7 Questions with Victor Chayasirisobhon

This week we feature the indomitable Rev. Dr. Victor Chayasirisobhon, D.Min, D.Th, M.Div., MAEL, M.Miss., MAIS., MACC, & MACM. This illustrious line of educational achievements is only rivaled by the list of roles he actively serves in; the most important being husband to Theresa, and father of 4 bright children. A typical day for him begins at about 5:30 a.m. and doesn’t end until around 1:00 in the morning. Even with his list of duties, his focus on his family is a main priority. Victor intentionally keeps date-night reserved each month with his wife, Theresa. He plays video games and watches anime with his two sons, and he makes time to serve as his daughters’ golf coach, a team, by the way, that has achieved accolades as one of the best in the country. (Victor admits he is terrible at golf, but pretty good at being a golf coach). He makes time to have regular conversations with his father to soak up the wisdom in his words amidst all the different directions his responsibilities pull him.

I read tons of stuff between going to school and keeping up with all that, but really, the regular and consistent book I read is the Bible. I specifically read the Psalms every week. When it’s a comparably stressful week I get all the way into Proverbs. But each Sunday I start over right back in the Psalms.

It’s not very Christian, but definitely In-N-Out. I’m all about the double-double with cheese, all the spread I can get, tomatoes, and getting 6 different types of onions. Wow! That would be my last meal if I ever get in that kind of situation! Haha!

You know how some people can do the ‘taco tongue”? Well, I can turn my tongue completely sideways. I did that a lot growing up and would freak people out. A bonus fun fact too; I used to bite my nails a lot and one time I ate my whole thumb nail! I don’t do that anymore though.

When you’re in seminary, they make you take a lot of these assessments. For Myer Briggs I think my assessment started off as an E.N.T.J. but then it changed, the last time I took it, my assessment was E.N.T.P.

I have a funny one. This is when I first started preaching. This specific message was all about David and Goliath and how to overcome giants in our lives. When I really got into it and started laying out the final details to the story, I explained how it took David three tries to take Goliath down. He missed the 1st time, and the second time, and by the third, he made contact and hit Goliath. The congregation wasn’t huge, only about 30 older people, and no one raised their hands to contradict or question what I had shared. When I was all done with the message and people were heading out, one beautiful older lady approached me. She let me know that David hit Goliath on his first try, that it hadn’t taken three tries and she had her bible open to show me. I was like… ‘Why do I remember it taking three tries?’ Well, I used to watch Xena: Warrior Princess when it was on T.V., and there was an episode where she met David, and it took him three tries on the show to defeat Goliath. It’s funny how things can get stuck in your head. That’s why it’s important to read the Bible!

Personally, I had a rough time in junior high and high school. So, if I could, I would want to put my arm around my younger self and say, “It’s going to get better. It’s going to be just fine.”

Immanuel –because I feel He is always with me. It’s a comfort in a way and a challenge at the same time. I still get nervous every time before I’m about to preach. So, it comforts me knowing that He is with me in those times of anxiety. It also reminds me to be about Him, because if I get off on some other topic and it’s not about Him, I need to get back on track.