Michael Chadwick chatted about his transition from world champion swimmer to youth pastor.
Accomplishments as a professional swimmer
Throughout his respected career in swimming, Chadwick earned seven gold medals at the World Championships level (two in long-course swimming, and five in short course swimming).
To this day, Chadwick still holds the world record in the men’s 4 x 50 meter freestyle relay in short course swimming (as part of Team USA).
“Times are fast; swimming is getting faster and faster,” he noted. “This new wave of swimming is fun to watch. Every 10 years, it feels like our sport shifts quite a bit.”
Inspiration to go into ministry
On his inspiration to go into ministry, Chadwick said, “I jumped into full-time ministry about 3.5 years ago, so I’ve been at it for quite a little while now. I also do the young adult program as well.”
“Back in early 2022, I felt like my time with swimming was getting close to the end,” he said. “My wife Cassi and I had our baby, Grayson, who was almost a one-year-old at the time, and we felt it was about time to make a change.”
“So, we sold our house in Chapell Hill and bought a new house in Charlotte, North Carolina, and we moved back to where I am from. Things have been great. It all started 3.5 years ago, the Lord has been good, and our ministry has grown quite a bit,” he elaborated.
“Now, we have two kids, and things have been really good,” Chadwick noted. “It has been a big transition.”
Daily motivations as a pastor
On his daily motivations as a pastor, Chadwick said, “I am motivated by many things. Right now, I’ve seen a shift in the next generation, who doesn’t really know about purpose and calling; they think everything is about performance and what they have to do to earn their identity, and they need to constantly have success.”
“With my own story of being in the pool, I am seeing how easy it is to find your identity and your performance, and not your purpose,” he said.
“Personally, that is the first thing that got me driven into ministry. Seeing the hearts of the next generation go back to what I believe is the most important thing… their identity and Jesus, and that has been awesome,” he elaborated.
Future plans
Regarding his future plans, Chadwick shared, “Ministry is my calling! I feel swimming was a vehicle that got me where I am now. I want to be a pastor long-term.
“Also, I wouldn’t be opposed to do missionary work. I am going on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic this summer; this will be my second time going there. Whatever it is, I just want to be willing and able,” he noted.
“I am a huge believer that there is truth in this world, and it is our job to figure out what that truth is,” he said.
“The more you look at this world and what is working and what isn’t working, there is an absolute truth that I want to cling to, and I want people to see what has value in life. For me, that’s as a pastor now, not as a swimmer,” he explained.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Chadwick revealed, “Learning to be Obedient.”
“That’s a big thing,” he admitted. “If you really do believe that God is a good God and that He has big fans for our lives, then obedience is something I do out of love. His calling is the biggest thing for me. We are called to be obedient. God works through obedience.”
“From my heart, I want to be obedient, I want to be a good dad, a good husband, and a good pastor. I just want to see healthy fruit in my life,” he added.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Chadwick concluded, “Success means seeing the fruit that is on my tree on other people’s trees.”
To learn more about Michael Chadwick, follow him on Instagram.
