BELIEFS

What is the Bible

We believe the Bible is God’s word. In its’ original form, the Bible is inerrant, God-breathed and Holy Spirit inspired. It remains relevant, true and consistent. 

What we believe about God

We believe that God is a good Father who loves His children. We believe in the Trinity-God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit- as three distinct persons in one entity. We believe that Jesus is the Son of God who was crucified, died and rose to life so that we could receive everlasting life. When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He left his Spirit with us, abiding in us as our comforter and teacher. 

What is the church

The local church is for the local gathering of the Body of Christ- equipping those who participate to learn about discipleship and spiritual truths while allowing for a chance to meet and build community with other believers. We believe the local church is both an emergency room for the spiritually hurting and an equipping ground to send out local believers to carry out the mission of God. As a local body, we realize that we are part of a much bigger picture-the global church. We partner with various local and global denominations and organizations who exist to help the lost and hurting.

Participating in Timeless Celebrations

Baptisms– We believe that baptism is a public expression of a private decision to make Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior. After you have made the decision to say ‘yes’ to Jesus, we invite you to participate in water baptism through full immersion. We do this by lowering you into the water, representing the washing away of dead things and raising you up out of the water, which represents being raised to new life in Christ. 

Child Dedications– This is a moment for children to be dedicated unto the Lord. During a child dedication, parents make a public covenant to raise a child in the ways of the Lord. In addition, family members, friends and our congregants make a public covenant to participate in teaching the child in the ways of the Lord.

Communion– If you have accepted Jesus, we invite you to remember Him by participating in communion, commonly known as ‘The Lord’s Supper’. We participate in communion by the partaking of a bread as a representation of the Body of Christ, which was broken for us, and partaking of juice as a representation of the Blood of Christ, which was shed for us.

Being Naturally Supernatural

As believers, we are invited into a lifestyle where the supernatural things of God become naturally a part of our daily rhythm. When we surrender full control to the Holy Spirit, who is alive inside of us, He equips us with spiritual gifts through the baptism of the Spirit. We believe that all spiritual gifts listed in scripture are for today and are to be used to equip the local church for evangelism. Our posture toward the public expression of spiritual gifts is one of invitation and not obligation; where anyone who desires to do so will experience the freedom to operate in the full power of God. 

God's relationship to humanity

Our purpose is to have a relationship with God-to worship and serve Him only. In the Garden of Eden, the enemy tempted us to fall into temptation which separated us from unhindered relationship with God. Throughout Scripture, we see God’s redemptive plan to restore man back into relationship with Him. This resulted in God sending His Son, in human form, to walk among us and to become the ultimate sacrifice for man’s sin. Through the acknowledgement and acceptance of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, man is granted eternal salvation.

   WHY WE EXIST

    “CHANGING THE WAY PEOPLE SEE GOD”

    …to the un-churched, “God is crazy about you”

    …to the churched out of church, “Relationship not rules”

    …to those close to God, “It gets even better”

HOW WE DO IT

Encounter the Good News
In the person of Jesus, the kingdom of God has come! The Good News is that God isn’t mad at you! He is madly in love with you! No longer does anyone need to live separated from the love of God- but rather, each of us is free to live in God’s kingdom today through faith in him. For us, Encountering the Good News happens through both hearing the message of the Kingdom, and interacting with others who demonstrate His love to us. “Encounter” is about being free to know Jesus, just as we are.
Experience Life in the Spirit
Jesus lived in complete surrender to the Holy Spirit and it shaped the rhythm of his life. In the same way, as we allow God to live at the very center of our lives, the Spirit leads us into a deep and intimate relationship with the Father, into life-giving community with other believers and on a Kingdom mission out in the world. “Experience” is about being free to grow in Christ, as we are led by the Spirit.
Express the Ministry of Jesus
As Jesus visited every town and village, in every word he spoke, through every moment of kindness and every miraculous act, Jesus offered people an experience of God’s presence, love, wisdom and power. Through the Holy Spirit, we can still receive his ministry in our own lives – as well as share it with everyone in our world. “Express” is about being empowered to make kingdom impact by demonstrating the love of God, through the power of God, in the context of our community.

