Pastor James Marini was serving as an assistant pastor at Calvary Chapel Pomona Valley about 20 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
His wife, Jen, and their sons, Caleb and Titus, were surrounded by family and friends, laboring in ministry and generally enjoying life.
Then came the call to plant a church in North Texas.
Marini said they “quietly and prayerfully sought the Lord for five months.” And then came the COVID-19 shutdowns in March 2020.
In those months, he said, the Lord began to confirm “this stirring to plant a church.” Marini wasn’t where but eventually felt a call to McKinney, Texas. So, The Marinis packed up their stuff and left California behind.
In Texas, they began ministering to about three or four other families. James held the first Calvary Chapel McKinney church service in his living room on Feb. 14, 2021.
By January 2022, there were about 40 adults in the Marinis’ living room and another 25 kids in a small bedroom for children’s ministry.
There are currently about 100 people regularly attending every Sunday at a nearby hotel.
For Marini, the milestone isn’t in the numbers but a deeper walk with Jesus — a truth reflected in Calvary Chapel McKinney‘s mission statement to “grow disciples of Jesus Christ through sound Bible teaching.”