In September 2025, Brad and Paige Straarup launched Spirit Church in Chandler, Arizona as ARC Church Plant number 1171. After moving from Birmingham, Alabama with their young family, they stepped out in faith to build a life-giving church with a simple but powerful vision: a world following Jesus.
What began as an eight-year journey of prayer, preparation, and obedience became a launch weekend filled with expectation, peace, and the presence of God. From the first moments of the team huddle to two full services and many people giving their lives to Christ, Spirit Church’s launch was a beautiful picture of what happens when leaders say yes, a church family sends them with faith, and a local Launch Team comes together to help create a place people can call home.
Brad and Paige’s story is a reminder that church planters are heroes. Their courage, faith, and willingness to follow God into a new city represent the heart of ARC and the thousands of churches that have been planted through relationships, generosity, and a shared belief that the best churches are still ahead.
