FIVE STONES CHURCH - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Children 's Ministry Director
Allison is a native Charlottean, and except for five years in Boone, NC, at Appalachian State University, she has lived nowhere else.
As a young follower of Christ, she started her journey of becoming a servant leader in any way she could: from interning in Children's Ministry, leading worship in youth groups, and guiding preteen retreats. After earning a BFA in Art and Art Education, her love for art, love for kids, and love of teaching took her back to her own High School to teach various Art courses alongside teachers who trained her as a teen. After ten years in the classroom, the call to full-time ministry was the natural result of years of preparation in the hands of many role models along the way. Allison is thrilled to collaborate and pour into the kids of Five Stones Church all she has learned and more from those impacting her life at every turn.
Best of all, Allison met Brittian in college while serving together in ministry. They dated all through college and married as soon as they were settled one year after graduation. They are excited to live in their dream home in Waxhaw and have many more years of adventures together with their adorable puppy, Zoe!
Job Titles:
- Family Ministry Assistant
Amy has lived in the Charlotte area most of her life. She graduated from East Mecklenburg High School and went to college at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida, where she majored in music performance. In 2001 Amy moved to Northern Virginia with her husband and back to North Carolina in 2006, where they stayed and raised their family. She has a daughter who is a design and technical theater major at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a son who attends Sun Valley High School. Amy is responsible for ensuring the family ministry team has the resources needed for all Sunday environments and other times throughout the year.
Barb joined our staff team in 2012 and believes it is one of the best decisions she's ever made.
Before coming to Five Stones, Barb spent 12 years in student ministry. She loved working with students and leaders, and that's where she realized her passion for loving on volunteers - she is amazed by our volunteers every week! She enjoys working with our team coaches to equip and empower them to lead their volunteer teams. Barb has the gift of hospitality and a flair for decorating. She loves the details of making all our events look just right.
Barb was born in Florida but lived most of her life in New Jersey and New York before relocating to Charlotte in 1995. She has four wonderful grown children, Kelly, Jim, Kate, and Dennis; two beautiful daughters-in-law, Rian and Grace, and an awesome son-in-law, Keith (who is also part of the Five Stones Worship Team). Her grandkids are the joys of her life - Kasey, Kara, Conner, Isaiah, Elijah, Annabelle, and Ezekiel. Barb doesn't wear dresses, and she doesn't wear black, so you'll never find her in a little black dress. She has an annual baking day with her family during the holidays, so make sure you're around to enjoy those famous peanut butter balls!
Job Titles:
- Director of Stepping Stones Preschool
Debbie came to Charlotte in 1978 after graduating from college with a degree in elementary education and getting married. Before having her two girls, she worked as a first-grade teacher in CMS, but once they were born and started preschool, her education focus shifted to younger children.
She served as a preschool teacher, assistant director, and for over 25 years, served as the director of a large preschool in Charlotte. After expanding that preschool program to include kindergarten and early elementary, the school is now K-12 with over 850 students.
Job Titles:
- Co - Pastors
- Teaching Pastor
John and Emily have been married for fifteen years. They have two sons, Cole (10) and Reed (5). John's mom, Stephanie (Nana), also lives with them. John enjoys dates with his wife, playing with his kids, meeting new friends, discipleship, good food, live music, and the '80s. Emily is a stay-at-home mom who enjoys decorating, home improvement projects, and studying to lead other women in discipleship groups. As a family, they enjoy game nights, having people over for dinner, and watching movies together. John and Emily were born and raised in Louisiana and have lived in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
John received a Bachelor of Science degree from Rhodes College and a Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served as Pastor of Student and Young Adult Ministries at Trinity Church in Covington, LA, Pastor of Young Adult Ministries / Teaching Team / Transformational Development / Next Generation at Calvary Church in Souderton, PA, and Pastor of Ministries and Group Life / Teaching Team / Leadership Team at LifePoint Church in Reisterstown, MD.
