 |
 |
 |
Sunday Videos now online - Click here to see them
J. D. Norris, Jr. Senior Pastor
Dr. J. D. Norris, Jr. had successful pastorates in five states prior to becoming the pastor of Virginia Beach Free Will Baptist Church. A native of North Carolina, he is a graduate of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation Tool and Die Program, Raleigh, North Carolina, and the Free Will Baptist Bible College, Nashville, Tennessee. In addition, he has completed college courses from the University of Iowa and the Moody Bible College. He also holds an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Gulf Coast Seminary in Panama City, Florida. He received his preaching license in 1968.
Pastor Norris has been a pastor for over thirty years, and was a member of the National Home Mission Board of the National Association of Free Will Baptist for twelve years. He has been used of God across the country as a evangelist in local church meetings, in area-wide mission conferences, Bible conferences and crusades. Pastor Norris preaches like the old time preachers with God’s message for today.
Since becoming pastor at Virginia Beach Free Will Baptist Church in 1996, church attendance has grown from a hand full of people to a membership of over 500. The church completed the building of a new 560 seat sanctuary in September of 2001. We are excited about the growth we have experienced so far, and look forward to continued growth in the future.
The church supports Free Will Baptist Home Missions and Foreign Missions, Free Will Baptist Children’s Homes, BBN, the Gideon's, Jail Ministries, Radio Bible Class, Union Missions, and various other mission works.
Pastor Norris and his wife, Beverly, have been happily married for 44 years. They have 4 children and 10 grandchildren.
Danny O'Neal, Associate Pastor, Youth
Associate Pastor Danny O'Neal has been with us for 4 years. Bro Danny graduated from Free Will Baptist Bible College with a Bachelor's Degree in Management and Bible with a minor in Youth Ministries. He is currently Pastor to about 75 teenagers. He also heads up the bus ministry, and oversees the area of Children's Church, while pursuing his Masters in Religious Studies. He has worked in Youth Ministries for nine years. previously ministering at Providence FWB Church in Hampton, VA.
Danny and his wife, April, have been married for 5 years. They live in Chesapeake, VA. with their daughter, Hannah. Their family is soon to be joined by a baby boy, Nathan.
Larry Russell, Associate Pastor, Education
Minister of Christian Education, Rev, Larry Russell, came to us in June of 2002, from Richmond, VA. He brought with him almost 40 years of ministry experience. He graduated in 1965 from Free Will Baptist Bible College and has done Post-Graduate work at both Mississippi and Ohio Universities.
Bro Larry has pastored 6 churches in 4 states, one of which was established under the arm of the Free Will Baptist Home Missions Department. This Louisiana church became self supporting within eight years.
Along with his Pastoral experience, he has taught school in both Ohio and Arkansas, and founded Shenandoah Christian Academy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He used his knowledge of education to help us establish Virginia Beach Free Will Baptist Day School, which opened it's doors in the Fall of 2002.
Larry and his wife, Janis, have been married for 36 years, and reside in Chesapeake, VA. They have two daughters, Kimberly and Jennifer. Kimberly and her husband Greg Fender are the parents of Caleb Russell Fender, the pride and joy of Larry and Janice.