Staff
Pastor Pearson
Pastor Chuck Pearson was saved while serving in the U.S. Navy, on the USS Kennedy, in December of 1986 at the age of 23. Returning to the Tidewater area, he immediately became involved in a small local church where he was able to grow in the Christ-centered emphasis of God’s Word. Faithful witnessing to his girlfriend led to the salvation of Cathy Hill, who would later become Cathy Pearson in April of 1989.
Soon Chuck was called to preach and began attending Tabernacle Baptist Bible College for his formal training. His immediate heart was for his New England home, and he prepared with that in mind. Meanwhile, the Lord had led him to leave the Navy, and he began contract work as an electrical engineer.
As the Lord would have it his church merged with Tidewater Baptist Temple and soon thereafter he left engineering and came on staff. While he finished his degree and did his Master’s work, he also began teaching Bible College Classes. The Lord was working in his heart with the knowledge that a need is not necessarily a calling and was moving his heart away from New England. In October of 2004, the church called Pastor Pearson as the Senior Pastor of Tidewater Baptist Temple. After the church fire in 2011, the church changed its name to the simpler Tidewater Baptist Church.
Jon James
Jon James is the Assistant Pastor at Tidewater Baptist Church in Chesapeake, Virginia. He was raised in Detroit, Michigan and came to a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ at the age of 15. Jon works full-time as a Benefits Analyst (HR) for Xerox Cooperation and served as the youth minister at Tidewater Baptist Church from 2001 to 2015. Jon met his wife Kitty at Tidewater Baptist Church in 1999, and they married in 2001. In 2002, the Lord blessed the James family with a son, Noah, who now attends Pensacola Christian College and is pursuing a Cyber Security Degree.
Cathy Pearson
Cathy and our pastor met when she was in college, and she was saved in 1987 as a result of his faithful witness. They were married in 1989. She acts as his part-time secretary, nursery coordinator, and teaches in various capacities as needed. Cathy enjoys working with children and also has a heart for women and teenagers and has been very active in the mission teen program at our church over the years. Having an elementary teaching degree, she chose to homeschool her four children from 1994-2019. Their youngest child, Rebekah, is still at home and is currently attending Pensacola Christian College, pursing a business management degree. She and Pastor are blessed with 6 granddaughters and 2 grandsons who are all currently living in Virginia.
Amanda Nowak
The oldest of Pastor Pearson's four children, Amanda had the opportunity to grow up closely involved in church ministry. She was led to the Lord after a Vacation Bible School in 1999. In 2009, she began college at Crown College in Powell, TN. She married Matthew Nowak in 2011 and graduated in 2013 as Salutatorian with her degree in Elementary Education. Both Matthew and Amanda grew up in Hampton Roads and were excited to move back home after Amanda's graduation. After a stillbirth in January 2015, Matt and Amanda were thankful to add their daughter Charlotte to their family in 2015, Portia in 2018, Felicity in 2020 and Celia in 2022. Amanda is one of the secretaries and enjoys working alongside her family in the church ministry.
Joyce Paul - Secretary
Joyce Paul
Joyce has been a faithful member of Tidewater Baptist Church for many years, and her consistent love for others and humility sets her apart as a sweet helper in our church office. She is the mother of one and has been blessed with six grandchildren.