Tom Stipe was a multi-talented individual, musician, songwriter, producer, pastor, worship leader, husband and father. He was a Jesus Music pioneer, played a huge role in the growth of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, the formation of Maranatha! Music, the foundation of the Vineyard and the founding of Crossroads Church Of Denver. Tom was born and raised in Southern California and felt the call to ministry at an early age. At the age of eighteen he was a youth director at a Methodist church. During that time he was exposed to the budding Jesus Movement in Costa Mesa.
I'll let Tom speak to this in his own words. "Jumping back in time a year or so before, I was a 19yr. old piano player and self-taught guitar strummer and I was stunned to hear Love Song for the first time. It was my kind of music performed flawlessly while openly expressing love for Jesus. Wide eyed and a complete wannabe I approached one of the band members named Tommy Coomes and suggested that it might be a good idea to maybe hijack popular songs of the day and insert 'Christian' lyrics into them. With a look of complete disgust, as though I had suggested drinking a Slurpee from the Holy Grail, he said 'Why don’t you write your own.' That became the artisan mantra of every songwriter and singer to surface during those seminal days at the beginning."
Tom took Tommy's advice and wrote songs for a number of the Maranatha Music projects. He was a part of County Faith and A Wing And A Prayer. He produced Maranatha! 4, Maranatha! 5 and Bethlehem's self-titled album. Later he would join Richie Furay, Jay Truax and John Mehler to form The Richie Furay Band. Tom played keyboards and synthesizers, did BGVs, co-wrote songs and produced the band's I've Got A Reason.
Going back to his CCCM days, Tom was a charismatic presence with a profound teaching gifting and immense musical talent. This served to make him a pivotal player in the Jesus Movement. He served on the pastoral staff of CCCM under the guidance of Pastor Chuck Smith. Tom's primarily responsible was evangelism at the Saturday night Maranatha! concerts. He enjoyed partnering with many of the solo artists and bands who used the Saturday concerts to perform their original new material that flowed from their relationship with Jesus. Tom produced numerous albums from those "tent days" until 1976. Tom continued on teaching the Scriptures, produced albums, leading worship and playing music.
While traveling in the late '70s he felt the Spirit's leading to move to Colorado where he planted a church under the Calvary Chapel banner in a western suburb of Denver. In 1982 he was approached by John Wimber to help launch Vineyard Ministries International. Tom's experiences during the Jesus Movement impacted his leadership role with the Vineyard movement and the role the Vineyard played in advancing worship music. In part due to some of the controversy over the "Toronto blessing" at what was then the Airport Vineyard Tom and his congregation left the Vineyard movement becoming Crossroads Church Of Denver again under the Calvary Chapel banner.
Over the course of the 1980s Crossroads Church grew to approximately 7,500 members and became the largest church in the greater Denver area. Tom's gift of expository teaching and his humorous insights helped him to become a prominent figure in the community. For ten years he was Deputy Chaplin for the Adams County Sheriffs Department and six years team Chaplin of the NFL Denver Broncos.
In 1999 he released Never Too Late, a country album. He and his band opened for Rick Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. Tom also plated for George Bush's campaign and for Pope John Paul at World Youth Day Denver.
Tom died on December 30, 2020 of liver cancer. He left behind his wife Maryellen and three adult children - But Tom left behind a lot more. He left behind a legacy of faithfulness and a lifetime of service. He left behind an untold number of people who came into relationship with Jesus through his ministry. He left behind so many that he discipled and encouraged in the faith. He left behind a legacy of faithfulness and service.
Written by Richard Moon, 7/30/2023
I'll let Tom speak to this in his own words. "Jumping back in time a year or so before, I was a 19yr. old piano player and self-taught guitar strummer and I was stunned to hear Love Song for the first time. It was my kind of music performed flawlessly while openly expressing love for Jesus. Wide eyed and a complete wannabe I approached one of the band members named Tommy Coomes and suggested that it might be a good idea to maybe hijack popular songs of the day and insert 'Christian' lyrics into them. With a look of complete disgust, as though I had suggested drinking a Slurpee from the Holy Grail, he said 'Why don’t you write your own.' That became the artisan mantra of every songwriter and singer to surface during those seminal days at the beginning."
Tom took Tommy's advice and wrote songs for a number of the Maranatha Music projects. He was a part of County Faith and A Wing And A Prayer. He produced Maranatha! 4, Maranatha! 5 and Bethlehem's self-titled album. Later he would join Richie Furay, Jay Truax and John Mehler to form The Richie Furay Band. Tom played keyboards and synthesizers, did BGVs, co-wrote songs and produced the band's I've Got A Reason.
Going back to his CCCM days, Tom was a charismatic presence with a profound teaching gifting and immense musical talent. This served to make him a pivotal player in the Jesus Movement. He served on the pastoral staff of CCCM under the guidance of Pastor Chuck Smith. Tom's primarily responsible was evangelism at the Saturday night Maranatha! concerts. He enjoyed partnering with many of the solo artists and bands who used the Saturday concerts to perform their original new material that flowed from their relationship with Jesus. Tom produced numerous albums from those "tent days" until 1976. Tom continued on teaching the Scriptures, produced albums, leading worship and playing music.
While traveling in the late '70s he felt the Spirit's leading to move to Colorado where he planted a church under the Calvary Chapel banner in a western suburb of Denver. In 1982 he was approached by John Wimber to help launch Vineyard Ministries International. Tom's experiences during the Jesus Movement impacted his leadership role with the Vineyard movement and the role the Vineyard played in advancing worship music. In part due to some of the controversy over the "Toronto blessing" at what was then the Airport Vineyard Tom and his congregation left the Vineyard movement becoming Crossroads Church Of Denver again under the Calvary Chapel banner.
Over the course of the 1980s Crossroads Church grew to approximately 7,500 members and became the largest church in the greater Denver area. Tom's gift of expository teaching and his humorous insights helped him to become a prominent figure in the community. For ten years he was Deputy Chaplin for the Adams County Sheriffs Department and six years team Chaplin of the NFL Denver Broncos.
In 1999 he released Never Too Late, a country album. He and his band opened for Rick Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. Tom also plated for George Bush's campaign and for Pope John Paul at World Youth Day Denver.
Tom died on December 30, 2020 of liver cancer. He left behind his wife Maryellen and three adult children - But Tom left behind a lot more. He left behind a legacy of faithfulness and a lifetime of service. He left behind an untold number of people who came into relationship with Jesus through his ministry. He left behind so many that he discipled and encouraged in the faith. He left behind a legacy of faithfulness and service.
Written by Richard Moon, 7/30/2023