Tabernacle Church of Norfolk has stood at 7000 Granby Street since 2000, when the congregation moved one block east from its previous building into a structure the members still call "Miracle 2000." But the church itself dates to 1935, when a small group began meeting at 39th and Elkhorn in Norfolk as a non-denominational, missions-minded Bible church. For nearly nine decades the church has carried the same identity: deeply rooted in the city of Norfolk, broadly evangelical in belief, and serious about sending its people, resources, and prayers far beyond its own walls.
Today Tab Church, as members call it, gathers every Sunday morning on a broad median-lined stretch of Granby Street in the Talbot Park neighborhood. The vision is to help the people of Hampton Roads discover their own stories inside God's larger story, and the mission statement is simple and bold: "Pushing through boundaries to share God's story from Norfolk to the Nations!" Every element of the church's life - from the way children are taught, to the way small groups meet in homes across the city, to the way the congregation supports more than a dozen missionary families scattered across the globe - flows from that single aim.
From 1935 to Miracle 2000
The story of Tab Church is inseparable from the story of Norfolk. The congregation began at 39th and Elkhorn in 1935 and over the decades grew and moved around the city, settling at 25th Street and then at 7120 Granby Street. In 1944, Pastor John Dunlap and his wife Lolly arrived, beginning a pastoral tenure that would shape the church for a generation. In 1953, Dunlap brought Gene Garrick and his wife Helena onto the staff to minister to the young people and to a brand-new venture called Norfolk Christian School, which had started in 1952.
Missions has been in the church's bloodstream since the beginning. Pastors Dunlap and Garrick routinely brought missionary needs before the congregation, including the children. The church opened missionary furlough residences on Midfield Street, named in honor of Mrs. Zuidema, who served for many years as the missions secretary. For over fifty years, the church has taken a special Christmas offering for its global workers; those gifts have purchased vehicles, funded hurricane relief, helped start farms, supplied water tanks, bought hospital equipment, and underwritten Bible translation work around the world.
Many of the ministries that grew out of Tab were extensions of the Christian home. Norfolk Christian Schools began in 1952, a radio ministry launched in 1953 (recorded sermons reached far beyond Norfolk), Triple R Ranch started in 1960 as a place for children and youth, and the National Institute for Learning Development was founded in 1982. Through these ministries, many people felt like part of the Tab family even if they never set foot inside the church building.
In 1991 the pastoral staff cast a vision to purchase the Winn Nursery property at 7000 Granby Street, one block from the old 7120 Granby building. The original 7120 location had been built right after World War II, when streetcars still ran down what is now the broad median on Granby Street and parking was not yet a concern - there were only twenty parking spaces for more than seven hundred congregants. Piece by piece, the Lord allowed the church to buy the new property and rebuild. The praying, planning, fundraising, and consensus-building took nearly ten years. In 2000 the new worship center opened, and the 7120 building was sold to the City of Norfolk for its Fire Training Center.
Sundays at 10 on Granby Street
On any given Sunday morning, the flow at Tab Church is unhurried and welcoming. Adult Bible Studies meet at 8:45 a.m., giving early arrivals a chance to dig into a book of the Bible or a topical study before the main gathering. The worship service begins at 10:00 a.m. and runs about seventy-five minutes. It includes a time of contemporary music led by the Praise Band and vocalists, followed by a sermon from one of the pastors. The church describes its goal as crafting a service for a widely diverse congregation, one that reflects the reality of heaven and expresses the child-like joy that comes with knowing Jesus.
First-time guests have a reserved parking spot. As you enter the driveway off Granby Street, continue straight and then turn right; Guest Parking is marked with green signs along the back aisle of the lot. From there, walk to the overhang and roundabout at the main entrance. If you have children from birth through fifth grade, you can also park in the TabKids Family Parking area to the left, marked with blue signs on white A-frames, and enter through the doors at the blue and white awning for a quicker check-in. Reserved parking for handicap access and seniors is located close to the main doors. Stop by the Welcome Desk inside for a First Time Guest gift and a connection card. The dress code is simple: come as you are.
TabKids, TabYouth, and TabFriends
Tab Church takes seriously the calling to pass the faith to the generation coming behind. Three distinct ministries make that visible.
TabKids serves children from birth through fifth grade. The ministry's aim is to help the children of Hampton Roads discover that their story is part of HIStory by sharing God's story from Norfolk to the Nations. TabKids meets at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings; families check in at the TabKids Desk to the left when entering the main doors, or use the blue and white awning entrance. Nursery and preschool classes meet on the first floor of the Kids Wing, and elementary students meet on the second floor. The Family Ministry Director, Tawana Love, oversees the program. Parents looking to reinforce the Sunday lesson at home can use the God's Kids App.
