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Pastor’s Tony’s Reading List: “Total Forgiveness” Born and raised in the steel town of Gary, Indiana, Tony lived life “his own way” Monday through Saturday. However, Sundays were different because that was the day he would go to church. And even though he attended church, Tony had no idea what it meant to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

An exceptional student and athlete, after graduation, Tony was offered an academic scholarship to Indiana State University and a baseball scholarship to Southern University in Louisiana. Tony chose academics and attended Indiana State. This decision would change the course of his life forever!

After his first year in college, Tony decided to marry his high school sweetheart, Jenise, and join the United States Marine Corps. After boot camp, instead of starting a life with his new bride, Tony received military orders to be stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Going to this foreign land was more than an overseas adventure because it was here that he made a life-changing God commitment. He thrived in this newfound relationship and began learning about the Bible. It was in Okinawa that the Lord revealed to Tony that one day he would become a pastor.

When Tony returned to the states, he continued in his walk with the Lord and became an assistant pastor with a local church. Still in the Marine Corps and stationed at Camp Pendleton, in San Mateo, Tony had a 70 mile round trip commute. He would use this time to learn more about the Bible by tuning in to Calvary Chapel’s radio station, KWAVE. Over time, Tony grew increasingly interested in the “new” teaching style of Calvary Chapel and began attending Calvary Chapel Vista.

When Tony’s enlistment in the Marine Corps ended, he was asked by Pastor Brian Brodersen to join his pastoral staff. After a few years at Calvary Chapel Vista, Tony began thinking about the idea of pastoring a church. But where would it be? Only God would know!

Joey Buran, who, at the time pastored Calvary Chapel Hampton Roads, would periodically call Tony to tell him about the ministry opportunities in Virginia. Even though Tony had never been to the East Coast, he decided to visit Virginia. After much prayer, Tony knew for certain that Newport News, Virginia was the place that God would have him to be a pastor.

In September 1994, Tony, Jenise, and their three children, Erin, Tony Jr., and Eric, made the trek from Vista, California to Newport News, Virginia. October 1994 marks the date that Calvary Chapel Newport News was established.

Today, Calvary Chapel Newport News is a multi-cultural fellowship with members from over 30 countries represented. More than 2,500 people call Calvary Chapel Newport News home and are inspired by Tony’s simplistic, yet life-changing teaching style. A sought after Bible teacher, he often travels around the country to preach the Gospel message. His radio program, “The Word Made Plain,” is heard daily by millions.

Though Tony didn’t know it, God directed his life from the very beginning. For example, KWAVE, the radio station that Tony listened to as a young marine during his long commute to work, now airs his weekly messages!

The desire of Tony’s heart is to see the community of Newport News and the Hampton Roads area transformed by continuing to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ. Tony continues to heed the call by passionately studying God’s Word, prayerfully seeking the Lord’s direction for His church, and vigorously pouring love into the lives of the people God leads his way – persevering until He comes!

When I was 17 years old and a senior in high school, I heard for the first time that Jesus loved me, died for me and if I would receive Him, He would give me everlasting life. I said yes, and Jesus changed my life. A few years later I was given an opportunity to teach the Bible for the first time, and from that day, I knew what God had called me to do: teach others the simple truths about Jesus. When I was 23, I was hired as an assisting pastor at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa where I served in youth ministry until 1998.

I have been pastoring Calvary Chapel Vero Beach since 1998. My heart’s desire for God’s people can be summed up in Paul’s words to the Ephesians: “‘Til we come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” I believe that the desire of God and the purpose of the Church is to be a place where we can grow in our relationship with Christ through the study of His Word.

Pastor Eric and his family moved to Jacksonville, Florida in 2012 to plant Reach Jax. Since planting the church, the Lord has stretched, challenged, changed and blessed Eric in ways that he could have never prepared for. Much of his actual life experience is seen in his practical and biblical teachings.

