After more than 20 years at Calvary Church Clearwater, I can honestly say this is a place for real…read morepeople--not perfect people. It's a church full of broken, imperfect folks who are simply doing their best to follow Jesus, and that authenticity is what has kept our family here for so long. Like any large church, there have been seasons where decisions didn't sit well with everyone. But one thing I've learned over the years is that there are always two sides to every story, and the public usually only hears one. I've seen firsthand that Pastor Willy and the leadership team are thoughtful, kind, and prayerful people who genuinely seek to make decisions they believe are necessary for the health and future of the church. This is a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching church that stays grounded in truth while still creating space for grace and growth. Yes, it's a big church--but if you get involved in a ministry or join a Life Group, it quickly feels much smaller and more personal. That's where real connection happens. I'm also continually encouraged by the impact beyond the walls: planting over 150 churches, helping revitalize struggling ones, sending more than 150 people into missions, and supporting over 150 children through foster care and adoption. That kind of outward focus says a lot. At the end of the day, it's a community of sinners--just like me--walking together and trying to follow Jesus a little more faithfully each day. And that's a place worth being.

Calvary has been my church for about 15 months now. The church is huge...but it is also small and…read morecontains family. I will explain in a moment. Calvary is large and comfortable with all of the amenities. You could come into a service and be left alone if you desired. You could have privacy and solitude without giving away your information. You could also do what I did and dive full in. You could experience every facet that this church has to offer and become even better for it. You could join a small group and hence join a church family. This is where you build lasting relationships and fellowship. This is where you find your support team. Your friends...your family. Don't let the size of the church or parking lot intimidate you. We have plenty of parking and plenty of space inside. You can come in any of the main entrances. We are a very friendly church and several people will greet you on your way in. We will not ask questions or for your information however. This is how it works. There are two services: 9:15am and 11am. There are also many groups that meet during both sermons. We have childcare too. Your children will learn about the bible and have fun while you are free to attend service and/ or a group. On a typical Sunday most members of the church pick a service and pick a group or volunteer for the other service. I personally tend to go to the first service followed by a group second service. Once a month, I attend first service and volunteer second service in the Children's area. Volunteering is optional, but there are many areas to do so if you would like to give back to the church. I like to volunteer for the New Here area for special services too (like Christmas Candlelight). Speaking of giving back, it is explained that the tithing is for members and guests are not expected to donate. We also have online donations available, so no one even knows if you are donating in service or how much. That is between God and you. As far as amenities go...our church is very nice. We have free coffee every Sunday (the pecan praline is amazing). We have a cafe if you wish to buy a pastry or something else. We have tons of comfortable seats. Our air conditioning is cold (I normally bring a sweater). We have a full band with electric guitars, drums, piano, etc. We have spotlights and televisions. Our lyrics are displayed so that you can sing along with the worship music (which we typically stand for). It's an amazing place to worship. Our Pastor is Pastor Willy. He does a phenomenal job of discussing the scripture and relating it to real life. He often uses humor, statistics, quotes, and real life scenarios. Ironically, Pastor Willy once addressed the fact that Calvary has reviews in a sermon. He mentioned Yelp. It was quite amusing. I personally find that the time flies by and that I learn something almost every Sunday. There have been a few times I have disagreed with something he has said, but that is an opportunity too. He generally has a very well thought out and enlightening sermon. All of our other Pastors are really helpful as well. I have had personal experiences with three other Pastors. I will say that they were all really there for me when I lost a family member too (even though I was new to the church at the time). I highly recommend Calvary. You have nothing to lose by trying it out. If you need someone to sit with you or someone to talk to about the church or God...please reach out. I will be here every Sunday unless I am out of town. That is another thing I should mention..we share our services live on Facebook too. This is great if you are sick or out of town. You could also use it to check us out before attending. However, I will say that the services are much more powerful in person. I hope to see you there.