Faith is not only something we talk about on Sundays. For many believers, it is a daily calling that shapes how we work, lead, serve, love, and respond to life’s challenges.
On Living My Faith with James Fenimore, Chris Gardner, Director of Ministry, Training, and Technology at Legacy Ministries, shares a meaningful perspective on spiritual growth, workplace faith, marriage, ministry, and the importance of serving Christ in every season of life.
Chris’s story is rooted in service, community, prayer, and a deep desire to help others grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. His journey offers practical encouragement for anyone seeking to live out their faith with greater consistency, humility, and purpose.
Meet Chris Gardner of Legacy Ministries
Chris Gardner serves as the Director of Ministry, Training, and Technology at Legacy Ministries, a non-profit Christian organization located in Peachtree City, Georgia. Legacy Ministries is committed to establishing and maturing a community of believers in Jesus Christ.
The ministry offers training and mentoring services grounded in prayer and worship. Its programs are available in person and online and include discipleship, mentoring, speaking, writing, and other forms of support designed to help people grow in their spiritual journey.
A Ministry Focused on Discipleship and Growth
At the heart of Legacy Ministries is a desire to help believers mature in Christ. That focus is reflected in the organization’s emphasis on discipleship, mentoring, prayer, worship, and practical spiritual formation.
For those seeking a deeper walk with God, ministries like Legacy Ministries can provide encouragement, structure, and community. Spiritual growth often happens through faithful relationships, biblical teaching, and intentional spaces where people can ask honest questions and be guided with grace.
A Faith Journey Shaped by Service, Prayer, and Community
Chris’s faith journey includes several defining seasons that helped deepen his love for the Lord and strengthen his commitment to ministry.
He points to a powerful experience in 1995 during a Cursillo weekend, where he encountered the presence of the Holy Spirit in a meaningful way. He also describes a life-changing season in 2000, when his wife faced a major illness. Through deep prayer, surgical care, and post-surgery healing, Chris saw the Lord’s hand at work during an intensely difficult time.
Another significant part of his journey involved transitioning from liturgical church backgrounds into a Charismatic church experience. Beginning in 2007, Chris and his wife entered what he describes as their Bible college era, emerging deeper in love with each other and with the Lord.
When Faith Becomes Personal
Many people can point to moments when faith moved from something familiar to something deeply personal. For Chris, those moments include worship, healing, church community, study, and a growing awareness that God is present in every area of life.
His story reminds readers that spiritual growth is often a journey, not a single event. God uses seasons of challenge, learning, service, and transformation to shape a life of faith.
Living Out Faith in the Workplace and Community
Chris has worked in the Information Technology industry since his enlistment ended in 1985. Alongside his professional responsibilities, he has been active in helping others live out their faith in workplace settings.
Since 2007, he has led, launched, and supported faith-based employee groups at a variety of companies. He describes those experiences as a rich blessing.
Chris and his wife also hosted a House Church from 2010 to 2023. Today, he continues serving as part of the leadership team at Legacy Ministries while also fulfilling his responsibilities in his day job in the IT industry.
Faith at Work Is Still Faith
One of the most practical themes in Chris’s story is the idea that faith is not limited to church settings. It can be lived out in meetings, leadership decisions, conversations, acts of service, and the way we treat others.
For Christians navigating professional environments, this is an important reminder: living out faith does not always require a platform. Often, it begins with integrity, humility, prayer, respect, consistency, and a willingness to encourage others.
A Veteran’s Perspective on Transition and Gratitude
Chris is also a veteran, and his transition out of the military shaped a significant part of his personal story. He describes learning how to readjust to civilian life as challenging, especially as he and his wife were young and had married while serving.
Together, they had to relearn how to live off base and adapt to civilian life. Even with those challenges, Chris expresses deep gratitude for the Navy, noting that it was instrumental in introducing him to his wife.
Lessons from Transition
Major life transitions often reveal what we depend on most. For Chris, the move from military life into civilian life included both difficulty and gratitude. His reflection offers encouragement for anyone walking through transition: God can use challenging seasons to form resilience, deepen relationships, and reveal unexpected blessings.
The Scripture That Guides His Work
One passage that has been especially meaningful to Chris is Colossians 3:23-24:
