How it all started... From California to Virginia
Pastor Tom and his wife Jeanne, served at Calvary Chapel Livingwater in Corona, California for 15 years. As the Lord was challenging Tom to take steps of faith including leaving his career as a successful mortgage broker and enter the Lord's ministry full-time; God continued to challenge Tom to step out of his comfort zone.
In 2005, the Lord placed a desire on his heart to serve God's people outside of California. The Lord took hold of their hearts led them to Williamsburg, Virginia. Since then, God has established Calvary Chapel in the most historic area of the United States of America! Pastor Tom and his family are very blessed and humbled to be here in Virginia serving God!
We started out in the living room of our (Pastor Tom & Jeanne) home.
We moved to rented facility at Williamsburg Regional Library/Lafayette High School.
Our two boys grew up, got married, had children of their own here in Virginia. Some might say home is where the grandchildren are. Virginia is definitely home, just as the Lord deemed it to be.
There are many fond memories and spiritual events over the years from 2005 to now.
As with life there are some highs and some lows, personally, there have been many lessons learned and life experiences over the years that have molded me into who I am today.
The Lord has chipped away and molded me throughout the years. The potter and his clay.
I’m his clay, his willing, always desiring to be his submitted lump of clay.
Humbly, I rejoice and am so thankful that the Lord gave me the greatest job in the world.
Being able to stand in his pulpit, in his church, and share his word over the years has been such a blessing.
To this day, from that pulpit, I can still look at a chair in our sanctuary and recall who sits there, or who used to sit there. People have stayed, some have come and gone; some were transferred, some were here for a short stay, some just stopped coming. I pray that each of them fills a chair in a God-fearing church.
And you are here!!!
The Lord chose us, each of us to be the living stones that make up the walls of this church.
For such a time as this. This church, this body of Christ.
There are times when I reflect back on the work God has accomplished here with this church, with this body.
I sometimes think of those memories when a particular catalyst or church milestone occurred. An anniversary, a child graduating from high school, a birth, a marriage.
As fond as some of those memories are, there are some that pain me to recall as well.
A Pastor is to love the sheep; the word doesn't say the sheep will always love back. I've grown in Christ with every high and low.
Maybe that’s why the Lord tells us to look forward when we are doing his work.
That way we don’t get distracted from the work that lies ahead.
Luke 9:62; And Jesus said unto him, no man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
I desire to fit for the kingdom of God. I know you desire that as well. We are not to look back while we are plowing. If we do, our plowed rows will become crooked. Our rows, our walks must be straight.
Putting our hands on the plow means that we have decided that we are going to commit our lives to God.
We have committed our lives to God. We have accepted him as our Lord and Savior.
He forgave us of our sins; he paid the price for us.
We are believers, we are the saved, and we are part of the bride of Christ.
We are indwelled with the Holy Spirit.
We are to walk as Christians in a way that glorifies God.
By his power, that's how we plow, in his strength, not our own.
We walk by the lamp of his word.
We are serving God here, each of us, ministers unto the Lord. Plowing this land called Williamsburg, Virginia.
Plowing this particular field.
In 2005, the Lord placed a desire on his heart to serve God's people outside of California. The Lord took hold of their hearts led them to Williamsburg, Virginia. Since then, God has established Calvary Chapel in the most historic area of the United States of America! Pastor Tom and his family are very blessed and humbled to be here in Virginia serving God!
We started out in the living room of our (Pastor Tom & Jeanne) home.
We moved to rented facility at Williamsburg Regional Library/Lafayette High School.
Our two boys grew up, got married, had children of their own here in Virginia. Some might say home is where the grandchildren are. Virginia is definitely home, just as the Lord deemed it to be.
There are many fond memories and spiritual events over the years from 2005 to now.
As with life there are some highs and some lows, personally, there have been many lessons learned and life experiences over the years that have molded me into who I am today.
The Lord has chipped away and molded me throughout the years. The potter and his clay.
I’m his clay, his willing, always desiring to be his submitted lump of clay.
Humbly, I rejoice and am so thankful that the Lord gave me the greatest job in the world.
Being able to stand in his pulpit, in his church, and share his word over the years has been such a blessing.
To this day, from that pulpit, I can still look at a chair in our sanctuary and recall who sits there, or who used to sit there. People have stayed, some have come and gone; some were transferred, some were here for a short stay, some just stopped coming. I pray that each of them fills a chair in a God-fearing church.
And you are here!!!
The Lord chose us, each of us to be the living stones that make up the walls of this church.
For such a time as this. This church, this body of Christ.
There are times when I reflect back on the work God has accomplished here with this church, with this body.
I sometimes think of those memories when a particular catalyst or church milestone occurred. An anniversary, a child graduating from high school, a birth, a marriage.
