Throughout Scripture, the people God most often used were not spared from hardship. From Moses to David to Paul, each walked through seasons of victory and seasons of testing. Their faith was shaped not on the mountaintop but in the valley. Jesus Himself reminded His followers that in this world they would have trouble, yet to take heart because He had overcome it.
Reverend Tom Simmons knows that pattern well. His own walk with Christ has been marked by seasons of refinement and redemption.
“I have learned that our journey with Jesus is not a straight path,” he said. “It is full of highs and lows, but God uses every part of it to shape us.”
Before he ever wore a clerical collar, Rev. Simmons served his country as a machine gunner in the U.S. Army’s 3/116 Infantry Battalion and later worked on Capitol Hill in both the House and Senate. “That was the path I chose for myself,” he said, “but God had another direction in store for me.” eep down, Tom felt something stirring that he could not shake.
“I tried to ignore it,” he said. “I thought that kind of calling was for someone else. But the Lord never stopped pursuing me.”
After years of resisting the Holy Spirit’s pull, he finally surrendered to the call of ministry. At the bishop’s prompting he went back to seminary for a diploma in Anglican Studies and a Master of Arts in Christian Education from Virginia Seminary in 1998. This qualified him for ordination in the Episcopal Church that same year.
Four years later, he became Rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Purcellville, Virginia, where he has served since 2002. In 2017, he completed a Doctor of Ministry in preaching from Gordon-Conwell Seminary, studying under the legendary Haddon Robinson.
“Every stage of ministry has taught me more about grace,” he said. “God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.”
Finding Purpose in the Call
The Reverend Tom Simmons describes ministry as a covenant rather than a career. It’s based on obedience and sacrifice for others more than advancement and achievements.
“God does not call us because we are qualified,” he said. “He qualifies us as we walk with Him.”
When he first arrived at St. Peter’s, the church was small but full of life. Through steady preaching, warm hospitality and a commitment to excellent worship, the congregation began to grow rapidly.
Within six years, it had doubled in size. “Those were exciting years,” Simmons shared with a smile. “People were coming alive in their faith, and coming together into a cohesive commiunity. It was beautiful to see.”
But ministry, like life, follows seasons. Around 2008, the church faced trials that tested both faith and leadership. “It was one of the hardest seasons of my life,” he said. “We faced external pressures and internal challenges that forced us to lean fully on God. I realized that leadership without surrender leads to burnout. God was teaching me to lead from brokenness rather than ambition.”
Through those refining years, Simmons developed a deeper understanding of grace.
“Failure is not final in the Kingdom,” he said. “It is where God does His best work. Our setbacks become the soil for fruitful growth.”
Today, St. Peter’s stands as a church strengthened by both joy and endurance. “We have been through a lot together,” he said. “But the same God who walked with us in the valley is the one who keeps us moving forward.”
The Sermon Coach: Helping Preachers Rediscover Their Voice
Scripture often likens faith to gold refined by fire – a process that’s uncomfortable but necessary for revealing what’s pure and lasting. Reverend Tom Simmons understands this deeply. From his own seasons of testing, God birthed a program that now strengthens pastors well beyond the walls of his local church.
The Sermon Coach was born from his doctoral work in preaching and his personal desire to help others grow in their calling. “I remember feeling burned out and bored with my own preaching,” he said. “I loved the Word of God but felt stuck. I was doing the work but not seeing results in people’s lives. Through my studies, I discovered that real improvement comes through coaching and community, not just conferences or books or listening to great preachers.”
That revelation became the foundation for The Sermon Coach, a one-on-one coaching program designed to help pastors refine their preaching process, rediscover their wellspring of creativity and rekindle joy in the pulpit. “Preaching is so important to everything we do in ministry,” Simmons said. “It is often the only time each week we get to speak to our entire congregation. If the Word of God is alive in us, it will be alive in them.”
Simmons’ coaching approach is rooted in encouragement and discovery rather than critique. “My job is not to tell people what to do,” he said. “It is to ask the right questions so they can discern what their congregation needs and find their own voice again in addressing those needs effectively. Coaching is about empowerment. It helps preachers see Scripture with fresh eyes and speak to their people with renewed clarity and passion.”
Those who have worked with him say the results are transformational.
“Preaching is so important to everything we do in ministry,” said Mark, one of Simmons’ clients. “It is the only time we get to speak to everyone. Coaching helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses, and it gave me a process to improve both.”
A Legacy of Faithfulness
Today, Reverend Tom Simmons continues to serve St. Peter’s Episcopal Church with the same conviction and passion that guided him from the beginning.
When he is not preaching or mentoring pastors, Simmons can often be found in his woodworking shop alongside his wife, Danielle. Together they run Creation in Wood, a small business specializing in handcrafted furniture, toys, and interiors. The couple has also begun refinishing furniture and restoring century-old machinery to expand their shop’s capabilities. For Simmons, woodworking is more than a hobby. It is an act of worship and service to others.
“I love making things that are beautiful and useful,” he said. “There is something deeply satisfying about shaping raw material into something that serves others. It reminds me of how God shapes us through His hands.”
At 58 years old now, Simmons is reflective but not weary. His years of ministry, family life, and personal trials have formed him into a man who values faithfulness over recognition. He and Danielle share a blended family of nine children, most of whom are grown and on their own. Their home is often filled with the sounds of laughter, music, three dogs run amok, and the hum of Creation n Wood taking shape.
“Woodworking has taught me patience,” he said. “You cannot rush the process, just like you cannot rush what God is doing in your life. The imperfections become part of the story.”
He admits there were times when he thought he would be further along by now, perhaps leading a larger congregation or seeing more visible growth. But over time, he has come to understand that God’s definition of success looks very different from the world’s. “I have learned to let go of the idea that ministry is about achievement,” he said. “True ministry is about faithfulness, like Jesus described in Luke 17. It is about showing up, loving people well, and trusting God to bring the fruit in His time.”
Rev. Simmons: ‘When We Share Our Tables, We Share God’s Love’
For Simmons, ministry is not confined to the four walls of the church; his missional mindset extends into the community.
Over the years, he has served as chaplain for the Purcellville Volunteer Rescue Squad, sat on the board of INOVA Loudoun Hospital, and helped establish Tree of Life, a local ministry that provides food and resources to families in need.
At St. Peter’s, a spirit of service and hospitality is visible year-round. The church hosts community events such as their annual Mardi Gras celebration, an Independence Day Block Party, Bless Your Pet on the Feast of St. Francis, Thanksgiving Together and Christmas Eve services. They invite neighbors to gather together for food, music and prayer to build community in Loudoun County, one of the most transient counties in the country.
“Hospitality opens the door to the gospel,” Simmons said. “When we share our tables, we share God’s love.”
Looking ahead, Simmons is launching a podcast – called Priest in the Hotseat – to make more teaching content accessible to the people of St. Peter’s and to reach a wider audience outside the church. . He also looks forward to his upcoming sabbatical, a season he prays will bring rest, reflection, and renewed vision for the years ahead.
“I do not know exactly what the future holds,” he said. “But I know the One who does. My desire is simply to be useful to Him in whatever comes next.”
His journey, like many faithful servants throughout history, shows that God uses both triumphs and trials to reveal His glory.
“Jesus never promised the road would be easy,” Simmons said. “But He promised to walk it with us…every step of the way. ”
Through every season, one message remains at the center of his ministry: Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.