Azusa Pacific University knows that careers are more than jobs—they’re callings. When students integrate their passions into their career goals, they find that the Lord has a future full of exciting opportunities waiting for them that they never would have expected. Chris Tansey ’10, MDiv ’14, knew that he wanted to share God’s love through ministry, and his time as a youth pastor guided him to achieving another dream of opening a rock climbing gym.
Tansey studied youth and family ministry and biblical studies during his undergraduate years at APU. In freshman year, Tansey invited his friends to go climbing with him. “My friends and I went climbing all over LA,” he said. “I also had two memberships to different climbing gyms.” Tansey also went climbing with his resident directors, the outdoors club, and participated in a walkabout with former president Jon Wallace.
After graduation, Tansey served in Glendora Community Church for a year before earning a full ride scholarship from the Kern Scholarship Foundation to APU Seminary where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. In seminary, Tansey pitched the idea of turning an old church building with high ceilings into a rock climbing gym as a form of ministry. His idea was rejected, but he kept the dream in the back of his mind as he continued to enjoy his pastoral work.
Wanting to make a change for himself and his family, Tansey decided to attend the Climbing Wall Association (CWA) Summit where he learned about what it would take to start a climbing gym. After five months of careful planning, Tansey pitched his business plan to two different banks hoping to receive a SBA loan in October 2019 and secured his loan in January of 2020. Shortly after everything began falling into place, the lockdown made starting up a new business impossible.
In October 2020, Tansey knew he had to find a location for his climbing gym before time ran out on his SBA loan. After many rejections from landlords, Tansey found a building in Phoenix which would be a good fit for the gym. “It had parking, 30 foot walls, and was an empty building that could be remodeled however we wanted,” he said. “It was my dream location, the space I emailed first in May 2019 before I had a realtor representing me or was funded. The landlord ended up being interested in the facility and was extremely generous.” Tansey’s waiting had paid off, but there was still lots to be done before the gym could open. He took on some projects himself while waiting for permits to go through and construction to start. “Everything aligned really well,” he said. “I had been praying for things to happen, and everything finally came together.”
Gecko Climbing Gym opened in April 2021, just one week after Arizona’s governor eliminated Covid restrictions
including the occupancy limitation and mask mandates. Gecko immediately drew in people
who were ready to get back to doing what they loved in community with others, and
they gained many customers from other local gyms who continued to enforce strict mask
mandates. “It is very common for people to walk through our doors and instantly feel
welcomed by the positive environment,” Tansey said.
As Gecko has grown, God has been able to use the gym as a safe place to help people grow and learn. Gecko has dedicated programs and climbing programs for women, youth, and children with disabilities. Once Gecko opened, a coach came in with a boy who was blind and autistic. The boy was unable to use the other climbing gyms in the area because of the mask policy enforcements, but Tansey welcomed the boy and his coach. “The coach created a program for children with disabilities, and since then we’ve connected with different special needs schools and organizations. We have 10 students come every Friday, and it’s awesome to be able to work with them and provide staffing to give them all a chance to climb.” Gecko also hosts women’s climbing hours in partnership with Arizona Women’s Climbing Coalition. “Women show up from all over Phoenix to be a part of the Ladies’ Nights events and focus on gathering together in community,” Tansey said. “It’s easy for friendships to flourish when you’re at a climbing gym because you can encourage others and talk to them about the different routes.”
Tansey’s background in ministry and time at APU have influenced the way he interacts with his customers and the overall experience of visiting Gecko. APU showed Tansey the importance of relational ministry and testimony. “Some of the most powerful life changes happen in the context of relationships,” he said. “When I interact with people, I’ve found that they are often interested in opening up about their faith.” Sharing and listening to peoples’ testimonies from different faith backgrounds has been an impactful experience for Tansey. “One guy told me he’s had more conversations about Jesus here than anywhere else,” he said. “When I open up about my time as a youth pastor, people often share that they’re also Christian and can see how God is working in this space.”
Gecko isn’t just a place for people to practice their hobby of climbing, it’s also a space for transformative experiences. “APU’s relational ministry model prepared me to help be a ministry leader and business owner,” Tansey said. “I’ve had the chance to create space for God to work and where people can feel like they belong.” With a growing team of 25 staff members, an expanding network of customers and partnerships, and over 300 children in youth climbing programs, Gecko Climbing Gym has become a staple of community, positivity, and faith in Phoenix.