THE HILLS WE DIE ON

G.R.A.D.

GENEROSITY

Generosity – We believe in God’s Word and so we believe in tithing – if it works for your house, then it works for the House of God, so we tithe 15% of all that we receive. Radical generosity opens the floodgates of Heaven to pour onto earth. Giving generously in time, resources, and love is what we do.

RELEVANCE
Relevance– The Message of the Kingdom is that heaven matters right now! The Word of God is relevant for all aspects of life in a changing world. The language and “packaging” change, but the content or message never does.
AUTHENTICITY
Authenticity– What you see is what you get. We are not about putting on a show or pretending to have it all together. No perfect people allowed.
DIVERSITY
Diversity– The congregation should look like the community. We are intentionally multi-cultural and multi-generational in our makeup. This is apparent in our leadership, our worship expression, our language, and the way we carry ourselves.

OUR STAFF

Freddy Villarreal

Freddy Villarreal

SENIOR PASTOR

My wife Jen and I live in Yorktown, VA with four of our five children: Parker, Eli, Kaelin and Ty. Our oldest son and amazing daughter-in-law, Kyle and Jenny, live in Richmond.

In October of 2004, I had the privilege of joining along side 26 other people to start Freedom Life and have been here ever since. My energy is primarily spent focusing on the vision of our church, coordinating our preaching team and supporting our Kingdom initiatives. Our Kingdom partnerships include organizations like the Virginia Unity Project and the Peninsula Baptist Association. In addition to serving at FLC, I also have the honor of serving as a Teaching Pastor at my mentor pastor’s church, The Chapel, a multi-campus church located in the northern suburbs of Chicago.

When I am not at the church or the office, I am probably hanging with my family, at the gym, watching TV or playing some kind of sport. I love playing/watching/talking about football. Go Houston Texans!!

Random Facts: I have never broken a bone in my body. I currently have four tattoos (but can’t wait to get more), nothing annoys me more than the sound of people chewing food and I am afraid of birds.

Chuck Macri

Chuck Macri

SENIOR ASSOCIATE PASTOR/PRESIDENT, FREEDOM SCHOOL OF MINISTRY

My wife Karen and I live in Hampton, VA. We have 5 adult children (1 guy and 4 gals) and 4 grandchildren. We became Covenant Partners at Freedom Life in October 2012 and are humbled & privileged to be part of the staff. Prior to joining the team here I was on staff for 18 years with the Military Ministry of Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ), serving as National Director and most recently as Deputy Executive Director. I also have 30 years active and reserve service in the Air Force, retiring as a Colonel in 2009. I hold a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Stevens Tech, Hoboken, NJ and a Masters in Biblical & Theological Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary.

For fun I like to work out, hang with my wife and our family . I’m also a rabid fan of the New York Giants and New York Yankees … I bleed “blue” during the football season and “pinstripe” during the baseball season.

Random Facts: I’m an Italian-American from North Jersey (I’ll leave the mob connections to your imagination) so I love pizza and Springsteen, and nothing beats the Jersey shore. I also have a great aversion for clowns, mimes and magicians.

James Wilson Jr.

James Wilson Jr.

HAMPTON CAMPUS PASTOR

My wife Ashley and I were born and raised in Philadelphia, PA.  We have three girls – Karis, Kelsey, and Kyla. I have been working with students in various capacities for the last decade. I have been in full-time youth ministry since 2014. I have a passion for youth and a deep love for making Christ practical and relevant for this generation. We are excited to see Jesus lifted high in the lives of students in the Hampton Roads area and looking forward to seeing how the world will change because of their lives. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Strategic and Organizational Communications from Temple University. I am currently pursuing a Masters of Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary. I am amazed at how God used me – even though I grew up a really shy kid, God continuously allows me to be a featured speaker at camps, schools, conferences, retreats, churches and youth groups.

Fun Facts. I  likes to sing, dance, read, play video games, watch movies, travel and spend time with my family. My favorite movie is “The Last Dragon.” My wife and I love Hampton, but we are Eagles fans and we will always bleed green! Finally, I could eat chicken wings everyday of the week and never get tired of them.

