Phil Roy

HOW I WAS CALLED TO WEST
COAST BAPTIST COLLEGE

I was saved as a teenager at a Christian youth camp in Northern Arizona in the summer of 1993. Evangelist John Goetsch
was the guest speaker that week of camp. I remember him
preaching a message on the crucifixion of Christ. I walked
the aisle that night and received Christ as my Savior. In the
summer of 1997, after attending a week long youth revival
at our church, God put a call on my life to serve him in
full-time ministry. Even though I had surrendered my life
to serve the Lord in ministry, I still had no idea where God
wanted me to attend Bible college. The summer was coming
to a close and I was still undecided of where God wanted
me to prepare. My father, who is a pastor, had heard of a
Bible college in California that was fairly new. Not knowing
much about this college, we requested they send us some
more information. I still remember it was a Friday when
the information arrived, the fall semester due to begin the
following Monday. I watched a promotional video (probably
one of the first videos put out by the college) and I knew
immediately that God was doing something in my heart.
God was calling me right then and there to attend West
Coast Baptist College.

THE MINISTRY I CURRENTLY SERVE AT

I have served as the Associate Pastor of Harvest Baptist
Church in Goodyear, Arizona since 2004. For over 14 years, my wife and I have been privileged to see God work mightily
on behalf of our church. After just a few years of being at
our church, we were able to see the completion of a new
auditorium. We witnessed God provide a sizable amount of
money through a means we never would have seen coming.
The Lord has allowed us to be a part of church growth in a
growing city that needs the gospel.

As Associate Pastor I have served in many different
capacities in our church ministry through the years. For the
first ten years, I served as the youth pastor of our junior and
senior high teens. During my entire ministry at Harvest,
I have served as the choir director and head of the music
ministry. God has given me many preaching opportunities
in our church as well as other guest speaking engagements.
My wife has always been heavily involved in the children’s
ministries of our church, usually teaching during most
service times. God has allowed us to have a part in seeing
some of the kids that have grown up in our church go to West
Coast Baptist College and now serve in ministry. That has
been one of the most rewarding aspects of ministry for us.

WHAT IS SOMETHING GOD HAS TAUGHT ME IN THE
MINISTRY I AM AT

God has taught me just to wait on Him and allow Him to
work in His time. God has showed me time and time again
just to be faithful in times of difficulty and adversity. God
has taught me that I can trust Him because He knows what
is best for my life.

A TRIAL THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED WHILE IN MINISTRY
AND WHAT THE LORD TAUGHT ME

Without a doubt the hardest thing that my wife and I have
experienced in ministry is the valley we passed through
with one of our children. Our daughter Avalon was born
completely deaf with no reasonable explanation as to why.
While in the process of exploring a possible cochlear implant
surgery to give our daughter some measure of hearing, we
were given the worst news possible. After completing an MRI
of our daughter’s brain and ear structure, the doctors found
what was conclusive with leukodystrophy. We had never
heard of such a disease, but even after just a short search on
the computer we were devastated to discover the seriousness
of our daughter’s condition. Leukodystrophy is a rare genetic
brain disorder that slowly deteriorates the brain, eventually
shutting down the nervous system. Leukodystrophy has no
known cure and most children diagnosed at her age with
the disease do not live past 2 years of age. We wondered if
our daughter would ever sit up, would she ever crawl, would
she ever walk, would she ever talk, would she ever get the
chance to hear for the very first time? These questions
flooded our minds during many sleepless nights and long
weeks of waiting. Because of God’s miracle-working power
and because of thousands of Christians praying in churches
across America, including the students of WCBC, God has
miraculously delivered our beautiful little Avalon. This year
Avalon will celebrate her 5th birthday. She is functioning
like a normal child—healthy and full of life. Doctors cannot
explain her situation, but we know God has done the
impossible on her behalf. She now has her cochlear implant
which has been successful in allowing her to hear and develop
speech. To God be the glory! God is good.

SOME MORE ABOUT OUR FAMILY

God has blessed my wife Jennifer and me with 6 wonderful
children, 4 boys and 2 girls. Our oldest are twin boys, Levi
and Landen (11), Chandler (9), Ashlyn (8), Avalon (4), and
Camden (2).

HOW HAS WCBC, LBC, AND PASTOR CHAPPELL
INFLUENCED MY LIFE AND MINISTRY

I believe being at the college during its beginning stages
allowed me to experience some of the most exciting times
in the life of West Coast Baptist College. WCBC and the
local church ministry of Lancaster Baptist taught me that
there is no greater purpose in life than reaching others
with the gospel. West Coast has taught me to model my
life and ministry after the godly principles that have been
established in Scripture. I thank God for godly men such as
Pastor Chappell and Dr. John Goetsch who invested their
time and instilled spiritual qualities in my life that
have allowed me to continue in the ministry. I
thank God for their continual example and
friendship for many years.