As fond as some of those memories are, there are some that pain me to recall as well.
A Pastor is to love the sheep; the word doesn't say the sheep will always love back. I've grown in Christ with every high and low.
Maybe that’s why the Lord tells us to look forward when we are doing his work.
That way we don’t get distracted from the work that lies ahead.
Luke 9:62; And Jesus said unto him, no man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
I desire to fit for the kingdom of God. I know you desire that as well. We are not to look back while we are plowing. If we do, our plowed rows will become crooked. Our rows, our walks must be straight.
Putting our hands on the plow means that we have decided that we are going to commit our lives to God.
We have committed our lives to God. We have accepted him as our Lord and Savior.
He forgave us of our sins; he paid the price for us.
We are believers, we are the saved, and we are part of the bride of Christ.
We are indwelled with the Holy Spirit.
We are to walk as Christians in a way that glorifies God.
By his power, that's how we plow, in his strength, not our own.
We walk by the lamp of his word.
We are serving God here, each of us, ministers unto the Lord. Plowing this land called Williamsburg, Virginia.
Plowing this particular field.
Our time plowing on Olde Town Road, behind the Outlets came to a close a few years ago, as we took a step of faith and purchased the Jamestown Feed & Seed... planning/construction continues.
God willing, soon we will be plowing straight lines on Richmond Road, a new work.
A new beginning, a new field that the Lord is giving us to plow.
In the meantime, we meet and plow at Williamsburg Christian Academy (WCA).
The Lord is so faithful in how he plants us where he wants us. The grass is always green where the Lord waters.
Its living water, it's where Jesus' name is glorified
He definitely watered at WCA. What a blessing to have an amazing place to serve the Lord as we wait on our property to be ready.
We plow by looking forward, by his light, focused on Jesus. That’s how we get those straight lines.
Straight lines will yield a harvest and bear much fruit.
Each of us in this body has a row to plow in this field.
Your row in this field is your own ministry, your walk serving God.
Each of you have your own walk, with your own testimony, with God's unique plan for your life.
With your own amazing God stories to be told.
Those stories of the prayers answered, and the ones not answered yet.
Each of you has seen the Lord work at various times in this body at CCW.
As the under-shepherd of this flock, one of my roles in serving you is to equip you for the work of ministry.
To always give you the Word of God, to love you, to disciple you, to help you grow in your personal relationship with the Lord.
As with me, so it is with you, that at the core of your personal ministry, is to know the Word of God and to have a heart for the lost, and to share the love of Jesus with others.
Ephesians 4:11-12; And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
This perfecting of the saints is “helping you to understand what the whole word of God says”.
What God says… he has a lot to say. The word of God says a lot of things from salvation to life applications, to ordinances, commandments, to right living, to loving one another, to his throne, his sacrifice, to his death on the cross for our sins. Every page of his word points to Jesus Christ.
By grace through faith, we are saved. And because he saved us, we plow, and we sow his word.
We plow the field. Scripture tells us how to plow and how to sow a field.
God willing, soon we will be plowing straight lines on Richmond Road, a new work.
A new beginning, a new field that the Lord is giving us to plow.
In the meantime, we meet and plow at Williamsburg Christian Academy (WCA).
The Lord is so faithful in how he plants us where he wants us. The grass is always green where the Lord waters.
Its living water, it's where Jesus' name is glorified
He definitely watered at WCA. What a blessing to have an amazing place to serve the Lord as we wait on our property to be ready.
We plow by looking forward, by his light, focused on Jesus. That’s how we get those straight lines.
Straight lines will yield a harvest and bear much fruit.
Each of us in this body has a row to plow in this field.
Your row in this field is your own ministry, your walk serving God.
Each of you have your own walk, with your own testimony, with God's unique plan for your life.
With your own amazing God stories to be told.
Those stories of the prayers answered, and the ones not answered yet.
Each of you has seen the Lord work at various times in this body at CCW.
As the under-shepherd of this flock, one of my roles in serving you is to equip you for the work of ministry.
To always give you the Word of God, to love you, to disciple you, to help you grow in your personal relationship with the Lord.
As with me, so it is with you, that at the core of your personal ministry, is to know the Word of God and to have a heart for the lost, and to share the love of Jesus with others.
Ephesians 4:11-12; And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
This perfecting of the saints is “helping you to understand what the whole word of God says”.
What God says… he has a lot to say. The word of God says a lot of things from salvation to life applications, to ordinances, commandments, to right living, to loving one another, to his throne, his sacrifice, to his death on the cross for our sins. Every page of his word points to Jesus Christ.
By grace through faith, we are saved. And because he saved us, we plow, and we sow his word.
We plow the field. Scripture tells us how to plow and how to sow a field.
