How God Ex-Soccer Pro Aaron Tredway Started to Lead in his Home Church

Published: April 28, 2023

How God Ex-Soccer Pro Aaron Tredway Started to Lead in his Home Church

By Movieguide® Contributor

Former soccer pro, Aaron Tredway, recently recalled his journey to becoming a pastor, a position he adamantly rejected for years of his life.

Tredway came to know Christ when he was 19. He read C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity and felt God’s love for the first time.

“On my own, in my dorm room, responding to the Gospel… [the] first time I ever heard the Gospel message,” Tredway said. “I said to God in my first prayer, ‘I’ll follow Jesus on three conditions – [I] never want to be a pastor, a missionary, or a public speaker. On those three conditions, I’m all in, God.’”

Tredway would reiterate his disinterest in becoming a pastor when proposing to his then-girlfriend, saying, “One thing I will never do is be a pastor.”

Tredway’s heart began to change after his career in professional soccer ended and he moved back to the United States. While serving as an elder at a struggling church, he began to feel God tug at his heart.

“It’s not that I ever had anything against the pastorate,” Tredway said. “I love the church. I’ve always had a heart for the local church. I just felt that God had created me to serve in a different way.”

After diving headfirst into ministry, Tredway began to see God’s purpose for his life. His ministry revolves around helping people refocus their life toward a way of living consistent with the Bible’s teachings.

Rather than finding success, Tredway believes people should search for significance instead.

“In the simplest form, the dictionary defines success as ‘the attainment of wealth, possessions, affirmation, or the like,’” he said. “Whereas, significance… it’s got a few definitions, but one of the is a ‘worthy goal.’”

Tredway wants to help people find a worthy goal in their life that leaves them fulfilled. He wants to shift people’s focus away from money and wealth, and instead help them focus on generosity and compassion.

“I just this money is a bad goal, a bad target for life,” he said. “I always tell people [there’s] nothing wrong with money, as long as money doesn’t have a grip on you – as long as that’s not your ultimate reason, your ultimate why.”

Tredway has come a long way since he first became a Christian. He now sees pouring into others as being of the utmost importance and cherishes his pastoral role at his home church.