Hannah Hooker

Hannah Hooker

ASSOCIATE CAMPUS PASTOR

I grew up in the small Virginia town of Keokee. I married my husband Chad, with whom I have three wonderful daughters Jordyn, Peyton, and Ellisyn. In 2010, we moved to Hampton, and soon began attending FLC. In January, 2013, I began serving in the Children’s Ministry. I fell in love with ministering to the kiddos. I moved rapidly from serving once a month to becoming a weekly service manager; however, I felt called beyond those duties. In December, 2013, I began my internship in Children’s Ministry to become the Children’s Ministry Director. I love being a part of FLC staff. The encouragement and support each person brings to the table is amazing! I am extremely blessed to be on this amazing journey that God has called upon my life. In November, 2016, I was affirmed as the Children’s Minister at Freedom Life Church. Since then I have seen the Lord continue to stretch and grow me for His kingdom. My heart for the people in the Kingdom has expanded, as well as, my heart for different ministries. I am so excited to see what the future holds for me and my family here as in heaven!

Random Facts: I played collegiate softball for 4 years. I am twin. I am a coal-miner’s daughter. Reese’s is my favorite candy bar. A League of Their Own and Sweet Home Alabama are my favorite movies. I am SUPER competitive. I am a homebody. I LOVE watching football. I love tattoos (I currently have 20 and plan to get more).

P.S. My husband is pretty handsome!

Bardo Muniz

Bardo Muniz

SAN ANTONIO CAMPUS PASTOR

My wife and I were married on July 14, 2001 and God gave us two beautiful children- our older daughter Adlai, 17 years old, and our son Eliel, 15 years old. My wife was born in the city of Guadalajara and I was born in Cd. Guzman, both in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. Shortly after getting married, we were both ordained as Pastors in 2002. My wife graduated from law school and I graduated with an electrical engineering degree. We have always had a huge passion for establishing the Kingdom of God here on earth. 

From the first moment we set foot in Freedom Life Church in the city of San Antonio TX, we felt embraced and like we were already a part of the family. Today, we have the honor and privilege of serving as Lead Pastors at the FLC San Antonio Campus and of trying to provide our community with a relevant church built on a strong foundation of God’s Word.

Random Facts: We have a little Maltipoo dog, her name is Chanel. I never imagined I would ever own a pet or let it inside my house, much less did I imagine it would be sleeping in our room, but Chanel has earned a place in our hearts! I love food and I love trying new flavors. I also enjoy cooking Mexican food.

Randy Cardona

Randy Cardona

ONLINE CAMPUS PASTOR

I was born in Brooklyn, New York, and involved with music since I was 11 years old. At 13, my first time singing in front of an audience I sang “The National Anthem” for the New York City Police Department. Since then I loved to participate in school performances as well as community events. In 1995, I was invited to compete on a local “Star Search” and came in first place. To my suprise I was later offered a record contract with BNA Records (Tennessee). In August 2001, I gave my life to the Lord while serving in the United States Marine Corps. In 2003 I began leading worship for the first time in Hampton, Virginia. I’ve had the honor and privilege to partner with several worship teams both domestic and international, leading worship throughout the United States and overseas to include Nairobi Kenya, Dominican Republic, and Holland. In the midst of all that a passion for media and production developed in me as I began to be involved in many church productions and plays. I am blessed to be married to Nicole and we have two children; Israel and Ella.

Random Facts: I love to draw and studied architectural engineering and tattooing for a season. My brother and I were in “The Big Apple Circus”. I have a barbers license and Biomedical engineering degree. If anyone would care to play a round of golf with me, you can easily become my best friend.

Kyle Labadie

Kyle Labadie

HAMPTON ASSOCIATE PASTOR

Pastor Kyle is a native to Hampton roads and has enjoyed serving in ministry for over 12 years. He currently serves as an Associate Pastor, providing leadership oversight for our Weekend Experience, Creative Department, Freedom Life Collab Podcast, Mentorship of Interns & Apprentices, as well as, Preaching and Teaching support for Weekend Services and the Freedom School of Ministry. He is a graduate of South Western Assemblies of God University with a Bachelors degree in Church Ministries. His Pentecostal fire adds fuel to our team and he is a joy to be around. He loves talking about Jesus, helping people with Nutrition & Fitness, Filming content for their family Youtube Channel “LivetoINSPIRE”, being a Husband to his wife Shawn and a Dad to his son Tobias.