Expanding the vision... Taking Steps of Faith
Our new field on Richmond Road has an interesting history of its own.
It has served the community for over 40 years.
It’s called the Jamestown Feed & Seed; you may have heard of it.
The Lord has really blessed our body; he is an amazing God.
As we have watched the Lord work throughout this process of moving to a new field. The whole thing is miraculous. Even the name, Feed & Seed. What a blessing from the Lord.
As each of you know, we are to feed the sheep and sow the seed.
Feed the sheep: in our field, we perfect the saints… we teach them the word of God
Sow the seed: In our row, our ministries, we share the gospel, we come along side people right where they are, and we tell them all about Jesus Christ.
We tell them that he loves them.
We tell them how he died for them.
We tell them how he paid the price for their sins.
We tell them that they don’t have to go to hell.
They can go to heaven if they choose Jesus.
They have a choice on where they will spend eternity.
If we plow straight, the Lord will bless that.
The Lord will be glorified, and whatever he plans to do with this new work will be done.
His will be done, not ours….HIS!!!
If the Lord tarries, there will be more memories and spiritual events in our future.
There will be ups and downs, highs and lows. Any change comes with its challenges and obstacles.
There will be attacks by the enemy, there will be people saved.
There will be new faces, there will be old ones too.
There will be one constant, God stays faithful. God is in control.
We are not leaning on our own understanding.
What makes us different? How are we going to plow this new field?
We are going to do in God’s power.
We are going to rely on God to lead us.
We are going to show Christ in each of us.
It has served the community for over 40 years.
It’s called the Jamestown Feed & Seed; you may have heard of it.
The Lord has really blessed our body; he is an amazing God.
As we have watched the Lord work throughout this process of moving to a new field. The whole thing is miraculous. Even the name, Feed & Seed. What a blessing from the Lord.
As each of you know, we are to feed the sheep and sow the seed.
Feed the sheep: in our field, we perfect the saints… we teach them the word of God
Sow the seed: In our row, our ministries, we share the gospel, we come along side people right where they are, and we tell them all about Jesus Christ.
We tell them that he loves them.
We tell them how he died for them.
We tell them how he paid the price for their sins.
We tell them that they don’t have to go to hell.
They can go to heaven if they choose Jesus.
They have a choice on where they will spend eternity.
If we plow straight, the Lord will bless that.
The Lord will be glorified, and whatever he plans to do with this new work will be done.
His will be done, not ours….HIS!!!
If the Lord tarries, there will be more memories and spiritual events in our future.
There will be ups and downs, highs and lows. Any change comes with its challenges and obstacles.
There will be attacks by the enemy, there will be people saved.
There will be new faces, there will be old ones too.
There will be one constant, God stays faithful. God is in control.
We are not leaning on our own understanding.
What makes us different? How are we going to plow this new field?
We are going to do in God’s power.
We are going to rely on God to lead us.
We are going to show Christ in each of us.
Where we are headed... Connect, Thrive, Go
There are many good churches here in Williamsburg.
Some led by servants that are faithfully serving God in their way, in their field that God gave them.
I pray that each of them serves the Lord with their best and that the Lord gets all the glory.
As we get ready to prepare the soil of our new field.
Knowing how we plan to do that is important.
It’s really just staying true to our core values as a church.
God made us a bit different.
Our way, or the Calvary Chapel Williamsburg way consists of a few core fundamentals.
1. Jesus is at the center, we love God, and he is our cornerstone, our foundation.
2. Love people, love all people where they are, we are a hospital for lost souls.
3. Teach the whole word of God.
We teach the word with expository preaching.
You may be wondering what this term expository is.
Expository preaching explains what the Bible means by what it says.
We teach the whole bible, Book by Book, Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse.
There is nothing omitted, there is nothing added to it.
We are to Love God, love people, teach the Word.
In this new field, this is our plan.
Our plan is to execute God’s plan.
One soul at a time.
Some led by servants that are faithfully serving God in their way, in their field that God gave them.
I pray that each of them serves the Lord with their best and that the Lord gets all the glory.
As we get ready to prepare the soil of our new field.
Knowing how we plan to do that is important.
It’s really just staying true to our core values as a church.
God made us a bit different.
Our way, or the Calvary Chapel Williamsburg way consists of a few core fundamentals.
1. Jesus is at the center, we love God, and he is our cornerstone, our foundation.
2. Love people, love all people where they are, we are a hospital for lost souls.
3. Teach the whole word of God.
We teach the word with expository preaching.
You may be wondering what this term expository is.
Expository preaching explains what the Bible means by what it says.
We teach the whole bible, Book by Book, Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse.
There is nothing omitted, there is nothing added to it.
We are to Love God, love people, teach the Word.
In this new field, this is our plan.
Our plan is to execute God’s plan.
One soul at a time.
