before, I really look to that summer day in 1986 as the time of my conversion to Christ.

One of the most exciting times in my life as a Christ follower occurred in the summer of 1999. It was during a class on the "Theology and Practice of Prayer" at Moody Bible Institute that God brought about a personal revival in my life. Through scripture texts such as Revelation 2:1-5 and 3:20, God kindly showed me that my giving Him a prominent place in my life was insufficient. What He really desires and deserves is preeminence. Although this is something I must periodically revisit, I have had a greater awareness of God's rightful place in my life since that wonderful season of renewal.