MEET THE WATER WALKERS
Senior Pastors Jontus L. Walker and Traci L. Walker are a dynamic, Spirit-led ministry couple committed to awakening the Body of Christ and building God’s Kingdom with power, purpose, and unity. United in marriage and in mission, they lead New Beginning Christian Center with a passion for restoring lives, strengthening families, and equipping believers to walk in truth and authority.
Prophetess Traci is a visionary leader, author, and mentor, known for her prophetic insight and dedication to empowering women and youth through faith-based mentorship and outreach. Prophet Jontus brings a heart for worship, teaching, and men’s discipleship, with a strong emphasis on theological doctrine, biblical identity and spiritual awakening in the last days.
Together, they are igniting revival through a return to the foundations of Scripture—honoring the Sabbath, observing the biblical feast days, and activating the model of the Acts Church in today’s world. Their shared vision is to see every believer begin again, belong to the family of God, and become who they were created to be.
THE CHISHOLM TRAIL
Apostle James E. Chisholm and Pastor Vernetta Chisholm are the esteemed founders of New Beginning Christian Center, established in 1984 with a divine mandate to preach the uncompromised Gospel, nurture faith-filled families, and transform communities through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Married for over 50 years, they have faithfully served in ministry side by side, modeling love, longevity, and legacy in both marriage and leadership. Their passion for God’s Word, commitment to prayer, and unwavering dedication to the Body of Christ laid a strong foundation for generations to come.
Under their visionary leadership, NBCC has grown into a thriving, multi-generational church committed to biblical truth, the Five-Fold Ministry, and Kingdom impact. In a powerful act of generational succession, they have ordained their daughter, Pastor Traci L. Chisholm, and son-in-law, Pastor Jontus L. Walker, as Senior Pastors. Today, Apostle and Pastor Chisholm continue to serve as Apostolic Overseers, guiding the ministry with wisdom, counsel, and spiritual covering.
Their legacy is one of faith, family, and faithfulness—and their impact continues to echo through the lives of all who call New Beginning home.
New Beginning Story
New Beginning Christian Center was birthed in March 1984 through the obedient hearts of Apostle James E. Chisholm and Pastor Vernetta Chisholm, who founded the church in an abandoned building on Airline Boulevard in Portsmouth, Virginia. With just five adults and two ministers present, Apostle Chisholm delivered the first teaching from the book of Romans on the “Righteousness of Faith,” igniting what would become a lasting legacy of faith, truth, and transformation.
With unwavering vision and divine mandate, the Chisholms set out to establish a ministry grounded in the principles of God’s Word and fueled by the full manifestation of the Holy Spirit. From the very beginning, NBCC was built to be a place of liberation, worship, and breakthrough, where lives could be changed and believers equipped to walk in the newness of life.
On September 8, 1985, less than twenty members broke ground on a new edifice, stepping out on faith and following the blueprint God placed in Apostle Chisholm’s heart. Under the skilled supervision of Elder Alfonzye Chisholm, a master builder and faithful steward, the structure was raised—brick by brick—through the labor and love of a dedicated few.
As the years passed, New Beginning Christian Center grew into a thriving ministry and outreach hub, committed to ministering to the total person—spirit, soul, and body. Multiple ministries were birthed to meet the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of the community, fulfilling the mandate to heal the broken, empower the believer, and reach the lost with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In 2022, a new chapter began when Pastor Traci L. Chisholm, daughter of the founders, was officially ordained as Senior Pastor. In a divine continuation of the vision, she and her husband, Pastor Jontus L. Walker, were installed as Senior Pastors in April 2025, following their marriage and joint commitment to lead NBCC into a new era.
Today, Apostle James and Pastor Vernetta Chisholm continue to serve faithfully as Apostolic Overseers, providing spiritual covering, wisdom, and guidance to the ministry they birthed in obedience over four decades ago. Their legacy lives on through generations, and the fire of the original vision continues to burn brightly through the lives of every member, leader, and soul touched by New Beginning Christian Center.
Our story is still being written—and your new beginning can start here.
Book Our Pastors
Invite Pastors Jontus & Traci Walker to empower your next gathering with truth, transformation, and Kingdom authority.
757-537-4284