John has a deep love and appreciation for the richness of God's Word and for making disciples of Jesus Christ. One of his favorite Scripture verses is Psalm 115:3: "But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases."
As Worship Pastor, John has the incredible privilege to lead Five Stones in worship to God both in our daily lives and during the musical portion of our weekend services. He desires that each of us grow in our worship throughout the week and come to our worship gatherings expectant for God's sanctification, blessing, and comfort to overflow in His presence. John leads a phenomenally talented group of technical and musical worship artists on the platform and behind-the-scenes.
John grew up a preacher's kid in Texas and prays that God will never ask him to live in Oklahoma. He is a graduate of the University of North Texas College of Music but admittedly follows Texas Longhorns Football. John led worship with Five Stones a few times following their launch in 2009 before moving his family to Northern Nevada to work with Summit Church. After four years out West, God called John back to Five Stones in a full-time role in 2014. He has been married to his beautiful wife, Sarah, since 2009, and they have three little rock stars, Micah, Ezra, and Isaiah. It is possible that John may or may not own over a dozen guitars of varying age and purpose.
John plays Fender electric and Larrivée acoustic guitars, Fender, Fargen, Texas Tube Amp Co., Oldfield amplifiers, and broad range effects pedals
Johnny was raised in Indian Trail, North Carolina, and as the son of a youth pastor, he lived the life of ministry from a very young age. During summer camp in Middle School, he received the call to Youth Ministry. Johnny has a passion for seeing students know Jesus as the most important thing in this life because He is! In High School, Johnny attended Metrolina Christian Academy for his final two years, and while he was there, he met a beautiful young woman named Chloe. They would go on to date for six years before getting married in May of 2017. Continuing his call to ministry, Johnny attended North Greenville University and graduated in 2016 with a Christian Studies degree.
During his time in college, Johnny was involved in several campus ministries, mission trips, and interned at a church all four years. Upon graduating, God led Johnny back home to Charlotte to serve at a local church for over three years as their Middle School Pastor. Johnny has been on staff at Five Stones since 2019. Some of his hobbies are drinking coffee, going to the movies, watching the Panthers, and making new memories with Chloe.
Job Titles:
- Stepping Stones Ministry Assistant
Kristin grew up attending church and Christian schools, which established a firm foundation in Christ. She had the privilege of accepting Christ as her Savior and being baptized at a young age. Kristin continued her faith-based education through attending Clearwater Christian College and majoring in Exercise and Sport Science, with a minor in Biblical Studies. God called Kristin into Christian education a few years after she graduated, and she went on to obtain ACSI accreditation. Kristin has worked in various aspects of Christian education since 2010.
Kristin and her husband, Tom, are blessed with three children, Will, Cassie, and Luke. Kristin and her family have been attending Five Stones Church since 2011. She is thankful for the Family Ministry programs and how they have, and continue to, impact her children. She is excited to see what God does next in her life, her family's life, and at Five Stones!
Job Titles:
- Preschool Ministry Director
Lesley Volker is a native of Columbia, South Carolina, and graduated from Wofford College with a BA in Religion. As a college student, she traveled to Charlotte to work at First Baptist Church and has been in Charlotte ever since! She has three adult children, Joshua, Avery, and Emily, and a goldendoodle named Bingley. She loves reading books, frequenting local coffee shops, and spending time with her family.
Lesley brings 30 years of experience to Five Stones as she has been involved in church ministry and Christian education, working with preschoolers, children and students. One of her favorite places to visit is the Dominican Republic where she has taken students on 13 mission trips to work with Freedom Christian School. Through the years she has gained experience on the front lines of Family Ministry and is passionate about partnering with families in discipleship. Lesley loves to teach preschoolers about God's love for them as well as equip servant leaders to do the same. She is excited to be part of the Five Stones family and to meet the Wonder Zone families!
