For Chris Goforth, what started as a simple step of obedience quickly became something much deeper, a calling that reignited both his passion and his purpose.

“It’s a bucket filler to know that I am able to be a part of something that can help these families get their vehicles back on the road.”

Q: What church do you attend?
A: My family and I attend The Church at Sterchi Hills. My youngest son gets sad when we are not able to attend, for any reason.

Q: Tell us about yourself.
A: I am originally from Indianapolis, IN. I am married to my wife Brandi, and we will celebrate our 14th year of marriage this July. I also have two sons; they are ages 10 and 5. I have worked in the automotive industry since I was 16 years old. Making this year my 20th year in the field. I have worked in a variety of automotive shops; independent shops, dealerships, and fleet services. For fun, my family likes to go riding on our 4-wheelers. My oldest son wants to start fishing and we love every chance we get to just be around each other.

Q: What made you say “YES” to serving with Mobilizing Knoxville?
A: We had been going to Sterchi Hills Church for about 3 months (March 2025) and I wanted to start serving in the church. They were going to have a meeting about serving around Knoxville and I was planning to attend that meeting after the church service. On that same day, the church was spotlighting a group the church would be partnering with called Mobilizing Knoxville. As they were presenting the info, I felt a strong push to talk to the people after service about how I could serve. I have been volunteering for Mobilizing Knoxville ever since.

Q: What keeps you coming back?
A: I keep coming back because volunteering has brought back my passion for working on cars, just like when I first got into the industry. I am able to use this passion to help others who would not be able to afford the repairs otherwise.

Q: What is your volunteer role and how has it changed since first serving?
A: I started volunteering by coming to the scheduled volunteer workdays and fixing the cars that came in for that day. Currently, I not only help on the workdays, but I also help with pre-inspections. This process helps the team determine what work and parts will be needed for the upcoming workdays.

Q: Has serving impacted your faith, personal life, or view of your community? If yes, how?
A: Serving for Mobilizing Knoxville has brought back my passion for working on vehicles, which I had lost after being in this industry for so long. I walked in faith to step out of my comfort zone to serve, and it has been a very rewarding experience.

Q: Describe any meaningful relationships that have been formed through serving with Mobilizing Knoxville.
A: I truly enjoy working with the other volunteers and I believe that I have formed meaningful relationships with a lot of people. It is refreshing to work with other individuals that are there to help problem solve and support each other, with the family (customer) in mind. Everyone trusts me on my automotive knowledge and on workdays I feel like everybody works like a well-oiled machine.

Q: Describe any moments, families, or individuals that you have served through MK that has touched your heart or left an impact on you.
A: For me, the moment that stands out is when we were working on an older Ford Explorer and we had to get a part for the vehicle from Pull-A-Part. That part needed to be modified and everyone just naturally jumped in and helped get it fixed, so we could get it back on the road. It is definitely a bucket filler to know that I am able to be a part of something that can help these families get their vehicles back on the road. These families are genuinely appreciative of everything we are able to do to help them.

Q: Do you need to be a certified mechanic to serve with MK?
A: Personally, I am a certified automotive mechanic, but you do not need to be certified to come and serve. We appreciate anyone who wants to come out and help us, no matter how much or little you think you know. We work together as a team to get these vehicles fixed.

Q: What would you tell someone who is on the fence about serving?
A: I would tell them to pray about it, and come out and volunteer with us at least one time to see what we are doing. I felt a strong conviction to serve with Mobilizing Knoxville. I prayed about it and then my wife and I prayed about it. Walking in faith, I went ahead and signed up for my first workday. Leaving the shop after that first day, I called my wife and told her that I knew this was the path God had set out for me so that I could help serve His Kingdom.