Larry Tomczak
Encyclopedia
Larry Tomczak is a pastor and preacher based in the USA. He is the co-founder of the group now known as Sovereign Grace Ministries
and of several prominent churches.
as a "Cleveland sensation".
He came to faith in Christ during the charismatic renewal of the 1970s, as described in his popular book, Clap Your Hands. His leadership of the popular non-denominational TAG (Take and Give) meeting in Washington DC, founded by local resident Lydia Little led to further prominence.
He was soon joined in leadership by fellow charismatic CJ Mahaney, (who was also raised in a Roman Catholic family).
After a few years, TAG birthed an independent church, Gathering of Believers and after several name changes, became Covenant Life Church
. Covenant Life became a launchpad for the founding of People of Destiny International, a national (later international) church planting movement which subsequently shortened its name to PDI then Sovereign Grace Ministries
.
theology of PDI was a major factor in this parting of the ways. Some of this period's tensions also arose because Tomczak's fitness as a father was called into question by church leadership over what Tomczak described as the "teenage rebellion" of his son.
Tomczak declared that this time "...seemed like an unbelievable nightmare" during which he, his wife Doris, and their son Justin "were threatened in various ways if we did not cooperate with the ministry that we were leaving... A letter was circulated in an attempt to discredit me and to distort the events surrounding my departure. Our own family members were divided.". Tomczak claims never to have received an apology for the events of this period up until 2010. Subsequent to this statement by Larry Tomczak, in an email released by Sovereign Grace Ministries, dated July 4, 2011, it is clear that Larry and C.J. have been reconciled and C.J. has made a full apology to Larry and his family. Larry has been invited to be the special guest at the upcoming Leaders Conference in November of 2011.
School of Ministry as Instructor in Practical Theology and led the planting of Christ the King Church in Greater Atlanta. He is currently in the process of establishing a ministry training centre in Nashville, Tennessee
in partnership with other senior charismatic leaders.
Sovereign Grace Ministries
Sovereign Grace Ministries is a group of Reformed, neocharismatic, Evangelical, restorationist, Christian churches primarily located in North America. It has been described as an apostolic network...
and of several prominent churches.
Conversion and PDI
Born into a Roman Catholic family in Ohio, Tomczak became locally famous as the drummer for the Lost Souls, a five-piece rock'n'roll band described by Richie UnterbergerRichie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger is a US author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing.-Life and writing:Having worked as a DJ at WXPN in Philadelphia, he started reviewing records for Op magazine in 1983...
as a "Cleveland sensation".
He came to faith in Christ during the charismatic renewal of the 1970s, as described in his popular book, Clap Your Hands. His leadership of the popular non-denominational TAG (Take and Give) meeting in Washington DC, founded by local resident Lydia Little led to further prominence.
He was soon joined in leadership by fellow charismatic CJ Mahaney, (who was also raised in a Roman Catholic family).
After a few years, TAG birthed an independent church, Gathering of Believers and after several name changes, became Covenant Life Church
Covenant Life Church
Covenant Life Church is a 3000+ member "reformed charismatic" church in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The church was established in 1977 by a group of Christians including Larry Tomczak and C.J. Mahaney. It is currently led by Joshua Harris, the best-selling author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Boy...
. Covenant Life became a launchpad for the founding of People of Destiny International, a national (later international) church planting movement which subsequently shortened its name to PDI then Sovereign Grace Ministries
Sovereign Grace Ministries
Sovereign Grace Ministries is a group of Reformed, neocharismatic, Evangelical, restorationist, Christian churches primarily located in North America. It has been described as an apostolic network...
.
Departure from PDI
Tomczak eventually left the leadership of PDI in 1998 and has subsequently suggested that the increasingly CalvinisticCalvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
theology of PDI was a major factor in this parting of the ways. Some of this period's tensions also arose because Tomczak's fitness as a father was called into question by church leadership over what Tomczak described as the "teenage rebellion" of his son.
Tomczak declared that this time "...seemed like an unbelievable nightmare" during which he, his wife Doris, and their son Justin "were threatened in various ways if we did not cooperate with the ministry that we were leaving... A letter was circulated in an attempt to discredit me and to distort the events surrounding my departure. Our own family members were divided.". Tomczak claims never to have received an apology for the events of this period up until 2010. Subsequent to this statement by Larry Tomczak, in an email released by Sovereign Grace Ministries, dated July 4, 2011, it is clear that Larry and C.J. have been reconciled and C.J. has made a full apology to Larry and his family. Larry has been invited to be the special guest at the upcoming Leaders Conference in November of 2011.
Recent Activities
Upon leaving PDI, Tomczak joined the faculty of BrownsvilleBrownsville Revival
The Brownsville Revival was a widely-reported religious phenomenon that began within the Pentecostal movement on Father's Day June 18, 1995 at Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, Florida...
School of Ministry as Instructor in Practical Theology and led the planting of Christ the King Church in Greater Atlanta. He is currently in the process of establishing a ministry training centre in Nashville, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
in partnership with other senior charismatic leaders.