Job Titles:
- Family Ministry Assistant
Maria has lived in North Carolina for most of her life. She began following Christ during her Freshman year at UNC-Charlotte, where she met and fell in love with her husband, Andrew. Maria graduated from school with a degree in Middle Grades Education in 2001. She immediately went on staff with a college ministry, where her focus was discipling college women. In 2003, she and Andrew got married and worked alongside each other in ministry at numerous college campuses in NC and VA. Maria and Andrew have four children who attend Union Academy. They have been at Five Stones since they moved back to North Carolina in 2013.
Maria loves supporting people and all things organization. She enjoys serving God, Five Stones, and the community through her role as Family Ministry Assistant. She is excited to partner with Five Stones' families as they take their next steps with Him.
After attending The Ohio State University, where he met his amazing wife Heather, Matt relocated to Charlotte to build a business. After leaving the business world, Matt has worked in communications and creative arts, serving multiple churches. Today, Matt serves Five Stones operations as the "Marketing | Communications Architect," which is a fancy way of saying that it's his job to eliminate distractions and make our digital and print media clear and concise.
Matt is a husband, father, and certified coffee junky. When not serving the church, Matt is passionate about his family, good food, movies, and bike-packing.
Before joining Five Stones, Nancy served as the Assistant to the Dean of Enrollment Services at California Baptist University (go Lancers) for almost four years. Before higher education called her, she spent 14 years as an administrative assistant for three pastors at a Southern California church. The love of Nancy's life and her very best friend is her husband Greg (they met in high school and just celebrated 37 years of marriage). In 2017 Greg and Nancy felt a call from the Lord to move to North Carolina to be closer to their kids, Steve, Katherine, Caleb and Ashley.
She serves as a Peer Counselor at a local non-profit, so that she can live out her purpose and passion helping young women discover the truth in God's Word of how much Jesus loves them and has a plan and purpose for their life, If she were to pick one word to describe her Christian walk, it would be "grace," both received and given. "For from His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:16-17).
Nicole was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and worked as a professional harpist for many years. Nicole met her husband, Don, in New Jersey, and they were married in 2004. They have four beautiful children, Emma, Elijah, Levi, and Sophia. In August of 2009, they relocated to South Charlotte and began attending Five Stones. Nicole joined the staff team in June 2014.
Nicole believes it's an incredible privilege to work alongside men and women who care for one another and the church with such intention and love. Her goal is to help create intentional experiences for people to encounter God's redemptive work, respond in worship, and build community.
When she is not working, Nicole enjoys spending time with her sweet family, going on trips, watching movies, and trying new Pinterest projects.
As co-founder of Five Stones, from the beginning, Ralph has desired to see God-sized things happen at and in the lives of Five Stones… at the end of the day, only God can get the credit. As Team Pastor, Ralph's primary role is to take Five Stones' mission, vision, and values and provide the necessary leadership to the church's staff, ministries, and operations to make them a reality.
Ralph's passion is to see people grow to reach their full potential in becoming the person God created them to be. His vision is to see the church become such a life-changing entity within the community that it would be noticed and missed if it ever went away. He and his wife Angela have been married since 1993 and have three girls: Lauren, Kaeley, and Kendall.
Growing up, Tina moved an average of every nine months. She lived in places like Oregon, Florida, Arizona, and Montana. Her favorite place to live was Arizona, and perhaps that is because that is where she met her husband - when she was in fifth grade, and he was a senior in high school! They married many years later and knew that God was asking them to serve Him in full-time ministry in missions. When their four kids were little (ages 2-7), they moved to Indonesia, where they lived for six years. In 2013 they relocated to Waxhaw, North Carolina, to work with JAARS.
Tina attended Word of Life Bible Institute in New York and Cedarville University in Ohio. She has many years of experience in member care, training, and administrative tasks. She enjoys pursuing excellence in all things and has a genuine passion for others to know how much their Heavenly Father loves them.
She loves to go on dates with her husband and spend time doing anything with her four teenage kids.