Fun Facts: I’ve been a DJ, Marched for an HBCU, Been on Showtime at the Apollo, Competed in a Men’s Physique Body Building Competition, Love Hip Hop Music, Help my wife lead her Arts Company “Inspire Arts Collective,” and LOVE COFFEE!

Cheryl You

Cheryl You

HAMPTON ASSOCIATE PASTOR

Born and raised in Singapore, I moved to the Hampton Roads in 2016. I have served on staff at churches in Singapore and in Norfolk since 2008. For more than 20 years, I’ve led and taught worship, mentored young leaders and developed ministry leadership teams, spoken and taught at conferences, ministry schools, and churches in Asia and the U.S. I get excited about pouring into leaders, empowering women, building community, and seeing people grow in maturity and reach their full potential for Christ. I have a Bachelor’s in Materials Engineering, a Masters of Divinity from Regent University, and I am currently working on a Doctor of Ministry degree in New Testament Context at Northern Seminary.

 

A self-proclaimed contemplative-charismatic and theology-nerd, I am always happy getting lost in a book and even though I’ve been involved in worship and music for more than half my life, I feel most connected to God in silence and in nature (especially if there is a beach and a sunrise involved). Things that make me happy: running, working out, listening to live jazz, hoarding books, and making things with my hands. My husband, Jasper, and I live in Norfolk with our three children, and our three cats. We love hosting and often have people from several different nations gathered around our table, and there is always room for more!

Lynn Walker

Lynn Walker

SAN ANTONIO ASSOCIATE PASTOR

In 2012, I was invited by a friend to Freedom Life Church in Hampton, Virginia and the course of my life was forever altered. In 2013, I felt the call to move to the great city of San Antonio to help start our second campus. I moved right after getting my degrees in Psychology and Biology from Christopher Newport University. Since then, my husband finished his time in the Marines and joined me, we added a daughter (Jessica), a dog (Sophie), and a son (Lucas).. 

The majority of my life I planned to be a doctor and have enjoyed helping others. I love anything to do with health, the mind, science, and basic human/child development. After moving to San Antonio, I put my plans on hold and helped start our campus, develop our Children’s Ministry for a few years, and then I shifted over to resident “ninja” of all things. Whatever you need, I’ll help with, and if I don’t know about it I’ll make it a point to learn it (except anything musical, I’m in retirement)! I never get tired of seeing people encounter the goodness of God and it has been an honor to work with the team to help make those moments happen. 

In our off time, you can find the Walker family hiking, exploring a new nature park or river/lake, playing board games, or trying a new local restaurant. Asian food is my absolute favorite (sushi, ramen, curry), but Mexican is coming in at a close second. I also enjoy running and reading books. 

Random Facts: Mushrooms scare me and I prefer not to eat them. I’m fluent in Mandarin Chinese (my first language, but I am shy about it). I played tennis for many years and worked at the US Open in New York one summer during high school (I got the chance to be ball girl during Serena Williams’ practice). 

Brian Greene

Brian Greene

WORSHIP PASTOR

Picture it: Sicily, 1912. Okay, maybe a little later and somewhere totally different. I was the kid that could be found sitting directly behind the drummer at every church service. At an early age I watched my parents serve our church faithfully, which is how I developed a passion for serving God and His people. All throughout school I was involved in every music-based program available including several audition only ensembles ranging from city to state wide. While developing my craft at school, God was shaping my heart for ministry at church. Over the years I’ve been blessed to share the stage with a host of gospel greats and countless local legends. In 2008 God called Pastor Joe Baker to plant Refuge Nation Church where I was privileged to serve as Assistant Minister of Music for seven years. I am proud to be serving here at Freedom Life and I’m excited about everything God has planned on the journey ahead.

Random Facts: I love traveling but I don’t like road trips. I love new clothes but I don’t like shopping. I love to eat but I’m a very picky eater. I love music but I cant dance.

