Meet Our Team
Pastoral Team

Dr. Matt Shackelford
Lead Teaching Pastor
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Pastor Matt’s personal goal for ministry is to glorify God by shepherding the flock of God and preaching Christ-centered expositional messages that bring glory to God and joy to God’s people.
Pastor Matt is married to Ashley, and together they have four children: Caleb, Selah, Phoebe, and Lydia. They enjoy hiking, movies, college football, and bonfires. Pastor Matt especially loves a game of “Settlers of Catan” with his wife and kids. Unfortunately, they have become shrewd and ruthless traders, who enjoy joining forces to defeat him.
Matt has also earned theological degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.), The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (D.Min.), and he is currently finishing a Ph.D. from Midwestern Baptist Theological.
Stay up-to-date with Pastor Matt at momentoftruth.org. If you’d like to inquire about a speaking engagement or meeting with Pastor Matt, please use the form below.
Click here to learn more about Pastor Matt.

Braden McKinley
Pastor of Worship Ministries
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I am married to my wonderful wife, Ashley (married 2010), and together we have four amazing children: Grant (b. 2012), Thatcher (b. 2015), Holden (b. 2017), and Lorelai (b. 2020). Originally from San Diego, I graduated from the University of California, Irvine in 2008 and have served the Church through worship since graduating college. Through the years, I completed a Masters of Worship Studies from the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies, a Masters of Theological Studies from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS), and am currently working on a Ph.D. in Worship at SWBTS. In my ministry, I’ve had the blessing to serve in churches in California, North Carolina, and Arizona. I am thrilled and deeply grateful to be at Central Church and look forward to a long future of ministry in our congregation. In my spare time, I love spending time with my family, enjoying high-quality films, and listening to my ever-increasing vinyl record collection.

Justin Halverson
Pastor of Children and Families
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I was born and raised in Southern California. I originally went to school to teach High school math and science, but God had other plans. God gave me a heart for the church and teaching God’s Word to His people. After graduating from Talbot Seminary, I was a youth pastor for 7 years in California and then in Colorado. I am married to my best friend, Chloe, and together we have 1 daughter, Blakely. Chloe and I love board games and enjoying life with family and friends.

Derek McFarland
Pastor of Students
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I have an awesome family consisting of my wife Kendall, my daughter Maebry (3), and my son Gatlin (1). I graduated from Jacksonville State University in 2016 and am currently a student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. I have been working with students, Jr. High-College, for 6 years now and absolutely love doing life with young people. I really enjoy watching TV, getting mad while playing disc golf, and sipping coffee.

Greg Sukert
Pastor of Evangelism and Equipping
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I am so thankful to God for my salvation, my cherished wife, and the privilege to steward the gospel.
I am the co-founder of Anchored North, an evangelistic ministry reaching millions with captivating, honest, and shareable videos that explore humanity’s greatest need: redemption through Jesus. In addition to Anchored North, I serve as the Pastor of Evangelism and Equipping at Central Church. I am currently studying for my Master of Divinity in Evangelism and Missions at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
I also run an Instagram account dedicated to guinea pigs. Check it out at @lovetheguinea.

Dr. Matthew Castro
Pastor of Adult Ministries
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I am married to Lisa Castro. We have three children, Maggie (8), Lincoln (6), Teddy (2). I was born and raised in Memphis, TN. I am a graduate of Collierville High School, Class of 2002 and the University of Tennessee and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. I love all things British. I enjoy a good cup of coffee, a good book, and a beautiful autumn day. My family and I snow ski, disc golf, and cheer for the Vols on Saturdays.

