Toran is the lead pastor here at The Local Church and he still can’t believe he gets to do what he loves for a living. Toran loves to teach, mobilize, lead teams and is passionate about raising up young leaders. He’s been a pastor for nearly 20 years, working with students, young adults, in discipleship and as a teaching pastor. Toran did his undergrad at Cedarville University, Seminary at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and PhD at Western Michigan University.

Toran married his college crush way back in ‘98; she’s still his crush but also his best friend. He and Brenda have four very fun and crazy kids, Tayton, Isabella, Kingston and Maximilian.

Toran has had some interesting hobbies over the years, from building acoustic guitars to training police dogs, painting, woodworking and riding motorcycles on race tracks. He used to be active in a lot of sports but now he mostly complains about “straining his hammies”. His most interesting talent is that he can do the entire story of Jonah with balloon animals, seriously, ask him…

Contact me at toran@localgr.org

Jordan co-planted TLC along with Toran (and they've worked together in ministry for 20 years!). He leads about a million things here at The Local Church as Executive Pastor. He oversees our church staff and Residency, along with all of the church Vision, Mission and Strategy.

Jordan was previously a worship pastor for 15 years and leads a worship cohort for developing worship leaders and a conference for worship teams called “The Worship Collective." He continues to engage with worship at TLC and as part of Water's Edge Worship.

He loves being with his wife Dana and their two kids (Judah and Selah) and you'll often find him eating chips and salsa, reading a book on the beach, hitting the gym, playing board games, or discussing Star Wars.

Contact me at jordan@localgr.org

For the last 17 years, Christian has worked for various churches, conferences, and award-winning musical artists as Technical Director, Chief Audio Engineer, and/or Pastor. He's currently a Project Developer at Amplio Systems and helps churches accomplish their tech goals every day. He, his wife Connie and son Nathaniel call TLC home, and he lends his tech skills to us part-time! Christian is passionate about helping organizations accomplish goals with the right technical solutions. We also hear he's got some slick songwriting skills and does a little rapping in his free time, but you'll have to ask him...

Contact me at christian@localgr.org

Adam is the Family Pastor at TLC. He joined the team August 2021 after working as a family pastor in Boise, Idaho for thirteen years. There, he spent his time developing young leaders, encouraging and building up the next generation of world-changers. Adam grew up in Spam Town USA (Austin, MN) and graduated from Cornerstone University where he met his wife Kara. They now have three beautiful children (Corbin, Selah, Logan) and a dog named Bauer, and live in the Byron Center area.

Adam loves all things sports, sneakers, tech, and burgers. His greatest passion is to see families thriving, teaching what it looks like to follow the way of Jesus in their everyday lives.

Contact me at adam@localgr.org

Rachel grew up in the church, but was always convinced she wouldn't work in one. God had different plans. Before serving at The Local Church, Rachel spent time working with churches, non-profits, and city leaders across the city with the Luis Palau Association as part of the CityFest movement in Grand Rapids and Tyler, Texas.

This is where her love for bringing people to the Kingdom came to thrive. Rachel will be working in an administrative and creative role with our team at TLC. She is settling into her favorite city of Grand Rapids where she loves to go to Reeds Lake, walk around downtown, and explore new places to eat with friends. She is extremely excited to see what God is going to do through her at TLC!

Deanna is the Family Ministries Coordinator at TLC. Deanna helps facilitate the inner workings of all things kids and youth ministry. Deanna has a passion for the next generation as a whole, and loves to pour into youth and see their love and excitement for the Lord grow.

Originally from the east side of Michigan, Deanna moved to Grand Rapids to study at Grand Valley for a degree in Marketing with a minor in nonprofit administration. She has spent roughly 10 years working or volunteering with youth within either the church or camp ministry.

Deanna loves watching movies, painting, and taking pictures. In her spare time you can find her exploring new coffee shops, in your local thrift store, or binge watching a new show on Netflix. Rumor has it that she was the captain of a lego robotics team that won state championships three years in a row, but you won’t find any evidence of those days...

Contact me at deanna@localgr.org

Alana is our Facilities Coordinator and keeps the building clean and tidy. You might find her talking to herself or to some inanimate objects as she cleans! She desires to serve Jesus and she loves to pray while she works. If you ever have a prayer request and see her around, she would love to be praying for you!

Despite hating to travel, Alana has been to SE Asia multiple times and even wrote a book about her first experience there. She lived in the UK while attending Capernwray Bible School and later working with a church in the northeast of England.

Alana enjoys writing, playing ukulele, eating chocolate, hiding rubber ducks for people to find, and spending time with people she cares about. She loves her dogs and expects others will as well. She thinks the whole world should be a bit more childlike and more people should embrace their strangeness. Her family and friends will be quick to tell you that Alana certainly does!

Contact me at alana@localgr.org

Emily is TLC's Missions Coordinator" and 2nd paragraph to "From a small town in Iowa, Emily played volleyball in college and graduated with a degree in Athletic Training. Her hilarious husband Eric played basketball professionally, which led them to France for over a decade (where she says they consumed an overabundance of baguettes and stinky cheese!).

