Our Mission
At Pure Encouragement, our mission is to come alongside Competitors for Christ to strengthen and encourage them to compete with excellence and make an eternal impact.
In the New Testament, the word most often translated as "encouragement" is "parakalein." This term comes from two Greek words: "para" meaning "alongside of" and "kaleo" meaning "to call.” A Parakletos is therefore an Encourager, one who puts courage into the fainthearted, strength into the weak, life into the downtrodden, confidence into the insecure, and steadfastness into every warrior in the face of great trial.
We believe this is our role in the Body of Christ. We are the Pure Encouragers of the sports community on a mission to strengthen every Competitor for Christ to intimacy with Jesus, strong confidence, servant leadership, excellent performance, and eternal impact.
In the New Testament, the word most often translated as "encouragement" is "parakalein." This term comes from two Greek words: "para" meaning "alongside of" and "kaleo" meaning "to call.” A Parakletos is therefore an Encourager, one who puts courage into the fainthearted, strength into the weak, life into the downtrodden, confidence into the insecure, and steadfastness into every warrior in the face of great trial.
We believe this is our role in the Body of Christ. We are the Pure Encouragers of the sports community on a mission to strengthen every Competitor for Christ to intimacy with Jesus, strong confidence, servant leadership, excellent performance, and eternal impact.
Our Story
In September 2021, God called Gary and Michelle Steffes to launch out into a new ministry work. After much prayer, Gary and Michelle stepped out in faith and began to seek the Lord for clarity on what exactly they were to do.
The Lord began to open doors in the sports world with Competitors, teams, and universities in the areas of confidence, leadership, and soul care. The vision to see a movement of Competitors for Christ around the nation was established. The messages of Inside Out Confidence, abiding in Christ, and owning your identity in Christ began to spread. Momentum grew.
The Pure Encouragement ministry officially started on May 3, 2022. Today, Gary and Michelle get the privilege to come alongside Competitors for Christ at all levels and in multiple sports around the world to strengthen and encourage them to live confident, victorious lives for Jesus Christ.
The Lord began to open doors in the sports world with Competitors, teams, and universities in the areas of confidence, leadership, and soul care. The vision to see a movement of Competitors for Christ around the nation was established. The messages of Inside Out Confidence, abiding in Christ, and owning your identity in Christ began to spread. Momentum grew.
The Pure Encouragement ministry officially started on May 3, 2022. Today, Gary and Michelle get the privilege to come alongside Competitors for Christ at all levels and in multiple sports around the world to strengthen and encourage them to live confident, victorious lives for Jesus Christ.
Our Staff
Gary Steffes
Executive Director
Gary's passion is Encouragement. In September 2021, God called Gary to use his experience as a professional hockey player to strengthen coaches and athletes to live confident, victorious lives for Christ.
In college, Gary competed for the Miami Redhawks in four NCAA tournaments, two Frozen Fours, and one National Championship game in 2009. Despite his outward success, confidence was his biggest struggle. Then, Jesus Christ grabbed his life and began to transform him from the Inside Out. As a professional athlete, confidence became one of his greatest strengths. During his professional career, Gary led the ECHL in goals in 2015, and helped lead the Allen Americans to two consecutive ECHL Championships in 2015 and 2016. His number was retired in 2017 by the Allen Americans.
During his professional hockey career, Gary began to work in ministry where he served as the Director of Campus Ministries for FCA Hockey from 2011-2019. From 2019-2022, Gary served as both the Junior High Pastor at Stonebriar Community Church in Dallas, TX and the Assistant Regional Director at Influencers Bakersfield in Bakersfield, CA. In May of 2022, he founded Pure Encouragement where he continues to serve today.
Gary feels blessed to come alongside Competitors, teams, and leaders across the nation to strengthen them in confidence, leadership, and soul care. He hosts the Pure Encouragement Podcast and has authored multiple books, including The Mental Side and 30 Day Identity Challenge. He currently lives in Florida with his wife and three small children.
In college, Gary competed for the Miami Redhawks in four NCAA tournaments, two Frozen Fours, and one National Championship game in 2009. Despite his outward success, confidence was his biggest struggle. Then, Jesus Christ grabbed his life and began to transform him from the Inside Out. As a professional athlete, confidence became one of his greatest strengths. During his professional career, Gary led the ECHL in goals in 2015, and helped lead the Allen Americans to two consecutive ECHL Championships in 2015 and 2016. His number was retired in 2017 by the Allen Americans.
During his professional hockey career, Gary began to work in ministry where he served as the Director of Campus Ministries for FCA Hockey from 2011-2019. From 2019-2022, Gary served as both the Junior High Pastor at Stonebriar Community Church in Dallas, TX and the Assistant Regional Director at Influencers Bakersfield in Bakersfield, CA. In May of 2022, he founded Pure Encouragement where he continues to serve today.
Gary feels blessed to come alongside Competitors, teams, and leaders across the nation to strengthen them in confidence, leadership, and soul care. He hosts the Pure Encouragement Podcast and has authored multiple books, including The Mental Side and 30 Day Identity Challenge. He currently lives in Florida with his wife and three small children.