Steve Stucker is an Associate Pastor at New Covenant Church in Albuquerque, as well as the Founder & Director of Up B4 the Son Ministries. Since retiring from his 48 year Broadcasting career, Steve has been traveling the state as a Guest Speaker at a wide variety of Christian churches.
Like my good friend and brother in Christ, Pastor Dewey Moede, I also left a successful broadcasting career to serve the Lord full-time instead. I was on staff as a pastor for over a dozen years, while also serving as a full-time weathercaster on TV. My choice to leave my media career of 48 years was encouraged and hastened by a good friend and spiritual mentor.
Chip is well-known to the Christian community throughout all of New Mexico, and over much of the United States. He successfully managed a wide variety of Christian radio stations nationwide, while simultaneously producing faith-based television documentaries, designing and planning large Christian campaigns, revivals, and mission trips. Chip was also instrumental in the incredible growth of Calvary of Albuquerque, serving as a close friend, confidant, advisor and assistant to Pastor Skip Heitzig for well over 40 years.
Three years ago, I was stunned when Chip came to me in person, and told me he felt it was important for me to get out and preach the word of God everywhere that I could! Chip knew me from my 22 years in the congregation at Calvary. He had also come to hear me teach numerous times at New Covenant church, after I went over there as an Associate Pastor 13 years ago. Hearing those words from a man of his spiritual pedigree, blew me away. I found it hard to fathom but prayed and began watching the Lord make it possible. Chip stayed in touch and started to pitch me numerous ideas for ways I could get the message of Jesus, out to New Mexicans. The bottom line is, Chip believed in me and my abilities, when no one else, including myself, did!
My experience in working with him as a mentor has been an incredible blessing from God. Both educational and motivational, Chip often spoke to me without saying a word. Many of you know he was diagnosed with very deadly pancreatic cancer less than a year ago. Doctors told him they caught it at a very early stage. He and his wonderful wife Larissa, prayed deeply and decided they would fight the battle with all they had, both spiritually and medically. He went to Mayo clinic in Arizona to seek the best care possible. He underwent chemotherapy and an extremely aggressive surgery. All of this took a heavy toll on his body, but I don’t believe it even phased his spirit.
Chip Lusko went to meet Jesus face-to-face early this week. He was surrounded by all five of his adult children and many of his twenty grandchildren. He was at home, covered in love when he took his last breath on this earth. I was extremely blessed that the family invited me to visit him two times during his final few days here.
Over the almost 50 years he served Jesus, Chip never wanted the spotlight on himself. His specialty was designing ways to make it shine brightly on others. Chip mentored literally hundreds of ministry workers, pastors, missionaries and servants in the Kingdom. I know he developed many friends he was closer with than me. But I can’t imagine he had anyone who looked up to him more than I did, as a wonderful example of running the race hard, striding strong to the finish
Over the past six months we have been hard at work on a Radio project Chip came up with.
‘Steve’s, Matthew 25 Team’ was designed to be an ongoing radio campaign to shine a light on the areas of ministry Jesus spoke of in Matthew 25. Jesus said we were actually serving Him, when we did things like clothe the naked, feed the hungry, care for widows /orphans, and visit those in jail. Our approach was that I would host each pre-recorded 60 second message to introduce the subject, and then use a powerful sound bite from someone very involved in a specialized ministry. Each spot would include a call to action for the church at large to “get out of their seats and into the streets“ serving our state in the name of Jesus. Followed by a website address where they could learn more and sign up to serve.
Chip and I were scheduled to be on KLYT 88.3 Radio last Monday at 1 PM, to announce our target On-Air date. God had other plans. Chip was suddenly and unexpectedly placed in hospice just a few days before we could get the word out. Over the past couple of months, I witnessed Chip’s amazing determination to finish the race strong, no matter what. He would call me to meet him in his living room, a day or two after major surgeries or chemotherapy. Whenever I tried to get him to rest, and give himself a little more time to recover, he said he was fine and anxious to keep this project rolling. When I visited him in hospice for the final time, I told him “I am not saying goodbye. I am just saying I will see you soon, my friend. Thank you for being such a wonderful example of running hard to the very end“. Afterwards, his son, Levi Lusko, one of the best young pastors in all of the nation, shared something very poignant with me. Levi said “My dad’s very last complete sentence that he spoke, was telling Larissa to call you about something that had to do with the Matthew 25 project.”