From a small town in Iowa, Emily played volleyball in college and graduated with a degree in Athletic Training. Her hilarious husband Eric played basketball professionally, which led them to France for over a decade (where she says they consumed an overabundance of baguettes and stinky cheese!).

After returning to the U.S. with their four children, Emily and Eric felt called into refugee foster care. In 2015, they welcomed three refugee children from DR Congo into their home. This set in motion a passion and heart for the vulnerable and gave Emily with the immense privilege of being called “Mom” by many different children from many different places. She says one of the most exciting things ever to happen to her is watching God unite the nations through family.

She's a huge fan of cozy hot drinks year-round, getting whooped by her kids in beach volleyball, and spending loads of time in a gym or on a soccer field cheering on her favorite athletes in the whole world, the Joldersma kiddos.

Contact me at emily@localgr.org

Carly is the (first!) Pastoral Resident at TLC. Over her year-long residency, she will work with Austin on Discipleship and Spiritual Formation, and with Toran to develop her preaching gifts. Her dad was a pastor and she says she sees how God has been shaping her and calling her to pastoral ministry since she was a kid.

Carly is passionate about following Jesus and seeing lives holistically transformed by the Gospel. She's been part of church leadership teams for the past 15 years, and currently serves on TLC's Prayer Team and Belong Project team. She has a heart for moving toward people in vulnerable situations, just like Jesus did and longs to see everyone in the Church empowered and mobilized in using the unique gifts God has given them to show the world what He is like.

Carly lives on the west side of Grand Rapids with her husband (and best friend), Mike. They have 3 daughters, Savannah, Everly, and Clara. Besides keeping her children alive and getting them to all the places they need to be, she stays busy thrifting, cooking, exploring new places around Grand Rapids, listening to podcasts, and writing. Carly’s favorite thing is to have conversation over a shared meal, especially if it includes sauce because sauces are her favorite food group!

Contact me at carly@localgr.org

Gail is our Administrative Coordinator and our go-to guru for all things office-related. She loves getting to use her knowledge and experience with software, planning, and project management behind the scenes to support TLC's Sunday experiences and discipleship ministries.

Gail was born and raised in the Flint area and moved to West Michigan in 1980. She is the mother of two children and has six grandchildren – two boys and four girls. They all live in the West Michigan area, and she spends a great deal of time enjoying their sporting events. A little-known fact is that she loves to play disc golf and looks for any opportunity to enjoy fresh air and walking the course for exercise

Contact me at gail@localgr.org

Jacqueline (or Jac, to us!) first volunteered with Local Kids, helping to organize and prepare our curriculum supplies - then joined our staff in 2024! She has a masters degree in education and has worked with kids and families for 20 years as a teacher, administrator, church leader and foster/adoptive/bio parent.

Jac and her husband Ethan moved to GR from Arizona with their three children: Kellen, Roman & Delaney. She loves sharing the awesome love of Jesus through play, song, art, games, and so much more!

Contact me at jacqueline@localgr.org

MacKenzi (or Mac, as we like to call her!) works with TLC's Families Ministry team as our Local Kids Coordinator and has a deep passion to point people to the love that God has for them. She has a social work degree from U of M, and has worked in church children's ministry for 5+ years.

MacKenzi played professional volleyball for a few years, most recently with the Grand Rapids Rise! She is married to Andrew and they adore spoiling their fluffy puppy, Moose. You'll likely her running around on Sunday mornings with her coffee cup and sporting 90s Winnie the Pooh attire.

Contact me at mackenzi@localgr.org

Kinsey's main focus at TLC is communications, though she dips her toe in the administrative pool from time to time. Getting to support each of TLC's ministries from behind the scenes in building God's Kingdom and growing his people is her dream job! Kinsey studied Public Relations and Philanthropy at Auburn University, and has worked in both the PR agency and small, local non-profit worlds before working at TLC.

She and her husband Matt moved to GR from Alabama in 2015. They have three biological children and are foster parents. Their family is passionate about hospitality and building connections within their local neighborhood.

If you want to make Kinsey smile, come by for a tea/coffee, help her hang items for her ever-evolving gallery wall, or bring her a chocolate chip scone.

Contact me at kinsey@localgr.org

Sara is Associate Pastor here at The Local Church. She's been working in vocational ministry for over a decade and is currently pursuing seminary education. She helps to lead various pieces of TLC's discipleship, community, and care ministries and is part of our teaching team. She also currently serves on the staff at Young Life, where she leads middle school ministry. Sara has a deep affection for the Word of God and she loves seeing people take steps toward Jesus.

Sara grew up near the campus of Notre Dame and brought along her great loyalty for the Fighting Irish when she moved to the mitten! She has been married to her husband Paul for over two decades and they both love coming home to their quiet country neighborhood. They also enjoy spending time with their two young-adult daughters, Kayleigh and Kinsey (not the Kinsey on our staff!). They also have one pet – a free range guinea pig named Meadow. In her free time, Sara loves visiting new cities, trying new restaurants, and doing anything outdoors – especially taking her slow and steady run each day.