TabYouth is the ministry for sixth through twelfth graders. Before service each Sunday, students gather for "21:12," a breakfast hangout in the Upper Atrium from 9:20 to 9:50 a.m. The name comes from John 21:12, where Jesus invited His disciples, "Come and have breakfast." It is a relaxed time for pancakes, games, and conversation with the youth LifeGroup leaders. During the school year, on the fourth Sunday of every month, students gather for Youth Night from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. for a time of teaching, games, food, and fellowship. Throughout the year the ministry also runs retreats and camps. Sara Horn serves as Youth Coordinator, and Daniel Bridges, the Operations and Leadership Director, supports the ministry.
TabFriends is Tab's special needs ministry. It meets every Sunday in the Upper Atrium, where friends can watch the sermon on TV, hang out, and connect with other Tab Friends and families. From dance parties to epic games, the goal is simply that TabFriends is where the most fun happens at Tab Church. On the first and third Sundays of each month, Room 111 is opened at 10:00 a.m. for a service designed specifically for those with disabilities - a time of worship, learning, and community that also gives families a respite. The ministry is supported by a dedicated team of volunteers who walk alongside families in providing care, encouragement, and meaningful connection.
WeeOnes Childcare and Preschool
Operating out of the same Granby Street campus is WeeOnes Childcare and Preschool, a licensed early childhood program serving the Norfolk community. Lizzie Young serves as the director, supporting the daily operations of the center and ensuring a safe, engaging, and developmentally appropriate environment for young learners. The program is open to church families and the broader community and has long been woven into the life of the church; Sarah Hall, now the church's Hospitality and Administration Director, previously worked at WeeOnes before moving into children's ministry and then church administration.
LifeGroups Around the City
The church is not the building but the people, and LifeGroups are where the deeper work of community happens at Tab. Sunday morning services gather the full church family for worship and teaching; LifeGroups are smaller gatherings, typically ten to twenty people meeting in homes throughout Norfolk, where members can be vulnerable, hold each other accountable, pray for one another, and grow closer to each other as they grow closer to God.
The current list of LifeGroups shows the variety. There is a couples group in their forties and up that meets Thursdays at 7 p.m. near the church; a group for married couples with young children that meets Thursdays at 6 p.m.; a 50-and-up group that meets Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.; a "Taco Tuesdays at Guads" gathering for women at a local restaurant each Tuesday at 5 p.m.; a young adult and working professionals group on Sundays at 6 p.m.; a women's Bible study group on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.; a young married couples group on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. that rotates homes; a men's group on Thursdays at 6 p.m.; several groups of seniors and retirees; a parents-of-school-aged-children group that meets every other Sunday at 6:15 p.m.; and a ladies' group that meets Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. at the church. Pastor Will Davidson oversees the LifeGroup ministry.
For those interested in leading a group, the church offers resources and mentorship, recognizing that LifeGroups are where real connection, accountability, and spiritual growth happen beyond Sunday services.
LeaderPath: God's Story, Our Story, Living the Story
For anyone wanting to grow as a follower of Jesus, Tab offers an intentional discipleship pathway called LeaderPath. It is built around three stops: God's Story, Our Story, and Living the Story.
God's Story is a four-week foundations-of-Christianity class for new believers, walking through the major movements of creation, fall, redemption, and glory. Our Story is another four weeks, covering the DNA, mission, vision, culture, history, focus, and beliefs that Tab Church is anchored in. This stop is the gateway to membership. Living the Story is an eight-week experience focused on practical leadership principles, spiritual rhythms, and the biblical foundations needed to lead effectively in everyday life. Membership is not required for the first two stops, but Our Story is required before Living the Story.
The pathway is meant to be walked in community. LeaderPath happens through an interactive small-group experience where participants engage in both meaningful content and intentional group discussion. It reflects the conviction that real transformation happens in community, not in isolation.
Majoring on the Majors
As a non-denominational community, Tab takes the position that "we major on the majors (tenants of the Christian faith) and minor on the minors." Major beliefs are those on which the Bible is clear; on less clear issues, the church allows people to come to their own conclusions.
The foundational theology is built on five pillars. First, belief in a Trinitarian God: the Father as Originator and Planner, the Son as Redeemer, Revealer, and Ruler, and the Holy Spirit as Counselor, Comforter, and the One who empowers and transforms. Second, belief that all people are created to bring glory to God but are born estranged from Him and in need of reconciliation. Third, belief that salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone and His redemptive work on the cross. Fourth, belief that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God and the final authority for faith and practice. Fifth, belief that Jesus calls every person to the Great Commission, establishing strategic relationships with non-believers to bear the light of His gospel in the world.
The Statement of Beliefs unpacks these convictions in greater detail, articulating belief in the Trinity, in God the Father as creator, in Jesus Christ as fully God and fully man whose substitutionary death on the cross paid the redemptive price for sin, in the Holy Spirit who indwells and empowers believers, in the universal sinfulness of humanity, in salvation by grace through faith, in the unity of the body of Christ across every line of difference, in eternal salvation and eternal judgment, and in the Bible as the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God.
