What We Believe

God: There is one God and he is eternal. He exists in a 3 person community of perfect interaction. We call this community the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Creation: God created the universe and keeps it going. He created humans in His image to share in His perfect community and also to reflect His goodness throughout the earth.
Sin: Rather that sharing God’s perfect love, humans rebelled (sinned) against God’s loving rule. We separate ourselves from God’s perfect presence and live broken lives that lead to eternal separation from God.
Hope: God lovingly promised to send a rescuing king that would deal with our rebellion, heal our relationship with God and allow us to share is his life again.
Jesus: God became a man – the son of a virgin. This man, Jesus, proved to be the rescuing King by living a perfect life and by restoring love, joy, peace and life to people’s brokenness.
Cross: Jesus died to deal with our rebellion and heal our relationship with God. He was the perfect sacrifice for sin, taking our punishment and paying our penalty of death so that we could be forgiven and know God again.
Resurrection: Jesus rose from the dead conquering sin and death forever. This gives us confidence that Jesus is God, that he has dealt with our sin and that he can give us eternal life in perfect relationship with God.
Grace: We don’t have to do anything to make God pleased with us. We simply turn away from sin and back to God, asking for forgiveness and trusting that he loves us enough to rescue us through his death and resurrection – that’s grace!
Spirit: After Jesus went back to heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to give us the power to live a new life. The Holy Spirit fills us with boldness, confidence and assurance to help us to know God, to honor Him and to tell others about Him.
Church: The church is another name for God’s new community of people that share in his love. It is like an extended family who experience the love, joy. Peace and life of God together through every area of life – in the good and the bad.
Mission: The church has been given the amazing task of sharing this incredible news of restored relationship with God throughput the world. Through our actions and words, we show and tell others that God can bring hope to broken lives.
Return: Jesus will come back to earth, bringing justice and judgement. Everyone that has asked to be forgiven and restored to God will be welcomed into His kingdom forever. Those that have chosen not to will enter eternal death outside of God’s goodness and love.

Believe

Mission

Our Mission

Our Mission is simple...

Share the Gospel!

Romans 1:16-17

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Our Vision

Our Vision is clear...

Be Relevant, Evangelize & Disciple

Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

What to Expect When You Visit

Expect to show up as you are, for we are a "come as you are" house church
Expect to receive hug and a warm welcome!
Expect a casual and informal, yet orderly worship service.
Expect the style of worship music to a blend of traditional and contemporary hymns and songs that glorify God.
Expect to hear preaching that exegetes directly from the word of God without "me-centered" fanfare or self-righteous story telling.
Expect to hear the truth about Jesus Christ.
Expect to be and feel welcomed. This especially includes children. They need Jesus too!
Expect there to be room for everyone!

What Not to Expect

Don’t expect to find a crowd of perfect people. We are a group of sinners who fellowship together because Christ has paid the price for our sins on the Cross. Only the Word of God is infallible, the people and the pastor are not.
Don’t expect to find yourself in the latest self-help program, leadership seminar, or New Age meditation technique. Rather, come expecting to lose your sin, guilt, and shame in the Confession and Absolution at the beginning of the service.
Don’t expect a praise band featuring the latest song to win the Dove Music Award. However, you will hear the Gospel expressed through both traditional hymns and contemporary songs that tell what Christ has done for you; and you will hear both yourself and your neighbor singing to the best of your ability.
Don’t expect a sermon series designed by the pastor to improve your lifestyle. Each Sunday, you will hear about what God has done for you from His Word.
Don’t expect a message that sends you away with a list of things to do to make you more pleasing in the sight of God. But you will be given assurance that God, through Christ, and by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, has given you a desire to serve Him and your neighbor.
Don’t expect to leave the Sunday morning Service with all of your personal problems solved. Instead, you will leave with the assurance that your conscience need not be troubled because God offers you the gift of faith in Christ and an eternity with Him.

Expectations

Staff

SWM Leadership

Rev. Tom Neal

Pastor Tom was ordained On March, 13, 2011 at Open Door Community Church, Stafford, VA, where he served as deacon, worship leader and Associate Pastor until April 2013. He then became a covenant member of Freedom Fellowship Church in Dale City, VA. Tom also served as Co-Pastor of Brothers in Christ Motorcycle Ministry Church, Manassas from 2019 until 2021 upon closing its doors.

Shortly after COVID-19 of 2020, Tom decided to leave Freedom and went on a search for a new church. In 2022, after months of searching, Tom decided to go back to biblical foundations and formed Still Waters Ministries, a house church, where he now ministers to friends and families in the neighborhood, and online across the nation.

Tom served honorably in the United States Marine Corps and retired from active duty after 21 years in 1997.

Tom is a retired graphic artist, avid painter, and musician. He enjoys watching drag racing, Seattle Seahawks football and Dallas Stars & Washington Capitals hockey.

Tom is married to his earthly best friend, Deanna. Together, they are proud parents of 3 wonderful adult children, and are blessed with 11 beautiful grandkids.

Deanna Neal

Deanna is the wife of Pastor Tom and First Lady of Still Waters Ministries. She married Tom on November, 11, 1978 and has been his partner in life and his source of encouragement. She joined Tom in forming Still Waters Ministries and is instrumental in helping Tom organize the Sunday morning meetings and teaching our children ages 4-11, as well as preparing food for fellowship time after church.

In 2004 Deanna was severely injured in a vehicle accident when a car struck the motorcycle she was riding, leaving her with an amputated left leg above the knee. and a broken pelvis. After surgeries to repair the injuries and completion of rehabilitation, Deanna and Tom both realized that God was instrumental in saving her life that day, and began a return journey back to God and find a church. She was later saved by Christ and continues to grow in her faith and love for the Lord.

She is a wonderful mother and grandmother, and Tom's earthly best friend.. She is a talented and accomplished quilter and cook! She loves spending time with her grandkids and teach them how to cook and bake.