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From Army interrogator to pastor: The unlikely tale of how this tattooed motorcycle lover came to lead a Southtown church
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Chad Belew of The Arsenal church hears that a lot.Robin Jerstad / Contributor
The growl of a Ducati motorcycle tore through Southtown on a recent Sunday morning, as Chad Belew, long burly beard over his red flannel shirt and tattoos down his left arm, pulled up behind the former Southtown Community Church to resume his calling as pastor.
Like Paul Bunyan with a Bible for an ax, Belew takes his share of swings at pastor stereotypes. He’s a Bible school dropout who ran a few motorcycle shops. He’s a former Army interrogator who grilled his share of sources in Iraq. He’s a married father of four who looks more like a bouncer than a preacher’s kid.