Expectation Church in Fairfax, Virginia recently marked David R. Stokes’ twentieth anniversary as its senior pastor. Stokes accepted the call to the church, then known as Bethlehem Baptist, in the summer of 1998. The ministry was renamed Fair Oaks Church in 2003 and became Expectation Church in 2015.
Celebrations began this past summer when the church officers sent the entire Stokes family (including seven grandchildren) to their favorite vacation destination, one they’ve enjoyed for more than 30 years—picturesque Stowe, Vermont.
On Sunday, September 23, David and Karen were honored in a video tribute that included many ministry friends, including missionaries Ole and Renee Konnerup (Kenya) and Tim and Barbara Downs (Belgium). Church planters Christian Gaffney (Exponential Church in Port St. Lucie, FL) and Joel Slater, (7SF in San Francisco, CA) sent messages of gratitude for Stokes’ influence in their lives. Both men were called to full-time ministry, and have established their church plants, under his leadership. Members of the congregation, some of whom have been a part of the church since before Stokes became pastor, shared stories of life-change.
After the video tribute, they were presented with an engraved box containing personal messages from those whose lives have been impacted by them over the years. To top it all off, a David R. Stokes “bobblehead” was introduced. Providentially, Stokes was wearing an outfit identical to that shown on the collectible, complete with his reading glasses hooked on the neck of his sweater vest.
Guests enjoyed a 20th anniversary themed photo booth complete with a backdrop of bookshelves representative of Stokes own personal library of over 7,000 volumes, as well as copies of books he has authored. And each family received a bobblehead of their own.
Stokes’ message for the day was titled, “We Expect Great as We Attempt Great,” based on the famous quote by William Carey. The maxim has been part of Stokes’ ministry DNA throughout his 40 years of pastoral ministry. It was the inspiration for the name change 2015, as the church prepares to move from its current location in the Fair Oaks neighborhood to its new location three miles away on a beautiful 41-acre site near George Mason University.