Larry Lazarus
Larry counts it an honor and privilege to serve the flock of Cheverly Baptist Church, having been installed as its lead pastor in January of 2025. Prior to that he served for sixteen years as a teaching elder at Joy Community Fellowship (EFCA) in Pitman, NJ.
Larry is exceedingly grateful to be charged with the weighty responsibility of studying and preaching God’s Word. But he is even more grateful for knowing the Lord and being saved by His amazing grace. Growing up in a Jewish family outside of Philadelphia, Larry came to embrace Christ as his Lord and Savior during his senior year at Penn State University. After spending a year completing an internship with the Chicago Bulls, he moved back to State College, PA, where he met his amazing wife, Michelle. Together, they have three delightful children (Halle, Felicity, and Noah).
In his free time, Larry enjoys a morning cup of coffee with Michelle, NFL and college football, playing golf, and going on long walks to pray and/or listen to sermons and podcasts.
Tony Merritt, Jr.
Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Tony came to know the Lord during his senior year of high school. The Lord clearly showed Tony his own self-righteousness and the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Tony was an active member of International Bible Baptist Church, and also met his wife (Erline) there.
Tony worked as a teacher in South Florida, and in England. He and his family moved to London, England to serve as bi-vocational missionaries in 2014. They were members of Slade Evangelical Church, and helped to plant Abbey Wood Community Church. Tony and his family later moved back to the States for the Capitol Hill Baptist Church Pastoral Internship in 2017. They then went back to Miami to help plant Kendall Baptist Church, where he served as a lay elder.
In 2020, Tony went back to International Bible Baptist Church (now Global Church) to serve as a Pastoral Resident, and to complete his MDiv from Southeastern Seminary. Tony now serves as the Associate Pastor of Cheverly Baptist Church. Tony has been happily married to Erline for over 13 years, and they have 4 beautiful and fun children (Olivia, Eden, Alan & Timothy).