John Andrew Clayton
Pastor of Missions and Counseling
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Tim Clay
Chief Operations Officer
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I joined the staff at Central in 1996. In 2020, I was pleased to take on the role of Church Administrator where I serve by partnering with Pastor Matt and the Elders to ensure the day to day operations of the church are running smoothly. I graduated from Crichton College and majored in Biblical Studies. When I’m not at the church you will find me spending time with my wife Allison and daughter Zoey.
Active Elders
Below is a list of our active Elders. Please use the form below if you would like to contact the Elders of Central.
Additionally, our elders publish minutes from their meetings for Central members to read. If you have any questions about the minutes, please contact the elder board.
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What is an elder?
These leaders are known by three titles all seen in 1 Peter 5:1-2, each of which reveals a separate aspect of their function. They are first called “elders,” indicating they are to be godly leaders whose wisdom and maturity are respected by God’s people. They are also called “overseers,” indicating their responsibility for the oversight of the church’s resources and the guardian of its people. They are also called “shepherds,” which is also translated as “pastors,” indicating their role of caring for and leading the church.
We see that within the New Testament model of church organization, authority for leadership is not granted to just one individual pastor, nor is it given as democratic rule by the congregation. Instead, the Scripture states that authority for leadership is conducted by a plurality of leaders who are appointed by the church and accountable to God. Some of these elders fill church vocational roles, and are therefore commonly referred to by the title of “pastor.” Other elders fill non-vocational roles, and are therefore commonly referred to by the title of “elder.”
What are the biblical qualifications of an elder?
All elders and pastors shall be selected and held accountable to the standards of 1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-9, Acts 20:27-32, and 1 Peter 5:1-3. All elders and pastors shall be in full accord with Central Church’s Constitution, Confession of Faith, and policies, as well as Central Church’s current Mission, Core Values, and Vision. Pastors additionally shall qualify for their positions according to giftedness and experience in the ministry position to be filled.
How are the elders structured?
The elders of Central consist of two groups: the Council of Elders and the Elder Board.
The Council of Elders consists of all elders of the church. The Elder Board consists of between seven to twelve elders from the council, the Lead Teaching Pastor, and the Executive Pastor.
What does an elder do at Central?
Generally speaking, the elders are given both the responsibility and authority to skillfully and lovingly lead the church, to teach church members through the accurate and insightful reading of the Bible, to care for church members through prayer and ministry, and to protect the church from harmful influences and beliefs.
The Council of Elders is the shepherding ministry of the church (1 Peter 5:1-4). The main role of the council is to promote the spiritual interests and unity of the church (Acts 6:1-6; Ephesians 4:1-3; 1 Peter 5:1-4). In addition, they select new elders to join the Council, select elders from the council to serve on the Elder Board, and they advise and support the Elder Board.
The Elder Board, in addition to their responsibilities as members of the Council of Elders, is ultimately responsible for the “oversight” of the church’s ministries and resources as prescribed in the New Testament (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2). In particular, they are responsible for ensuring proper doctrine is taught in the church and enacting church discipline when necessary. Other responsibility include: to receive new members into the church; to ordain and install pastors, elders, and deacons; to oversee the service of the deacons; to oversee the Christian education of all age groups in the church; to approve offerings for special uses and church purposes; and to oversee the public worship of God.
Do you have deacons?
Acts 6:2 – “And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables…”
In January 2023, our church body unanimously voted to include deacons as one of the offices of the church. However, we do not believe that deacons hold a leadership role in the church; they exist to meet the needs of the church body. By being the hands and feet of Jesus, deacons can take care of the physical needs of our facilities and our people.
Visit our Serve page to see how you can serve and to see a list of our active deacons.

Dr. Matt Shackelford

Chris Allen

Gregorio Barnett

Changis Hakim

Dick Jacob

Jim Lee

Kelly McElrath

Rich Ugarte

Tommy Whited

Jonathan Burk
Elder Intern

Mike Ebbs
Elder Intern

Steve Strong
Elder Intern

Mark Whitby
Elder Intern
Staff
Family Ministry

Justin Halverson
Pastor of Children & Families

Suzanne Sizemore
Early Childhood Coordinator

Brenda Ryan
Elementary Coordinator

Derek McFarland
Pastor of Students

Tim Schlum
Associate Student Minister

Abby Stephenson
Girls Coordinator

Michael Caserta
Worship Leader

Caleb Jones
Ministry Intern
College Ministry

Michael Caserta
College Associate
Adult Ministries

Dr. Matthew Castro
Pastor of Adult Ministries

John Andrew Clayton
Pastor of Missions and Counseling

Ellen Olford
Director of Women’s and City Ministries

Greg Sukert
Pastor of Evangelism and Equipping

Dr. Jim Allman
Theology and Bible Teacher

Carol Anderson
Women’s Ministry Administrative Assistant

Rosa Creed
Women’s Ministry Coordinator

Jo Ann Harris
Director of Senior Adults

Alicia Miehe
Senior Adults Administrative Assistant

Gus Schroeder
Director of Congregational Care

Angela Bath
Counselor
Worship Arts

Braden McKinley
Pastor of Worship

Michael Caserta
Worship Leader

Dan Johnson
Technical Director
Administration & Finance

Tim Clay
Chief Operations Officer

Rusty Artz
Accounting Manager

Martha Jennings
Payroll Administrator

Jennifer Summerall
Accounting Assistant

Jacke Perkins
Contributions and Accounts Payable Specialist

Tinsley Heston
Ministry Systems Coordinator

Sean Stark
Communications Director

Doris Donald
Executive Team Administrative Assistant
Facilities

Bubba Beloate
Events and Custodial Manager

Keith Macon
Facility Support and Purchasing Assistant

Kyle Kunstman
Resident Chef

Lourie Staton
Reception Desk Supervisor
Central Ministries

Deborah Pafford
Central Learning Center Director

Kevin Gordon
Central Learning Center Assistant Director

Teresa Morrison
Central Learning Center Business Administrator

Carlene Boldizar
Crosswalk Bookstore Manager

Heather Batey
Parent’s Day Out Coordinator