Contact me at sara@localgr.org

Austin is the Lead Pastor of The Beloved Church, an expansion of The Local Church family, launching in April 2025.

From 2018-2024, Austin served as TLC's Pastor of Local and Spiritual Engagement. He played a huge role in facilitating the ways we love and serve our city and creating pathways to help deepen our relationship with God. Austin enjoys learning, stories, teaching, and mobilizing others. He loves the way of Jesus and is passionate about showcasing the beauty of Christ to others in our City, and inviting others to do the same. Before serving at The Local Church, Austin spent time working with churches across the city with the Luis Palau Association as part of the CityFest movement. Austin has a degree in Ministry and Bible and Theology from Huntington University, a Master of Arts and Theology from Fuller University, and was ordained in 2025 by Calvary Church.

Austin lives near downtown Grand Rapids with his wife Olivia and son Emmaus. They love going to the beach, exploring downtown and delicious meals with friends. Austin is a movie and music buff who also loves a good book. Originally from Indianapolis, he’s a huge basketball fan and is fanatic about the Indiana Pacers. Also while growing up in Indianapolis, Austin may have been part of a bible quizzing team…that won nationals…when he was 12…(although rumor has it that he was the weak link).

Contact me at austin@belovedgr.org

Freddy is the Director of Worship Culture at The Beloved Church, an expansion of The Local Church family, launching in April 2025.

At TLC from 2019-2024, Freddy grew from worship resident to Weekend Experience Coordinator, coordinating all of the moving parts on a Sunday morning, training volunteers, and more. Freddy wants to see the next generation grow passionate about following Jesus. He was born in England and moved to the US when he was young, and his amazing parents (TLC attendees now!) instilled a fervor for Jesus at a young age. He graduated from Grand Valley with degrees in Marketing and Music, and he has worked and volunteered in the worship ministry space for close to 10 years at numerous different churches around the country.

Freddy and his wife Elise live downtown Grand Rapids with their dog Roa. Together, they like to drink copious amounts of coffee while watching the world go by from their window. In his free time, you can find Freddy playing video games, reading a book, or hiking across the country.

Contact me at freddy@belovedgr.org

Reverend Erin Clifford-Reese joins the team as one of our teaching voices using her gifts for stellar biblical insight and winsome application to everyday life. When she’s not with us for a weekend teaching and spearheading some of our leadership development efforts she works full-time as the Director of Spiritual and Missional Formation at Fuller Theological Seminary. Erin is an international speaker, pastor and advocate for the poor.

From her years living in East Africa and London, Erin developed a passion to see humanity flourishing in other cultures, including the poorest of the poor. As a continuation of the belief in the role of the local church as a vehicle of God’s trans-formative hope for the world, Erin is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Missiology in the theology of suffering.

Erin can often be found eating cheddar cheese, drinking coffee, sitting in the sun, talking about Jesus or laughing loudly in or around Washington, DC where she currently resides with her husband and baby.

Dr. Gary Burge joins the team as one of our teaching voices. He is an internationally recognized New Testament scholar who has a passion for the Church and the Middle East and loves to make the Bible come alive. He has been an encouraging supporter of what God is doing at TLC and we’re super excited for his voice and investment in our community.

Gary is currently the Dean of Faculty at Calvin Seminary after teaching for 25 years at Wheaton College and Graduate School and when he’s not with us he and his wife are deeply involved with Church of the Servant here in GR. Gary holds degrees from the University of California and Fuller Seminary and received his PhD from Kings College, Aberdeen University, Scotland.

Gary continues to write both academically and pastorally and has a special love for the gospels, especially the Gospel of John. He has done extensive work in Israel and Palestine and has a passion for the Church in the Middle East where he regularly visits. He is an international speaker, esteemed professor and prolific author.

All of this you could easily find with a simple google search, but what you wouldn’t find is that Gary loves Volvos and IKEA (although his Swedish heritage is most likely the cause) and is a connoisseur of all things pickled (including herring). In fact if you ask nicely, he may even share some from his personal stash…

Philip and Bonnie serve as Spiritual Formation Guides to Staff at The Local Church, GR and have focused their lives on the pursuit of becoming like Jesus in word and deed. Philip taught at Cornerstone University for many years and Bonnie within the Grand Rapids Public School system and both love combining their teaching skills with their training in Spiritual Direction. Before that, they were long term missionary teachers in Kenya, East Africa at Moffat College of Bible. Over the years they have visited and taught in approximately 40 countries. Philip and Bonnie are the parents of four adult children and have 11 grandchildren. Being and making disciples of Jesus is the passion of their lives, whether that is through teaching, photography, or surfing the internet. They still haven’t found a Chai Tea to rival what they enjoyed in Africa but have not given up the hunt...