Pastor Jay Haizlip

One of the pioneering greats of competitive skateboarding, Pastor Jay Haizlip, known as Jay “Alabamy” in the skating world, collected big trophies, bigger paychecks and high-end sponsors, but fell deep into a 12-year-long drug addiction that ended when Jay asked Jesus to be Lord of his life. Now serving as founder and Lead Pastor of The Sanctuary in Orange County, California, Pastor Jay Haizlip reaches out to troubled youth, finding them in prisons, skate parks and the same crack houses he once shot dope in. 

Pastor Jay has the gift of making the Bible relevant to today’s generation. Although he’s known in the Christian world for his street ministries, Pastor Jay recently found the most challenging souls may be within the walls of his own church.  He and his wife, Christy, struggle to balance the traditions of their faith with what they feel God has called them to do– minister to everyone, and never judge a book by its cover.