Welcome to Calvary!
My name is Pastor John D. van Gorkom, and I have had the privilege of ministering as the Lead Pastor here at Calvary for 14 years now. What a great adventure it has been, and what great experiences of God’s grace and power we have had.
Here’s a little about my life. I was born into a pastor’s family, and I am a third generation pastor. My grandfather was a professor at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago before going into full time ministry in churches. My father has been in the ministry for over 58 years. As for me, I knew God wanted me in ministry when I was 14 years old. At the age of 5 my mother helped me to understand that God had provided a perfect sacrifice for the sin I had committed and that I could be forgiven. I accepted God’s offer and gave my life to Jesus.
At age 14, during a mission conference at church, I was overwhelmed by God’s spirit and specifically called to full time Christian service of some kind. During the following senior high years God began to develop my teaching ability and my intense desire to know His heart through His Word. I attended Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, where I majored in Bible and Theology. Following my unfinished time at Bethel I was led into business, and during that time God kept opening doors for me to minister in small churches across North Dakota, Iowa, and South Dakota that could not afford full time pastors. What great training I received in these small churches, and what tremendous faith building experiences they were.
During that time I was blessed with a wonderful, Godly wife and three great children, who are now all married and have given me 6 grandchildren with one more on the way. What a great joy that is! In 1987 God called me to leave the business world and go into full time pastoral ministry, and I responded. That’s when our family came to the Chippewa Valley, and except for a 16-month stop in Northern Minnesota, we have been here since.
My specific spiritual gifts for ministry are prophecy (defined as the forth-telling of truth without fear of retribution), teaching and preaching. There is no greater passion in my heart than to preach the Word of God with the Holy Spirit’s power so that people are saved and grow into fullness of maturity in Christ.
The Bible verses that were given to me by my grandfather while I was in college have had a significant role in my ministry. They are from Isaiah 41, verses 10 and 13 - So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
The Bible verse that has had the most significance on my personal life is Colossians 1:12 - giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
That continues to amaze me – that God has qualified me. People can’t. Possessions can’t. Power can’t. Prestige can’t. God can, and does, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. That’s what the ministry of Calvary is all about, and that’s what my life is devoted to - connecting people to God.
Pastor John
|