This lights a fire inside my soul, to do all I can to complete the vision that our Lord gave Chip about this project. I see absolutely no way it can be possible, with intervention from the Lord. Chip held the keys to the radio station. As the General Manager, he was the driver of the campaign, and the architect of this whole idea. Yet I am determined to do my very best with whatever I am given to help this ministry come to fruition. While I know it will add to the already huge ministry legacy Chip Lusko left behind in this world, I am convinced it will glorify Jesus even more; encouraging his people to get out and share the good news, by showing the love that is in their hearts with those who are hurting.
From the very first diagnosis, Chip and Larissa were absolutely convinced that Jesus would heal him of his cancer. He would rarely bring it up or even mention it along the way. Instead, he would ask me how I was doing with my cancer. “How is your health? How are you feeling?” he would often inquire. He brushed off all excuses, and refused to let the roadblocks and spiritual attacks of the evil one slow him down or cause him to take any sort of detour. I sleep in these days, and don’t get up until 5am. About 3-4 days a week, there would be a text message from Chip, eager to get started on the next steps of the radio campaign. During one of my visits in hospice, Chip lay drifting in and out of consciousness. I mentioned his work ethic and his sons pulled up a picture they had taken with their phone earlier that day. Chip was in his hospital bed, flat on his back with his head propped up on a pillow. On both sides of the bed were nurses, with masks & gloves, giving him medical treatment. On Chip’s stomach was his open laptop…with his hands on the keyboards! Yet he never missed a birthday or graduation; always made time for his wife, children and 20 grandchildren to feel incredibly special to him! He was the epitome of a family man of completely dedicated to God. I firmly believe Jesus DID heal Chip Lusko! Just not in the way we all had hoped. He is now cancer free, in paradise eternally. Chip is reunited with his beautiful young granddaughter Lenya, who died several years ago. Most importantly, Chip is in the presence of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit…forever!
I write a daily devotional each Monday-Friday which is posted on my Facebook page (Steve Stucker, New Mexico Weatherman). The day after Chip met Jesus, I posted this in his honor:
Morning Inspiration!
As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to him appearing.
The Apostle Paul, in 2nd Timothy 4:6–8
From inside a dark Roman prison, Paul wrote this brilliant passage of scripture. It illuminates his ongoing determination to serve Jesus, in order to motivate his spiritual son Timothy to do the same. To this day, our Lord uses Paul’s words to continue encouraging all of us many generations of Christianity later.
Paul draws the image of his life as a drink offering; set apart for a special purpose, then poured out in sacrifice to God. In looking back at all he had been through, we clearly see the description was absolutely true. Paul traded his high position in society as a Pharisee who persecuted followers of Jesus, to become a lowly tent maker who barely scraped by; often being hungry and cold in order to travel and share the Gospel with anyone who would listen! He faithfully served Jesus; pouring out all he had to offer, down to the very last drop!
He then moves to something so many of us can relate to; running through life as if it is a race. Yet unlike most others, Paul wasn’t chasing personal wealth or fame. Nor was he trying to beat and defeat everyone else. Instead, his deepest desire was to encourage as many as possible to run the race to win…with him! He was racing against time, knowing the clock of his life was running down. Paul was determined to reach the finish line still striding long and strong, so he could receive his crown. Yet his reward was not to be the laurel wreath that was worn as a trophy back then.
Paul wasn’t racing for worldly riches or personal recognition. He cared nothing about status or an important position. Paul was running towards an eternal crown of righteousness! We must each run the same race; doing the right things, in the right ways, for the right reasons in the eyes of God. This way of running our lives pleases Jesus, and builds up heavenly treasure; a crown that awaits each of us at the end of our race on this earth. The clock of our lives is running steadily. Are we?
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May God Bless!