Kristin Brown

Kristin Brown

STUDENT/YOUNG ADULTS PASTOR

I’m from a small country town in North Carolina, but make no mistake about it, I’ve never been a country girl. Both of my parents are pastors, so I spent my entire life in church, which is why I ran from a call to ministry for many years. In 2010 I graduated from Elizabeth City State University with a BA in Communication Studies. Upon graduating, I had every intention of pursuing a graduate degree in Public Relations, but God had other plans. I took a little time off from school and spent a year and a half singing and traveling with a gospel music group and in doing that, felt released to answer the Lord’s call to ministry. The Lord brought me to Freedom Life in 2012 and it was everything I’d been looking for in a church-even down to the type of hand soap that was in the restroom. In 2015 I completed my Masters of Divinity in Practical Theology with a concentration in Worship and Renewal from Regent University, which makes me sound super fancy and lofty so I don’t mention it very often. In late 2018, I accepted an invitation into FLC’s Pastoral Apprenticeship program and in late 2019, I accepted the offer to become Pastor Freddy’s Executive Assistant.

The most accurate biography I can give about myself is this: I am passionate about Jesus; His presence, His Kingdom, His people.   

Fun facts: I met my husband, Airik Brown (see below) at Freedom Life in 2014. I am a Type 1 on the Enneagram. I love plants and home decor. I am unapologetically clean. I am happiest when at the beach; if I could live somewhere coastal and tropical year-round, I would.

Bryanna Vega

Bryanna Vega

OUTREACH PASTOR

Truth be told, my husband Francisco and I had been praying for a church family like Freedom Life for years before we arrived at “Home” in 2010. Having been raised on islands, Puerto Rico and Catalina, we enjoy coastal Virginia, minus the hurricanes. We are the proud parents of three amazing young men: Daniel, Joshua, and Gabriel. Prior to moving to Virginia, I spent many years studying and working in healthcare at Johns Hopkins, all the while volunteering in ministry. In 2013, I began the intern program with a desire to grow FLC’s Outreach Ministry through Kingdom partnerships both locally and internationally. 
 
For fun I love to run, play guitar, write worship songs en español, and dance ATS style. More than anything, I enjoy spending time with my handsome husband of over 25 years, my kids, and my FLC family!
 
Random facts: I’m wild about spinach-kale smoothies, I’m not afraid of snakes or spiders, and my favorite birthday was spent running 50km with different friends.
Jen Villarreal

Jen Villarreal

DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATOR AND FINANCES

I have had the honor of working beside my husband in ministry for the last 10 years! I have a large scope of varying responsibilities but most relate to my gift of administration. God knew at least one of us needed this gift! Bottom line: My job is to keep things running as smoothly as possible.

My family is my heartbeat. And my church is part of my family. My favorite part of being in ministry is being able to come to work every day knowing that I am making an eternal impact.

Random Facts: I have a six pound Yorkie named Benn. If it were up to me he would be listed up above with our children, but Freddy wrote that part. I DO NOT like bananas. I love coffee and coffee with a friend is even better. And I like to cook when I can take the time to enjoy the process.

 

Kim Rediske

Kim Rediske

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

I have been in an administrative role here at FLC since August 2011. My background consists of- my management degree from St. Leo University; 11 years working for the maintenance and engineering contract at NASA Langley; completed a counseling internship. It has been a fun ride being here and I am looking for many more years experiencing God’s goodness and livin’ this Dream here at FLC.

My husband, Josh, and I have been together since 1998 and married since 2003. We have 3 beautiful children that we waited a very long time for (15 years to be exact). They have changed our lives and we are exactly where we are supposed to be on this journey! Our hobbies right now consist of recreational sports with our girls, local amusement parks, and simply spending time together as much as possible.

Checked off our Bucket List- Skydiving, Scuba diving, White Water Rafting, trips to Cancun & Las Vegas with a bunch of friends, New York City on New Year’s Eve, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands (our destination wedding) a girl’s trip to Hawaii, and a family trip to Disney during the holidays…it was magical. Some things we are looking forward to- a Hot Air Balloon ride, going to Europe and taking an Alaskan Cruise. Won’t HE do it!!

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