Region 7 – southWest
Region 7 serves the following areas:
California
Nevada
Utah
Arizona
Hawaii
Baja California
Sonora

Chaplain Lee Styer
Region 7 Director
Tell us a little about you & your family. I’m a native Arizonan, married to my beautiful, loving wife Mary for 30 years. I have two stepchildren for whom I’m very thankful to God for placing in my life. I wouldn’t change a thing about the path He gave me, expecting me to fulfill my role as a loving dad and husband. Not only did He give me a family, but He also gave me life eternal through Jesus Christ AND a ministry! I’ve learned to take care of my own family so God can use me to take care of His family!
How did you first connect with RFC? One Sunday at church, my pastor had inspired me to get out and serve. I prayed to God to use me and open a door to a ministry that was a good fit. A week later, my church hosted a car show in its parking lot and I attended and met Eddie Baugher, an RFC chaplain who asked if I might be interested in also serving with the ministry. He advised me to think about it and, of course, pray over the decision. I prayed, thanking God for already answering my prayer…from just a week prior! I served as a chaplain with RFC for five years before being offered the position of Region 7 director earlier this year. I knew that this would expand upon the ministry the Lord had given to me, and I knew this was an opportunity to serve Him on another level. He wanted me to step out yet again and take another leap of faith for Him!
What’s the best part, for you, about serving with the ministry? God has shaped me into a person who loves to meet new people. I‘ve always been intrigued to walk up to someone, introduce myself, and start up a conversation to get to know that person. Through everyone I’ve met through the ministry, I’ve come to realize that connecting with all the different personalities God has brought into my life has given me an understanding of why He created us as social beings. He’ll put people in our lives that we can easily connect with because of our similar personalities, building a quick trust and a strong relationship. But He also puts people in our lives who are nothing like our own selves, causing us to grow. These relationships take longer to build trust, earning another’s respect, and building a stronger relationship.
We interact with others as God interacts with us. Understanding that we were created to worship Him, a big part of that worship is having a love for Him. This love should be reflected in how we love those around us. So, the best part of meeting people is not just getting to know them, but also coming to love them and call them friends and family.
Tell us about a favorite “God sighting” at a motorsports event where you were serving. While not a specific incident, I can say this ministry has brought me very close to people who have suffered through personal trials in their lives, something that we can all relate to. Learning of their hardships and struggles has drawn us closer. It’s humbling and very eye-opening, understanding how fragile life is and how vulnerable we all really are. Our trials get us to look up to God, to depend upon Him for spiritual guidance. I like to say, “God knocks us down so we look up!” But we’re also dependent upon each other to share His guidance and bring support.
What’s a random fact most people don’t know about you? I’m very artistic! I love to draw and remember spending hours drafting three-dimensional drawings of buildings while listening to the music of The Beatles. Spending numerous hours at my drafting table prompted me to study architectural drafting in school. I have an eye for photography, as well, and I grew up spending most of my time building models and experimenting with airbrushing. And almost two decades ago, I discovered I love creative writing. I’ve written two sci-fi novels (anyone know a publisher?!) and have a draft for the third.
Anything else you wanna share with our readers? Knowing God is the ultimate artist, it’s easy to see how He shapes all of us and gives us talents to be at our best, lacking nothing as we serve Him. This ministry that God has given me is to be a blessing to others. We, as chaplains and children of God, have a mission to fulfill: Bring glory to His name, edify the church, and fulfill the great commission. RFC doesn’t just bring inspiration to the world of motor sports — we bring the gospel by shining His light for the world to witness.