Laurence Tom

BIO

Laurence currently serves on the pastoral team at the Chinese Christian Church + Center in Chinatown, Philadelphia since 2006. His primary passion is the development of the local and future church. He received his M.Div from Biblical Theological Seminary and has over a decade of experience in youth ministry and leading short term missions.

While studying graphic design, urban planning & public policy at Rutgers University he was involved with InterVarsity Chinese Christian Fellowship on campus. It was soon after a couple of years in the corporate world that Laurence followed a call of God towards full-time vocational ministry. He served on staff at the Rutgers Community Christian Church as an intern minister and also had the privilege of working in Christian higher education on the administration of Somerset Christian College helping to establish it as the leading evangelical college in the state of New Jersey. Laurence served as the Youth Program Director for the Chinese Missions Convention a premier tri-annual missions gathering sponsored by Ambassadors For Christ since 1998.

During the summer of 1996, Laurence met Lauren Cacciamani. She was beginning a glorious college career as a starting player on the Penn State University Women’s Volleyball team. Lauren helped bring this team several times to the NCAA Final Four and then finally to win the national championship her senior year. This was an incredible platform for Lauren to share her story of following Jesus Christ with many teammates and fans. She received many honors and awards including the National Player of the Year and as Player of the Century in her home state of New Jersey. After graduating with a degree in art education, she returned home and soon dove into the youth ministry at Rutgers Community Christian Church serving as a youth counselor alongside her future husband. This was a great shock to the volleyball world that expected her to play in the 2000 Olympic games or move on to professional volleyball. God had other plans for her.

Laurence and Lauren were happily wed in the spring of 2002. She cooks. He cleans. She likes the national geographic channel. He reads anything from comic books to deep theological treatises like an addiction. They now enjoy the new adventure of parenthood with the care of their son, Jayden Nathaniel.

Other Interesting Tidbits:
• Laurence has worked for Apple Inc.

• A side project that he has been working on is PureCreative a design studio integrating strategy and communication through the power of connecting creatives for the greater good.

• Found Jesus at Teen Eastern Chinese Bible Conference (TECBC)