Ten Values That Shape the Church
Tab's identity is shaped by ten core values, each anchored in a specific passage of Scripture. "We bend to the Book" anchors the conviction that the Church is built on the foundation of God's revealed Word, with Jesus Christ as the central focus (Ephesians 2:20). "We reflect the reality of Heaven" drives the pursuit of a unified diversity that celebrates what heaven will be (Revelation 5:9). "We are fueled by faith" calls the church to bold faith, expecting God to do exceedingly more (Ephesians 3:20-21). "We play the bench" is the commitment to invest in emerging leaders and empower the next generation (1 Timothy 4:12). "We clear the path to Jesus" refuses to let secondary issues divide the body or impede the gospel (Acts 15:19).
The remaining five values continue the picture. "We do life together" describes the church's commitment to authentic Christian community (Acts 2:42-47). "We notice the unnoticeable" calls believers to step into the brokenness and injustice around them (Matthew 25:40). "We inspire through grace" affirms that God changes people from the inside out, not the other way around (Ephesians 2:8). "We export the best" sends the church's best leaders and a disproportionate amount of resources beyond the building to engage the world (Acts 13:2). And "We go all out" pursues excellence in everything as a response to grace, not a way to earn it (Colossians 3:23).
Believer's Baptism and Baby Dedication
Tab practices believer's baptism by full immersion. Baptism is understood as an outward expression of an inward change that has already taken place through personal faith in Jesus Christ, and the church believes it is an important act of obedience. Anyone who has personally trusted in Christ as Lord and Savior is welcome to be baptized. The act does not save a person, since salvation is by grace through faith, but it is a public declaration of what God has done. Services are usually led by a pastor; children and students may also be baptized by the TabKids Director or TabYouth Director if requested. Baptism is recommended for anyone who has not been baptized by immersion after accepting Christ, and it is encouraged for new members even though it is not a condition of membership.
For infants and young children, the church offers a Baby and Child Dedication service instead of baptism. When parents dedicate their child, they are committing to raise their son or daughter in the knowledge and love of Christ. The dedication is not a baptism of faith and does not guarantee a child's salvation; rather, it is a covenant vow made by the parents, supported by the church. Membership at Tab is not required for a dedication, and the Family Ministry Director, Tawana Love, can help families arrange a time that works for their schedule.
Becoming a Member at Tab
Membership at Tab is described as a covenant relationship with both benefits and responsibilities. It is a public acknowledgement of a person's decision to commit themselves first to God and then to a specific local church in order to achieve a unified mission. The process runs through LeaderPath's Our Story class, which covers the church's vision, history, beliefs, and constitution. After completing the class, prospective members meet with an elder to share their story, ask final questions, and be welcomed into the Tab family.
Members are expected to be fully committed to worshipping God in their daily lives and in corporate gatherings, encouraging fellow church members in their walk with the Lord, serving through the ministries of Tab, giving financially to the church and its ministries, and praying for the church and its work. Voting in church elections and serving on elected leadership teams are the only areas of church life restricted to official members; everything else at Tab is open to anyone who calls the church home.
Sending the Best Beyond the Building
Missions has been at the heart of Tab Church for as long as it has existed, and the global outreach ministry today supports a remarkable roster of missionary partners. The list reads like a map of the world.
Bob and Mallory Boyd minister through New Fire for Christ, igniting spiritual awakening on campuses and in cities across the United States, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Russia. Jose and Whitney Cordero serve military people at Fort Huachuca in Arizona through Shiloh Ministries. Luke and Nancy Cutherell serve in medical ministry at Bach Christian Hospital in Pakistan. Carlton and Shannon Deal serve with Communitas International, forming and reproducing followers of Jesus and missional church expressions in Brussels and beyond. Amy Evers supports Bible translation work in Papua New Guinea through graphic design with Wycliffe. Mike and Kim Fariss mobilize people of African descent to lead in Christ's global mission.
Kurnia and Lian Foe serve international students in Hampton Roads with the love of Christ. Bobby and Jennifer Goodrich work alongside local churches in La Paz, Mexico, providing programs for children, teens, and families in poverty. Pete and Emily Johnson serve children, youth, and families in Mexico and Latin America through community development, therapeutic recreation, church planting, and leadership training. A couple known publicly as "P & M" serves vulnerable and unreached communities in South Asia with healthcare and the gospel. Mike and Sally Latsko, though officially retired, remain involved in reaching those who have never heard the gospel. Khanh Le equips disciple-makers with Oral Bible Training and Natural Farming Technology in Southeast Asia. Mike and Pat Mower serve in mission mobilization through JAARS. Bob and Kelley Thorp serve in North Carolina, helping people move from doubt to a decision to follow Jesus.