Pastor Gary Hamrick has been in full-time ministry since 1987 when he first served as a youth pastor to high school teens. Then in 1991, he began pastoring Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, VA when all 18 charter members asked him to become the first pastor of this new, start-up church. Today, Cornerstone is the church home to several thousand weekly worshipers, and it is Pastor Gary’s desire to equip them through the teaching of God’s Word, relating the truth of the Bible to everyday life in practical, relevant, and often humorous ways.

Gary received Christ as his personal Lord and Savior when he was in high school and soon thereafter wrestled with a “call” into the ministry. He initially denied that calling and instead pursued a communications degree at American University with aspirations of becoming a broadcast journalist. However, after his sophomore year in college, he surrendered to that calling on his life, changed schools, completed a Bachelor of Biblical Studies, and was ordained by Pastor Chuck Smith and the Calvary Chapel Association.

Pastor Gary has been married to Terri since 1987 and they have three grown children (who also serve in ministry) and six grandchildren, with a seventh on the way. Terri volunteers as the Director of Women’s Ministry leading weekly Bible studies and prayer meetings with the women of Cornerstone.

Pastoring in the shadow of the Nation’s Capital has allowed Pastor Gary on different occasions to meet and pray with Cabinet Secretaries, Supreme Court Justices, members of Congress, and the Israeli Ambassador. Pastor Gary is on the Advisory Board for The Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C. He also serves as the Chief Chaplain for the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (the largest Sheriff’s Office in Virginia with 600 sworn deputies and 200 civilian personnel). His radio broadcast “Cornerstone Connection” can be heard weekdays across the country in 27 states and the District of Columbia.

Pastor Gary is an avid news “junkie” and enjoys fishing, camping, playing sports, woodworking, umpiring high school baseball, and especially spending time with his family.

Ken Graves is the Pastor at Calvary Chapel Bangor in Orrington, Maine.

I was another baby-boomer who grew up thinking that he was a Christian because everyone born in America was a Christian. As I grew, I followed the path of least resistance and ended up much like the rest who follow that path. Finally, when I was a junior in college the Lord helped me truly understand His love and power to change a life through Jesus. How I thank Him daily for His grace and mercy.

I came to Christ at a Billy Graham Los Angeles Crusade in the 1960’s. While completing my Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration at Cal Poly Pomona, I sensed the call of God on my life to follow Jesus Christ completely and possibly forget business and prepare for the ministry. Soon after that I met Alan Redpath who invited my wife, Jean, and I to England, where we attended Capernwray Bible School. Upon returning to the United States, I continued my studies at Talbot Seminary in La Mirada, California.

Early in my ministry, I served for four years as an assistant pastor to Chuck Smith at Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, California. Next Jean and I moved to Lake Arrowhead where we planted and pastored Calvary Chapel of Lake Arrowhead. During those years I founded Calvary Chapel Bible College in nearby Twin Peaks at the Calvary Chapel Conference Center (The college is now located in Murrieta Hot Springs). Sensing the Lord’s direction to move on, we then pioneered and pastored another Calvary Chapel in Redlands, California, for eleven years. In 1991, we again, still having that pioneering spirit, moved to San Jose with the heart to plant a number of churches in the Bay Area. There are now eight fellowships that have grown out of Calvary Chapel of San Jose.

In September 2002, we responded to a request from Chuck Smith to return to Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa to serve as an assistant pastor. In 2004 we took to the leadership of Calvary Chapel of Laguna Beach to help guide it through a difficult time.

Our work being completed, we have now responded to a long time desire to step out and serve the churches, schools and missionaries that we love so much around the world through teaching at conferences, retreats, Bible colleges, intern programs, church services, and any other door God opens. The teaching style of both Jean and myself is simple and practical. Our heart is to be encouraging, inspirational, and challenging to all in their desire to know our Lord Jesus and serve Him completely. This new season of our lives is what we call “Calvary Way Ministries.”

We have been married since 1968 and have three sons and seven grandchildren. In the rare moments we are home, it is in Corona del Mar, California. We are blessed beyond our greatest hopes and dreams to be granted the privilege of living a life in service to the Lord Jesus Christ.