Larry Tomczak

Larry Tomczak is a prominent pastor and preacher based in the USA. He was a founder of the group now known as Sovereign Grace Ministries 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 Unterberger as a "Cleveland sensation". [cite book
last = Adams
first = Deanna R.
title = Rock'n'Roll and the Cleveland Connection
publisher = Kent State University Press
year = 2002
page = p.158
isbn = 978-0873386913 ]

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. [cite book
last = Tomczak
first = Larry
title = Clap Your Hands] He was soon joined in leadership by other fellow charismatic leaders. After a few years, TAG birthed an independent church, Gathering of Believers and after several name changes, became Covenant Life Church. [cite book
last = Tomczak
first = Larry
title = Clap Your Hands
page = 179-196] 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 (People of Destiny International) [cite book
last = Virgo
first = Terry
title = No Well Worn Paths] then Sovereign Grace Ministries.

Departure from PDI

In 1997, Tomczak says, the leadership "refocused," taking on a more Reformed/ Calvinistic theology, and he could no longer align himself with their vision.

Tomczak "came to a defining moment where I felt I no longer fit with the direction some of the other men were going with the ministry—doctrinally and directionally."

He says he took a step of faith to leave the movement and was seeking the Lord for direction. He planned to start a church in Atlanta, but then he got a call from an old friend, Michael L. Brown, dean of the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry.

The reports of the revival at Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, Fla.--as well as his own experiences there—reminded him of his original mission: to see revival fill the earth and the hearts of men and women burn with passion for God.

"I felt [God] was recommissioning me to the path He had set me on," Tomczak says. "I felt the Lord was returning me to my roots of challenging people to fulfill their destiny while focusing on Jesus Christ and Him alone.". [cite news
url = http://www.charismamag.com/display.php?id=369
title = Charisma Magazine
accessdate = 2008-02-09
date = 2000-07
publisher = Charisma Magazine]

Recent Activities

Upon leaving PDI, Tomczak joined the faculty of Brownsville School of Ministry as Instructor in Practical Theology [cite news
url = http://www.charismamag.com/display.php?id=369
title = Charisma Magazine
accessdate = 2008-02-09
date = 2000-07
publisher = Charisma Magazine] [cite website
url = http://www.ctkatlanta.com/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_view/gid,7/Itemid,53/
title = Christ the King Church
accessdate = 2008-02-09
date =
publisher = Christ the King Church] and led the planting of Christ the King Church in Greater Atlanta. [cite news
url = http://www.charismamag.com/display.php?id=369
title = Charisma Magazine
accessdate = 2008-02-09
date = 2000-07
publisher = Charisma Magazine] He is currently in the process of establishing a ministry training centre in Nashville, Tennessee in partnership with other senior charismatic leaders. [cite website
url = http://www.ctkatlanta.com/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_view/gid,7/Itemid,53/
title = Christ the King Church
accessdate = 2008-02-09
date =
publisher = Christ the King Church]

2008 Update:
Larry Tomczak has since left his church in the competent care of his son Jason Tomczak & wife Michele Tomczak. Larry left to take over the head seat for the Every Nation's Leadership Institute. Larry, his wife, & daughter live now in Nashville, TN. They leave in Georgia his two sons, daughter, & daughter-in-law.

Authorial career

Larry Tomczak is the author of several books, including Clap Your Hands, [cite book
last = Tomczak
first = Larry
title = Clap Your Hands
isbn= 978-0884192527] Straightforward: Why Wait Till Marriage?, [cite book
last = Tomczak
first = Larry
title = Straightforward: Why Wait Till Marriage?
isbn= 978-0882703110] God, the Rod and Your Child's Bod, [cite book
last = Tomczak
first = Larry
title = God, the Rod and Your Child's Bod
isbn= 978-0800750824] Divine Appointments [cite book
title=Divine Appointments
first=Larry
last=Tomczak
isbn=978-1560433200] and Reckless Abandon. [cite book
title=Reckless Abandon
first=Larry
last=Tomczak
isbn=978-0884198765] He was also a founding editor of People of Destiny magazine, which ran for twenty years until its dissolvement.

External links

* [http://larrytomczak.com/ Semi-official website with downloadable resources]
* [http://www.bwoc.org/Group/Group.aspx?ID=1000005930 Audio sermons at Bethel World Outreach Centre (Tomczak's current church base)]
* [http://www.ctkatlanta.com Christ the King Church (official website of former church)]

References