Meet Jeff Royce | Lead Pastor, The Oasis Church, Gilbert, AZ

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeff Royce and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeff, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
I was drawn to this question, even though several options would have applied.

As I look back on my 41 years as a pastor, I think that learning to persevere and endure may be the single most important ingredient in eventually experiencing success and prosperity.

Our success as a church has been because I’m surrounded by likeminded leaders who are also persevering, enduring, and encouraging me. Hebrews 6:10 says to not grow weary in doing good for in due season we shall reap if we don’t give up.

The reality is that all of us will face challenges, obstacles, and opposition in pursuit of our dreams. If we give up too easily or too soon, we don’t develop the strength and resolve we need see things through.

There is no definite way to KNOW what will be successful and what will not. You have to be willing to try things, whether they succeed or not. Some will fail, but others will prosper. So you need to be able to accept and absorb failure while resisting discouragement and get back up to move forward.

Proverbs 24:10 says although a righteous person may fall seven times, they get back up every time. For me, giving up is not really an option. I’ve learned that there’s always a way through even the most difficult challenges.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The thing I’m most proud of is that I’ve been in the ministry for over 40 years! Most people don’t last that long. I love what I do because I get to help people understand God and His Word (the Bible) better and because of the people that I work with as well as the people in my congregation. They are all extremely humble, teachable, and faithful.

I’ve learned to be adaptable because there is constant change in our culture, in our circumstances, and in people’s character.

I named the church “The Oasis” because I wanted it to be a place of refreshment, restoration, and rest. There is so much stress, pressure, and anxiety in our world today that it is necessary for us to have a place in our lives where we can remove ourselves to find refuge.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My wife and I are “foodies” so we would definitely visit good restaurants. some of our favorites are: Steak 44, The Henry, The Collins, Zinburger, Sushi Brokers, True Food Kitchen, Chelsea’s Kitchen.

The Desert Botanical Gardens are always a good choice when the weather permits.

We also love to just drive folks around the valley to see the diverse views: Camelback Mountain as well as the drive from Phoenix to Globe is stunning!

For family and friends who like sports, we go to spring training games or regular season Diamondbacks game in Downtown.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family and fellow leaders at The Oasis Church.

Website: https://www.theoasisaz.com

Instagram: @theoasisaz

Facebook: @PastorJeffRoyce

Youtube: TheOasisAZ

Image Credits
Amanda Mason Photography