Each fall the church hosts a Missions Conference, when these global workers come to Norfolk and stay in host homes. The congregation gathers for plenary sessions, worship, meals, and prayer, and the church takes up a special Christmas offering each year for its global partners. For over fifty years, this offering has been a defining rhythm of the church's life.
The Consortium of Hampton Roads Churches
Beginning in the 1950s, Tab caught a vision to plant non-denominational, missions-minded Bible churches in every city of Hampton Roads. That vision became a network of sister congregations the church still calls the Consortium. Today the Consortium includes Virginia Beach Community Chapel, Williamsburg Community Chapel, Centerpoint Community Church, Peninsula Community Chapel, James River Community Church, and Eastside Church, which was planted by Williamsburg Community Chapel. The churches share counsel, exchange pulpits periodically, gather for ministry and fellowship events, and pray for one another. They are united in the vision of being broadly evangelical and committed to global ministry.
Loving Our Neighbor in Norfolk
The local outreach philosophy at Tab is that the church's people, not its programs, are its most important outreach. Members are encouraged to share the gospel where they live, work, study, and play - their homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and social circles. At the same time, the church provides several organized ways to put that conviction into practice.
Tab on the Go is the umbrella for a wide range of practical service projects throughout the year. Serve the City connects volunteers with local organizations for neighborhood cleanups, community garden work, facility upkeep, seasonal drives for essential supplies, and outreach events. Each winter the church opens its doors as a Winter Shelter, providing homeless neighbors with a hot dinner, a safe place to sleep, and a hearty breakfast; volunteers are needed for guest check-in, cooking and serving, overnight observation, and breakfast. Good News Club, an after-school program sponsored through Child Evangelism Fellowship, currently meets at Suburban Park on Thursdays during the school year. Each Thanksgiving the church organizes a Food Drive, providing full Thanksgiving meals to local families facing financial hardship. And the church partners with the Crisis Pregnancy Center of Tidewater, supporting its annual Walk for Life and Bottles for Change campaign.
The Helping Hands Fund, overseen by volunteer Martha Gorman and her team, is the church's benevolence fund, providing direct assistance to those facing financial hardship. The church's stated approach is to give a hand up, not a hand out.
Midweek Meals and the Pastoral Team
Wednesday nights at Tab revolve around food and community. The church hosts Midweek Meals in the Atrium each Wednesday evening, an inexpensive family meal that has become a natural gathering point for new people to get to know others and for longtime members to deepen friendships. Each Wednesday morning before the meal, women gather for Ladies at Guads, a Tuesday afternoon group that meets at a local restaurant for tacos and conversation.
Pastor Craig Rush serves as Senior Pastor. He and his wife Bethany have three children, Elliott, Evelyn, and Everett. Pastor Will Davidson, originally from Chicago, joined the Tab team after more than four years of missionary service in Paraguay with his wife Sarah and their son Ezra. Pastor Ed Haywood, who came to Tab in 2016 when the African American church he was pastoring merged with Tab, served as Tab's Senior Pastor from 2018 until Pastor Craig was called; he now serves as Senior Adult and Care Pastor. Ed and his wife Shirley have been married for forty-eight years.
The Elder Board is chaired by John Close, with Jonathan Young serving as Elder Co-Chair. Members include Jerome Arrington, Kevin Bohenek, Steve Doyle, Ed Haywood, Micah Lenox, Craig Rush, and Clark Taylor. The Deacon Board is chaired by Trevor Powell. The church uses a simple governance structure of elders who shepherd and deacons who serve, with membership voting in church elections.
Weddings, Funerals, and Staying Connected
Tab hosts both weddings and funerals on its Granby Street campus. Indoor and outdoor settings are available for wedding ceremonies, and an indoor atrium is offered for receptions, with a bride and groom room available on request. For funerals, the church can provide music, run a slideshow, and host a reception for family and friends following the service. The building is also available for small community events such as meetings, luncheons, prayer groups, workshops, and Bible studies.
Online giving is available through PushPay (which accepts cryptocurrency), Square, CashApp, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, or by texting GIVETAB to (833) 363-4446. Checks may be mailed to the church office, and there are Give stations in the back of the Worship Center and a white drop box in the Atrium. The Helping Hands Fund accepts designated gifts for benevolence. The church uses Realm, a private church engagement app, for communication, group interaction, mobile giving management, and event registration.
Sunday sermons are available on the church's YouTube channel and Facebook page, on the Tab Church Podcast through Apple, Google, and Spotify, and through written sermon notes and sermon-based discussion guides. Members of the congregation are invited to subscribe to the weekly email or text updates, and the church has its own merchandise line for anyone who wants a Tab Church sweatshirt or mug.