Brian heard the gospel during a retreat in Ocean City, Md., when he was 14 years old. “I made my way to an empty stairwell where I thanked God for providing His Son to be my Savior, and I asked God to forgive me for my rebellion against Him,” says Brian. “He has been patiently working in me ever since.”

Brian began attending Covenant Life in 1995, the same year he completed a Bachelors degree in classical guitar performance from West Chester University.

Brian graduated in 1998 from what is now Sovereign Grace Pastors College, and followed the call to relocate and serve the newly planted Grace Covenant Church in Aurora, Ill. While holding a secular job unrelated to his degree, Brian used his musical gifts and training to serve pastor Tab Trainor by leading worship and a college ministry care group.

During their time in Illinois, God blessed relative newlyweds Brian and Kristin (daughter of C.J. Mahaney) with two boys. In 2003 the Chesemores returned to Kristin’s home town of Gaithersburg, Md.

“I love seeing men take hold of the gospel in such a way that the truth of it not only captures their souls, but also has its intended transforming effects on how they lead their wives and train their children,” Brian says.

Brian and Kristin now have three boys. The family resides in Gaithersburg.

Robin’s duties include teaching, counseling, and oversight of ministry to seniors. Asked what he is most passionate about, he singles out “the discipling of men who can serve others.”

Robin has served as a pastor and teacher since 1976, four years after he came to the Lord during a time of personal “turmoil.” He recalls: “I met a Christian family in 1972 who exemplified the love of Christ in their relationships with one another. Because of their example, their proclamation of the good news was compelling and I gave my life to Christ.”

In 1973, while attending the Bible study called TAG (Take and Give) at Christ Church of Washington, Robin heard a long-haired C.J. Mahaney preach his first sermon.  The lives of these two men have intertwined in friendship and servant leadership ever since.

At 24, Robin heeded a call to become a pastor. He left his job as a housepainter in 1974 to serve the Lord at TAG and Christ Church, where he was ordained as associate pastor in 1976.

Robin joined Covenant Life Church in 1979. He was ordained here in 1981 and became the first principal of Covenant Life School. In 1982, he was sent to plant a church in Lancaster, Pa., serving as senior pastor. After he and wife Clara returned in 1990, Robin’s duties included building the Children’s Ministry.

Robin grew up in Silver Spring, Md.  He has a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pa., and is a graduate of its Center for Urban Theological Studies in Philadelphia.

Robin enjoys golf, reading, and classical music. (He played cello as a boy and hopes to take it up again.) He and Clara reside in the Gaithersburg area and have four children.

When Joe Lee’s second-grade Sunday-school teacher asked him why he was going to heaven, Joe answered, “Because my dad is the senior pastor of the church!”

After the teacher took Joe aside and explained the gospel again, Joe said, “God’s Spirit illuminated the truth of the gospel to my heart and allowed me to see that I was a sinner in need of a Savior.”

While in high school, Joe felt called to ministry but gave up that desire after hearing discouraging stories from pastors. He received a B.S. from Virginia Tech in 1996 and became a computer network engineer.

At Celebration East (a regional conference for Sovereign Grace churches) in 1998, Joe’s desire was re-ignited when he heard Tab Trainor, a student at what is now Sovereign Grace Pastors College, speak with joy and excitement about ministry. The Lord led Joe to the Pastors College in 1999-2000, and he joined the Covenant Life pastoral staff in July 2002. Today, he oversees numerous care groups and assists Brian Chesemore with premarital counseling.

Joe says he is “most passionate about helping the care group leaders lead their groups into deeper biblical fellowship with God and with one another.”

Erik Sheffer says he and his wife Jerusha "had a conviction that it was time to stake our claim" in a Sovereign Grace church. With degrees in tow (he an MA in Counseling; she an MDIV), the couple left Boston and Gordon Conwell Seminary and moved to Maryland in May of 2002. They initially ruled out Covenant Life because of its large size, but "Providence and wise counsel" soon overrode their reluctance, says Erik.

Erik's involvement at Covenant Life Church ramped up quickly in the summer of 2002 when he took a job as manager of the Audio and Bookstore ministries. In 2004 Erik was asked to oversee all of the church's ministry teams and leaders. At the same time he led a few Beta groups and a Care Group from 2004 to 2005. Over time, however, the Lord began to make it clear that his role in the church was to change drastically.

"I realized more and more, only through the help of many, that God [was] calling me to pastor his people. Sadly, it was a long road. I didn't heed God's call because of sin—fear of man, unbelief, etc. But through God's grace and the care of many people, I am here today," Erik says. Erik studied faithfully with the Sovereign Grace Pastors College class of 2006 and joined the Covenant Life pastoral staff in June.

Erik serves Brian Chesemore and the other pastors in the Married Life ministry by overseeing care groups, leading discipleship groups, counseling, and developing new resource materials for the ministry. He says he is most passionate about "building with and caring for God's people," as well as discipleship, counseling and studying God's Word.

Erik and his wife Jerusha married in 2000 and have three children—Karis, Jotham, and Mercia. Erik enjoys spending time with his family, the beach, games, reading, and basketball. The family resides in Damascus, Md.